Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

My modest and "Fast advise" would be:

1. Take your time! AND

2. Above all remember: Any money you put in a thorough and professional INSPECTION is the key to save thousands of dollars. I spent more than 18 months looking for my car and had to pay 3 mechanics to check different cars. Two turned to be nightmares waiting for a buyer. I am so glad I did not buy them! Best money ever spent.

3. Buy as much car as you can afford; the BEST ONE POSSIBLE. There are great cars out there!

4. Check this link (a bit neurotic.... I love it!):

http://www.lotuselan.net/publish/buyers%20...%20list.shtml

Also, the December 1998 issue of Practical Classics magazine, which includes an excellent illustrated buying guide for the Elan +2.

5. Any "savings" pricewise, that corresponds to mechanical or body problems, will eventually turn into bills for three or four times what you ?saved? ?if you are lucky.




Carlos

Regarding the red car

The headlights raising after one hour are due to a vacuum leak as in this model this is the fail safe position

This could indicate a problem with the chassis crossmember which is used as a vacuum tank

Also regarding the petrol guage check out the sender unit in tank as these sieze up and do not move freely when sitting for along time

And I will probably bring home either one of them.

This is the problem with buying long distance and it's exactly what I did. You've paid the air-fare, you've got limited time, so you buy the best of what you get to see.

All things considered my car has been a good buy, it's been reliable, cheap to run and hasn't let me down in two years of ownership. But I wanted a shiny one with good paint and this one is a bit scruffy and needs someone to sort it out cosmetically - which is why I'm selling it.

In other words, make sure you get the car you want, or get it cheap enough to make it into the car you want. And walk away from a wrong one even if those flights were expensive

I am very gratefull for all the important advice. Being a serial classic car buyer, I am very much aware of the phrase: "Buy the best one you can afford". But sometimes you fall in love with a car, and then my commom sence is out of order Strangely enough, I allways seem to loose money on the cars, that I bought with love in my eyes The car I am after is not a shiny thing. I can live with scruffy paint, and tatty apperance. But I need a good runner, that at most just need a few things doing, and maybe a quick service. I use my car a lot during the season, and the season has allready started. I like to use the car at hill climbs, vacations both in Denmark and in Europe. Last year I took my 67`Porsche 912 on a 5500 km. long trip from Denmark, through Germany, Holland, Belgium, and ended up in France doing a "tour de France" including the Cote da Zur and the Alps! I have a girlfriend and a 10 year old boy, so the car needs to be +2. I have lusted after an Elan for years. As it seems to tick all the right boxes.

This is my 3. UK to Denmark import. One of them I bought unseen! I am now armed with a buying guide, a lot of Lotus books, common sence, your valuable advice, and three different cars to view. I will take one of them home on sunday. Maybe it is the sensible car, og maybe it is the car I fall in love with I will keep you updated...

Regards
Claus
serial classic car buyer, hoping to find inner peace in a Chapman creation.

dmode wrote:serial classic car buyer, hoping to find inner peace in a Chapman creation.

Sorry to chip in on the thread but that made my evening
Cheers
John

Expat+2 wrote:

And I will probably bring home either one of them.

This is the problem with buying long distance and it's exactly what I did. You've paid the air-fare, you've got limited time, so you buy the best of what you get to see.

Just a short glimps of my story.
Ten years back I came to the idea of buying the ugly duckling; the Europa.
Found an S2 Europa in LeHabra, California, which seemed very fine from photoes and several phoncalls to the seller. Shipping the car to Norway became a bit delayed, due to different things (the seller's general ignorance of his customers, I found out later).
Then, when the car finally arrived, it looked marvelous. Bright red, nice interior etc.
But; it wouldn't start, and the wheels were stuck - so we couldn't push it, neither..

Managed to get the car home, though, and startet to examin it closely.
Without going into details (have a look at http://www.haverstad.net for the whole story); I still haven't driven the care one meter, but a ten year nut-and-bolt restauration is getting close to finish now - still frustrating, though....

For the money I have put into this car, I'm pretty sure I could have travelled around the world twis, bought a lot of professional help - and still bought two mint Europa's. And still have some money in the bank.

S?, take your time - look at several car, do not trust the seller - and get someone that knows this type of car examine it for/with you.

Best luck !

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1972-LOTUS-ELAN-2 ... |294%3A200

Does this mean its the brown one.....

Terry

Hi Terry

Yup! you guessed it The Tarwny one is now parked in my garage. We came home from the UK 10 minutes ago. Much more to come... The red one is way to expensive! The "restauration" turned out to be nothing but a bad respray 3 years ago

Regards
Claus

Congratulations, did the seller give you the album of restoration pics with the car? I had a flick through at Donnington; very impressive.

How much did you pay?

Jason

Why are so many people interested in the cost of everything?

Ian.

Why are so many people interested in the cost of everything?

Ian.

Ian

You can say that again....

John

What I paid for the car, is between the vendor and myself We were both pleased with the deal. The car is amasing. original outside, and in the interior. But all the mecanicals are brand new. It ran perfectly all the way from the Uk to Denmark. End everything works. Including the Turnoclock, the outside ambient temperature gauge, and the clock. I love it, and I want to take it with me to bed.

Regards

Claus
serial classic car buyer, found inner peace in a Chapman creation.

That's a nice looking watch you've got there, how much did you pay for it?

Paddy

Looks lovely Claus enjoy it..sorry for my repetition John,my kids treated me to champagne for fathers day...