2011 LOTUS EVORA S | THE GOOD, BAD & THE UGLY

Hello welcome to another pedal our video today we're going to talk about why the
Lotus Evora might not be as reliable a car as you would first think
THE GOOD!
Reasons for buying this car:
the reviews around this car are very complimentary towards its handling
it's convenient because it has a 2+2 layout so you can squeeze just about two kid
in the back
You get exemplary performance
Really stunning mini supercar looks
Some of its quirks can actually be part of its appeal for example it is tricky to get in and out.
However, it is mid-engined and you can kind of feel that when you’re driving along. You sit very low down with the engine behind you which is visible through the glass. That's supercar stuff! You've got a very thin rear letterbox screened at the back it's probably less visibility this car than a lot of very more expensive supercars but that kind of adds to the appeal.
The Evora is in no way a supercar but it’s the closest thing you can get to being in a mini supercar and that’s cool
THE BAD
However, the cars has only done 5k miles in 2.5 years and every time something broke I got it fixed but then pretty soon after something else would break. This soured the ownership experience quite a bit.
One of the great things about Evora is its engine. One of the not so great things about the Evora is its engine. It’s from a Toyota. Like most engines Lotus uses in comes from somewhere else. It’s been tuned to within an inch of its life by Lotus and continues to be so. So what you get is still a spirited V6 despite being derived from a Camry. Those that know though, know. Some of the less desirable comments directed toward the car focused on that Japanese lump out the back.
It’s reliable though or so you’d think. Not necessarily. You see dropping another manufacturers engine into a custom Lotus doesn't always work out as you would expect
So what’s gone wrong with it?
THE UGLY
Wheel arch liner brackets rusted through requiring replacement with some re-engined (improved) after market ones.
Gear knob leather wore through required a new somewhat clunkier knob to be fitted
Air-con leaked and needed a regas with the leak seemingly mysteriously fixing itself
Catalytic converters imploded and deposited themselves around Goodwood motor circuit. This car quite literally pooed its pants. Driving the car hard it seems warms the cats up to unheard of temperatures not commonly experienced when on the road. Doing this repeatedly means the cats basically crumble. Replacing the cats with direct OEM parts will require you to sell a child or new exhaust headers and a modified sports cat further away from the engine will fix it permanently but you’ll need to sell two children to be able to afford that.
Fitting Opting to fit a used set of cats I managed after some wrangling to fit one myself. Getting the other on via the engine access hatch behind the rear seats proved a step too far. There was simply no way to get purchase on the bolts. Thankfully Lakeside engineering came to the rescue on that one. Wallet was lighter but not a light as it would have been going with the other two options.
Replacing the manifolds involved a bit of exhaust jiggling about to get them on. This led to a central downpipe being shifted about a lot. A central downpipe with some flexi pipe on it. Sure enough this started to blow. No problem you’d think how much can a bit of flexi exhaust pipe be? Well from Lotus the answer is a lot. If you want your car to remain OEM which for any warranty you would then prepare to open the wallet again. Thanks again to Lakeside Engineering for fitting it, but this point I’d had enough of crawling underneath the newest most low mileage, first British car I’ve ever owned.
Fate would strike me again though when the starter motor expired. But surely it’s a Toyota engine that can’t be much can it? Well no, it isn’t. It’s simply not the same. More astronomical wallet lightening and some severely grazed knuckles later and we’re back on the road.
At last time to use the car properly and get some real enjoyment out of it. My joy was short lived. A new noise appeared. Some kind of gentle rattle. Surely a cheap fix this time? Well, I didn’t dare to find out as I could guess where that story would end. Time to call it quits and part with the only British car I’ve ever owned. Sorry Lotus but its Sauerkraut and Sushi for me from now on. You can take you Stewkey Blues and throw them back into the sea. I’m done.
0:01 - Introduction:
0:06 - Unreliability Warning:
1:00 - Reasons for Purchase:
1:45 - Emotional Connection:
2:10 - Positive Experiences:
2:57 - Quirks and Appeal:
3:51 - Comparisons and Expectations:
4:05 - Maintenance and Repairs:
5:00 - Engine Praise and Issues:
7:11 - Specific Repairs:
8:34 - Exhaust Problems:
10:00 - Continuing Repairs:
12:03 - Downpipe Issues:
16:03 - Resale Decision:
20:45 - Final Thoughts
#lotusevora #lotusevoras #evora

[@markgreen5584]

Great review of the good, bad and ugly of the Evora. All the same issues you had plus the dreaded 4th 5th gear loss on mine but still in love with it.. More reliable than my TVR2500M at this point. I also in the middle of my mates EVORA with the same transmission issue. Engine out as you know.. what a beast of a job those have been. But in the states more difficult to find a dealership close by than in the UK.

[@damos_cars]

Thanks for the feedback. Good luck with it!

[@1183newman]

had mine for 2 years, daily drive it and it lives outside. Done about 8k miles in 2 years and havent had any real problems,

[@damos_cars]

I think mine had spent a bit of time on track prior to ownership....

[@EvoraGT430]

12000 miles per year for me and only had two sensors (brake and clutch) fail. Evora replaced 996 , so any complaint about engine is minor in comparison.

[@1183newman]

@@damos_cars i lso think mine was tracked in prior ownership, it was in a sorry state cosmetically. Covered in stone chips i mean the whole of bumper front clam and roof were pockmarked.

[@damos_cars]

Ha ha yes had to one of those too and the ECU completely packed up on it! Shame as it was a sentimental purchase (see other vids)

[@FooFahFoeFum]

1. Does the car have some tubing or piping/passage of fresh air coming into the engine bay? 2. Is there some sort of venting to let hot air being released/exhausted from the rear engine bay? 3. Have you had vibration/movement issues with your exterior rear view mirrors? thanks

[@damos_cars]

1. Yes. 2. Yes. 3. Yes.

[@FooFahFoeFum]

@@damos_cars thanks for that

[@ragequitter]

You’re welcome

[@1001Hobbies]

I am considering getting a 2013 - 2015 Evora S so I a m watching videos about these cars. Here in the US I believe it would be cheaper to have a local custom exhaust shop bend up new pipes in stainless (never have to replace again) to remedy any regular and flexy pipe concerns. I don't know if the catalytic converters are specific to the Evora or if any other Toyota production converter could be utilized. I too look for "options" for making proper repairs. I have also worked on cars for 40 year, plus I went through an auto tech school for a year and did it for a living for a while.

[@damos_cars]

Yeh, sounds like a good plan. I think ultimately the position of the manifold/cats is ok so long as you don’t run the car hard for too long (I.e. track days). I can’t imagine it was ever a problem in the Camry. As mentioned here this car has been tracked before I bought it which I knew about as it had lunched it’s our gearbox! I tracked it myself and it’s first outing with me was when one of the cats disintegrated. So I guess the moral really is it depends on what you will use the car for and how hard it will be driven. By design my personal opinion is you should be able to drive it pretty hard. This is where I believe the engines ancillaries needed a bit more thinking. More info here: www.2bular.co.uk/engine-protection-kit

[@davep5829]

I have an Evora S, and agree they can be infuriating. Having had it off the road from a few months, mine is currently in the garage having lots of bits and pieces sorted out - they really don't like not being driven However, the Camry thing is just ridiculous and parroted by people who's only form of wit is to copy Jeremy Clarkson. Very few affordable performance cars have bespoke engines and when they do (i'm thinking TVR Speed 6) - people then joke about lack of reliability. As for the exhaust/cat issue, I'm guessing that this is the reason why Lotus ditched one of the cats from the 2012MY?

[@damos_cars]

Hope you get it sorted and back on the road soon!

[@damos_cars]

No the cat that they removed is one that’s further back and not required. Commonly known as the third cat. There are many straight pipes available to delete this for early cars. Yours will still have the cats in the manifolds right off the engine. It’ll probably be fine with gentle use.

[@davec7051]

Another great and concise review. Full marks for doing a lot of this cat work yourself (you're lucky you have pit access for this!). Interesting how Lotus have "added value" by detracting from the reliable Toyota engine - the good (the supercharger and tuning) and the bad (the poor airflow/cooling around the mid engine - thats Lotus' placement and uninformed air flow into the engine bay). Lotus - lovely chassis' mixed with questionable engine design. Another example the Lotus Elise head gaskets - a simple cheap thing to fix on the production line to avoid engine failures! Just remember the inherent style of the Evora S and the track days you did..

[@damos_cars]

Cheers!

[@Docinaplane]

I had an NSX. If someone said to me, "Nice Honda" I would feel, "Yeah it really is a NICE Honda" lol I eventually replaced it with an Evora GT, best Lotus you can get in the States.

[@damos_cars]

Ahhh good one! It's not all bad I know have a red one!

[@steveflor9942]

Thanks Damo Great review. What kind temperature information is available on the dashboard? I would expect coolant and oil temp at a minimum. But, supercharger inlet and outlet temps would be nice. Or, just any indication regarding pending meltdown. Cheers

[@damos_cars]

Hi Steve, thanks for watching and commenting. Great question, don't have the car anymore but from memory I don't believe you see the oil temp, but engine temp is defintely on there. No temps for inlet and outlet. I guess you could get a bluetooth OBDII plug and a double din unit to read those values. I have that in my TT now and it works great. Cheers.

[@Mike-pb7jm]

Good video. The problem was you believed that Toyotas are more reliable than other vehicles. They aren't. People just don't admit that they paid $500 for a premature starter motor or $1800 on cats at the dealer.

[@damos_cars]

Indeed!

[@1001Hobbies]

Good info on the starter motor. I'll remember to put a heat shield around it.

[@damos_cars]

If you can.. it’s tight in there! Good luck. 👍🏻

[@zrinzoj]

Eh, think you're just being excessive. The labor on these cars does suck 100%. But it's pretty reliable,. But if you don't drive it, you're going to have issues. When I first picked up my car I had every issue possible because the car sat for years. But then I started driving it every day and now it's been good. Only issue I have is that getting parts from lotus can be a pain if they don't stock it.

[@damos_cars]

I think the problem with this one was it had been used too much. Too much heat will destroy your cats and eventually wear the starter prematurely. They’re great as road cars but if you’re really into driving I’m not sure the ancillaries really stand up.

[@EvoraGT430]

@@damos_cars They do, but I think yours was monstered on track by a previous owner.

[@stuartclague3914]

Sounds like you never got over the “nice Toyota” comment, which diminished your ownership enjoyment. I really don’t understand this jibe - or why the Elise doesn’t suffer from the same criticism. Realistically, this is a 2011 car and any non-Toyota parts are going to be low volume and therefore expensive. Just try pricing the equivalent parts from Porsche or BMW - I recently priced a washer pump for my M Roadster at the dealer and was quoted $120 for a part that I could buy on Amazon for $30 (oem).

[@damos_cars]

The Toyota comment was annoying but didn't bother me too much. The Elise was a revelation at the time so much so that folks forgot about what engine it had. It engrained itself in the petrol psyche as an amazing little sportscare regardless of the powerunit. Whereas the Evora with a V6, from Toyota made bigger headlines at the time of launch. I've owned Porsches (2 x 944s, 996, Boxster) and BMWs (E93 M3 / 330CD) so I'm used to big bills (see my M3 costs video... ) but what I found surprising was the cost of these ancillary items on what it is basically a Toyota power unit. Everyone waxes lyrical about it's reliability but those ancillary bits which in the case of the headers are the same as the Toyota ones are just crazy expensive. The starter motor which should just be the same as the Toyota one (for some reason I've yet to fathom it isn't) was the real kicker. It's not a clever BMW or Porsche tech fest starter motor. It's a bog standard starter they've been putting on simple cars for years, it's a £170 item tops. Anyway, I've reached the conclusion that although these cars are fabulous to drive they're not that great when driven really hard (on track) for a lot of the time. Which is to be expected. If it had been a bit more robust and a tad cheaper for the Toyota bits then I'd probably still have it. For some reason I now find myself browsing the classifieds for a 4 seater, triangle shaped Lotus Elite. It'll probably be more reliable than the Evora! Thanks for commenting and watching. Cheers.

[@punkuk1979]

I was looking to buy one for my daily driver and for track day fun (My daily driving Caterham Supersport idea is getting old) There are a few State side to be had for, a reasonable price but my pockets are not that deep for the upkeep (back to the Tesla 3 idea I guess) shame as I love the look of the Evora and it is not something you see on the roads here. Maybe they fixed the cat /starter motor issues on later models But after watching your take I just don't see the good outweighing the bad for an older model

[@damos_cars]

Mine is just one story, one example and likely not representative of all models. I hate for this video to put people off buying an Evora. There are many great things about them. Really great things. My frustrations just got the better of me with this car and all the inconvenience did not outweigh all the good sadly. I think if you buy right and really know the cars history then things should be ok. The real point is don't assume it'll be cheap to run. Not that I did it was more the nature of things that went wrong that I found frustrating.

[@luckyal3963]

there is no ugly to owning a lotus more marmite either you hate them or love them i have just bought an evora and adore it !!

[@damos_cars]

They’re great cars. Congratulations and enjoy it.

[@josh9422]

You can beat up and destroy any car . But nice to hear the problems coming off the track and what happens when you actually stress test the car . All the years all the technology. You think there be a existing durable car . It has been noted of some holding up . Also noted some just having issues and just being faulty .

[@damos_cars]

Well I’m on my second now so it can’t be all bad! 😅

[@dogtag114]

The cats are just Toyota parts that can be had for under $500 new. The Lotus markup, even without changing the name on the part, is ridiculous.

[@damos_cars]

They are, still expensive and hard to find.

[@cduncan5690]

I really wanted to see things from your point of view but its seems like you have never owned an older car or one outside of warranty. Expecting a 9 year old car that sees limited use to not have failing parts is like expecting a 90 year old man to have a clean bill of health. It is unrealistic.

[@damos_cars]

Oh I’m more than familiar with older cars. This is actually the newest car I’ve owned. Hence the disappointment.

[@cduncan5690]

@@damos_cars Could it be that yours is a lemon? I've also followed JayEmm and saw him get rid of his Evora 400 after 2 years. It would appear that these cars do not have catastrophic failures, but do give you death by a thousand paper cuts. I was really contemplating getting one but I do not like cars that need attention constantly. So I appreciate the fact that you've made a long term review of the car rather than the normal quick review that just praises driving prowess.

[@damos_cars]

I don’t think it was a lemon as such. Just very well driven (tracked) which is should be able to do. But this extra wear highlighted some foibles. Essentially it’s a prototype. If you get a low miles, gently driven one I imagine it’ll be ok. The cost of parts though for what was supposed to be a Toyota engine is eye watering. Like I say I’ve owned older and expensive cars (M3, 911 etc) and although not perfect they seemed to have fewer major flaws.

[@cduncan5690]

@@damos_cars As far as the price goes you have to pay the lotus tax. The gearbox for instance is probably about 3k from Toyota for the Avensis, while Lotus charges about 10K for that same standard ratio gearbox. This car is also a parts bin special with parts that were never made for a sports car. I am almost certain that the stock headers are the same ones from the Camry and ES350. Lotus doesn't even make any changes to the engine before strapping on the supercharger. I'm not surprised that it has more issue than a Porsche but I am surprised to hear that it has more issues than BMW high performance models.

[@damos_cars]

Starter motor and header prices were a shocker. Couldn’t get hold of the Toyota equivalents. I looked and looked. This was also super frustrating. See my M3 costs video... I’m also a few k into my mk2 3.2 TT but it’s all stuff I’m expecting. The Lotus just never failed to surprise which just spoiled the experience toward the end.

[@ragequitter]

A great second car, but it seems it wouldn’t be smart to have this as your only car (which I was planning on).

[@damos_cars]

Indeed I always ran a couple of others at the same time as this.

[@radiogreenblue]

Many would buy a new Honda Civic Si to daily drive and get the Lotus

[@damos_cars]

I like that idea!

[@ragequitter]

An Evora or Elise would be a great second car. For those times they need to sit while you wait for a special ordered part, you can drive your daily driver

[@damos_cars]

Yep, my previous dailies have been an Audi A4 and mk1 Audi TT.

[@expert_procrastinator]

Dam, this is (almost) putting me off on getting one!

[@damos_cars]

They’re not all bad. When they’re working they are amazing and look incredible. Go for it. Just be prepared.

[@EvoraGT430]

The decat pipes are to make the car sound better and to generate more power, not to fix a known problem. The makers of those systems are naturally going to over-state the problem, in order to generate sales (a bit like the bullshit IMS-oiling systems on the Porsche 996).

[@damos_cars]

The problem can't be overstated for me. I think putting in that engine with manifolds containing cats so close to the main body of th engine was / is a mistake. Admittedly one that only really manifests as a problem when the car is repeatedly driven hard but then it is a sports car and that is what it is supposed to do.

[@EvoraGT430]

@@damos_cars One other thing it could have been: if an oxygen sensor is not fixed, it can cause the engine to run rich. If left a long time......it melts the cats.

[@damos_cars]

@@EvoraGT430 yeh good point. Did have one go but it's wasn't out for long.

[@wiseguyrob2005]

You keep saying “engine should be reliable as it’s Toyota”. Yet your engine hadn’t broke?? It’s some cats for an engine that was not designed to be slotted into a sports car therefore are bespoke. And a starter motor. All your combined issues cost less than a gearbox issue on my GTR.

[@damos_cars]

Yeh you're right. It's the ancillaries and the position of them not the actual engine itself. Fair point. Yeh I don't envy trying to fix a GTR gearbox! Good luck. Thanks for watching.

[@oliscargill8328]

Very interesting video. Out of interest how many miles has yours done?

[@damos_cars]

About 55k by the time I sold it.

[@fredmercury1314]

Can someone explain to me why it's not a supercar? What even *is* a supercar..?

[@damos_cars]

There's no short answer to that question and people rarely agree. If there was a spectrum though this is probably on the border of top end sports end just a step down from super car.

[@priceizzrite7258]

4k exhaust ripp off ... custom build one for $600

[@damos_cars]

mmm possibly.

[@steverichardson2307]

Like the cap

[@damos_cars]

Special Lotus drivers only one. LOL. (incidentally the bad and ugly in this video can't have been too bad as I've bought another one)

[@MooMoo69556]

Oh man I saw one I liked, but it’s manual not automatic. Damn

[@damos_cars]

Oh you should watch our latest videos on the Evora on the channel! Manuals are way better than the autos. A lot more engaging and entertaining to drive. Let us know how you get on..! Cheers

[@MooMoo69556]

@@damos_cars but I’m 🇺🇸 I’ve not a clue how to drive a manual 🤣

[@damos_cars]

@@MooMoo69556 neither did I until the first time I did it! 😅

[@MooMoo69556]

@@damos_cars I think I should practice stick on a junker so o don’t completely shred the Lotus. Great video by the way, I loved how u showed ur kid in the backseat as that was a concern of mine as well. Wont replace the family car 🚗

[@damos_cars]

@@MooMoo69556 Ah thank you! Hope you find your dream car soon. Keep us posted. All the best.

[@paulroberts5306]

i had an nsx na1 and once heard someone say wow ..oh its a honda ... and your worried about a guy who drives a bmw saying something .. he drives a bmw what did you expect

[@damos_cars]

😁👍🏻

[@fredmercury1314]

A Toyota with the performance of a cheap Porsche and the reliability of a Ferrari... Weird flex but OK.

[@damos_cars]

That kind of sums it up! ha ha. Cheers Fred.

[@EvoraGT430]

I think the moral is: get an NA model!

[@damos_cars]

Think you maybe right.

[@jetblast6046]

All this seems to be normal wear and tear. Specially for a used track car.

[@damos_cars]

V.true.

[@automotivetestdriver3473]

Its sad ,they just so mit have the money to drive 150000Km for every component,like we do on our(I m testdriver of a german premium car producer) prototype cars,but believe, that,Ferrari,McLaren and all producers of sportcars built on small amounts have their problems. Anyway britisch cars had always problems with reliability, but they are full of personality and giving emotions ,like no many others.

[@damos_cars]

Very true!

[@davec7051]

Automotive Testdriver I had cars with too much “personality” when I was younger! I’m now onto my 4th M car as modified daily commuters and they’re great (occasionally there’ll be a design issue - eg soft rod bearings, crank hubs slipping etc but if you manage those things they’re fine). They never break down due to a little rain and give pretty much everything you can ask for (but they’re expensive).

[@saint1981311158]

Switches from stereo to mono too much

[@damos_cars]

Mic issues unfortunately but appreciate the feedback. We’re a work in progress 👍

[@utubecomment21]

So in other words - the Toyota engine is somewhat of a marketing ploy, to add a bit of respectability for what is a cr@p brand! I saw a couple of people buy into the Elise (Toyota 4-pot) and they really were a pile of dog dump until each of them finally threw in the towel.

[@damos_cars]

7 F1 constructors titles buddy. I don't think they're that crap. Bespoke, unique, original, not mass market definitely. But 'cr@p'? Definitely not.

[@utubecomment21]

@@damos_cars But obviously those 7 wins haven't exactly translated to the road cars ... in terms of reliability ....ever!!! Regardless, people are buying Porsche's and Lambo's like they're going out of fashion. Lotus has always been the stepchild of sports cars brands!

[@juststuff5216]

@@damos_cars Everybody has accolades. Who cares about those trophies when you're having to flatbed your 70, 80, 90k car … yet again!

[@damos_cars]

Maybe but if they were reliable it wouldn't be a Lotus it would be an Audi or a Porsche. ;-)

[@damos_cars]

@@juststuff5216 I guess owners find that part of the charm!? :-D