So, I keep coming back to the Exige..

[Zp]

Having had my 996 X50 for 2 years now I'm starting to get itchy.

I posted here about a year ago regards an Exige S but took it no further, and still haven't got round to driving one.
I'm starting to look again as I just think I have to scratch it!

Anyway, Silverstone Lotus have a nice orange S that I might have a look at tomorrow.
Are these cars ex-track cars?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2626046.htm

At £34K for a 10reg car seems cheap to me (admittedly I'm not up to speed on Exige prices).

It will be a big, big decision to let my Porsche go, but there's hundreds out there so I could get another one sometime and I have to convince myself that having a two seater will be as practical ( I know it won't...).

So, Silverstone cars - good?

Cheers.

Edited by Zp on Wednesday 27th April 20:12

[doggydave]

The orange one at Silverstone Lotus is an ex-lotus managers car I think. The price is spot on for the age and mileage. Looks a nice car from the pics.

[MrSimba]

I've just sold my 2003 x50 (mapped to 510bhp) to get back into a Lotus

Having had a VX220 Turbo and an Exige 240 the porker was very very fast but lacked the feedback and involvement that the Lotus gives you, the fact I only did 1,500 miles in nearly a year in the 911 says all!

I went for an Elise SC this time as I never really got on with the lack of rear view in the exige (I know vans only have wing mirrors to go on but they are not 6" off the floor!) and all I can say is it's the best car I've ever driven, I've not noticed at all the 20bhp difference with the exige and I've done 600 miles in it since last week, just love it!!!

So your making a good choice which ever you go for and after an X50 you'll notice even driving 'enthusiastically' youll get nearly 30mpg!!! In the X50 I rarely saw 20mpg

Edited by MrSimba on Wednesday 27th April 21:09

[Zp]

MrSimba said:

Stuff I wanted to hear

Edited by MrSimba on Wednesday 27th April 21:09

Excellent!

So, do you use yours everyday?

i wouldn't be as like the Porsche, it'll be a third car.
I guess all the other associated running costs are lighter on the wallet than the Pork too?

[mikem7709]

I bought an ex track one from Silverstone 2 mths back. It was exactly as described, they were up front and honest when questioned.

I found Matt easy to deal with.

[MrSimba]

Zp said:

Excellent!

So, do you use yours everyday?

i wouldn't be as like the Porsche, it'll be a third car.
I guess all the other associated running costs are lighter on the wallet than the Pork too?

Makes Porsche runing costs look like robbery! £455 for an Air mass Meter anyone?!

With the Lotus you can have fun at almost any speed, just getting the flow of a few corners 'spot on' even at 40-50mph rewards you, with the 911 at 80mph you felt like you could open the door and step out! just did'nt feel quick till you were at silly (jail time...) speeds, Where as the Lotus is the one that you'll want to take the 'long' route home in and will give you the biggest grin!

Most of my non-petrolhead friends thought I'd gone mad when I sold a 911 Turbo to buy an Elise but honestly its the best decision I've made this year!

[Arun_D]

I was up at Lotus Silverstone this weekend for the first time, getting a 2bular put on my Exige, and although that particular orange Exige wasn't there, I did get a good impression from the place in general. It's a bit different from other places, but in a positive way.

Regarding Exiges in general, having one was always a dream of mine and it's an absolute joy to drive, which I do every single day. The one in the advert seems to be priced about what I would expect and would certainly warrant a better look.

[Zp]

Thanks for the replies, chaps.

I'm going to phone them first thing tomorrow and if it's ok I'll drive down and take a look at it.

There's another one the same colour at Stratstone Cardiff (3hrs away!) but it's got the Touring and Performance packs.
The one at Silverstone has the Sport and Performance.

Is the touring pack a good one to have over the sports pack?

[Arun_D]

Zp said:

Thanks for the replies, chaps.

I'm going to phone them first thing tomorrow and if it's ok I'll drive down and take a look at it.

There's another one the same colour at Stratstone Cardiff (3hrs away!) but it's got the Touring and Performance packs.
The one at Silverstone has the Sport and Performance.

Is the touring pack a good one to have over the sports pack?

I've always seen the touring pack as a nice to have, but for me the sport pack was a necessity when looking for a used one (which I guess is odd as mine is a daiy driver). Hence mine has the sports but not touring.

I guess it comes down to your priorities. I don't mind the cloth seats, but the important thing for me was being prepared for track by having the sports type seats with harness slots and the harness bar all ready for harness fitment, which I have done since buying the car. If you're not plannng on tracking the thing then I doubt you need to be fussed!

Also no iPod stereo without the touring pack, but that was easily sorted with an Alpine unit that's far nicer than the touring pack one anyway. Other things like a bit of sound deadening and fancy leather trim pieces, I'm really not fussed about not having. I've got A/C so it's not like I'm really missing out on anything major.

So I guess it's really about what you want the car for. For most, though the touring seems to be a must.

Edited by Arun_D on Wednesday 27th April 23:42

[MrSimba]

Sports pack over touring anyday!

[Zp]

MrSimba said:

Sports pack over touring anyday!

So it's like having the GT3 Clubsport over a GT3 Comfort?

[bordseye]

No - even with the touring pack the Lotus is more basic but coming from a porker I would suggest you need the extra bit of comfort that it gives. Dont bother about the audio - its next to useless much above in town speeds,. In any case the entertainment is the way it drives.

I've always reckoned there is more fun in thrashing a slower car than in simply having a car thats too fast to thrash.

[Moospeed]

MrSimba said:

Most of my non-petrolhead friends thought I'd gone mad when I sold a 911 Turbo to buy an Elise but honestly its the best decision I've made this year!

Respect Mr Simba! Printing this quote out...

[MrSimba]

Moospeed said:

Respect Mr Simba! Printing this quote out...

LOL!

Just had a PM from one of the guy's form 911uk.com asking what I thought about setting up a 'monthly meet' in the Midlands and I thanked him for asking but said that my 996 had been replaced by a Lotus now,

He replied... " Sorry to hear that, very sad news!"

I haven't the heart to try and tell him what he's missing!

I've not had so much fun driving since... since I had the Exige!

[Moospeed]

MrSimba said:

LOL!

Just had a PM from one of the guy's form 911uk.com asking what I thought about setting up a 'monthly meet' in the Midlands and I thanked him for asking but said that my 996 had been replaced by a Lotus now,

He replied... " Sorry to hear that, very sad news!"

I haven't the heart to try and tell him what he's missing!

I've not had so much fun driving since... since I had the Exige!

Is it that you were painting the undertray on? You've gone really down-market you know. Porsche owners wouldn't be caught with a tin of hammerite and a brush - would ruin the manicure

[Zp]

Managed to get a drive of the above car today.

Bloody hell, they're good!

Just need to do a bit of man maths and quite possibly (hopefully?) the Jaffa will be mine

[Phooey]

That does look sweet Zippy. I'll look out for it ripping the Vale up then

Handling wise... i can imagine it made the X50 feel like a Granada

[s111dpc]

Go for it ZP,

I've had my Tango'd Exige since November and though I dont use it everyday I wouldnt have any quams doing so.

Happy shopping

[Zp]

It appears I have a choice of two.

The chrome orange one already mentioned and a Burnt Orange one with Ohlins suspension and a few other bits and bobs (sport and performance packs and harnesses already fitted).

The Burnt Orange one isn't advertised yet but I've got 1st dibs on it if I like it (haven't driven it yet as it's not arrived at the dealer until tomorrow)

Is it worth having the Ohlins?
I'll be doing some track days but not so many that I'd notice the difference, so in reality would the Ohlins make it a harder and more uncompromising on the road?


Phooey - I think you'd hear it before you saw it!

[The Bandit]

Zp said:

It appears I have a choice of two.

The chrome orange one already mentioned and a Burnt Orange one with Ohlins suspension and a few other bits and bobs (sport and performance packs and harnesses already fitted).

The Burnt Orange one isn't advertised yet but I've got 1st dibs on it if I like it (haven't driven it yet as it's not arrived at the dealer until tomorrow)

Is it worth having the Ohlins?
I'll be doing some track days but not so many that I'd notice the difference, so in reality would the Ohlins make it a harder and more uncompromising on the road?


Phooey - I think you'd hear it before you saw it!

2 way Ohlins are actually more road biased than track and are very compliant,a good set up is key however.
I had mine on for 18,000 miles and loved them

Apart from that the sports and performance packs have all the most desirable bits you could need and therefore would be the better choice(and Burnt Orange looks better imo)