Oil change price sounds right. It's very expensive. If you want to save, try going to a Toyota dealership and see if they can service your lotus since it's a Toyota engine. If you're good at it you can do it yourself as well.

I know the elise oil change for an 05' is every 7,000 miles... not sure about yours. I don't think you would need your brake fluid flushed yet until about 12-15k miles.

 

I'll do it for $200

 

Handy maintenance guide -
http://www.gglotus.org/ggtech/elise-msch/schedule.pdf

Brake fluid change is recommended annually.

Oil change is 7500 mile intervals, but if the car is not driven a lot water and acids can accumulate.

I would check the air filter. They get dirty quickly in these cars.

Price varies upon local shop rates.

Cheers,
Kiyoshi

 

7000 mile service at rothrock in philly was around $450 last year. recommended oil change on the 06 elise is 7000 but more if used hard. i wouldn't go to a toyota dealership, they won't use lotus filters (i believe it makes a difference:shrug. if i wasn't going to a lotus dealership or not doing it myself id rater use a lotus specialist.

 

i wouldn't go to a toyota dealership, they won't use lotus filters

Lotus uses standard Toyota filters. There appears to be two different ones, a supposedly "better" one that came with the car, and the normal one that Toyota uses. Both meet the specs, and both are available from Toyota (although all Toyota dealers may not stock the more expensive filter).

In any case, there is nothing unique about the engine - it is standard Toyota. Even JiffyLube could change the oil (but I don't recommend that). The additional hassles with the Elise is the undertray must be removed, but once that's done, it no different than any other car - easier then most actually because there is no chassis in the way of removing the filter, etc.

You do have to be careful lifting the Elise, and it can't be lifter properly on a standard four point lift. But if the oil changing place has a drive over pit, or a drive on lift (lifts the cars with the tire on the ramps), there is no problem.

Me, I change the oil on my driveway... :shrug:

 

Save yourself the $ on the Oil change and do it yourself. it's easy-peasy, and you'll feel very empowered after doing it. Once you finish, you'll find it pretty ridiculous that it costs $200+ at the dealer.

If you want local help, post something in one of the region-specific threads, and I bet someone can assist - might even let you use their ramps, tools, etc.

 

What everyone seems to always forget (or don't understand) is that this is not a Chevy or Toyota. That little "routine checkup", if done right, is very important on a Lotus. I haven't had work done recently at Newport European, so I can't comment on how it is done today, but when Don was the Lotus Tech there, he went through a ton of safety and reliability checks. It took an hour, or more,...and you could watch if you wanted...and he would explain everything as he went and show you how to do it if you wanted to between regular servicing. There are a lot of things that loosen and/or fall off if not properly taken care of and some of them you really don't want to do that.

 

Wait ... have you had the 1000 mile service done???? if so do the service yourself.