Advice sought Elise 111R
Discussion
Hello and thanks for dropping in......
I am thinking very seriously about purchasing an Elise 111R and would be very grateful for any advice that may be given. I have thought about a Porsche Boxter, but my heart is definately with the Elise s2. I am particularly looking for tips on how easy the car is to live with on a daily basis. I'm not too worried about practicality as such but more reliability etc and what it is like as a daily car. I used to own a Westfield so am happy with little boggles here and there, nut due to my location my nearest dealer is about 90 miles away so I don't really want to spend all my time there!!!!
Any help an advice will be gratefully recieved!!
I am thinking very seriously about purchasing an Elise 111R and would be very grateful for any advice that may be given. I have thought about a Porsche Boxter, but my heart is definately with the Elise s2. I am particularly looking for tips on how easy the car is to live with on a daily basis. I'm not too worried about practicality as such but more reliability etc and what it is like as a daily car. I used to own a Westfield so am happy with little boggles here and there, nut due to my location my nearest dealer is about 90 miles away so I don't really want to spend all my time there!!!!
Any help an advice will be gratefully recieved!!
I test drove a 111R last autumn and found it very easy to drive and park. Not tiring or hard work or hot and bothered (like my TVR Grif is.) I'd imagine it would be fine for a daily drive if you don't need four seats or lots of luggage space. Very pleasent and civilised - far too much so for me, which is why I'm going for one with a Honda engine.
Ianhughes said:
Hello and thanks for dropping in......
I am thinking very seriously about purchasing an Elise 111R and would be very grateful for any advice that may be given. I have thought about a Porsche Boxter, but my heart is definately with the Elise s2. I am particularly looking for tips on how easy the car is to live with on a daily basis. I'm not too worried about practicality as such but more reliability etc and what it is like as a daily car. I used to own a Westfield so am happy with little boggles here and there, nut due to my location my nearest dealer is about 90 miles away so I don't really want to spend all my time there!!!!
Any help an advice will be gratefully recieved!!
I have a MY05 111R with 40k miles (just for context) and had it for 8 months with a stg 2 exhaust.I am thinking very seriously about purchasing an Elise 111R and would be very grateful for any advice that may be given. I have thought about a Porsche Boxter, but my heart is definately with the Elise s2. I am particularly looking for tips on how easy the car is to live with on a daily basis. I'm not too worried about practicality as such but more reliability etc and what it is like as a daily car. I used to own a Westfield so am happy with little boggles here and there, nut due to my location my nearest dealer is about 90 miles away so I don't really want to spend all my time there!!!!
Any help an advice will be gratefully recieved!!
I drive it daily (well pretty much) and find it fine for room and space for shopping etc. Noise at points can be a bit much but compared to the std exhaust i'm pleased that i can hear something!
As for reliability.... i've had my fair share of bad luck but the dealership have been excellent, burdening me only with the cost of alternative transport and loss of time of the car which although is upsetting enough meant i havent had ££££ of unexpected cost.
So buy on condition! get a good understanding of its previous life and go in with eyes wide open with up coming costs i.e. tyres, brakes, servicing (every 9k), geo set up (i live in Edinburgh = cobbled streets = knackered geo pretty quickly.
I travel most weekends back home so have nice periods off the car which tbh makes the next time you jump into the car a bit more special.
I have done 34K miles in my 111R from new. I use it every day and still actively discourage the kids from coming out with us (so we can take the Lotus).
On a practical level, the boot can hold a small trolley's worth of shopping. The later (post 2006) cars have a much better brake pedal and comfier seats which I'd recommend if using every day. Running costs 350 quid for a service every 9,000 miles, rear tyres every 11,000 miles and front's 33,000. Tyres 300 quid a pair. If buying an older car, check if and when the heater fan resistor pack has been replaced. These rust out in about 5 years and require the front clam to come off the car to fix (8 hours labour). Prices are main dealer, specialists are cheaper.
Make sure you take a credit card when you go to the dealer. Phone them up beforehand and sort out a couple of test drives. Try the S, R and SC and see which one you prefer.
On a practical level, the boot can hold a small trolley's worth of shopping. The later (post 2006) cars have a much better brake pedal and comfier seats which I'd recommend if using every day. Running costs 350 quid for a service every 9,000 miles, rear tyres every 11,000 miles and front's 33,000. Tyres 300 quid a pair. If buying an older car, check if and when the heater fan resistor pack has been replaced. These rust out in about 5 years and require the front clam to come off the car to fix (8 hours labour). Prices are main dealer, specialists are cheaper.
Make sure you take a credit card when you go to the dealer. Phone them up beforehand and sort out a couple of test drives. Try the S, R and SC and see which one you prefer.
Hi, I've got an 06 plate 111R which i've had for 12 months and done about 8K in.
It's not used every day but is used pretty much all year round. It's been completely reliable and generally pretty usable.
Mine has got a Lotus stage 2 exhaust so it's a bit too noisy for me at times - particularly when cruising on the motorway etc. It's also got air con which isn't really needed but I have found that it helps to it to demist when raining. I find the Probax seats (06 onwards I think?) really comfortable even if they might not look it.
Apart from a few rattles etc, no other issues and would reccomend one - enjoy!
Mike.
It's not used every day but is used pretty much all year round. It's been completely reliable and generally pretty usable.
Mine has got a Lotus stage 2 exhaust so it's a bit too noisy for me at times - particularly when cruising on the motorway etc. It's also got air con which isn't really needed but I have found that it helps to it to demist when raining. I find the Probax seats (06 onwards I think?) really comfortable even if they might not look it.
Apart from a few rattles etc, no other issues and would reccomend one - enjoy!
Mike.
Edited by M1KEY on Monday 14th June 21:04
I have had mine for two years nearly and although it is a second car still do about 6,000 miles a year in it.
I absolutely love it. But if it was my only car and I did lots of motorway miles I would want a quieter exhaust. I have a stage 2 like above. If I did mainly non motorway then the noise isn't a problem - it is when you are stuck at just one relatively quick speed I find it a bit wearing.
As mentioned above the resistor pack is a problem and mine went last year. I am about to get it fixed and that is about £500. Mine doesn't have aircon and I don't miss it - again if it was a daily I may feel different.
Have a look at my profile for some stuff on running costs - i have been doing main dealer service and last year's was pricy as there was a new tyre and brakes but this year was £350. MPG seems very sensible and I don't drive mine sensibly!
As an every day car a Boxster is I think a much more sensible option. And if you are doing 50 miles+ on a motorway then that is what I would get.
But life is too short to be sensible.
I am 41 and I wish I had done it sooner.
If you can, then you should.
edited to add: and they depreciate at a glacial rate. So if you hate it you can get rid for minimal financial pain.
I absolutely love it. But if it was my only car and I did lots of motorway miles I would want a quieter exhaust. I have a stage 2 like above. If I did mainly non motorway then the noise isn't a problem - it is when you are stuck at just one relatively quick speed I find it a bit wearing.
As mentioned above the resistor pack is a problem and mine went last year. I am about to get it fixed and that is about £500. Mine doesn't have aircon and I don't miss it - again if it was a daily I may feel different.
Have a look at my profile for some stuff on running costs - i have been doing main dealer service and last year's was pricy as there was a new tyre and brakes but this year was £350. MPG seems very sensible and I don't drive mine sensibly!
As an every day car a Boxster is I think a much more sensible option. And if you are doing 50 miles+ on a motorway then that is what I would get.
But life is too short to be sensible.
I am 41 and I wish I had done it sooner.
If you can, then you should.
edited to add: and they depreciate at a glacial rate. So if you hate it you can get rid for minimal financial pain.
Edited by limpsfield on Monday 14th June 21:25
I have done near to 100k in my 111R as a daily driver and at times I have commuted 7hrs a day in it. It is the perfect tool. I find the seats comfy and for my commute where I carry a laptop bag and sometimes an overnight bag there is more than enough space.
Running costs are v good, they will never beat an Aygo but who wants to own an aygo?
Rear tyres every 10k, fronts every 20k and a service every 9k. It is a toyota engine so service is not a headache. She does 30-40 to the gallon depending on how hefty your foot is.
The only problem is you are paranoid about where you park it. Not so much because of theft, they are rarely stolen and the immobiliser is good, you will worry about some idiot doris opening the door into the side or reversing in to it cos it is so low and they dont see it.
Light and agile so it makes short work of traffic and eats miles on any road.
The other problem is you will always want your commute to be longer and you will generally take the long way home.
Running costs are v good, they will never beat an Aygo but who wants to own an aygo?
Rear tyres every 10k, fronts every 20k and a service every 9k. It is a toyota engine so service is not a headache. She does 30-40 to the gallon depending on how hefty your foot is.
The only problem is you are paranoid about where you park it. Not so much because of theft, they are rarely stolen and the immobiliser is good, you will worry about some idiot doris opening the door into the side or reversing in to it cos it is so low and they dont see it.
Light and agile so it makes short work of traffic and eats miles on any road.
The other problem is you will always want your commute to be longer and you will generally take the long way home.
The other thing I would say about using a 111R on a regular basis is sometimes I find the power delivery a little frustrating due to the lack of low down torque/power. For me it's not a big problem but can be a pain having to change down 2 or 3 gears to get some go.
In fairness this is only really an issue at higher speeds. When using the full rev range it's great!
In fairness this is only really an issue at higher speeds. When using the full rev range it's great!
Thanks Gooby that's great advice. If I get one, which is looking likely, then it will be my daily commute car with occasional longer trips, but will also be for fun at the weekend!! It is really good to see a car that has some serious miles on it and not thrown up any problems, if there was a stocking point for me then that was it. Thanks everyone for your help.
I've a 54 reg 111R I've had for just over a year and done about 7000 miles in. Had it serviced at a well respected specialist, after the main dealer quoted £400 and he quoted £230. The bill eventually came to a bit under 500 quid with an MOT, brake pads and some odds and ends (and an S1 for the day 
). Could easily have done the pads myself, but he wasn't taking the piss with parts and labour for it, so I let him do it rather than fannying about myself for the sake of a few quid.
I would definitely recommend the specialist route, and not just because it's cheaper. He fixed a few things as a matter of course, including sorting out the pedal heights to make H&T much easier. That, and knowing that your car is being looked after by a real enthusiast is worth a lot in my book.
Since I've had it, the car has had a central locking unit replaced under warranty after it decided to lock me out and I had to get the AA to break into it for me. It leaks a bit when it rains. It flattens its battery if left undriven for a couple of weeks. It rattles.
I work from home, so it doesn't get used for commuting, and we have a couple of more practical cars. It's definitely a toy, the best one I've ever had. People have them as their primary form of transport and are perfectly happy with that, but then other people have pedal bikes or motorcycles for the same job, so be careful about extrapolating from other people's tolerances
I couldn't live with it as my only car, because I have some hobbies which require too much kit to be lugged around. If not for that - yeah, maybe. It's very comfortable once you are in it, but getting in and out can be a performance for passengers who aren't practised in it. It's noisy at speed, cramped for shoulder room, freezing on a winter morning and with the leaking and the lacking AC in mine, demisting can be a pain in the arse. In some ways it reminds me of how all small cars used to be.
). Could easily have done the pads myself, but he wasn't taking the piss with parts and labour for it, so I let him do it rather than fannying about myself for the sake of a few quid. I would definitely recommend the specialist route, and not just because it's cheaper. He fixed a few things as a matter of course, including sorting out the pedal heights to make H&T much easier. That, and knowing that your car is being looked after by a real enthusiast is worth a lot in my book.
Since I've had it, the car has had a central locking unit replaced under warranty after it decided to lock me out and I had to get the AA to break into it for me. It leaks a bit when it rains. It flattens its battery if left undriven for a couple of weeks. It rattles.
I work from home, so it doesn't get used for commuting, and we have a couple of more practical cars. It's definitely a toy, the best one I've ever had. People have them as their primary form of transport and are perfectly happy with that, but then other people have pedal bikes or motorcycles for the same job, so be careful about extrapolating from other people's tolerances
I couldn't live with it as my only car, because I have some hobbies which require too much kit to be lugged around. If not for that - yeah, maybe. It's very comfortable once you are in it, but getting in and out can be a performance for passengers who aren't practised in it. It's noisy at speed, cramped for shoulder room, freezing on a winter morning and with the leaking and the lacking AC in mine, demisting can be a pain in the arse. In some ways it reminds me of how all small cars used to be. M1KEY said:
The other thing I would say about using a 111R on a regular basis is sometimes I find the power delivery a little frustrating due to the lack of low down torque/power. For me it's not a big problem but can be a pain having to change down 2 or 3 gears to get some go.
In fairness this is only really an issue at higher speeds. When using the full rev range it's great!
It's also a subjective thing you get with all high revving cars - you recalibrate your expectations according to how it goes at the top end. We've got a 350Z, and that never feels lacking at low to mid revs. Nobody ever says that they are frustrating because of their lack of torque. Fact is, our 350Z has very similar in-gear times to our Elise, it just doesn't feel like it (see 111R, 350Z)In fairness this is only really an issue at higher speeds. When using the full rev range it's great!
Ianhughes said:
Thanks Gooby that's great advice. If I get one, which is looking likely, then it will be my daily commute car with occasional longer trips, but will also be for fun at the weekend!! It is really good to see a car that has some serious miles on it and not thrown up any problems, if there was a stocking point for me then that was it. Thanks everyone for your help.
I didnt say it hadnt had problems!Ianhughes said:
Thanks for all the advice everyone. Idont mind little niggles Gooby, ijust don't want massive ones!!! I can cope with rattles etc. I must confess to being a little worried about reliability but it seems I just have to do my homework and make sure I buy the best I can afford
It wasnt nigggles. Not by a LONG shot!I've got a 111R which I bought new in 2008 ( the main reason for buying new was the 08 model was the first to be fitted with airbags and I'd had a very serious accident in a 1973 911 2.7RS a short time before!) this is my fourth Elise and I absolutely love it - I have another five cars (inc R32 and 997 4S and a few classic Porsches) and will find any excuse possible to use it rather than my others, I never tire of driving it. Last year we(myself and my girlfriend) drove down to Italy in it for the Mille Miglia, over the Alps and down to San Marino, we did a lot of motorway/Autoroute/AutoStrada driving and clocked up 2168 miles in ten days and I could quite happily have turned round and done it again ! It would be the last of my cars I'd ever sell.I've been debating buying a 430 Spider but I know that if I do I won't use it as I'd rather drive my Elise !
Buy one now!
Buy one now!
Apologies I forgot to say I've now done almost ten thousand miles in it and it's never missed a beat - also the best people you could buy from are Westover Sports cars - I dealt with Ben Aldington who was excellent. I live in Yorkshire they're in Poole, Ben even delivered the car himself and was excellent to deal with.
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