Lotus Elise as an everyday car
Discussion
The monthly can an Elise be an everyday car thread!
Yes it can, I did it with an S1 for 18months then again with a vx220 for another 18 months but being realistic it's a huge compromise to have an Elise as an everyday car.
It's not practical at all and getting in and out really takes the shine off when your doing it at least twice a day just to go to work.
It's best kept for weekends, trackdays and special.
But that said an everyday Elise is better than no Elise!
Yes it can, I did it with an S1 for 18months then again with a vx220 for another 18 months but being realistic it's a huge compromise to have an Elise as an everyday car.
It's not practical at all and getting in and out really takes the shine off when your doing it at least twice a day just to go to work.
It's best kept for weekends, trackdays and special.
But that said an everyday Elise is better than no Elise!
Yup it was fine. There are worse cars out there to have as a daily driver.
Depends alot on the model you go for as well.
It you have no kids and no other reasons not to have one, just go for it.
I bought mine knowing that I was soon to be settling down etc. I'm glad I had it as a daily drive, it was perfect. Get some proper Tyres on for the winter and all is good.
Do some car training too (if you haven't already), just so you can really enjoy it.
I use mine every day, all year round (around 45 miles), I honestly don't find it a chore at all. I get up for work at around 3am most days & I have a Larini Club Sport exhaust + hurricane induction so I'm not exactly quiet either.
It's incredibly cheap to run and in the 5 years since it was made nothing, seriously nothing has gone wrong (touch wood).
Go for it!
It's incredibly cheap to run and in the 5 years since it was made nothing, seriously nothing has gone wrong (touch wood).
Go for it!
Had an Elise as my main car since 2004. I am currently seriously planning to spend the best part of 100K to buy my 3rd one should I move permanently to Singapore, why because I now find it unthinkable to have to drive anything else.
Every trip to work, sainsbury's or petrol is an event. The car is plenty practical enough for daily use, it has a heater, comfy seats (post 2006 especially with Probax)and a boot big enough to cram a small trolley's worth of shopping in. (Use lots of bags, accept you have upset the greens by showing up in sports car). Clocked up 36,000 miles in the 3 years I had my 111S and just turned 40,000 in the 111R which I bought new in 2007. Longest drive was Berlin to Wimborne in a day.
Best bet is to try some cars, don't discount S1's they are a bit harder to get in and out off, but are now pretty zero depreciation, in fact some of the rarer variants (S160) are appreciating. The later S2s are better built than the early ones, thanks to selling them in the USA mainly. My current car doesn't rattle like my old one did and now has more miles on it.
HGF is less of a problem these days as most cars will have had the gasket replaced, the important thing is a full history to ensure that the car has been looked after and any work needed has been done.
Plenty of advice over on www.seloc.org
Lastly owning a Lotus let's you into a community of amazing, helpful and friendly people.
Every trip to work, sainsbury's or petrol is an event. The car is plenty practical enough for daily use, it has a heater, comfy seats (post 2006 especially with Probax)and a boot big enough to cram a small trolley's worth of shopping in. (Use lots of bags, accept you have upset the greens by showing up in sports car). Clocked up 36,000 miles in the 3 years I had my 111S and just turned 40,000 in the 111R which I bought new in 2007. Longest drive was Berlin to Wimborne in a day.
Best bet is to try some cars, don't discount S1's they are a bit harder to get in and out off, but are now pretty zero depreciation, in fact some of the rarer variants (S160) are appreciating. The later S2s are better built than the early ones, thanks to selling them in the USA mainly. My current car doesn't rattle like my old one did and now has more miles on it.
HGF is less of a problem these days as most cars will have had the gasket replaced, the important thing is a full history to ensure that the car has been looked after and any work needed has been done.
Plenty of advice over on www.seloc.org
Lastly owning a Lotus let's you into a community of amazing, helpful and friendly people.
I didn't enjoy using my Elise daily but then my commute was town and motorways so the visibility and throttle response were a pain. I don't like leaving nice cars in supermarket car parks nor turning up for work meetings in anything flash, but that is disretionary and everyone is different. As a weekend plaything they are just wonderful though and the K-Series is fine, though it will doubtless go wrong at some point, it's a lovely charismatic unit, particularly in VHPD form.
jinkster said:
I guess you fitted winter tyres?
Basically I drive 40miles to work and return every other day or so! I'm 28 so no worried about getting in and out of it.
My commute was 64 miles, and I fitted kumho ku31? Tyres. They were more than adequate, for the occasional trackday and motorway commute.Basically I drive 40miles to work and return every other day or so! I'm 28 so no worried about getting in and out of it.
Mine had the honda engine and probax seats, it made it a wonderful place to sit.
I got mine when I was 28 too. Just do it!
Have an elise s as a daily driver. Very easy to live with, I do about 14k miles a year in mine is just over 2 years old and has stage 1 exhaust.
Plenty of room inside, and enough for storage if packed cleverly, roof rolls across in seconds if easier ingress/egress required.
39 mpg so fairly cheap to run, not sure about rust or similar issues, but wo far no issues apart from a little bit of water sitting on the passenger side sill when stood outside in heavy rain. AC is said to be essential but mine doesn't have and have never missed it.
Plenty of room inside, and enough for storage if packed cleverly, roof rolls across in seconds if easier ingress/egress required.
39 mpg so fairly cheap to run, not sure about rust or similar issues, but wo far no issues apart from a little bit of water sitting on the passenger side sill when stood outside in heavy rain. AC is said to be essential but mine doesn't have and have never missed it.
johnmorris said:
getting in and out shouldnt be a problem,mine is not a daily driver but i am 60 next year,much easier with roof off though
I thought 45 was pushing it, maybe I'll keep it for another 20 years then.IMO, I think you need another motor for winter, even if it's a shed/van.
I do go to Tesco's in my Elise, and it copes just fine but I do appriciate the second motor to the Lotus.
Bebee said:
I thought 45 was pushing it, maybe I'll keep it for another 20 years then.
IMO, I think you need another motor for winter, even if it's a shed/van.
I do go to Tesco's in my Elise, and it copes just fine but I do appriciate the second motor to the Lotus.
My dad has still got his S1 at 69 and used at his daily drive up until 2 years ago.IMO, I think you need another motor for winter, even if it's a shed/van.
I do go to Tesco's in my Elise, and it copes just fine but I do appriciate the second motor to the Lotus.
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