Lots of Trouble Usually Serious

[Mo Pho]

So finally someone is seriously interested in my Elan. My father and I spent last week cleaning it up, making sure it all works. Car was running great, started right up every time. Today the guy was coming to look at it, so I started it up this morning and drove it over to the local Lotus morning coffee meet and around town. Car ran great.
This afternoon, I started it and drove it out of the garage to park it on the street for better viewing. Guy shows up, looks over the car, asks to go for a ride and it won't F'n start. Completely dead, not even a click, won't even jump start off a battery box.



I think the car knows I am trying to sell it and sabotaged itself, same thing happened last time I showed it to someone, went to go for a drive and it decided to run on two cylinders

[SJMorgan]

Originally Posted by Mo Pho

So finally someone is seriously interested in my Elan. My father and I spent last week cleaning it up, making sure it all works. Car was running great, started right up every time. Today the guy was coming to look at it, so I started it up this morning and drove it over to the local Lotus morning coffee meet and around town. Car ran great.
This afternoon, I started it and drove it out of the garage to park it on the street for better viewing. Guy shows up, looks over the car, asks to go for a ride and it won't F'n start. Completely dead, not even a click, won't even jump start off a battery box.



I think the car knows I am trying to sell it and sabotaged itself, same thing happened last time I showed it to someone, went to go for a drive and it decided to run on two cylinders

You may have a battery/charging problem.

Might be a good time to look for loose wires as well.

When the cars sit without chargers on them, the batteries get sulfated, and the plates short out. This makes them hard to recharge. It also makes them impossible to jump start. My guess is that your battery is junk, and it is screwing up the whole car.

Since I just went through an entire collection with this very p roblem in most every car, I am pretty sure that I am right. Buy a new battery, things will be better, and the car will get its new owner.

Also, when checking the battery, you might check to see if the thing is charging. Volt meter does this easily.

[Mo Pho]

Turned out to be the battery kill switch failed. I bypassed it and the car started right up.

Battery is pretty new, as is the alternator

[SJMorgan]

Originally Posted by Mo Pho

Turned out to be the battery kill switch failed. I bypassed it and the car started right up.

Battery is pretty new, as is the alternator

Just lost a new alternator on the XI. Bad rectifier. Had a brand new bad battery last week on another XI.

Had six "brand new" batteries fail, and a "brand new" starter snap its drive at a car collection last month. "New" usually means "Untested".

I have also had a couple of cutoff switches fail as well. Those were not that new.

[HeyChris]

So CN version is the guy walked away.... ?

Or coming back....

[Mo Pho]

It's looking like he is taking it, final deal is happening on Friday

[Buck]

HEY!! Congrats, glad you found an owner for it :-)

[Mo Pho]

Thanks! Not a done deal yet, but I am cautiously optimistic

[Mo Pho]

Fucking did it to me again!!!!


Thought I had found the problem, car started every time. Guy comes to pick up the car with check in hand....dead, nothing, notta! Mutherfocker!

Of course he leaves, an hour later the car starts right up

Sounds like he is not too deterred and is coming back with a flatbed tomorrow. At least this makes me feel a little better about selling it.

And today the wife says, oh I like that car, you don't have to sell it. What?!!


#%$#$ #$%# #$#^&!!!!


.

[Buck]

aw man, that car just isn't letting go, haha!

[SJMorgan]

Originally Posted by Mo Pho

Fucking did it to me again!!!!


Thought I had found the problem, car started every time. Guy comes to pick up the car with check in hand....dead, nothing, notta! Mutherfocker!

Of course he leaves, an hour later the car starts right up

Sounds like he is not too deterred and is coming back with a flatbed tomorrow. At least this makes me feel a little better about selling it.

And today the wife says, oh I like that car, you don't have to sell it. What?!!


#%$#$ #$%# #$#^&!!!!


.

I will stick with the diagnosis of a short in your new battery. Had that a couple of times. Intermittent, hard to trace. Of course, you have to check the rest of the electrics first. Make sure that you have no loose wires, bad start switch or some other electrical component between the battery and the car.

I would not sell it. Too hard to get a good Elan. You have a very long relationship with that car, and it is very nice. If your wife likes it, you need to keep it.

[Mo Pho]

While the car holds sentimental value and I like the idea of having two sports cars, I am currently not making the kind of money to justify one let alone two. The Elan doesn't hold a candle to the Caterham in the fun to drive category so it just sits and is deteriorating, and will end up costing me even more money. I'd rather someone else enjoy it.

It sure is pretty though....



At this point, I'd rather have a Miata than the Elan, something fun that I could do a road trip in comfortably and without worry of breaking down.
That said, the money will likely go to remodeling our kitchen and some other things in our home and daycare for little mopho

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Mo Pho

The Elan doesn't hold a candle to the Caterham in the fun to drive category

I'd love to have a caterham someday, it does seems like a pretty fun car, and visually very interesting too