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Paul Carson's 2000 V8-SE

I bought the s4 almost new (well, 4,500 miles and about 12 months old) previous owner was a Sunday only driver and apparently it was one of a few of his toys. For me, it (and my v8 now) was my only car so it gets taken every where all the time, but since a divvy fiesta driver smashed into the side of it whilst I was at a junction (she was as upset I was to be fair) it never felt quite the same. You could see the respray and it had that jinxed feel. Still, never had any problems whatsoever with it until later that year the radiator began to leak (Paul Mattey's lot said a replacement would be required imminently) so with the worry of increasing repair bills (as it was getting to about that age) I happen to visit Kings lotus in Warwick (you how it happens:-) and after sampling the thrust of the v8 the extra £££s soon leaped out my wallet...

The V8 has been reasonably trouble free - it had 10k miles on it and was again about 12 months old, previous owner was one of the MDs at Lotus so i read that a positive for the car. Not too sure though now. No major problems with it, just the usual niggly things I suspect others have had, so far;

- Windscreen wiper takes the phrase intermittently too far some times.
- Corroded (disintegrated infact) bolt securing the turbo heat shield created a tinny embarrassing rattle.
- drive belts(chains?) needed replacing as they were causing a rattly noise (you can tell i'm mechanically mined!)

After 3 years of the Calypso red one, the Titanium was such a soothing contrast. Looks good even when it's filthy and when cleaned (particulary the alloys) it just ooozes presence. I prefered the old S4 alloys though, I think the V8se ones look too generic.

 

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