fu@K, Sh!+, CR^P! DAMAGE!!!!

[xxxotic]

That sucks.
At least the guy at the shop wasnt underneath the car when it fell off.

If you want to cancel the rally on Saturday we will ubderstand.

[TimMullen]

Originally Posted by mark.r

Tim to clarify, does the undertray (the middle) or the engine (the rear) cover have to come off?

It's already been answered by Obsidian, but you remove the under-tray under the engine to get to the rear lift points. The "undertray in the middle" is actually the chassis and is not removable.

Here's one thread (with diagrams) of the jack.lift points: http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11308

[qball]

Okay... I need some contact info.

SE Lotus Rep (name and e-mail)
and perhaps Lotus of USA (contact and e-mail)

I'd like to copy them on my correspondence to the body shop and to Goodyear.

If anyone has this, please e-mail me or PM me.

Thanks,

Karl Ellzey

[ZTEC]

Coincidentally, I had my tires balanced today because of the Fun Run Qball organized this weekend - When I had my wheels swapped out a couple months ago they read the manual they said "no way would they use the 4 points in the bay" and put mine on the drive on lift to avoid exactly what happened to qball, The shop I go to in Orlando is called Fourniers Performance Automotive (Shameless plug) 407 898-8002.
The techs know their **** and built my 400 HP S2000 before I totalled it and do all my work so at least I have a place I can trust.
Karl, I am really sorry this happened to you - Let us know if you need to cancel the run this weekend!
Here is my car getting a balance today -

[LARRY]

The orange car in the background is on the lifts at South Bay. Qais and Skeeter -- doing things the right way, the best way...the only way.

[Exigent]

Sorry to hear about the accident.

Gives me a great idea though .... it involves my declared value insurance policy and an Exige that has depreciated a lot ...

[mark.r]

Originally Posted by LARRY

The orange car in the background is on the lifts at South Bay. Qais and Skeeter -- doing things the right way, the best way...the only way.

Using a drive on lift, how do they lift the car correctly. I remember reading about jacking trays or something. What about jacking mechanism?

[EburgE]

Sorry to hear, man. I would NOT drive that car again. Let Goodyear buy it.

[LotiMo]

I am getting sick looking at that picture. Holy sh*t.

[Yeti]

I think ET got its edge back.

[rush]

Originally Posted by qball

This is what I've done.

1. I photographed the car at the Goodyear store.
2. Car has been flat bedded to Dimmit Lotus in Clearwater (their expense)
3. I've already spoken to the body shop manager and he knows that I am going to be picky about the car (if salvageable). They said they were going to bring it to the Lotus shop and have the mechanic go over it for mechanical issues.
4. I've asked for a copy of the incident report to be faxed to me from the Goodyear store (not received yet)
5. I've called my insurance agent and they are aware. He said the first step was to see how Goodyear would handle it.

Am I missing anything else?

i think you're missing one very important thing:
first you should have kicked whoever did this in the balls, and as they're keeling over, you uppercut them in the nose. this is absolutely ridiculous! and only strengthens my fears to let anyone touch my car...and the closest lotus dealer is 6 hours away qball i hope you get a new car out of this and their insurance doesn't try to dick you over like most do.
good luck

[TTP]

At least the put plastic over the seat and the paper over the carpet.

[Aedo]

Sorry to see qball - good thing is that no-one was hurt

Agree with others on the assesment that it is totalled due to the hole in the chassis (replacement too expensive due to work required).

Also getting a new one will be quicker than getting that one repaired! Time to start the search

Originally Posted by TWCNY

Don't forget the glued joints on the frame may have been compromised and the strength and safety of the vehicle may not be known until an accident. As I said earlier, fight for a new one!

On the subject of joint strength this is a non issue - when Lotus designed the chassis they tested the joints to distruction and the aluminium failed before the glue bond. The only thing to be worried about is frame damage and this is visible and measureable.

Lightweight they may be but they are also tough!

[joeyevil]

Originally Posted by qball

This is what I've done.

1. I photographed the car at the Goodyear store.
2. Car has been flat bedded to Dimmit Lotus in Clearwater (their expense)
3. I've already spoken to the body shop manager and he knows that I am going to be picky about the car (if salvageable). They said they were going to bring it to the Lotus shop and have the mechanic go over it for mechanical issues.
4. I've asked for a copy of the incident report to be faxed to me from the Goodyear store (not received yet)
5. I've called my insurance agent and they are aware. He said the first step was to see how Goodyear would handle it.

Am I missing anything else?

Yes, you need to call me. Attorney at Law.

[ascott]

All I can say is WHOLY CRAP!!! I saw Karls car for the first time this weekend, as he was kind enough to stop by my house and see my new baby... I really enjoyed looking at the car and seeing all the fun goodies he has in/on the car. Karl I already sent you a PM.... but man... I am so sorry!

[Rachel]

Wow. That is horrible. I'd say get a new car. There is no telling what kind of damage is done from the drop.

[ewalberg]

yeah, they're tested the bonded joints to failure, but there's 1001 ways to test the car and only a few got done... and i'm guessing the 6' drop test off a lift wasn't on of them. Also, haven't we seen some crashed cars here which show bond failure? Not saying the metal wasn't also trashed, but bond failure all the same. What i'd be concerned about is a bend/stress which is not significant to measure, but which puts the bond under constant stress... for the next accident.

I am just theorizing to some degree, but saying something has been all tested out is only valid for the tests performed. air bags are tested at like 40mph or something like that. Which meas they may be all but worthless at 80mph. Which is why i hate that data doesn't need to be provided for cars with the air bags turned off, because the vehicle structures can be very different in the strength, but airbags make a nice bandaid which covers the fact. I've seen data comparing the honda CRV and the ford escape (mazde tribute) before and after airbags, and the ford got bad grades without air bags and tested the same as the CRV with. the CRV got good grades with and without.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Yeti

I think ET got its edge back.

[shay2nak]

Holy sh*t, dude!!! Sorry about your car...damn...

[sjlotus]

what a horrible incident.. !! many will learn from your unfortunate mistake though. thank you for posting. I sure will only have a lotus dealership do any work whatsover.