Which One Would You Have?

[mikeulster500]

Gents!!

Just after some impartial advice if possible

I'm currently driving a K series 111s, after various sports cars and I'm happy to say that I'm completely converted to Lotus and I will never have anything but an elise. Unfortunately I don't have tons of cash lying around and to be honest I think the new 2015 Elise will not be for me, especially if it's starting from 40K!!!

So the dilemma. I'm thinking about next year purchasing a real minter of a toyota engined car and then just hang onto it.

Question what would your advice be on these 2? A 2008 circa SC elise or a new facelifted R?? I am trying to budget for no more than 25k and was thinking I'd go for a 2008 or later car to benefit from the new dash layout.

Has anyone on here got one of the new facelifted elises and is it really worth stretching the piggy back for a few extra visual tweeks?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Mike

[The Bandit]

I think you'll struggle to find an MY11 R for £25k,they all seem to be >£30k at the moment.
An MY08 SC should be just in that budget.

[Scuffers]

mikeulster500 said:

Gents!!

Just after some impartial advice if possible

I'm currently driving a K series 111s, after various sports cars and I'm happy to say that I'm completely converted to Lotus and I will never have anything but an elise. Unfortunately I don't have tons of cash lying around and to be honest I think the new 2015 Elise will not be for me, especially if it's starting from 40K!!!

So the dilemma. I'm thinking about next year purchasing a real minter of a toyota engined car and then just hang onto it.

Question what would your advice be on these 2? A 2008 circa SC elise or a new facelifted R?? I am trying to budget for no more than 25k and was thinking I'd go for a 2008 or later car to benefit from the new dash layout.

Has anyone on here got one of the new facelifted elises and is it really worth stretching the piggy back for a few extra visual tweeks?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Mike

Toyota engined 111R is quite a bit more than a face-lift from the 111S you have, almost everything is different in some way, from the chassis up.

your 111S is the last of the lightweight Elise's, and whist the 111R has more power, it's probably no faster in real terms than yours (unless you wring is neck all the time).

What I am really saying is you need to drive one and compare, but I don't believe spending the kind of cash to change is worth it.

[Loudman]

My 111S has recently become a 2nd car and I'm determined to hang onto it, I can certainly see it being a car that I'm happy with for good but I would like a bit more oomph, so I think I'll just keep it as it is for a while and then, when I can afford it, drop a Honda into it, possibly SC, and I reckon then it'll be a car that I'm happy to have until I can't get into and out of it anymore - cost £10-15k

Unless you're after it being an everyday car (where reliability and a bit of 'softness' is required) I can't imagine why you'd want to change it for a 111R.

[Mr Darcy]

stick a honda engine in your 111S. Save your self some cash and drive a fater car than the 111R.

In all honesty even after spending a small fortune on my R I wish I had gone done the honda route.

[RobM77]

I own an S2 111S, and prior to buying I test drove two 2004 111Rs, a Sport 160 and a standard S2. I have also since driven the standard 111R and SC (along with the Exige S). My favourite Elise is actually still my 111S, although the newer cars do many things better, so it's worth having a test drive to see which car you prefer. Whilst my S2 111S is the best Elise I've yet driven (for road use in the rather laid back way that I drive; everyone's different), the SC runs it a close second, and if the worst should ever happen to my 111S I'd be looking for as new an SC as I could.

HTH

[Dift]

Mr Darcy said:

stick a honda engine in your 111S. Save your self some cash and drive a fater car than the 111R.

In all honesty even after spending a small fortune on my R I wish I had gone done the honda route.

Save yourself even more cash, and buy a pre converted Honda Elise! Spending 10k on an engine transplant is silly fi there are cars out there going for not much more than a bogo 111S.

There is one in the classifieds for £16k!

[kambites]

Personally, I found the 111R disappointing after the 111S. It's personal taste, I just didn't get on with the weird power curve of the 111R and it's not hugely faster than the 111S below about 100, being quite a lot heavier. The SC is a fair bit faster, but is considerably more expensive.

Personally, I'd go for an engine conversion in a K-series car, rather than a Toyota. Probably a N/A Honda to start with, although the Duratec conversions look quite interesting, too.

Edited by kambites on Monday 18th October 18:43

[swilding]

You won't go far wrong spending the money on a S1 Exige if its a toy you want as a keeper. Just think of the depreciation!

[mikeulster500]

Thanks for the replies guys. Difficult one to decide now. Engine conversion is tempting. Think a NA Honda conversion would do, but then it's 10k! I could trade my car in with 10k and get an s2 exige. Ahh, decisions!

[kambites]

mikeulster500 said:

Thanks for the replies guys. Difficult one to decide now. Engine conversion is tempting. Think a NA Honda conversion would do, but then it's 10k! I could trade my car in with 10k and get an s2 exige. Ahh, decisions!

The Honda would be a significantly faster car, though. You're looking at over 50kg lighter and 20% more power as a starting point.

As someone said above, the most efficient way to get to Honda power is to sell your car and buy a ready converted one, since the modification (like almost any other modification to a car) adds nowhere near its cost to the value of the vehicle. You should be able to manage the upgrade for something like 3-4 grand, I would imagine, and will probably end up with a car that's been upgraded in other respects as well as the engine.

For example: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2176445.htm

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 19th October 08:27

[JACK6284]

I had a standard'53 plate 111S and enjoyed it a lot. I sold it to buy an S2 Exige but the sale of my flat fell through so I bought an S1 to keep for 6 months........18 months later I sold it for a Honda n/a converted S2 111 S. This was sold recently and i now have a S2 Exige n/a.

My converted Honda car was £27k brand new with the hardtop and the original owner spent £13.5k on the Honda conversion. That was £10k for the transplant and £3.5k for ali bells, RS14 pads, ali radiator ect. A great car and very fast and economical. No problems at all and 36mpg, priceless. S2 Exige is different. It feels special, like all Lotus do. I have had the cam point changed to 5800rpm and this does make a difference too. I have now converted the roof and can run with the softop option. Only thing left will be the Lotus Supercharger. Yes, other tuners have higher outputs than the factory option but when you chat with them there are always issues.

Happy to discuss on any of the above.

Gary

[Dift]

kambites said:

mikeulster500 said:

Thanks for the replies guys. Difficult one to decide now. Engine conversion is tempting. Think a NA Honda conversion would do, but then it's 10k! I could trade my car in with 10k and get an s2 exige. Ahh, decisions!

The Honda would be a significantly faster car, though. You're looking at over 50kg lighter and 20% more power as a starting point.

As someone said above, the most efficient way to get to Honda power is to sell your car and buy a ready converted one, since the modification (like almost any other modification to a car) adds nowhere near its cost to the value of the vehicle. You should be able to manage the upgrade for something like 3-4 grand, I would imagine, and will probably end up with a car that's been upgraded in other respects as well as the engine.

For example: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2176445.htm

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 19th October 08:27

It's a lovely car that one!

814kgs, 230bhp. It will be missed!

[peter450]

Just get a SC, it will be faster than your current car, and build should be better aswell, as with all lotus's build quality improves with the later models

Engine conversions etc are worth a look i guess, but if you just want a newer mint elise, save up and get a nice pre facelift SC

[Dift]

Mines back up for sale if anyone was interested.

[sato]

Stupid question, but is there any reason why you would choose to stick a Honda engine in an 111S over sticking it into standard S2? Im guessing you would probably upgrade the brakes and suspension on both anyway?

[kambites]

sato said:

Stupid question, but is there any reason why you would choose to stick a Honda engine in an 111S over sticking it into standard S2? Im guessing you would probably upgrade the brakes and suspension on both anyway?

Well there is extra NVH kit standard in a 111S, plus it has lighter wheels and a prettier diffuser.

I suspect very few people buy an Elise intending to convert it, so I guess it just comes down to what car they already have.

[sato]

kambites said:

sato said:

Stupid question, but is there any reason why you would choose to stick a Honda engine in an 111S over sticking it into standard S2? Im guessing you would probably upgrade the brakes and suspension on both anyway?

Well there is extra NVH kit standard in a 111S, plus it has lighter wheels and a prettier diffuser.

I suspect very few people buy an Elise intending to convert it, so I guess it just comes down to what car they already have.

Thanks - as I suspected.

[300bhp/ton]

mikeulster500 said:

Gents!!

Just after some impartial advice if possible

I'm currently driving a K series 111s, after various sports cars and I'm happy to say that I'm completely converted to Lotus and I will never have anything but an elise. Unfortunately I don't have tons of cash lying around and to be honest I think the new 2015 Elise will not be for me, especially if it's starting from 40K!!!

So the dilemma. I'm thinking about next year purchasing a real minter of a toyota engined car and then just hang onto it.

Question what would your advice be on these 2? A 2008 circa SC elise or a new facelifted R?? I am trying to budget for no more than 25k and was thinking I'd go for a 2008 or later car to benefit from the new dash layout.

Has anyone on here got one of the new facelifted elises and is it really worth stretching the piggy back for a few extra visual tweeks?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Mike

I personally like the S1. How about spending the money revamping yours and maybe with a Type R conversion?

[Scuffers]

sato said:

Stupid question, but is there any reason why you would choose to stick a Honda engine in an 111S over sticking it into standard S2? Im guessing you would probably upgrade the brakes and suspension on both anyway?

Technicaly, no reason, although the 111s has a lower CO2 figure?