Is the Elan easy to maintain?
Well it’s certainly easier than a Lotus Esprit. Most experienced DIY mechanics should be able to cope with most routine maintenance tasks, although patience is required. A set of Lotus service notes is an excellent starting point, will save hours of time and enable you to obtain the best from the car. For most owners the biggest problem is simply getting under the car. It’s much lower than you’d imagine, so a couple of months on a strict diet works wonders! The engine packaging is tight so always allow more time than you would normally estimate, and have a good supply of Elastoplast. Most jobs are fiddly but possible. The oil filter can be difficult to remove as it’s behind the engine. The tip here is to use the latest Lotus ST special tool, it doesn’t cost much and extracts in seconds. Replacing plug leads requires patience because of the twin coil location, beneath a very sharp bracket. Changing the gearbox oil is best left until you’re really keen, and the timing belt I’d recommend
