Thinking of moving to an Evora

[DBG 127]

Seems most comments have been covered here. I’m also in love with my NA, perfect amount of power to be able to have fun on the street IMO. 

We have carried our daughter around in it (and done plenty of road trips) since she was forward facing. She absolutely LOVES it, although the purring engine behind her often puts her to sleep pretty quickly. There is not heaps of space, but it’s easily doable if your wife isn’t too tall. Just make sure you test fit a couple of seats to pick the best fit.

[LotusLeftLotusRight 1,322]

9 hours ago, cloud said:

Ah okay I'm no hater at all. I can't think of a single car other than the Evora that has 4 seats and is mid engined. I'd like to see Lotus invest some serious cash into the Evora but I believe it will be soon dropped.

I have two mid-engined 2+2s. The Ferrari has more room in the back: you could transport four adults if necessary. Not really possible in the Evora without a lot of complaining and contortionism.

[C8RKH 6,422]

The Evora looks tiny next to the Ferrari @LotusLeftLotusRight

[LotusLeftLotusRight 1,322]

The crappy wide angle mobile phone lens distorts the dimensions and the Evora is parked closer to the garage.

The Ferrari is 175mm (<7”) longer, 162mm (>6”) narrower and has a 75mm (3”) longer wheelbase.

[TomE 283]

I've had my 2011 S since it was 6 months old, having had a supercharged Elise and an Elan before that.  I argued it was a suitable family car when my second daughter arrived.  It's served as dad taxi from when they were in forward facing car seats aged 6 and 10.  I tested a Launch Edition with a rear facing car seat in the front and that was fine.  There are some that will fit in the back too.  My wife and I are both 5'8" and I drive with the seat on the front click, so plenty of room behind and my older one was a tall 16 year old before she moved to the front.  Younger one still loves being in the back at 14.

Running costs have been fine for what is a low volume hand built supercar.  Last annual service about £440 and it's needed very little beyond the regular stuff.  VED is a bit higher than the NA but who cares.  It used to get through rear tyres every 6-8k miles on OEM Pirellis, which were expensive too on the larger S wheels, but it's now on Michelins which wear better.

In 9 years it has let me down twice.  First time the starter motor failed - Lotus replaced the (Hitachi) part free of charge and only charged labour, despite it being out of warranty.  And earlier this year one LED front indicator stopped working inside the sealed headlamp unit just before the MOT so it failed.  They're made by the same firm that make for Aston Martin and others, so not entirely a Lotus problem.  Lotus said replace the whole unit (over £1k) but a local auto electrician carefully split the unit and re-soldered the broken joint for just over £100.

My gear cables were replaced as part of the purchase deal and as well as adjusting them regularly I've uprated the gearbox oil and the gear change is fine.  You need to be precise and not rush it.  And it'll do over 70mph in 2nd and nearly 100mph in 3rd, so you don't have to change gear too much if you don't want to!

It's been surprisingly practical: family trips, long adventures like Isle of Man, carrying a full size suitcase in the back as well as cases of wine, a TV, lengths of timber, my road and TT bikes.  It gets positive responses from almost everyone of all ages (see the lengthy "reactions to my Evora" thread for examples) and is brilliant to drive.  Cross-country and on track it is very sure-footed and easy to drive briskly - quicker than my Elise SC.

I guess I may have been lucky and not had any of the often-quoted issues.  Just miles of smiles.  And every 12 months or so I wonder what I'd replace it with and can't find anything that ticks all the same boxes except another Evora (except I prefer the S1 styling and don't t like the 4xx as much). 

As others have said, the NA is a very capable car too so don't rule that out.

[Goatboy 55]

I don't suppose it really matters to the OP but the S IPS has lower tax that the manual!

The auto is really rather good. If you are using it as a daily I think it makes a lot of sense, very smooth in everyday driving and plenty quick when pushing on too. It got a lot of criticism at launch but a lot of the niggles were ironed out with software updates. The rev matching on the down change is also rather addictive...

As for kids seats the rear seat bench is quite narrow so as previously said you need to choose your seats wisely. I haven't tried rear facing in mine but front facing no issue. Unless the person in the front is particularly tall (I am 6ft 5 and the seat behind me when driving is pretty much un-usable).

I've not driven the manual but the quality of the shift does seem to vary from what I can tell. It's cable shift after all so a lot of adjustment is available. 

In terms of reliability I think you will find no worse than any other sports car. Only issue I have had is the the cables coming off the battery! The are other niggles but nothing that stops the car going and nothing I wouldn't expect elsewhere (e.g. gas struts in the boot failing). One of the bigger niggles is the battery will drain if left undriven. Mine is still just about ok after 2 weeks but 3 is risky. I put a solar charger in mine when I know it's not getting driven for a while and that definitely extends things. Others have rigged up trickle chargers but not always easy if the car loves outside.

[Barrykearley 6,977]

It’s no 2.   
 

https://www.hotcars.com/most-reliable-european-sports-cars-from-the-2000s/?fbclid=IwAR3w1-ofCGIlMjrrAF1o0o5CIXHAzpdFzZ_E8yrBJrgrXgSE4YAmC-S5E_Q

[TdM 194]

1 hour ago, Barrykearley said:

It’s no 2.   
 

https://www.hotcars.com/most-reliable-european-sports-cars-from-the-2000s/?fbclid=IwAR3w1-ofCGIlMjrrAF1o0o5CIXHAzpdFzZ_E8yrBJrgrXgSE4YAmC-S5E_Q

Yes, but it's just above a Noble!?!?

[Barrykearley 6,977]

Great spot that chap. I however own an esprit. Reliability isn’t an issue 🙂

[jerzybondov 69]

18 hours ago, TdM said:

Yes, but it's just above a Noble!?!?

That article appears to have been written by the work experience kid, who's only got a vague idea of what a sports car even is. 

[exeterjeep 217]

18 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

I however own an esprit. Reliability isn’t an issue

Back in 1981 I owned an elite 501 and reliability was not good, broke down on way back from dealer, again 2 days later, and then on boxing day clutch cable, one day had the gear lever come out in my hand, recovered twice by RAC for brake issues, repaired chassis, and eventually the gearbox failed - sold the car then. Otherwise a great car to own....

[Barrykearley 6,977]

As stated then - faultless reliability 🤗

[exeterjeep 217]

7 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

As stated then - faultless reliability 🤗

After the elite 501 left, the 4 excels and elite s2 and 2 eclat s2 were much better, from memory the RAC (home start) came to my house for an excel starter motor failure, and  had my newest excel recovered only once when the PAS pipe blew apart.. So they never actually left me stranded, but one day I remember coming back from a business meeting and the temp gauge was rising, stopped had a look , put the heater on, drove on, the fuel gauge had also gone up - actual fault was a voltage regulator - so quite relieved. Although one of the eclat s2 needed a new piston.  The other eclat s2 had an annoying problem with the bolt connecting the battery earth strap thru to the chassis, had to fix that every year or so.

[100th_Idiot 360]

19 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

As stated then - faultless reliability 🤗

As long as there's no fault it's reliable 🤪