Hello :)

[LukeH]

Nice one Micah.

Well hello Luke! Very nice S350! Done anything to it?

Good luck on finding a Clio. Buyers market at the minute, there are loads of cars available and for really affordable money. Take your time and be meticulous and you'll find a good one. If it's more a track focused car, maybe keep an eye on the classifieds on here. Some very tasty cars come up from time to time. Depends on how much of a road car you need it to be. For instance @BenAG200 has a bloody awesome track car that might be available right now.

As for the quality perception, I think it is just that, a perception. I've been in some nice solid 197s and been in some sketchy 200s too. Just down to the life and the type of ownership the car has had I guess.

Proper friendly and helpful bunch in here. Any questions, just shout.

I've just seen your Chrome Grey one - they look bloody amazing in that colour!

Not a vast amount yet - S111 V-Force harness bar and Schroth harnesses, some slight geo and fitted a 2bular Road system. It's very non-track friendly but it only takes about 40mins to switch back to standard for track use and is very much worth it the rest of the time

If yours hasn't had it already with it being a non-350 id consider running a little more than the standard -0.40° front camber. Around -0.90° - -1.10° is the sweetspot without upsetting anything else and dialling out the understeer on the earlier cars (especially on track). Pretty easy to do as its just a couple of bolts to slacken off (torque wrench required to nip them back up) on the hub carriers and a shim system. Transforms the front end of the car.

Pretty much decided what i want now car wise just awaiting the right one to appear - id have my pick if i wanted a white one but with the exige being white i do fancy something different.

 

[///M]

I've just seen your Chrome Grey one - they look bloody amazing in that colour!

Not a vast amount yet - S111 V-Force harness bar and Schroth harnesses, some slight geo and fitted a 2bular Road system. It's very non-track friendly but it only takes about 40mins to switch back to standard for track use and is very much worth it the rest of the time

If yours hasn't had it already with it being a non-350 id consider running a little more than the standard -0.40° front camber. Around -0.90° - -1.10° is the sweetspot without upsetting anything else and dialling out the understeer on the earlier cars (especially on track). Pretty easy to do as its just a couple of bolts to slacken off (torque wrench required to nip them back up) on the hub carriers and a shim system. Transforms the front end of the car.

Pretty much decided what i want now car wise just awaiting the right one to appear - id have my pick if i wanted a white one but with the exige being white i do fancy something different.

Nice one Luke. It was the colour I wanted all along and it does photograph very well. I think they look superb in white too. For some reason, I think the lairy colours that suited the S1 and S2 so well just don't work on the S3.

I was very close to going all out and getting a new Sport 380 but in the end it would have meant getting rid of the M3 and as much as I tried to convince myself I'd fallen out of love with it, I just couldn't sell it. So I kept the M3 and got a used S. Which has its benefits as I much prefer the glass engine cover, the lack of the soft touch black, plus the leather is a much better spec than the later cars after JMG went mad on cost cutting! It's a small thing but I really love the manettino switch for the DPM too. Now I've settled into the whole thing, it was 100% the right decision and I've fallen confidently back in love with the BMW because of it.

Geo, yes it's on the list mate. It's not running standard settings anyway, but I could do with a little more as there is still too much front end bias. But most likely, that will happen when I eventually move to a Nitron set up. However, there are a few things I want to do visually before then. Proper wing, new access panel, skirts, loads of carbon goodies, new wheels (I don't like any of the Lotus offerings) etc. It will be a long process culminating in a TVS1900. SSC have already given me a VERY good price on it. Seriously tempted to start there but it would be silly as the car is currently more than quick enough!

Anyway, good banter mate. Sounds like you've got the Clio worked out in your head and that's a good thing. It took us six months or so to find ours but we got exactly what we wanted in the end and I absolutely LOVE it, especially after the few tweaks we've given it. Hope the same applies with you.

Good luck Luke, let us know how you go.

 

[kevlar]

Its a bit of a weapon!
View attachment 111715
Had an S2 260 Prior to this which was an incredible car - still miss it actually.
View attachment 111716


Cheers, had a look through that previously - very useful!


Probably just a perception thing on my part - ive had a look at a couple of each recently and the 200s just seemed a little more 'solid' could well be down to the individual cars i guess.

 

[LukeH]

Nice one Luke. It was the colour I wanted all along and it does photograph very well. I think they look superb in white too. For some reason, I think the lairy colours that suited the S1 and S2 so well just don't work on the S3.

I was very close to going all out and getting a new Sport 380 but in the end it would have meant getting rid of the M3 and as much as I tried to convince myself I'd fallen out of love with it, I just couldn't sell it. So I kept the M3 and got a used S. Which has its benefits as I much prefer the glass engine cover, the lack of the soft touch black, plus the leather is a much better spec than the later cars after JMG went mad on cost cutting! It's a small thing but I really love the manettino switch for the DPM too. Now I've settled into the whole thing, it was 100% the right decision and I've fallen confidently back in love with the BMW because of it.

Geo, yes it's on the list mate. It's not running standard settings anyway, but I could do with a little more as there is still too much front end bias. But most likely, that will happen when I eventually move to a Nitron set up. However, there are a few things I want to do visually before then. Proper wing, new access panel, skirts, loads of carbon goodies, new wheels (I don't like any of the Lotus offerings) etc. It will be a long process culminating in a TVS1900. SSC have already given me a VERY good price on it. Seriously tempted to start there but it would be silly as the car is currently more than quick enough!

Anyway, good banter mate. Sounds like you've got the Clio worked out in your head and that's a good thing. It took us six months or so to find ours but we got exactly what we wanted in the end and I absolutely LOVE it, especially after the few tweaks we've given it. Hope the same applies with you.

Good luck Luke, let us know how you go.

Sounds like you have great plans for it! I think you've made the right move too, the 380s are a big lump of cash and with a V6S or 350 base car with 10k thrown at it you would have a MUCH more capable car.

TVS1900 is a great shout, certainly more preferable in my eyes to the komotec upgrades, the stock SC was always running fairly close to capacity. Was the biggest let down in the 380 in my eyes, instead of upgrading they just banged a smaller pulley on it to hit a number and in order to better manage the heat reduced the max rpm. Having now driven one this actually ruins the car for me, maybe if you hadn't had the older higher rpm limit you wouldn't miss it but despite it being a seriously quick car the character of the engine (which was never the cars no1 feature!) is a big step backwards. In with you on the side skirts thought, they make the 380 look mega!

Might be worth considering a bigger splitter to in relation to what wing you stick on. The reverie and cupR ones generate a lot more DF than stock so without the CupR splitter (or other suitable lump of plywood!) it might turn it into an understeery mess in the high speed stuff.

Looking forward to see how it progresses for you, they are truly epic cars.

May have sourced a 200 through a mate who had one tucked away I didn't know about! Ticks all the boxes, 200 FF cup with recaros/ speedlines in nimbus with the black roof. Will go take a look soon


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[///M]

Sounds like you have great plans for it! I think you've made the right move too, the 380s are a big lump of cash and with a V6S or 350 base car with 10k thrown at it you would have a MUCH more capable car.

TVS1900 is a great shout, certainly more preferable in my eyes to the komotec upgrades, the stock SC was always running fairly close to capacity. Was the biggest let down in the 380 in my eyes, instead of upgrading they just banged a smaller pulley on it to hit a number and in order to better manage the heat reduced the max rpm. Having now driven one this actually ruins the car for me, maybe if you hadn't had the older higher rpm limit you wouldn't miss it but despite it being a seriously quick car the character of the engine (which was never the cars no1 feature!) is a big step backwards. In with you on the side skirts thought, they make the 380 look mega!

Might be worth considering a bigger splitter to in relation to what wing you stick on. The reverie and cupR ones generate a lot more DF than stock so without the CupR splitter (or other suitable lump of plywood!) it might turn it into an understeery mess in the high speed stuff.

Looking forward to see how it progresses for you, they are truly epic cars.

May have sourced a 200 through a mate who had one tucked away I didn't know about! Ticks all the boxes, 200 FF cup with recaros/ speedlines in nimbus with the black roof. Will go take a look soon


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Good banter again Luke. I'm in full agreement with the charger comments. Lotus have made some shocking decisions recently. Was very interested reading the thoughts of the guy in Belgium with the 380 who has felt really let down by it and doesn't feel like it's actually gained him anything.

I'll get a run in a Komotec EX460 soon to get a feel for it, but I'm definitely more interested in the TVS1900 route.

As for the wing, I'm going to see how it goes. It's not a track car (eventually I'll build something proper for that, most likely a BMW) so I'm not too fussed about track manners. If it behaves ok on the road, I'll keep it, if not, I'll go back to the ugly standard one. Main problem for me is, with the Reverie / Cup R splitter, I don't think I'll be able to get it in my garage! Might do a test with a mockup in plywood and cross my fingers...

Anyway, this is all some way off for now as I'm skint for the moment. When I do start modding it will be very slow and steady progress as there are still things I want to do to the other cars too. The old never ending money pit story...

Sounds VERY positive on the 200. Really like Nimbus and it always looks spectacular in photos. Never seen one with a black roof. That's a very rare option. Amazing paint on them too. It's like a 5mm thick sheet of tar! Only ever seen one with it done in the flesh. Looked SO good.

Fingers crossed we see a new purchase thread soon mate!

 

[Micah]

May have sourced a 200 through a mate who had one tucked away I didn't know about! Ticks all the boxes, 200 FF cup with recaros/ speedlines in nimbus with the black roof. Will go take a look soon

Sounds very unique! Nimbus very underrated IMO. Good luck with it, would love to see pics of that.

 

[Cossers]

Welcome aboard all I need, another v6 exige owner :-( I need one too

 

[LukeH]

I have a car!

Will post some pics once it's collected and I've given it a quick spruce.

Excited!


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[///M]

I have a car!

Will post some pics once it's collected and I've given it a quick spruce.

Excited!


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Good work Luke!

 

[Pav]

speedy Gonzales they call you..well done..put some pics up

 

[LukeH]

speedy Gonzales they call you..well done..put some pics up

I'd have usually taken an age to select a car but given this one popped up with a guy I know well and ticked all my spec/mileage/history boxes it was a bit of a no brainer.

Collect on Thursday, need to order a dipstick too, snapped in my hands when I was checking the oil!


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[sevenfourate]

I have a car!

Will post some pics once it's collected and I've given it a quick spruce.

Excited!


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Huge congrats pal !

Looking forward to it only slightly less than you

 

[LukeH]

Well its home!

Still haven't driven it properly yet - was a nice evening so had a blast over to collect in the Exige and let a mate drive it back. As another Lotus owner he got out looking like a Cheshire cat after chasing me back so it looks promising.

Needs a good thrash around the peak district and a proper clean then the fiddling can commence!

 

[///M]

WINNER!!!

Looks absolutely fantastic mate.

You can take it from another Lotus owner how bloody awesome these little cars are. If you get some good suspension on there (not sure what this is running) they're hilariously good!

Pleased for you mate. Hope she treats you well.

 

[sevenfourate]

Sorry....missed this Luke.

Not seen many 200's in this colour. But that is really lovely. Maybe even nicer (certainly more unique) than an Ultra Red: which I also love on MK3's.

Great spec too. She's a stunner alright. Treat her well and enjoy