Nelson_R32 Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 And this is a 25 mile drive to work...? Reason is, I'm just yearning for something more fun and the problem is that everything that is fast is either diesel and costs a fortune to run. The Elise/Exige is the only car which combines good performance, great handling and fuel economy. But any opinions on my madness would be much appreciated. Anyone got any experience of doing daily mileage in this car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson_R32 Posted August 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Oh, and I have a budget of £25-£27k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Youll regret it as a daily car, a bitch to get in and out of and no refinement at all. Why not buy an old one for weekend use, you can pick them up for well under 10k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_m Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 I looked at an Elise once and as Oli says - a BITCH to get in and out of, park it in a car park, someone parks next to you - you have to be a contortionist (sp) to get back in Bazza should be able to give you a good insight when he gets back from his honeymoon - he had a VX220 as his dailt runner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techieboy Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 I'm running a VX220 as a weekend car/fun car and it's just unbeatable for fun per £. It never fails to put a smile on your face. But, I just don't think I'd get on with it as a daily driver. Like A_S said, every parking place has to be picked with care. If you've got the hardtop or the softop on, it can be nigh on impossible to get in/out of without opening the door to it's full width. S2 Elise/Exige can come loaded with aircon, electric windows etc that give you a bit more comfort. MPG isn't any better than a regular car because you need to rev them as there's not a huge amount of torque and you'll always cane it at every opportunity. Wet weather can be interesting from a leak and handling point of view and they can mist up like nothing else (aircon should help here though). Visibility is not great out of them so manouvering can be a pain at times. Other cars don't seem to notice you and pull out on you. The clams on them are quite fragile, so even the smallest parking knock can mean the fibreglass gets split - fear people with towbars. Suspension is quite fragile and is easily knocked out of true by potholes but you'll soon learn to avoid them. But on the other hand, every journey in the car becomes special and you'll forgive it's drawbacks. The handling and performance of these type of cars is just sublime! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastair_A3 Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Your budget would get you a toyota powered Exige no problem Its never going to be anywhere near as refined as an Audi etc, but so much more fun to drive, and you will get noticed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Youll regret it as a daily car, a bitch to get in and out of and no refinement at all. Why not buy an old one for weekend use, you can pick them up for well under 10k [/ QUOTE ] IYHO! Get yourself onto http://forums.seloc.org/index.php Loads of people use their Elises/Exiges as a daily driver. The only reason I dont is that I do 100 Miles a day and I dont want to stick loads of miles on it - but I do use it once a week. Your budget will get you a nearly new Exige, or evn a supercharged S. Just make sure you get A/C, and probbaly touring pack if it will be daily driver (better sound proofing etc). Get Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 PS, getting in and out is easy peasy once you know how. Unless you are a fat bastard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] PS, getting in and out is easy peasy once you know how. Unless you are a fat bastard! [/ QUOTE ] Rubbish, you look a right twat doing it in a suit, and it is no way easy peasy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby_simon Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Oh, and I have a budget of £25-£27k [/ QUOTE ] For that you can get a Subaru Assured (one year warranty) WR1 and some change ! Or for 17=19 you can get a low milage private buy. Almost all WR1's are now under 24K now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 A friend his girlfriend use a VX220 Turbo as their daily hack. They do about 15 miles each way??? No probs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] PS, getting in and out is easy peasy once you know how. Unless you are a fat bastard! [/ QUOTE ] Rubbish, you look a right twat doing it in a suit, and it is no way easy peasy [/ QUOTE ] Well, I've owned an Elise, and now an Exige, and I dont find it an issue. So if you find it hard, thats fine, but please dont suggest your experience is fact. I would probably not have the 4 point harnesses if you using it every day though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Im not saying its fact but, it sounds like you are. 'In my experience; I know of no one that finds it easy peasy to get in and out of an Elise, even worse when suited and booted. They are unrefined, noisey and hard work as a daily hack, and something I would not want to do myself....I always laugh when I see people off to work in their Elises, or similar cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 It doesnt sound like you are the best placed person to comment on using an Elise/Exige on a daily basis as you havent owned one? I find it fine to get in and out of so now you do know someone! Nelson, for some useful advice and info get yourself over to http://forums.seloc.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alunr Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 Oli, I'mon my 4th Lotus elise derivative right now. I've owned 2 S1's which between the I clocked up 60k on, I'm now just in the process of selling my Exige and then I'll be back in an Elise again. Getting in and out is not a problem, Buy aircon and heat is not an issue, get the touring pack and noise isn't a problem either. I've put 12k on my Exige in the last year as my DAILY DRIVER and it's never been a problem. Seriously if you haven't owned one you can't comment. I find most people in 335D to own brown cardigns but I'm sure you'd like to dispell that myth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1MAC Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] It doesnt sound like you are the best placed person to comment on using an Elise/Exige on a daily basis as you havent owned one? I find it fine to get in and out of so now you do know someone! Nelson, for some useful advice and info get yourself over to http://forums.seloc.org [/ QUOTE ] Some touchiness going on here I'll support both points of view (but based on pretty limited experience). The noise, comfort etc is very much a personal preference and how committed you want to be if you only have a one car budget. OK it's a fair way away (and in most respects not a fair example) but plenty of souls moan about the day to day in something like a CTR but I never even gave it thought No1 as that's what I wanted at the time and the good bits outweighed the bad ones. Not remotely the same degree but the basic principles still stand. You want it then you develop selective consciousness to the bad bits. Just turn the stereo up and open the windows/roof FFS However, I would suggest that in terms of getting in/out (and based on that limited experience I mentioned) then if you're older/fatter(chunkier)/taller then it CAN be a bitch to get into one, especially if suited & booted - simple facts of life. I'm at least 2 out of 3 of those and the only way I could get in an Elise was roof off. Fine when it's dry but not so good when it's peeing down and you don't want to mash the suit keks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_m Posted August 5, 2007 Report Share Posted August 5, 2007 [ QUOTE ] PS, getting in and out is easy peasy once you know how. Unless you are a fat bastard! [/ QUOTE ] I didnt realise we had met Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snail Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 My boss has an Elise as an (almost) daily driver. He does about 20 miles a day, and loves his Elise. But, he regularly has to push start it (the lightweight battery/alternator arent really up to the job), and the bonnet mounted radiator belches steam in the rain. He has a £300 Mondeo for extremely bad weather, but overall manages to use the Elise as a daily driver. He does say the car is his worst nightmare in traffic jams, as the clutch isn't great, and the engine does stall at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] PS, getting in and out is easy peasy once you know how. Unless you are a fat bastard! [/ QUOTE ] I didnt realise we had met [/ QUOTE ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence5 Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Funny thread this - and you are no cross posted to SELOC It is doable as a daily drive but if you like gadgets and comfort in healthy measures then it might not be the car for you. There is a technique for getting in and out and drivers side is easier than passenger. Insurance is pricey as is dealer servicing but low running costs on fuel brakes etc make up for this. That said toyota engines are thirstier and exiges will run A048 Yokos which will wear out rears in 3k fron double that. Mine has stupidly stiff suspension and I run it every day. Have sensible road tyres and 2nd set of rims for summer/track..... never missed the aircon electrics of my old car. 2nd elise 35k clocked up in them and wouldn't want anything else Happy hunting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Ha ha, being in the motor tade, I have driven most cars, and had the displeasure of an Elise for a couple of weeks, great at weekends, but a bitch to live with on a daily basis - just not my up of tea, good luck to those of you that use them daily , you all seem to take offence so easily Now where's my brown cardigan...... If I was to buy a sports car for a daily basis(when my boys are a bit bigger), spending approx £20-£25k, it would be 996 Porka, to get the best of both worlds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Oh and I do like the Elise, but in its proper enviroment - track or weekend blat car - what its deisgned for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawrence5 Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 Wimp No offence taken - we're all different, thank god Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 I personally dont take offence to people not liking a car - I take offence to comments made like "Youll regret it as a daily car", and "a bitch to get in and out of and no refinement at all". just adding "I found it to be a bitch" or "I think you will regret" would be fine... I would be interested to know which model/age car you drove? S1/S2, Touring pack/Performance pack etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted August 6, 2007 Report Share Posted August 6, 2007 It was an S1 Bell and Colvill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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