Firstly, hello - I'm a new lurker who's toying with joining the fold of Aero 8 ownership... The criteria list for my fun cars is variable and long, but it include the car being unusual, the kind of thing most people wouldn't have a clue about but car people would say is an interesting choice, even if it's not one they'd make themselves. I think the Aero fits the bill I've just taken a deposit on my late model Honda NSX, and am already itching to fill the garage with something new ;-)

Anyway, I had a look at http://www.rtcc.co.uk/index.php?do=usedmorgans&car=36660e59856b4de58a219bcf4e27eba3 today and I have a few questions about the car, just wondered if it is known on TM or even if the owner is here?


thanks in advance!
Ewan

Welcome to the forum Ewan, looks a fit car.

Ewan welcome to TM. The car looks familiar do you know the chassis number.

hi - I don't have the VIN number, sorry. It's a 2005 series 2 with side exit exhaust & hard top from factory, which has also had a number of modifications; AP Racing brakes, a reputed 400bhp (that's one of the things I wanted to talk about) and maybe more: it's also got some kind of radar detector mounted under the front splitter, and Defendall paint protection.

thanks,
Ewan

A lovely looking Motor Ewan with added hard top... get it bought Lad

Saw it in the showroom at RT when I was there a few weeks ago. Its in great condition !

Current/previous owner lives in Scotland Ewan and is at least on his 3rd Aero! I own his S1 prior to this one. Fastidious owner. The little box under the front is a radar jammer, I have one of those too!

I and a few others here, knew the first owner, a very nice guy called Andrew. He attended a few of the Aero owners club trips to the South of France. I would have no qualms buying a car of his.

I don't know the second owner though I seem to think he was a member here, and recall talk of the power upgrade.

I would doubt it has 400bhp as that's a big increase over the standard 326. My previous S2 was measured at 367bhp and there was someone else who had his S2 chipped and was measured at 366bhp (from memory - could have been 368 as I recall it being 1 different to mine at the time). Might even have been this car?? If you do some digging on here you may find the threads.

Good luck, the car looks awesome in the flesh, the hardtop really sets it off as well.

400bhp on an S2 would require a serious degree of mechanical change - not just a chip.

As Boshly says his previous S2 is the 'fittest' S2 ever known, and that was an ex factory skunkworks job, so it's unlikely to be anywhere near that.

With a normal chip, around 360 would be achievable, but some who have done this have complained that although they get a higher peak power, they lose out somewhat on the torque curve lower down, so it's doubtful if this is a real world route to significantly faster progress overall.

I had an S2 with the standard 325bhp, and have always been a fast car buff - never felt it needed more...

I have seen this car a few times including at RTCC. I also own an S2 and I have to say it is in excellent condition. The interior colour is a bit polarising but otherwise one of the top ones around at a guess.

The hard top is very rare on an S2 and worth it given the roof quality of our wonderful steeds.

Check to see what has been done already as they are now a few years old and so things can go wrong.

Air/Con
Steering pump has been changed
Roof alignment and rubber seals around windscreen/clamps


RTCC are a very trustworthy bunch generally so I would have no worries as long as it is warrantied from them and not some evil insurance backed mob of bandits.

I don't follow the 400bhp either. On a naturally asperated engine the only way of getting significantly more power is some combination of revs/ECU remap (RTCC does these) and breathing through cats and exhaust. Beyond that it is mighty expensive in the form of CAMs and pistons or bolt on turbo/supercharger and there is no space for them in an Aero bay. Of course you can run it on pure octane booster given the price of petrol at this point. Until a piston comes through the bonnet or conrod/sump.

To my knowledge the S3 was mostly a front end and possibly boot shape change. Other than that it was an S2 mechanically. S3 will be younger and so possibly less used and cleaner. I would buy on condition/price in that order unless you prefer the shape of the S3 that much more.

Either way you will never stop smiling. Go for it.