Thinking Lotus Elise/Exige - anyone got experience?

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51k miles is fine - it's a. 9 year old car do gotta expect that kind of mileage.
Nothing to drastic to look out for. the only major oroblem id that chassis damage cant br repsired - new chassis required. A good test is to take a tape measure with you to measure to chassis jig holes diagonally. Should match.

[TimDogg]

That seems great Ian but I worry about the lack of power from a 111R (190 bhp) to an S (with 130). Maybe I'm wrong - I need to research it more - it's only because, what with the RS4, we're all about power but I need to look at the other aspects I guess.

[TimDogg]

Thanks Ads, that knowledge is invaluable. You are right - we see guys walking away from RS4s that have 50k on them and what do they expect? The car is from '06, it's going to have average 10k per annum.

I'd get an RAC or AA check first or get it to JCT600.

[535dboy]

Guys - you both have awesome knowledge and I really appreciate that - this is a great community - I was thinking something more like this http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/ ... ry/1194870

...again, too late - would that mileage be an issue?

Thanks again.

Ads will comment on the mileage issue but I will say that seller, Will, appears to have a very good reputation in the lotus community so get him to look out for one for you

[535dboy]

Guys - you both have awesome knowledge and I really appreciate that - this is a great community - I was thinking something more like this http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/ ... ry/1194870

...again, too late - would that mileage be an issue?

Thanks again.

Ads will comment on the mileage issue but I will say that seller, Will, appears to have a very good reputation in the lotus community so get him to look out for one for you

Sorry didn't realise there was a P2 and he had already commented on the mileage!

[535dboy]

Personally I'd go for a 134 bhp Lotus Elise S as 535dboy mentioned - launched Sept 2006 on a 56, 1.8 Toyota Corolla engine which replaced the k series as the 'entry' Lotus, some handy model year changes including better seats.

Another Seloc fanboy here with adsgreen and 535dboy, different [random] username on there because Ian_C was already taken lol, I'm yet to take the plunge and buy a Lotus, but the above is the one I still hanker after (preferably a non Touring with manual window winders and pre airbag dash that arrived around 57 plate)

Something like this....

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/ ... ed/1096534

Oh how Weird, mine had a leccy windows and was a base car plus a/c, didn't realise they came without.

It was a sep 06 car (noticed a pattern with me wanting the first of everything!)

The only other thing I added was an exhaust, they sound a bit dull without something!

[535dboy]

That seems great Ian but I worry about the lack of power from a 111R (190 bhp) to an S (with 130). Maybe I'm wrong - I need to research it more - it's only because, what with the RS4, we're all about power but I need to look at the other aspects I guess.

It really comes down to what you are using it for

I probably had as much fun down the twisties in my Elise than I did my exige. Always seemed to be at that right speed and in the right gear in it

The only place you will feel lacking is on a dual carriageway(when a diesel hatch will keep up initially)or on more of a power circuit. I'd imagine on the kemmel (poss spelt wrong!) straight at Spa you'd have time to have lunch before you got to the chicane. It is bad enough in mine with over twice the power!

[535dboy]

I'll just add the standard response now, you really need try both to see which is good enough for you

[PJC]

The only place you will feel lacking is on a dual carriageway(when a diesel hatch will keep up initially)or on more of a power circuit. I'd imagine on the kemmel (poss spelt wrong!) straight at Spa you'd have time to have lunch before you got to the chicane. It is bad enough in mine with over twice the power![/quote]

170 mph in Nigel's RS6 along Kemmel after that everything felt slow.

[535dboy]

The only place you will feel lacking is on a dual carriageway(when a diesel hatch will keep up initially)or on more of a power circuit. I'd imagine on the kemmel (poss spelt wrong!) straight at Spa you'd have time to have lunch before you got to the chicane. It is bad enough in mine with over twice the power!

170 mph in Nigel's RS6 along Kemmel after that everything felt slow.[/quote]


That's right, there used to be a few GTRs in my group that would regularly do at least that. I was a sitting duck!

[murph7355]

Slightly left field, but if you want raw/visceral, have you considered a Caterham 7?

I found the Elise a little bland and felt slow in comparison.

An R400 spec 7 or beyond with no screen is an amazing tool.

Am sure you've been asked a dozen times, but why keep the RS4 for summer use?

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leccy windows came in on the 2004 model year (last of the rovers and all the Toyotas).
Also lots of extra bits like more sound proofing (bleugh).
For a test, just shut the door on a 2004my and above and it feels like it's filled with sand in comparison to a pre-2004.
I prefer the pre 2004 as I like the manual winders - adds a bit of nostalgia to it

FWIW with MY 2002 + above elises (they have the short roof) you can fit and remove it from inside the car. You have to be well practised but you can do it at traffic lights if you are quick.
Hard top is a doddle to fit as only four clamps to fit. Adjusting the windows so they work with both the soft top and hard top is a black art. Remember these are hand built british sports cars so no two cars the same

Caterham 7 I find a different experience and not all of it good. Yes it's a little more hardcore but the handling is a little light at the rear. For a car used on the road it is a bit skittish for my liking. I tested the R500 (with the very lurvly sequential shift) when looking for the 211 and it's a good car but a tricky car to push. To put into context, the heavier less powerful 211 generally scores faster laptimes as it makes stunning use of what it's got. Don't get me started on the atom...yuck yuck yuck.
Downside to no screen cars like the atom, 211 and caterham is that you never end up using them quite as much as you think you are. If you are planning to do trackdays then most people with trailer the cars there (I don't) and theres a very good reason why.

As a 50/50 road/track car the elise is a great almost perfect compromise. The car is usable everyday with reasonable boot and comfort. Every country road is a joy and it's probably the most fun car you can drive whilst staying at license preserving speeds. On the track it's rewarding being mid mounted and rear wheel drive and most people will learn a lot from driving them. Being light means that it's very cost effective as brakes and tyres last ages and are cheap to replace.
As above - unless you have 300+hp these are *not* fast cars. Don't go traffic light racing and don't believe the paper stats. Most hot hatches will beat you off the lights simply as it's bloody hard to launch the elise and to get the official times you have to throw mechanical sympathy out of the window.

As for Elise S vs Elise R... the only practical difference is that the Elise S lacks the second power cam of the R. So up to about 6500 rpm they will be neck and neck. The S then runs out of puff where as the R's cam comes in.

My favourite is still the Elise S2 135R - great tyre and wheel package with decent enough suspension, race seats and harnesses and sport exhaust and air filter. Great starting base. The other great thing with the rover engines is their simplicity... Even the most amateur mechanic can generally do stuff to make them work and that can be part of the fun.

As for buying them - you simply can not beat this place.
http://www.scottwalkers.co.uk/

Scott is by far the best at anything lotus and a more devoted follower you'll not find.

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Pure sex
http://www.scottwalkers.co.uk/cars/car.php?id=130

That won't lose money.

[535dboy]

Pure sex
http://www.scottwalkers.co.uk/cars/car.php?id=130

That won't lose money.

Tht is stunning although about £10k over OPs budget!!

Always dreamed to own one as I was growing up, had to make do with an S2

[murph7355]

An S1 Exige in std trim is not that fast IME. They look cool though.

Factory std 7s are awful handlers. My old 200bhp car was a faster car point to point than the 230bhp R500 I owned because of this.

That said, the whole point is that they are adjustable. Take it to someone who knows what they are doing, corner weight it with you in the car and then set it up for your handling preference (over/under steer etc) and there is still little that can touch one on track without aero (which IMO takes away the feel and skill of handling a car in the quest for outright speed). It's a long story why I didn't persevere with the R500, but involved an F355.

The Elise family is much more attuned to the fwd mindset handling wise (again IMO)..

I would venture an Elise is more expensive to run than a 7 too.

I do agree that screenless cars are very compromised on the road. But that's readily solved by buying one with a screen

Surely, though, with an RS4 as a summer car the idea for another toy would be to get something as different as you can without straying into bike territory? Let's face it, an RS4 covers ground pretty quickly.

An Elise, to me, is just too civilised. Electric windows? Why?

Or why not get something totally barking like the Morgan 3 wheeler? Something that feels fast even though it might not be (relatively)?

It really depends, as always, what the priority is.