elise S1 for everyday use..general questions
Discussion
I currently own a 306 gti6 which is a great car, but after owning it for a year I am getting a bit bored.
really want an elise, but it would have to be my everyday car..would this be wise? i am sure lots of people do it? also, whats the luggage space like?
I am test driving a 2000 millenium edition on sunday- its done 68k tho, but is only £10950..
cheers for any help!
really want an elise, but it would have to be my everyday car..would this be wise? i am sure lots of people do it? also, whats the luggage space like?
I am test driving a 2000 millenium edition on sunday- its done 68k tho, but is only £10950..
cheers for any help!
buy one.
elise is my only car.
it can leak a wee bit in heavy rain and is a bit awkward to get in and out of if you're not in a good mood.
the boot will hold about 7 carrier bags of shopping. if going away a long weekend or similar, pack in a soft bag.
There is a surprising amount of space behind the seats.
The fuel economy is superb if you're just commuting ( i got 52 mpg on an espcially mundane run once)
it is a bit noisy but you get used to it.
you will forgive it every sin when the roof is off and the sun is shining.
elise is my only car.
it can leak a wee bit in heavy rain and is a bit awkward to get in and out of if you're not in a good mood.
the boot will hold about 7 carrier bags of shopping. if going away a long weekend or similar, pack in a soft bag.
There is a surprising amount of space behind the seats.
The fuel economy is superb if you're just commuting ( i got 52 mpg on an espcially mundane run once)
it is a bit noisy but you get used to it.
you will forgive it every sin when the roof is off and the sun is shining.
I use one every day and for the odd weekend away with the Mrs. It's plenty practical and it aint particularly thirsty either which is nice.
Before I changed Jobs and got the car though my only form of transport was a motorbike, so I'm possibly approaching it from a different angle to you.
Before I changed Jobs and got the car though my only form of transport was a motorbike, so I'm possibly approaching it from a different angle to you.
poweller said:
I currently own a 306 gti6 which is a great car, but after owning it for a year I am getting a bit bored.
really want an elise, but it would have to be my everyday car..would this be wise? i am sure lots of people do it? also, whats the luggage space like?
I am test driving a 2000 millenium edition on sunday- its done 68k tho, but is only £10950..
cheers for any help!
I made exactly the same swap. I have no regrets whatsoever. If winter motoring is an issue I'll buy a £500 shitbox and plod around in that.
Luggage space isn't great but plenty for a week's trip or shopping. Just make sure you keep hard stuff away from the edges as a stray bottle or can will chip or crack the clam.
I'd maybe buy an older car with less miles for the same money from a depreciation point of view but that's just my opinion.
Here goes...
It is noisey at motorway speeds
It rattles
It leaks
It is difficult to get in and out of
It is slow
It has a harsh ride
It will take minutes to get the top off/on
It needs upgraded suspension (Koni's knock annoyingly)
but...
You should not be on the motorway, it is not the kind of car for eating up the miles day in and day out.
Rattles are numerous but not a single one will bug you to find its source, just turn RPM's or radio up.
Fasten the roof correctly and no water should enter, fasten the roof incorrectly and a little water will enter. As there is not much to actually get wet then I see no problem.
It is harder than a rep mobile to get into, but think of it as more of a learning curve. After a few days you'll consider the entry and exit as easy peasy, with a kinda 'cool' factor.
Slow? Hmmm, probably. But then again, slow is relative, how fast can you go on public roads and how fast you want to go are two key factors in this. Test some stock S1's and if not enough then look at a 111s. Try booting it from cruising at 4,000rpm in 2nd or 3rd (my fav). Don't expect a rocket ship from 80+ though, like I said, stay off the motorways whenever possible. But always try them when test driving to see the performance.
Harsh ride is more like firm, avoid pot holes (which you'll be able to do with the excellent handling) when possible. Once you step back into the rep mobile your backside will feel better but it will be like your steering a boat instead of driving a car.
Soft top will take time to get used to removing and installing, once you get the knack though it is just a matter of judging the weather.
Yes, biggest tip I can give you is suspension, if the car comes with S2 suspension or LSS or even Nitrons then the car should be shortlisted (assuming everything else stock is what is expected). Check for play in steering also.
Have fun and drive lots.
I am now looking for a second car (964 is todays idea), I consider my elise a toy that has performance and looks good anywhere it is parked. I just want another car to keep it company and split the driving enjoyment. Sure I'll appreciate the elise more as a weekend blast.
It is noisey at motorway speeds
It rattles
It leaks
It is difficult to get in and out of
It is slow
It has a harsh ride
It will take minutes to get the top off/on
It needs upgraded suspension (Koni's knock annoyingly)
but...
You should not be on the motorway, it is not the kind of car for eating up the miles day in and day out.
Rattles are numerous but not a single one will bug you to find its source, just turn RPM's or radio up.
Fasten the roof correctly and no water should enter, fasten the roof incorrectly and a little water will enter. As there is not much to actually get wet then I see no problem.
It is harder than a rep mobile to get into, but think of it as more of a learning curve. After a few days you'll consider the entry and exit as easy peasy, with a kinda 'cool' factor.
Slow? Hmmm, probably. But then again, slow is relative, how fast can you go on public roads and how fast you want to go are two key factors in this. Test some stock S1's and if not enough then look at a 111s. Try booting it from cruising at 4,000rpm in 2nd or 3rd (my fav). Don't expect a rocket ship from 80+ though, like I said, stay off the motorways whenever possible. But always try them when test driving to see the performance.
Harsh ride is more like firm, avoid pot holes (which you'll be able to do with the excellent handling) when possible. Once you step back into the rep mobile your backside will feel better but it will be like your steering a boat instead of driving a car.
Soft top will take time to get used to removing and installing, once you get the knack though it is just a matter of judging the weather.
Yes, biggest tip I can give you is suspension, if the car comes with S2 suspension or LSS or even Nitrons then the car should be shortlisted (assuming everything else stock is what is expected). Check for play in steering also.
Have fun and drive lots.
I am now looking for a second car (964 is todays idea), I consider my elise a toy that has performance and looks good anywhere it is parked. I just want another car to keep it company and split the driving enjoyment. Sure I'll appreciate the elise more as a weekend blast.
oh yeah- another thing, heard loads of different stories about the k series headgasket..is it an issue in elises? someone said lotus solved the problem, but rover never bothered? i used to own a 106gti and they had HG problems, mine went twice!! dont want to be worrying about it in an elise!
insurance isn't cheap and the soft top adds to the premium. also, the body is essentially a two piece design. expensive to repair. ( i'm with elephant - £400 cheaper than anywhere else)
the roof comes off and can store in the boot or behind the seats. it is a wee bit of a fiddle for the first few times but easy once you know what to do.
I can't really comment on HGF. others here will know far more than I do
>> Edited by tuscan_thunder on Friday 10th June 14:20
the roof comes off and can store in the boot or behind the seats. it is a wee bit of a fiddle for the first few times but easy once you know what to do.
I can't really comment on HGF. others here will know far more than I do
>> Edited by tuscan_thunder on Friday 10th June 14:20
The cloth roof comes off completely and can be folded away in the boot or in the netting behind the seats. The roof does a job but takes a minute or two to remove and install. Two thin cross bars have their own place behind the seats and the support bars either side of the car are packed away in either the netting or the boot. As an indication of what to expect, the cloth roof is secured by two allon key tension bolts and pop button fasteners. When installed well though it does a very reasonable job. IMO the tension in the roof bounces the sound around the cabin an awful lot, I consider it quieter with the roof off.
Can only comment on what I have read about HGF, the K series engine suffers from HGF and nothing has been done about it. Best not to worry about it too much, warm up the engine and just drive. The 1.8 rover engine is nothing special and I suspect not too much of a hardship to replace.
Insurance is a little hit and miss, I had an S2000 insured for £2,000 a few years back. I suspect the next insurance for the lotus will come in at under £1k (28, 4NCB). Whilst only last year I considered buying an RX7, cheapest quote was £2,300!
Can only comment on what I have read about HGF, the K series engine suffers from HGF and nothing has been done about it. Best not to worry about it too much, warm up the engine and just drive. The 1.8 rover engine is nothing special and I suspect not too much of a hardship to replace.
Insurance is a little hit and miss, I had an S2000 insured for £2,000 a few years back. I suspect the next insurance for the lotus will come in at under £1k (28, 4NCB). Whilst only last year I considered buying an RX7, cheapest quote was £2,300!
Had the car since 1999 now 150 miles of 90K
I have done 20K miles in a year no problems.
Last year I added the AA parts a Labour insurance to the breakdown cover anthe HGF went 6 months later, saved me a packet.
Search the forum for the buying guide, ensure a specailist audits the car, keep it serviced and you will always have a grin.
The S1 has been my everyday car for over the past 5 and a half years.
Adrian Flux comes up good on insurance. Search Seloc.org for insurance advice.
Good Luck
Gary
I have done 20K miles in a year no problems.
Last year I added the AA parts a Labour insurance to the breakdown cover anthe HGF went 6 months later, saved me a packet.
Search the forum for the buying guide, ensure a specailist audits the car, keep it serviced and you will always have a grin.
The S1 has been my everyday car for over the past 5 and a half years.
Adrian Flux comes up good on insurance. Search Seloc.org for insurance advice.
Good Luck
Gary
How was the test drive? I think the car you were looking at was the black one at Nick Whale in Bromsgrove?
I'm in a similar situation to you in that I'm considering an Elise S1 for an everyday car when my Company car finishes in December (an early planner!). Still a little concerned over the reliability, but was actually thinking of a Pug 306 GTi6 as an every day hack!
I'm in a similar situation to you in that I'm considering an Elise S1 for an everyday car when my Company car finishes in December (an early planner!). Still a little concerned over the reliability, but was actually thinking of a Pug 306 GTi6 as an every day hack!
A few months ago I started using my S2 as every day transport (I've had her for 31/2 years) which mostly consists of slogging 35 miles up and down the M1. Everything everyone says is true, but on the odd occasion that I swap cars for the day then I feel like I'm driving a bus and hate it, even though I used to quite like my old Mondeo!
And then when I get the chance to take the (long) short-cut through the B roads on the way home it re-inforces my love for this car... I've tried a few potential replacements for her, but I honestly can't think of anything I'd rather have (except a Honda engine!).
As an aside, I had the passenger seat out at the weekend for some odd jobs and I stuck some speaker vibration mat on the floor and bulkhead around the seat (only about 0.5kg) and some loft insulation behind the rear speaker panel (virtually no weight at all) and now I can hear the stereo at motorway speeds (mine's a RaceTech, so no carpets anywhere).
And then when I get the chance to take the (long) short-cut through the B roads on the way home it re-inforces my love for this car... I've tried a few potential replacements for her, but I honestly can't think of anything I'd rather have (except a Honda engine!).
As an aside, I had the passenger seat out at the weekend for some odd jobs and I stuck some speaker vibration mat on the floor and bulkhead around the seat (only about 0.5kg) and some loft insulation behind the rear speaker panel (virtually no weight at all) and now I can hear the stereo at motorway speeds (mine's a RaceTech, so no carpets anywhere).
stormcloud said:
Thought about doing the same.
Came to the conclusion that it is a drivers car. Ear plugs do the same job, but I would not expect a passenger to wear them (and I prefer driving on my own anyway, cannot nag myself to slow down).
Still studying second car options...
I amalways thinking about a second car an ex police car could be interesting ie: www.woma.co.uk/ other than that Ford/Vauxhall for sub £1000, lots arond so tyres & bits all cheep.
Gary
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