What turns you Off on our Lotus?

[Trendy Exige]

Can't valet it to fancy restaurant. Girls can't get in/out of the car in a tight dress. Drove it to the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, was not easy for my date without causing a wardrobe malfunction.

Not great to drive around downtown in most cities with crummy roads with potholes.

Not safe to drive in the rain in the Exige S due to R compound tires and other cars not being able to spot you on the road when there is a massive down pour.

[Brian C]

I might add that having a graphite grey coloured Exige, people don't see you in their mirror when driving. It blends into the asphalt, so I always drive with my headlights on, even during the day. I have been cut off heaps of times by other careless drivers.

[Westrock]

Lack of power.

[HKFEVER]

Besides the build quality from Lotus UK, the Lotus dealer is another issue.

I asked them to check out some squeaky noise from the 2 black plastic parts locate on the rear top part of the clam that hold the rear part of the soft top.

Guess what dealer told me, LOL. They said it is a rear clem remove job, and don't know the cost yet, until find the source of the noise. WTF....

[mbiamonte77]

Originally Posted by Trendy Exige

Can't valet it to fancy restaurant. Girls can't get in/out of the car in a tight dress. Drove it to the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, was not easy for my date without causing a wardrobe malfunction.

I should be so lucky to have your problems! :-)


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[sleepe]

Originally Posted by philethier

Really? The blade was dried out from non-use when I got it. Replaced it with a Michelin blade from Wal-Mart. Have been in some rains, and have not found rain yet that it does not sweep away cleanly. Lightyears better than the wipers in my Europa, Seven or TR4. Easily as good as the ones in my DDs.

agree, the wiper is highly effective...better than any of my other cars

[Corvus13]

Really? The only complaint I have is that I have to waste precious driving time working to help pay for the gas/mods for the car. Keep in mind I'm coming from a Spitfire, so the fact that the cars electrical system functions is a boon for me.

[David Craig]

I only have one issue. I have a "loose rolling object" noise just behind the cockpit. It developed a few months ago. Once I solve that, I'll be back in heaven.

[saudio]

Of course I hate all the squeaks and rattles and buzzes. But the thing that keeps me out of the car the most is the cockpit temperature. In the middle of the summer, with the top off the heat blowing into the cab from the radiator makes it miserable, and with the top on the AC is quickly overwhelmed. During the shoulder seasons the heater won't even keep your toes warm with the top off, and in winter, forget about it.

[jefrac]

I have only had mine to the track a few times, but have noticed a common theme.... Apparently, my car is too small to "fill the mirror" on a Mustang. I can park on their trunk lid for a full lap before those guys see me. Do Mustangs even have mirrors? I am thinking about having my teeth coated in krypton green so at least they can see me grinning back there. Oh, but I like my full face helmet so that would not help.

Side note on Mustangs.... Every kid on the street in a one wants to race me (which I am not about to do) unless I leave the numbers on the car, then they just hang back. It's funny. Must be a "race car" if it has numbers. Ha ha!

[wek120]

For prospective owners, heres the jist of this thread;

Mostly Fixable;
-Mysterious Squeaks - (add felt padding between things)
-Can't drive it on the street - (you could at one point )
-Can't drive it every day - (several people do)
-Not enough power - (add a turbo and/or supercharger)
-Alarm System - (Get a different one)
-Battery Depleting - (beefier battery...though adds weight)
-2ZZ - (K swap)
-Cabin Sounds - (add lots of Dynamat)
-Sound System - (get a better one)
-Soft Top balooning (get a hardtop)
-Trunk leaks (find the leak and seal it)
-Complaining owners (suck it up or fix it, to be blunt )

Not Really / Entirely Fixable;
-Fragile clams
-Exit and Entry
-Gear Shifter Loose / Sloppy
-Stiff Ride
-Poor A/C
-Small Window Leaks
-Not much weight over the front tires
-Shifting into the passenger beside you
-Bubbly looking front
-Blind Spots
-Plastic Interior
-Exhaust fumes
-Big trucks can't see you
-Positive & negative attention

[sturgeongeneral]

My ONLY complaint is clam fragility. Shifter mods tighten things up, but it can be fun to shift into a passenger. Too many mods to say it lacks power as a factor, it just takes $$$$. Suspension mods also increase the drivability, but also $$$$.

[chiarov]

Originally Posted by Zwhitaker

How ****ty the plastic is on the interior


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Agreed. The stock gray plastic around the shift console and AC surround bugged me. Just thought it looked cheap on a car like a Lotus. But it's easily solved with some CF bits like this!

[tommyc]

Driving other high perfomance vehicles and still loving the lotus even with it's quirks. Most have been rectified however! That is what bugs me


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[Zwhitaker]

Window leaks....That is def a problem. I also hate how the windows rattle. I am trying to fix this by adding more foam blocks.

[philethier]

Originally Posted by Zwhitaker

Window leaks....That is def a problem. I also hate how the windows rattle. I am trying to fix this by adding more foam blocks.

Somehow I got lucky on this, too. Only two tiny leaks, one on the upper front corner of each window. I need a direct hose-spraying or a drive through monumental rainstorm to trigger them, and a paper towel is enough to clean up.

Don't notice window rattle whether the windows are open or closed.

Of course, how could I hear windows rattle over the thump and groan of the hardtop on bumpy pavement?

[rmb221]

Hey- not all lotus owners are stuck up! We work hard for our money lol. One major negative of the Lotus is its rarity- hard to buy one because of the smaller selection (can be seen as a positive though)

[Bill R]

Originally Posted by JonS

Easily solved: Lotus Fob, The site for the NuKey | The ultimate Cobra Fob and Key replacement

No affiliation, but I just got this and it is THE ANSWER.

[WayneB]

Originally Posted by Corvus13

Keep in mind I'm coming from a Spitfire

Supermarine - very impressed

Triumph - not so

[<@¿@>]

Originally Posted by wek120

For prospective owners, heres the jist of this thread;

Not Really / Entirely Fixable;

I disagree - all fixable;

-Fragile clams Don’t hit anything!
-Exit and Entry Get your fat @$$ in shape.
-Gear Shifter Loose / Sloppy Replace the shifting linkage with the LETSLA linkage and replace the shift cables with SSC cables.
-Stiff Ride You wuss.
-Poor A/C You can buy and install the A/C system sold to the Middle East or do the mods that are shown else ware.
-Small Window Leaks Get a towel.
-Not much weight over the front tires Put a splitter and canards on the car.
-Shifting into the passenger beside you Only let cute chicks ride with you.
-Bubbly looking front What, are you gay?
-Blind Spots People have installed a backup camera as rear view…
-Plastic Interior Replace with carbon fiber.
-Exhaust fumes Replace with 2bular exhaust system.
-Big trucks can't see you So you watch for them…
-Positive & negative attention Enjoy the positive ones…ignore the negative ones.