Potential V6 350 purchase vs gt4
Discussion
Hello all
I’m currently debating between a v6 350 and a gt4
I know they are different cars, but will be used for the same purpose as weekend only cars to make me smile and the occasional trac day
The exige plus £30k to put in my pension is very attractive and I question whether the gt4 is £30k better when I won’t use it as a daily or long distance tourer
My main concerns with the exige are
1 Lack of lsd. Difficult to gauge on a test drive but I want the car to be able to oversteer round a roundabout and have some fun. I had an Elise 135r and it always refused to do this so I’m reticent whether the exige would be any different. I was actually disappointed with the 135r and felt it was quite inert given the supposed legendary handling qualities of a lotus. The steering was great but the chassis didn’t feel adjustable. Is the exige 350 adjustable? I’m having a drive on sat but difficult to assess with a dealer sitting next to you!
2. Resale values - with the new 2019 Elise coming out what are residuals going to be like 5 years down the line? I’ll be keeping car for 20 years so happy for it to balance out over the long term
3. Grounding - do people have problems with ththe front splitter in general use?
Any thoughts welcome!
I’m currently debating between a v6 350 and a gt4
I know they are different cars, but will be used for the same purpose as weekend only cars to make me smile and the occasional trac day
The exige plus £30k to put in my pension is very attractive and I question whether the gt4 is £30k better when I won’t use it as a daily or long distance tourer
My main concerns with the exige are
1 Lack of lsd. Difficult to gauge on a test drive but I want the car to be able to oversteer round a roundabout and have some fun. I had an Elise 135r and it always refused to do this so I’m reticent whether the exige would be any different. I was actually disappointed with the 135r and felt it was quite inert given the supposed legendary handling qualities of a lotus. The steering was great but the chassis didn’t feel adjustable. Is the exige 350 adjustable? I’m having a drive on sat but difficult to assess with a dealer sitting next to you!
2. Resale values - with the new 2019 Elise coming out what are residuals going to be like 5 years down the line? I’ll be keeping car for 20 years so happy for it to balance out over the long term
3. Grounding - do people have problems with ththe front splitter in general use?
Any thoughts welcome!
Edited by Str6mik on Monday 25th June 17:49
I'm considering another 350 sport, test drove a gt4 a couple of weeks ago, it was great, front end felt really positive and planted, the Exige is a bit flighty by comparison (at least my last one was), you should drive both, they are very different on the road.
I really liked the GT4 but it was 80k for a 2015 car, when new list was only 65k, and with the new one not far away, I can see the old one being less desirable.
If I swap out of my Evora 400 it will be into another Exige.
I really liked the GT4 but it was 80k for a 2015 car, when new list was only 65k, and with the new one not far away, I can see the old one being less desirable.
If I swap out of my Evora 400 it will be into another Exige.
Str6mik said:
Thanks for the reply.
How do you find the balance of the exige ? I always found my Elise had too much grip / power. Is the exige nicely balanced with a strong front end that lets you bring the rear into play?
You really need to drive one, the front is pretty grippy (wider front rims / tyres than the Elise) , and 350 hp to unstick the rear, there are a few downsides, like v poor headlights, but if you can live with the usual Loti issues it's a fantastic car.How do you find the balance of the exige ? I always found my Elise had too much grip / power. Is the exige nicely balanced with a strong front end that lets you bring the rear into play?
The cars are set up toward safety and understeer, but this can be resolved with some straightforward adjustments by a Lotus specialist. To be fair I have not driven a car with the full race pack where the rear slip angles can be adjusted...I think the car can be set up to your preferences relatively easily.
I think the Exige will be a far more challenging weekend car, which is surely what you want?
I think the Exige will be a far more challenging weekend car, which is surely what you want?
Nice dilemma to have OP, if you want to be having fun oversteering roundabouts sounds sounds like you need a high powered Caterham ? Love the fact you say you will keep it 20 years ! If only we could all be that committed to one car we'd save a fortune. Look forward to seeing what you end up with.
Thanks for all the replies!
So went back for another test drive and drove 350 sport and 350 roadster back to back. I think I've decided I'm going for the Exige over the GT4
Whilst I prefer the 350 sport - The gearbox is just that bit nicer, the exhaust just that bit nicer, but I'm not sure for me at the moment it is worth an extra £10k. The handling was significantly better, but given i'm going to change the geo, and the roadster set up softer I'm not overtly worried. I was actually really impressed with the standard car, which had done 30k miles, the 350 sport 18k. I had my gf with me in the roadster and it actually felt far stronger - do these engines come on massively with age?
So the car I'm looking at is a 350 Exige coupe which has done 6k miles on a 13 plate- numberplate L7TSX - anyone know it?
The dealer was checking the service history, but he intimated it hasn't got full Lotus service history. I'm thinking not to be too worried as the last service at 6000 miles was done by the lotus garage, which is still earlier than the first 'official' service. So the additional services that weren't conducted at Lotus were just 'bonuses' and wouldn't definitively put a new buyer off.
Any thoughts?
Many thanks
Mike
So went back for another test drive and drove 350 sport and 350 roadster back to back. I think I've decided I'm going for the Exige over the GT4
Whilst I prefer the 350 sport - The gearbox is just that bit nicer, the exhaust just that bit nicer, but I'm not sure for me at the moment it is worth an extra £10k. The handling was significantly better, but given i'm going to change the geo, and the roadster set up softer I'm not overtly worried. I was actually really impressed with the standard car, which had done 30k miles, the 350 sport 18k. I had my gf with me in the roadster and it actually felt far stronger - do these engines come on massively with age?
So the car I'm looking at is a 350 Exige coupe which has done 6k miles on a 13 plate- numberplate L7TSX - anyone know it?
The dealer was checking the service history, but he intimated it hasn't got full Lotus service history. I'm thinking not to be too worried as the last service at 6000 miles was done by the lotus garage, which is still earlier than the first 'official' service. So the additional services that weren't conducted at Lotus were just 'bonuses' and wouldn't definitively put a new buyer off.
Any thoughts?
Many thanks
Mike
Str6mik said:
Thanks for all the replies!
So went back for another test drive and drove 350 sport and 350 roadster back to back. I think I've decided I'm going for the Exige over the GT4
Whilst I prefer the 350 sport - The gearbox is just that bit nicer, the exhaust just that bit nicer, but I'm not sure for me at the moment it is worth an extra £10k. The handling was significantly better, but given i'm going to change the geo, and the roadster set up softer I'm not overtly worried. I was actually really impressed with the standard car, which had done 30k miles, the 350 sport 18k. I had my gf with me in the roadster and it actually felt far stronger - do these engines come on massively with age?
So the car I'm looking at is a 350 Exige coupe which has done 6k miles on a 13 plate- numberplate L7TSX - anyone know it?
The dealer was checking the service history, but he intimated it hasn't got full Lotus service history. I'm thinking not to be too worried as the last service at 6000 miles was done by the lotus garage, which is still earlier than the first 'official' service. So the additional services that weren't conducted at Lotus were just 'bonuses' and wouldn't definitively put a new buyer off.
Any thoughts?
Many thanks
Mike
My Exige is similar age and mileage. Wouldn’t worry too much about the service history if it’s in excellent condition and has at least had some evidence of maintenance.So went back for another test drive and drove 350 sport and 350 roadster back to back. I think I've decided I'm going for the Exige over the GT4
Whilst I prefer the 350 sport - The gearbox is just that bit nicer, the exhaust just that bit nicer, but I'm not sure for me at the moment it is worth an extra £10k. The handling was significantly better, but given i'm going to change the geo, and the roadster set up softer I'm not overtly worried. I was actually really impressed with the standard car, which had done 30k miles, the 350 sport 18k. I had my gf with me in the roadster and it actually felt far stronger - do these engines come on massively with age?
So the car I'm looking at is a 350 Exige coupe which has done 6k miles on a 13 plate- numberplate L7TSX - anyone know it?
The dealer was checking the service history, but he intimated it hasn't got full Lotus service history. I'm thinking not to be too worried as the last service at 6000 miles was done by the lotus garage, which is still earlier than the first 'official' service. So the additional services that weren't conducted at Lotus were just 'bonuses' and wouldn't definitively put a new buyer off.
Any thoughts?
Many thanks
Mike
Str6mik said:
Hello all
I’m currently debating between a v6 350 and a gt4
I know they are different cars, but will be used for the same purpose as weekend only cars to make me smile and the occasional trac day
The exige plus £30k to put in my pension is very attractive and I question whether the gt4 is £30k better when I won’t use it as a daily or long distance tourer
My main concerns with the exige are
1 Lack of lsd. Difficult to gauge on a test drive but I want the car to be able to oversteer round a roundabout and have some fun. I had an Elise 135r and it always refused to do this so I’m reticent whether the exige would be any different. I was actually disappointed with the 135r and felt it was quite inert given the supposed legendary handling qualities of a lotus. The steering was great but the chassis didn’t feel adjustable. Is the exige 350 adjustable? I’m having a drive on sat but difficult to assess with a dealer sitting next to you!
2. Resale values - with the new 2019 Elise coming out what are residuals going to be like 5 years down the line? I’ll be keeping car for 20 years so happy for it to balance out over the long term
3. Grounding - do people have problems with ththe front splitter in general use?
Any thoughts welcome!
Just my thoughts: if you want to go sideways a lot around corners then mid engine cars arn't very good for that. You'd be much better off with a front engined car and smaller contact patch tyres. Caterham or something like a E46 M3.I’m currently debating between a v6 350 and a gt4
I know they are different cars, but will be used for the same purpose as weekend only cars to make me smile and the occasional trac day
The exige plus £30k to put in my pension is very attractive and I question whether the gt4 is £30k better when I won’t use it as a daily or long distance tourer
My main concerns with the exige are
1 Lack of lsd. Difficult to gauge on a test drive but I want the car to be able to oversteer round a roundabout and have some fun. I had an Elise 135r and it always refused to do this so I’m reticent whether the exige would be any different. I was actually disappointed with the 135r and felt it was quite inert given the supposed legendary handling qualities of a lotus. The steering was great but the chassis didn’t feel adjustable. Is the exige 350 adjustable? I’m having a drive on sat but difficult to assess with a dealer sitting next to you!
2. Resale values - with the new 2019 Elise coming out what are residuals going to be like 5 years down the line? I’ll be keeping car for 20 years so happy for it to balance out over the long term
3. Grounding - do people have problems with ththe front splitter in general use?
Any thoughts welcome!
Edited by Str6mik on Monday 25th June 17:49
The Exige will be very similar to the Elise in terms of how willing it is to go sideways. Not saying you can't but with all that weight hanging out the back you need to up your skill levels compared to a front engine car other it will bite you in the arse very quickly. The extra length helps a bit but not massively.
I'm a bit late to the thread but I'll chip in as I've owned both a V6S and a GT4.
The Exige is more playful and throttle adjustable than the GT4. I partly put this down to the tyres. The GT4 has Michelin Cup 2 tyres and therefore more grip than power and could easily handle another 50 to 75bhp without any problem. Very difficult to unstick the car on the road without being reckless and even on track it's not a car set up to be hugely throttle adjustable as it's limits are very high and it's more about precision, balance and overall pace.
I think the Exige is as quick round a track in the right hands, but is more flamboyant and more of a challenge to drive fast consistently. The longer wheelbase of the Exige vs the Elise makes it more controllable when steering from the rear. It's a very interactive car - no PAS and passive dampers compared with EPAS and active dampers on the GT4. You pays yer money..... etc.
Both great cars but I would pick:
100% road use - Exige
for a mixture of road and occasional track use - Exige
Mainly track use - GT4 (it feels solidly engineered and able to track all day without problems, but more expensive on consumables (brakes, tyres).
The Exige is more playful and throttle adjustable than the GT4. I partly put this down to the tyres. The GT4 has Michelin Cup 2 tyres and therefore more grip than power and could easily handle another 50 to 75bhp without any problem. Very difficult to unstick the car on the road without being reckless and even on track it's not a car set up to be hugely throttle adjustable as it's limits are very high and it's more about precision, balance and overall pace.
I think the Exige is as quick round a track in the right hands, but is more flamboyant and more of a challenge to drive fast consistently. The longer wheelbase of the Exige vs the Elise makes it more controllable when steering from the rear. It's a very interactive car - no PAS and passive dampers compared with EPAS and active dampers on the GT4. You pays yer money..... etc.
Both great cars but I would pick:
100% road use - Exige
for a mixture of road and occasional track use - Exige
Mainly track use - GT4 (it feels solidly engineered and able to track all day without problems, but more expensive on consumables (brakes, tyres).
Hello again all.
Just wanted to say thanks for all the advice - and to say I'm so glad I went with the Exige. I absolutely love it and can't stop driving the thing. Every time I get in it I feel like I should be running to it a la le mans as it feels like a GT racer on the road - and mine even has parking sensors!
I still think I'm going to get a diff at some point, but for now I absolutely love it - it feels such an experience every time I get in it, the power, the granularity and weight of the steering, even the exhaust note as standard is very decent. It feels like nothing else I've driven in a long time and is such a massive step up from my Honda Elise they feel like totally different cars.
Geo is booked for the 6th August, but actually questioning whether it needs it, the understeer is nowhere near as bad as I originally thought.
New head unit is needed as the alpine cdr 111RM in the car won't sync with my iPhone 7 but that's minor
Exhaust is on order and stripes are going to be applied at the end of the month - then a diff in a year or so. Feels like a keeper already and is the perfect foil for my Fk8 Type R
Love it.
Just a quick one how do you turn the race mode off ? Ie no traction control or stability protection? When I turn to 'race' it say traction control off, but I assume the learning stability system is still active
Just wanted to say thanks for all the advice - and to say I'm so glad I went with the Exige. I absolutely love it and can't stop driving the thing. Every time I get in it I feel like I should be running to it a la le mans as it feels like a GT racer on the road - and mine even has parking sensors!
I still think I'm going to get a diff at some point, but for now I absolutely love it - it feels such an experience every time I get in it, the power, the granularity and weight of the steering, even the exhaust note as standard is very decent. It feels like nothing else I've driven in a long time and is such a massive step up from my Honda Elise they feel like totally different cars.
Geo is booked for the 6th August, but actually questioning whether it needs it, the understeer is nowhere near as bad as I originally thought.
New head unit is needed as the alpine cdr 111RM in the car won't sync with my iPhone 7 but that's minor
Exhaust is on order and stripes are going to be applied at the end of the month - then a diff in a year or so. Feels like a keeper already and is the perfect foil for my Fk8 Type R
Love it.
Just a quick one how do you turn the race mode off ? Ie no traction control or stability protection? When I turn to 'race' it say traction control off, but I assume the learning stability system is still active
Hi all,
Had the vinyl stripes / cup rear applied the other day so thought I would upload some pics! Very pleased with the guys at reforma near bradford who did the work. Well worth the 2 hour drive for them to do it
Just waiting on Jim now with the 2bular!
Must say I'm very happy with my daily and weekend now - matching red mirrors for the win!
DSC_0018 by mikeharper2, on Flickr
DSC_0022 by mikeharper2, on Flickr
DSC_0037 by mikeharper2, on Flickr
DSC_0049 by mikeharper2, on Flickr
Had the vinyl stripes / cup rear applied the other day so thought I would upload some pics! Very pleased with the guys at reforma near bradford who did the work. Well worth the 2 hour drive for them to do it
Just waiting on Jim now with the 2bular!
Must say I'm very happy with my daily and weekend now - matching red mirrors for the win!
DSC_0018 by mikeharper2, on FlickrDSC_0022 by mikeharper2, on FlickrDSC_0037 by mikeharper2, on FlickrDSC_0049 by mikeharper2, on FlickrGassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff