Driven it, now I definately want one!!!

[misomorph]

Hello all

I am new here, but rest assured you will be hearing a lot more from me.

Currently I own a 313Bhp Impreza Sti Type R, but it is on the market and I WILL be buying an Elise S1, oh yes, I WILL.....

So I have a few questions, and would be very grateful if you would be able to answer them.

Are there any good online buying guides around?
I am looking at 97-99 cars - is there anything in particular I should look for?
Resale - what are the best colours, mods, extras etc for future resale?
What sort of running costs am I looking at?
In general, how reliable are they?

I will probably be getting a bog standard S1, and although I love the car's handling, I would like a smidge more power. What are the must-have low cost mods, including brakes etc?

Any other advice would be great! PLus if you all want to just post your comments on why you love your cars, that would be great too!! Or if you, or anyone else, wants a really well-sorted and looked after Impreza (how does 0-100 in 12 and a bit secs grab you?) please let me know.

Many thanks

Mike

[adeewuff]

Hi there, good for you for wanting the Elise S1. I've just sold mine and it's for sale at www.frostslotus.co.uk It was absolutely mint when I sold it and I never had any problems with it (It's the racing green one for £14995). If you want to look at mods for the Elise check out www.daveminter.co.uk

[misomorph]

Hi Adeewuff. Does the car have any mods? Also, how much did the dealer pay you for it? Would help if I choose to go and negotiate

[adeewuff]

It was the standard car with an ITG air filter instead of the big sponge one as well as a Janspeed sports exhaust - made a great noise at 6000rpm!. As for negotiating well I sold it to them for £11500 and they've marked it up by 3.5k!

Saying that if you did choose to buy the car it would have a 'B' service (£500) and a years warranty, which if anything major were to go wrong, could pay for the extra expense. The car itself is immaculate for '97 Elise and had covered only 13k miles in the first 4 years.

>> Edited by adeewuff on Friday 10th May 14:43

[CJN]

Can I ask why you are trading your Scooby in for a Liz?

[markqelise]

Wont be the first one - Mates just sold his high power scoob for a Liz - Cos its such great fun to drive.

[adeewuff]

As long as it's dry it's great fun, tell your mate to not treat the Elise like the Scooby otherwise he'll end up in a ditch - backwards!

[misomorph]

Does that surprise you CJN? How come?

In an ideal world, I'd have both , but alas can't afford such luxury! They'd make a great pair though.

I fancy an Elise, just as I have always liked them, and because I want to do a roadtrip through Europe in the summer with my girlfriend. I think it'd be more fun in an Elise, plus it is lot better on petrol than the Impreza. Oh, I'll be looking for a luggage rack though I'm surem once she's seen the size of the boot...LOL.

Anyway, keep the opinions coming please>>

Mike

[DanLingard]

Have you tried a VX220? I test drove an Elise 111S and a VX220 last weekend, and was far more impressed by the VX. Admittedly it's not got the badge (which will probably stop me from buying it!), but the test drive was much better - the Elise's brakes didn't inspire confidence (although I'm sure you get used to them), and given the speeds you can do in both these cars it's important to me!

The VX was also significantly quieter at what (for the sake of my licence) I'll call "motorway speeds" . Felt more planted on the road too. The farce that's setting up the roof on the S1 is much improved on the VX (which seems to have an arrangement very similar to the Elise S2), so I'd probably have the roof off more often.

The upshot is, I had way more fun in the VX than I did in the Elise (although the Vauxhall dealer was encouraging me to throw the thing around, compared to the Lotus dealer who told me I'd be paying for anything I broke - this probably had an effect on the fun I *didn't* have in the Lotus).

If I could afford an S2 I'd probably buy one and put up with the brakes, but the S1 doesn't really compare if it's your only car.

[misomorph]

I quite like the VX, and have heard good things about them. I also love the S2, but alas, can only afford an S1, so an S1 it will have to be!!

[DanLingard]

quote:
I quite like the VX, and have heard good things about them. I also love the S2, but alas, can only afford an S1, so an S1 it will have to be!!

I know what you mean, but the 0% finance deal looks almost too tempting! I have to keep reminding myself I'd rather eat than drive a quick car. Still, beans on toast isn't *that* bad...

[misomorph]

There's a zero % finance deal on VX220s is there? Hmm, I shall look into that after all...

[DanLingard]

quote:
There's a zero % finance deal on VX220s is there? Hmm, I shall look into that after all...

Yep - the dealer told me it runs until June 30th, minimum deposit of £7.5k, pay over 36 months and own it. Just realised I'm starting to sound like an advert for the things .

There seems to be loads of haggling room on them too. The chap had a specced up silver one in the showroom, and dropped 1.5k on the price in the first minute of conversation. Don't know how far he'd have gone if I'd been ready to buy it then and there, but I reckon 2k off should be attainable. A friend of a friend (isn't it always) played three dealers off against each other and got 2.5k off a lightning spec one.

Check out the yahoo forum for them: (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vx220/) - there seem to be a few teething troubles, much the same as with the Elise. 3 year warranty though.