Lotus Elise Stories - where did yours start?
Discussion
Bought it in 2018 when I needed to sell my E92 M3 that I'd be using as a daily driver for years. It was just costing too much and was a nuisance in traffic (manual). So went the two car route.
I spent around 6 months looking for the right car. I wanted yellow. I wanted an R (facelifted 111R, last naturally aspirated 190BHP version).
Found this in Liverpool. Drove it back to Essex and was starting to regret it based on the Hanger 111 exhaust and cat it had. So loud and a major drone at 70mph. On a B road it's incredible....when the front tyres are warm.
Done two track days in it - Snetterton and Brands. It is good glon track but it needs new dampers as it rolls too much but the reason I've not spent the money is I'm just not using it. Did 200 miles last year. Its still SORNd this year. Too much traffic. Too busy a summer. Lost some of the love for it.
Want an 18k mile lovely example?
Standard S1 in 2003 daily driver. Spun a few times ( I blame the konis not the lack of talent.). Than a S2 111s in 2008. Had some great trips to Scotland. In 2014 I went to the dark side and bought a Cayman as I needed a car the wife would drive if I needed her car to take my parents to hospital. Lovely car but never really enjoyed driving it as all the fun was at illegal speed. ;2016 I bought a 2011 with the supercharged 2zz engine. Probably the best of the Elise range, but I still missed the lightness of the S1. So now I have an S1 160 but now not a daily driver. Try one if they suit you your be stuck for life.
My Elise story starts in 1977 when I couldn't find a reasonable Elan to buy for around £1,600. I bought my 3rd Midget instead, rather reluctantly. I still have it admittedly KSeries powered since 2002 (154 bhp).
I finally put things right in 2017 (40 years 😳), when I bought a low-mile S2K... love it.
I finally put things right in 2017 (40 years 😳), when I bought a low-mile S2K... love it.
When I was 15, I was starting to consume a lot of car magazines. We'd go on holiday and I'd read 2 or 3 magazines cover to cover, every word, every ad. But this issue of car really sticks in my mind. I was absolutely mesmerised by the Elise. The bare chassis looked so cool and I loved all the little details.
I didn't have a pot to piss in at that age of course but it even seemed good value.
I had to wait until 2007 to actually buy one. An S1 111S. Loved that car. It was my only car for the 3 years I owned it and even though it let me down many times, I was still very sad to sell it when a looming family meant getting sensible.
Eventually got back into a Exige in 2019. The Exige was another car that was love at first sight. The S1 was magnificent though I always imagined it would be troubling to own. The S2 hit the perfect blend of baby group C looks and toyota reliability. I've not been disappointed and I hope this one is here for as long as I am.
I didn't have a pot to piss in at that age of course but it even seemed good value.
I had to wait until 2007 to actually buy one. An S1 111S. Loved that car. It was my only car for the 3 years I owned it and even though it let me down many times, I was still very sad to sell it when a looming family meant getting sensible.
Eventually got back into a Exige in 2019. The Exige was another car that was love at first sight. The S1 was magnificent though I always imagined it would be troubling to own. The S2 hit the perfect blend of baby group C looks and toyota reliability. I've not been disappointed and I hope this one is here for as long as I am.
I watched the Elise documentary as a young Mechanical Engineering student that made me realise I had to have an Elise (https://youtu.be/a-TiFKr2yb0) IIRC in about 96, making me 16.
Worth a watch if you have never seen it, assume most will have on this thread though!
I finally got to buy one after a string of hot hatches in 2006, I went for an early S2
Finally upgraded to an S1 in 2014 and never looked back.
Worth a watch if you have never seen it, assume most will have on this thread though!
I finally got to buy one after a string of hot hatches in 2006, I went for an early S2
Finally upgraded to an S1 in 2014 and never looked back.
Slightly different start for me. I did a track day experience day for my 21st birthday. I drove an Elise and loved it. But I couldn’t afford to buy one at the time. A VX220 Turbo was cheaper and faster so I had one of them. It lasted 6 weeks until I parked it in some poor old lady’s garden…
A few years later I got a 111R and loved it. However I had some bad memories attached to the car so I had to sell it.
I have an Exige 410 now and in some ways I wish I’d of gone for a lower powered Elise. But the v6 is fun.
A few years later I got a 111R and loved it. However I had some bad memories attached to the car so I had to sell it.
I have an Exige 410 now and in some ways I wish I’d of gone for a lower powered Elise. But the v6 is fun.
About 8 years ago I had a cancer scare, and with an already ailing body I had a “f*ck it” moment and decided to get a “silly” car whilst I was in a position to. Was spending my house deposit on the premise I’d get it back once I’d sold the car… my choice came down to a Porsche Cayman or an Elise. Once I’d sat in an Elise it was a no brainer.
Had to sell it after 11 months as my commute had changed and my cancer scare was a false alarm. Loved this thing.
Had to sell it after 11 months as my commute had changed and my cancer scare was a false alarm. Loved this thing.
Tickle said:
I watched the Elise documentary as a young Mechanical Engineering student that made me realise I had to have an Elise (https://youtu.be/a-TiFKr2yb0) IIRC in about 96, making me 16.
Worth a watch if you have never seen it, assume most will have on this thread though!
I finally got to buy one after a string of hot hatches in 2006, I went for an early S2
Finally upgraded to an S1 in 2014 and never looked back.
It was the constant pictures of your car on various forums that got me back into an S1Worth a watch if you have never seen it, assume most will have on this thread though!
I finally got to buy one after a string of hot hatches in 2006, I went for an early S2
Finally upgraded to an S1 in 2014 and never looked back.
Sometime in summer of 2007 I spent a weekend in Wales with some randoms off here. Think only two of us knew each other already, but we all met at the YMCA in Betws-y-Coed (our accommodation!). Line up was 172 Cup (me), 996 Carrera 2, Nothelle tuned A3, Impreza STi, and S1 Sport 160.
Spent a very enjoyable weekend hooning around together and I fell in love with the Elise. I was aware of them before but I'd never spent any time in close proximity before. Justin the owner did a lot of the leading/navigation, and the little black car ahead just looked so right. Obviously went well too. It probably had me from the bap-bap-bap idle in the car park to be honest!
Come 2009 I was in a position to get my own and obviously it had to be a Sport 160. Sadly only had it around a year before a redundancy, and it had to go. I've been saying I'll get another ever since.
Spent a very enjoyable weekend hooning around together and I fell in love with the Elise. I was aware of them before but I'd never spent any time in close proximity before. Justin the owner did a lot of the leading/navigation, and the little black car ahead just looked so right. Obviously went well too. It probably had me from the bap-bap-bap idle in the car park to be honest!
Come 2009 I was in a position to get my own and obviously it had to be a Sport 160. Sadly only had it around a year before a redundancy, and it had to go. I've been saying I'll get another ever since.
I started work at a supplier to Lotus in 1996 - at that point we were just making some components for Elise pedals (the sexy extruded ones ) , door beams , dash panels and a few other bits . In 1998 , I project managed the transfer of Elise chassis manufacture from Denmark to Worcester ( and then ran the co. until 2003) . All chassis out of Worcester had red glue versus the green glue from Denmark. ( In the same factory we made vx220, 340R and the Aston Martin Vanquish chassis , and just after I left DB9 started )
So I had to get an Elise - bought new from the factory in 1999 , had a pictures taken receiving the keys from Ben Wright , the Head of Supply at Lotus ( never got the picture, shame ) . Spice yellow . Sold after 4 years when 1st daughter was born and had to get a 4 seat toy .
I bought another one 4/5 years ago , but when a sept 2000 Spice yellow s1 one came up for sale I swapped them . The current one has a dealer fitted 135 head , which transforms the car . That was fitted when the k series failed at 1000 miles apparently .
I hope I'll never sell it
So I had to get an Elise - bought new from the factory in 1999 , had a pictures taken receiving the keys from Ben Wright , the Head of Supply at Lotus ( never got the picture, shame ) . Spice yellow . Sold after 4 years when 1st daughter was born and had to get a 4 seat toy .
I bought another one 4/5 years ago , but when a sept 2000 Spice yellow s1 one came up for sale I swapped them . The current one has a dealer fitted 135 head , which transforms the car . That was fitted when the k series failed at 1000 miles apparently .
I hope I'll never sell it
When my wife was learning to drive in 2003-ish, I had a Civic Type-R. I bought her a £600 Citroen AX to learn to drive in as a birthday present. When she passed her test, she immediately chopped it in for an MX-5. As we only had space to park two cars, I realised I had been outflanked on the sports car front!
I really liked the Civic as a hot hatch, but I realised that I enjoyed driving the Mazda more, despite it having objectively lower performance in every respect. I wanted a rear drive sports car, but I was stuck with the practical car slot, so I eventually traded the Civic for an RX-8, which ticked my boxes while still being able to swallow a weekend's fishing and camping gear.
In 2007 we moved house to somewhere with a lot more parking space. A little later my sister was flogging a cheap Impreza estate (2.0 NA farmer spec with the hi/lo range gearbox) which I thought would make a great fishing wagon, so I snapped that up. That meant that we had a practical car and mine no longer needed to fill that role. In 2009 I went to Dick Lovett to look at Elises. They had a sale-or-return S2 111S in blue and a black 111R for sale. Leaving an RX-8 behind, I liked the idea of a bulletproof engine, and I like high revving engines, so I took the 111R out and had to have it.
Other cars came and went
But the Lotus stayed.
I've had it 14 years now. It's got Exige Y-spokes on it now, though I have a set of forged lightweight wheels I need to get round to fitting. I fitted a 2bular exhaust and TRD airbox, and more lately added the Lotus supercharger kit. It's had a full interior retrim, recently refreshed the suspension, and I'm trying to get the thing resprayed - a few paint blisters and stone chips, and the original paint protection film looks a mess and takes the clear coat off with it.
Not planning on getting rid of it. I'll keep it until I'm too infirm to get in it, or until the availability of petrol turns it into a driveway ornament.
I really liked the Civic as a hot hatch, but I realised that I enjoyed driving the Mazda more, despite it having objectively lower performance in every respect. I wanted a rear drive sports car, but I was stuck with the practical car slot, so I eventually traded the Civic for an RX-8, which ticked my boxes while still being able to swallow a weekend's fishing and camping gear.
In 2007 we moved house to somewhere with a lot more parking space. A little later my sister was flogging a cheap Impreza estate (2.0 NA farmer spec with the hi/lo range gearbox) which I thought would make a great fishing wagon, so I snapped that up. That meant that we had a practical car and mine no longer needed to fill that role. In 2009 I went to Dick Lovett to look at Elises. They had a sale-or-return S2 111S in blue and a black 111R for sale. Leaving an RX-8 behind, I liked the idea of a bulletproof engine, and I like high revving engines, so I took the 111R out and had to have it.
Other cars came and went
But the Lotus stayed.
I've had it 14 years now. It's got Exige Y-spokes on it now, though I have a set of forged lightweight wheels I need to get round to fitting. I fitted a 2bular exhaust and TRD airbox, and more lately added the Lotus supercharger kit. It's had a full interior retrim, recently refreshed the suspension, and I'm trying to get the thing resprayed - a few paint blisters and stone chips, and the original paint protection film looks a mess and takes the clear coat off with it.
Not planning on getting rid of it. I'll keep it until I'm too infirm to get in it, or until the availability of petrol turns it into a driveway ornament.
Enjoying this thread and looking at the great pics.
Mine started with a S1 111S in 2001. I was working at a Porsche dealer and someone traded it in for a 996 and being only 21 I didn't think I would make it work but somehow I blagged the insurance. It was Nautilus Blue with tan interior, hard top and I loved every minute of it.
I had that one four years until I had to sell it to start my own business.
In 2008 I bought an S2 NA Exige that I'd seen arrive new with the dealer when it was new in 2004. I used that one for a few trackdays where I met someone with an S2 Exige S. I knew immediately that I had to have the extra power and extra oil cooler etc. I did a deal with the same guy a year later and bought it.
Black, with black leather and it looked amazing. I did over 35 trackdays from 2009 until about 2015. Two children came along which put everything on hold and it sat unused in my garage for nearly two years. I decided it was time to sell it as it was not being used and worth more than I paid. It felt the right thing to do at the time but I regret that decision massively.
Roll on 2022 and with the kids older I decided it was time for another Lotus. I bought a new Exige 410 and sadly it all went very badly. The car was damaged from new and it resulted in me having to reject the car. The dealer was great but Lotus themselves were absolutely terrible. It's a real shame as I still love their product but have zero confidence in their ability to support their customers. Anyone buying their product now is only going to be disappointed with the service in my opinion.
I've gone German now and it's fantastic but I'll definitely have another Lotus in my life. Either a 2 Eleven or an Elise 240.
Mine started with a S1 111S in 2001. I was working at a Porsche dealer and someone traded it in for a 996 and being only 21 I didn't think I would make it work but somehow I blagged the insurance. It was Nautilus Blue with tan interior, hard top and I loved every minute of it.
I had that one four years until I had to sell it to start my own business.
In 2008 I bought an S2 NA Exige that I'd seen arrive new with the dealer when it was new in 2004. I used that one for a few trackdays where I met someone with an S2 Exige S. I knew immediately that I had to have the extra power and extra oil cooler etc. I did a deal with the same guy a year later and bought it.
Black, with black leather and it looked amazing. I did over 35 trackdays from 2009 until about 2015. Two children came along which put everything on hold and it sat unused in my garage for nearly two years. I decided it was time to sell it as it was not being used and worth more than I paid. It felt the right thing to do at the time but I regret that decision massively.
Roll on 2022 and with the kids older I decided it was time for another Lotus. I bought a new Exige 410 and sadly it all went very badly. The car was damaged from new and it resulted in me having to reject the car. The dealer was great but Lotus themselves were absolutely terrible. It's a real shame as I still love their product but have zero confidence in their ability to support their customers. Anyone buying their product now is only going to be disappointed with the service in my opinion.
I've gone German now and it's fantastic but I'll definitely have another Lotus in my life. Either a 2 Eleven or an Elise 240.
In 1999 a friend of my wife’s visited with her then boyfriend. I had a 1999 Clio 16v which was a comfortable and surprisingly fast little car. The boyfriend had a series 1 I think Elise in red on an S plate. He gave me the keys for a thrash. It was probably one of the harshest most jarring cars I have ever driven. I’m convinced the Clio would have been quicker on any road.
I handed the keys back and said to the wife it was a firm no from me. It’s strange though I now sort of get it and have a hankering to give it another chance.
I handed the keys back and said to the wife it was a firm no from me. It’s strange though I now sort of get it and have a hankering to give it another chance.
Mikebentley said:
In 1999 a friend of my wife’s visited with her then boyfriend. I had a 1999 Clio 16v which was a comfortable and surprisingly fast little car. The boyfriend had a series 1 I think Elise in red on an S plate. He gave me the keys for a thrash. It was probably one of the harshest most jarring cars I have ever driven. I’m convinced the Clio would have been quicker on any road.
I handed the keys back and said to the wife it was a firm no from me. It’s strange though I now sort of get it and have a hankering to give it another chance.
I went from a Clio 16V to my S1 111S. The Lotus was way better damped and certainly didn't feel harsher to me. I handed the keys back and said to the wife it was a firm no from me. It’s strange though I now sort of get it and have a hankering to give it another chance.
Give it another go.
1999 and my then girlfriend ( now wife )said ‘ shall we buy an Elise? ‘.
5 weeks later we collected our B&C Super 160 from Norfolk.
Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, Andorra, Ibiza, 56,000 miles later it now only gets occasional use, but runs like a dream, sounds like a cutlery drawer - Earplugs are a must for me.
And for those that find traffic and congestion a bore, set your alarm for 06.00, you won’t regret it.
May it last forever.
5 weeks later we collected our B&C Super 160 from Norfolk.
Scotland, Wales, France, Spain, Andorra, Ibiza, 56,000 miles later it now only gets occasional use, but runs like a dream, sounds like a cutlery drawer - Earplugs are a must for me.
And for those that find traffic and congestion a bore, set your alarm for 06.00, you won’t regret it.
May it last forever.
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