Discussion
I posted the below on a BMW forum, but would appreciate the Lotus point of view
Having spent a great day yesterday, I am in more than a bit of a quandary.
Currently have a 3 door 123d that's due to go back, I feel it's time for something more sporty and fun and hence a nice day testing yesterday. Spent some time in the following machines:
370z - cheap purchase price, but terrible as soon as you look at any finance due to the monster depreciation. Very loud road and wind noise, poor seat position and the engine needs to work to get anywhere and then doesn't perform with any aural pleasure
GT86 - didn't like - may as well get an MX5, same philosophy
Elise S - great fun, the car I have lusted after for a while, great performance and surprisingly easy to drive with lots of torque. Interestingly, the noise with the roof on, wasn't too dissimilar to the 370 (the 370z was that noisy). Really liked it but is it a compromise?
M135i - the best all rounder by a country mile, great noise and performer, but can be content at 70 and doesn't drink at all. Will go for the auto, business, driver pack, suspension and black panel. Will also delete designation.
The question is though, the Elise or the 135? My head or my heart? I do about 12,000 a year (my other half has a 'normal' car [c class] so no need for real size) but I want to have a smile on a Friday night and over the weekend. I know many people on here will have moved from a Lotus and I have seen this thread viewtopic.php?f=74&t=49437 but would be open to any more thoughts.
Thanks I am driving my wife mad with my indecision...
Having spent a great day yesterday, I am in more than a bit of a quandary.
Currently have a 3 door 123d that's due to go back, I feel it's time for something more sporty and fun and hence a nice day testing yesterday. Spent some time in the following machines:
370z - cheap purchase price, but terrible as soon as you look at any finance due to the monster depreciation. Very loud road and wind noise, poor seat position and the engine needs to work to get anywhere and then doesn't perform with any aural pleasure
GT86 - didn't like - may as well get an MX5, same philosophy
Elise S - great fun, the car I have lusted after for a while, great performance and surprisingly easy to drive with lots of torque. Interestingly, the noise with the roof on, wasn't too dissimilar to the 370 (the 370z was that noisy). Really liked it but is it a compromise?
M135i - the best all rounder by a country mile, great noise and performer, but can be content at 70 and doesn't drink at all. Will go for the auto, business, driver pack, suspension and black panel. Will also delete designation.
The question is though, the Elise or the 135? My head or my heart? I do about 12,000 a year (my other half has a 'normal' car [c class] so no need for real size) but I want to have a smile on a Friday night and over the weekend. I know many people on here will have moved from a Lotus and I have seen this thread viewtopic.php?f=74&t=49437 but would be open to any more thoughts.
Thanks I am driving my wife mad with my indecision...
Difficult decision I would suggest. Slightly leftfield but have a think how you might feel about both cars in the depths of winter. The Elise is perfectly habitable day-to-day throughout the winter but you might find it is a bit more effort as obviously it is a bit more compromised.
Every drive does feel special though and the car attracts a lot of attention, particularly if you have a lairy colour! The feel, the steering, the balance of the Elise, the lack of mass when braking and cornering is such a different experience from most mainstream cars.
If track work is part of the plan then the Elise comes alive to another level that is difficult to experience on the road.
Every drive does feel special though and the car attracts a lot of attention, particularly if you have a lairy colour! The feel, the steering, the balance of the Elise, the lack of mass when braking and cornering is such a different experience from most mainstream cars.
If track work is part of the plan then the Elise comes alive to another level that is difficult to experience on the road.
I have had an R as a daily driver for 4 and a half years, it is now my weekend and track car, with a 5 series as a daily driver. I loved the Elise when I was going back and forth to an office, now I am with clients more and longer mileages, the BM wins.
That said, if you are looking for an all round car to enjoy track days in too, the Lotus wins.
An Elise makes a great year round proposition if it is garaged, if not, in winter, it does ice up on the inside of the windscreen, which can be annoying, so another factor.
Also, if your journey is all B roads, which mine was, the Lotus is an awesome way to start and end each day
That said, if you are looking for an all round car to enjoy track days in too, the Lotus wins.
An Elise makes a great year round proposition if it is garaged, if not, in winter, it does ice up on the inside of the windscreen, which can be annoying, so another factor.
Also, if your journey is all B roads, which mine was, the Lotus is an awesome way to start and end each day
I have had a 111R for nearly 9yrs now and it has been my daily driver all of that time
It has been garaged overnight for all of that time, so I have not really had the issues mentioned with ice on the inside too often, but on the rare occasions it has happened, it just means sitting there for a couple of minutes with the fan on full, no great shakes, in the grand scheme of things.
We have a family car too and I dread having to drive that too often. I choose the Elise, even for the long drives, if that is an option, just because it is so much more fun to drive, even on motorways, with the roof off and the wind noise.
Ok so I am a sucker for punishment, but then I also drive with the roof off in -10c temps and still love it.
It has been garaged overnight for all of that time, so I have not really had the issues mentioned with ice on the inside too often, but on the rare occasions it has happened, it just means sitting there for a couple of minutes with the fan on full, no great shakes, in the grand scheme of things.
We have a family car too and I dread having to drive that too often. I choose the Elise, even for the long drives, if that is an option, just because it is so much more fun to drive, even on motorways, with the roof off and the wind noise.
Ok so I am a sucker for punishment, but then I also drive with the roof off in -10c temps and still love it.
You obviously don't like manual boxes, sounds like the BM to me.
In reality the Lotus is not an every day car, sure you can use it every day but in terms of practicality getting in & out transporting anything bigger that a duffle bag or the wife (if she'd even want to get in?) safely.
I loved my Exige but if it were my only car I'd have been compromised.
In reality the Lotus is not an every day car, sure you can use it every day but in terms of practicality getting in & out transporting anything bigger that a duffle bag or the wife (if she'd even want to get in?) safely.
I loved my Exige but if it were my only car I'd have been compromised.
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff