Inspired, I decided to attend to the hood and interior, both of which were looking bedraggled. The hood has always leaked and I was thinking about spending ΂£250 on a replacement when someone at Lotus suggested a refurb instead. For ΂£41.14 my hood was restitched, its plastic header rail fixtures were replaced and its internal wiring re-tensioned. Next up, an interior refurb, which has made the Elise look and feel like new. For ΂£430.10 for the pair, Lotus re-upholsters (in leather and cloth) and re-pads donor seats, while reconditioned sill trims retail at ΂£51.96.

It's like having a new car again. If you want to revive your Elise, e-mail Mel Broome on mbroome@lotuscars.co.uk for more details.