Another Suzy impulse buy!? Advice please

SuzyZ3 · Post by **SuzyZ3** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 04:48

Hi,

I am thinking

of changing my Z3 for a Lotus Elise...

Has anyone ever owned one of these cars? OR driven one?

I bought my Z3 as an impulse buy, and have had her nearly 2 years now, and its not so much the novelty has worn off, but she is just no fun anymore... she is too slow, and she leaks! and right now she is poorly and off to the garage (possible dodgy fuel victim!!)

Advice from anyone who has had any dealings with an Elise S1/S2 would be much appreciated before I go out and get one on an impulse! Thanks

Zed_Steve · Post by **Zed_Steve** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 06:29

Plus points of an Elise:

Beautiful looking motor - eyecatching
British built {cant say that very often)
Brilliant handling
Very good perfofmance (even the basic 1.8)
Cheap to buy and run-economical

Bad points:

Has a hood from hell - not the 10/15 seconds to drop and put up like a Zed, morelike 10/15 minutes!
Minimalistic interior - sparse of equipment
Can be difficult to get in and out of for some (me included)
Not really suitable for everyday use - can be uncomfortable on long journeys.

These are the reasons why i went for a Zed instead. Went for the most powerful i could afford with the best spec.

Glasgow2.8 · Post by **Glasgow2.8** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 06:58

What about a 2.8 . . . . . . .

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11879

Plenty of power here.....................................

spokey · Post by **spokey** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 08:24

If you think a Z3 is leaky ...

smartypants · Post by **smartypants** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 10:35

The Elise will beat the Zed off the lights - but in every day driving, unless you drive it like a lunatic... it will be left behind.

Its a great little car the Elise, loved driving it - but its not practical at all. Dont think about driving for more than an hour in it. And if its raining... take the bus

If its your second car, then yes I would say go and get it. You will probably get a few more smiles per miles than your zed. If not.... i'd avoid like the plague. Also fairly unreliable.

///M_aniac · Post by **///M_aniac** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 11:38

Stick with the Zed.

road2ruin · Post by **road2ruin** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 11:48

I would agree with above, esp the point about the Lotus being your first or second car....

I borrowed a mates Elise a couple of years ago and took my girlfriend away for the weekend. It was great fun to drive but it would have been impossible to use as a first car due to practicality. All our luggage had to be put into plastic bags and just forced into every nook and cranny....the passenger footwell was filled....

With the Z you can easily go away for a weekend in relative comfort. I would stick with the Z and have the best of both worlds...

Giles · Post by **Giles** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 12:35

Get an Exige

smartypants · Post by **smartypants** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 12:46

Giles wrote:Get an Exige

And some ear defenders!

spokey · Post by **spokey** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 12:48

Giles wrote:Get an Exige

We will speak again on the afternoon of 5 August.

whiteminks · Post by **whiteminks** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 12:57

spokey wrote:
Giles wrote:Get an Exige

We will speak again on the afternoon of 5 August.

Wouldn't she be better with a CSL boys?

Phoenix Nights · Post by **Phoenix Nights** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 15:09

If practicality is not a major concern...then buy, buy, buy!

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 15:16

The S2 looks a lot better IMO (not that the S1 doesn't look good), it's just that the styling looks far better and the car just looks pricier.

There is also the VX220 you might want to consider which is effectively the same car but with either a 2.0 16v or a 2.0 Turbo engine.

smartypants · Post by **smartypants** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 15:27

VX220 is actually a better car. Its more reliable, and IMO better looking. If you can live with the Vauxhall badge over the Lotus then get that.

If you get the Turbo.... get a neck brace!

Phoenix Nights · Post by **Phoenix Nights** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 15:27

Giles wrote:Get an Exige

whiteminks wrote: Wouldn't she be better with a CSL boys?

She's selling her Z3, not her house!

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 16:10

smartypants wrote:VX220 is actually a better car. Its more reliable, and IMO better looking. If you can live with the Vauxhall badge over the Lotus then get that.

If you get the Turbo.... get a neck brace!

I think the VX220 is better looking than the S1 but is a good alternative to the S2.

risquenun · Post by **risquenun** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 17:13

My brother in law used to be fleet sales manager for a vauxhall dealership and brought a Vx220 home for the weekend. his 2 10 year ols looked at it and said 'what a silly car Daddy'.
he was more than a litle deflated -out of the mouths.......

lesstatt · Post by **lesstatt** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 18:04

I had an elise for 3 years as a second car, great fun but the hood is hell, its so noisey inside dont even bother with a stereo unless its very loud, they leak and its hard to get in and out if you are over 6', on the plus side its a fantastic car to drive and very quick, flies round bends like no tomorrow, but when they let go they do it big time as you are probably travelling quite fast.......................................

If you buy one check the timing belt has been done and that its not got the beginnings of head gasket failure.................. proper service history at a recognised specialist is very important

stover · Post by **stover** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 19:21

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!

My mate had one for a year, it had no end of problems, gearbox, head gasket twice, water pump, oil leaks.
The roof leaked (so get your wellies out) door hing pins went, scrubbed rear tyres off, driver window jammed.

I had a VX220 for a short while (company car for the vauxhall dealer I worked for)

It was a Turbo & although fun to drive, you need a hot buttered shoe horn to get in and out, the roof also leaked, and the noise drives you mad after a while.

If I had the money to spend a Z4 would be the car.

Stover

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Mon 05 Mar, 2007 20:14

Get a VX220

Naturally aspirated 2.2 like mine can easily hold its own against most Zeds. Personally don't like turbo'd cars and 150bhp from an 800kg car is still quite a lot. The vauxhall engine has more lotus connections than the Rover K-series and isn't prone to head gasket failure and the standard K-series Elise S1 only produces 118bp.

Doesn't leak at all, unless your hood tensioner cable snaps like mine did on the Zed cruise a couple of weeks ago. Hood takes about 30 secs to take off and about a minute to put back on, including taking it out of the bag.

The car does have ABS, but is a complete waste of time and I am going to have a cut off switch installed.

Yes they are noisy especially if you get the optional sports exhaust. There weren't many options - Stereo - Leather - Fog lights - Centre Brace - VSE Exhaust

Heater doesn't heat, just makes a noise.

Also if you aren't a badge snob you will get a far newer VX with lower mileage for your money than the equivalent S2 elise.

Not sure I'd want to drive it everyday. If you want a ride in mine you are more than welcome.

SuzyZ3 · Post by **SuzyZ3** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 07:16

Hi all..

Thanks for all the replies...

My z3 was my everyday car... I was driving everyday to and from work etc, now I am working in the city, I only really drive at weekends.. I want a fun car as opposed to a sensible one.. I don't have any kids.. and food shopping is merely cuppa soups and coffee! ha So I don't need my car to be practicle... plenty of time before I need a practical and sensible car!!

As for an Exige... yes, I would prefer one of those to an Elise!!! but I am not selling my flat to get one! ha...

People I have spoken to have told me that they are pretty expensive to maintain/fix etc... but can't be anymore than the z3.. plus an Elise is just plastic anyway! ha..

Has anyone ever driven one? and what are they like? Taking away the fact that we all love our zeds, would anyone reccomend an Elise as opposed to the beloved zed?

I have thought about other cars such as a Honda S2000 and also the Vauxhall VX220 (? or whatever the numbers are!ha) and I have always come back to the look of the Elise..

muppet · Post by **muppet** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 15:34

LOTUS Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

Chap at work had one and it lived down to that reputaion. Fantastic to drive , not to good to own . I did get into it once , a real effort unless you are a Gymnast, with the tiny door low roof and wide sills

///M_aniac · Post by **///M_aniac** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 15:39

SuzyZ3 wrote:
I have thought about other cars such as a Honda S2000 and also the Vauxhall VX220 (? or whatever the numbers are!ha) and I have always come back to the look of the Elise..

S2000 and VX220 are worlds apart in terms of build quality and reliablilty when pitched against an Elise. And as said above, they leak.

BimBeema · Post by **BimBeema** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 15:48

I've heard road noise is terrible in the Lotus and not at all comfortable for long journeys or journeys on motorway - also not as safe as the Zed as the lotus body is very flimsy!

spokey · Post by **spokey** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 15:55

BimBeema wrote:I've heard road noise is terrible in the Lotus and not at all comfortable for long journeys or journeys on motorway

I'm gearing up for a massive round of schadenfreude in August.

Belgium, definitely.

Paul.Stuhlfelder · Post by **Paul.Stuhlfelder** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 15:56

The body is fibreglass, so crashes always look extreme because the fibreglass will shatter, however, the internal "cockpit" is super strong

I think you should definately go test drive one, see what its like getting in/out with the roof in place etc, and see if you can get in/out when an inconsiderate t**t parks right next to you in a car park.. (when I had one as a loan car, I had to take the roof off (in the pissing rain) and wind the window down to try and clamber in because someone parked too close.

pingu · Post by **pingu** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 19:22

I have a very good friend in the office who has a Rover engined Elise S2. I can put you in touch with him if you like. I've not asked him, but I'm sure he'll speak to you.

He loves the car to bits, but it's been nothing but problems. Here's a few things I know about...

1. Hit a rabbit and caused £3,000 of damage to the bodywork. It put a big hole in the front of the car.

2. He very gently tapped a 4x4s towball, not even scratching the towball. When he got out to check, both he and the guy he hit watched the crack in his bonnet propogate towards the windscreen, then go through the windscreen, and stop in the middle of the roof!!! He says that he seriously thought the car was going to split in two!!

3. The car is currently having an engine change because the cylinder head gasket went (or so he thought). It actually turned out to be the thermal cut-in for the electric fan had failed and the radiator had overheated causing the build up of water pressure. As the radiator is about 6ft from the engine the hoses go through the sills, and they suspect they could be blocked. Anyway since the engine went for it's first overhaul, it's been back and forth to the garage about five times.

4. He says that any journey longer than two hours stops being fun and is a total nightmare to be endured.

5. Any journey of less than an hour is fantastic. As long as it's on an open road.

All that aside, when it's going, it's a belter of a car. Would I have one? Only as a track day car. They are designed for the track, not for everyday journeys. But they are as close as you can get to getting the true Michael Schumacher experience (discomfort, performance, noise, the whole nine yards) for affordable money.

PM me if you want to speak to him and I'll see if he wants to talk.

You may love the experience, or you may be a long time sorry. As I keep saying, despite everything, he still loves it (I think)

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Wed 07 Mar, 2007 19:32

The only elise I would buy would be an S2 with the Toyota engine, otherwise you'd be far better off going for a VX220. IMHO better looking and quicker.

And it is possible to stop them leaking with the turbo seals, mine didn't leak at all until I broke the hood wire. Contrary to peoples opinions on here.

iananddebbie · Post by **iananddebbie** » Thu 08 Mar, 2007 11:12

My Zed is a weekend/fun car that replaced a much-loved Honda CRX VTI Trans-top. Prior to buying it last year I looked at a number of alternatives including the Elise. The handling/ride of the Lotus was undoubtedly superior to the Zed but its reputation for eating head gaskets together with the noise and sheer impracticality was enough to put me off. I also tried the Honda S2000; expected to love it but was disappointed and couldn't justify the additional purchase cost.

At the end of the day it's whatever floats your boat and judging by your criteria I would guess that you've pretty much already made up your mind! That being the case I would endorse what others have said and urge you to look at a VX220 before taking the plunge.

Happy hunting!

Ian

smartypants · Post by **smartypants** » Thu 08 Mar, 2007 11:43

Also dont think about driving the Elise if its warm outside. With the engine right behind you, you will cook!

But I love the changeup light, the gearbox and the smell of burning oil behind you! Great track car.... rubbish everyday car

Jon Miller · Post by **Jon Miller** » Thu 08 Mar, 2007 13:09

I have had two Zed's and now have an S1 elise, they are very different cars and I wouldn't use one as a daily drive, however as a fun car they take some beating, especially if you're interested in track days.

Get yourself over to http://www.seloc.org its one of the larger Lotus forums and is mostly elise drivers

Go for it

Cheers
Jon

SuzyZ3 wrote:Hi all..

Thanks for all the replies...

My z3 was my everyday car... I was driving everyday to and from work etc, now I am working in the city, I only really drive at weekends.. I want a fun car as opposed to a sensible one.. I don't have any kids.. and food shopping is merely cuppa soups and coffee! ha So I don't need my car to be practicle... plenty of time before I need a practical and sensible car!!

As for an Exige... yes, I would prefer one of those to an Elise!!! but I am not selling my flat to get one! ha...

People I have spoken to have told me that they are pretty expensive to maintain/fix etc... but can't be anymore than the z3.. plus an Elise is just plastic anyway! ha..

Has anyone ever driven one? and what are they like? Taking away the fact that we all love our zeds, would anyone reccomend an Elise as opposed to the beloved zed?

I have thought about other cars such as a Honda S2000 and also the Vauxhall VX220 (? or whatever the numbers are!ha) and I have always come back to the look of the Elise..

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Thu 08 Mar, 2007 14:19

I've driven a friends VX220 turbo and find driving it pretty comfortable; the suspension is fairly firm but not bouncy. It is, I would say only uncomfortable for the passenger as Vauxhall (or Lotus) decided that the seat should be fixed in a super up-right positon with little or no under thigh support; I've suggested to my friend that it would be more comfortable if you tilted it back. Drivers seat seems fine but with a steering wheel to hold you don't notice

smartypants · Post by **smartypants** » Thu 08 Mar, 2007 14:24

Also dont lose anything under the passenger seat in the VX220 - otherwise you'll have to try evasive or hard braking manouvers to get the damn thing out! (speaking from experience!)

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Thu 08 Mar, 2007 16:55

I concur with the above 2 posts.

Drivers seat is pretty comfortable, however passengers has a bulge in the lumbar region which my girlfriend always complains about.

If you drop coins etc under the seat it will scrape around when cornering and the only way to get it out is by removing the seats.

SuzyZ3 · Post by **SuzyZ3** » Sun 11 Mar, 2007 01:36

Thanks for all the advice.. and not hating me for even thinking about selling the z! ha

So they leak.. no problem.. most soft tops do.. they are expensive to repair.. most sports cars are... they are inpracticle... most sports cars are... anything else?

I will not rush in to getting one.. I am going to take my time and look about and form my own opinon, taking into account everything you have all said.....

Going to see some next weekend hopefully.. and fingers crossed I will be able to turn up in my zed if its fixed!!! grrr

mrluke · Post by **mrluke** » Sun 10 Aug, 2008 16:57

im looking at doing the same as well

probally a series 2 , dont think now is the best time to sell though lol.

every 1 will say the same to you , leaking , head gasket failure and uncomfortable

every single car has a bad point/points and there normally all true.

Just if you want one get one .. if u can afford to buy it im sure ya can afford to fix it

they are lovley looking cars , dont go for that vauxhall alternative imo its a lotus ugly brother and no way would beat a series 1 or 2 in looks in a beauty contest.

let us know how some test drives go ..

GEEZ3R · Post by **GEEZ3R** » Sun 10 Aug, 2008 17:10

NOOOOOOOOO.. Don't do it

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Sun 10 Aug, 2008 18:16

mrluke wrote:dont go for that vauxhall alternative imo its a lotus ugly brother and no way would beat a series 1 or 2 in looks in a beauty contest.

Would beat the Elise in pretty much every other regard though. Both good cars but wouldn't want to drive one every day.

mrluke · Post by **mrluke** » Sun 10 Aug, 2008 20:04

yeah i totally agree has to be a lot faster etc.

but it does lack the looks of the elise , they have tried to keep them similar but in my opinion the vauxhal looks a bit like some sort of jap car from the rear and back , looks ok at the side though .

i have to admit though from what people have told me these do not make a comfortable car the lotus , i really want to test drive one before i make my mind up !

c_w · Post by **c_w** » Sun 10 Aug, 2008 21:25

The order of looks IMO for the VX and Elise from worst to best goes;

Elise MK1
VX220
Elise MK2
Exige Variants

They're comfortable to DRIVE, not so much to passenger in one (the VX at least, not sure about the Elises, due to the fixed seat at an uncomfortably upright angle). Probably tiring on a long journey more because of wind noise/refinement adds to fatigue.

phb10186 · Post by **phb10186** » Sun 10 Aug, 2008 21:43

There is only one car for you..... Lexus SC430!

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Mon 11 Aug, 2008 18:09

Wouldn't go so far as to say they are comfortable but they are an involving drive. If you get the sports exhaust you'll go deaf on motorways, you'll be cold in the winter unless you get an S2 Elise as the heaters work in them and they are incredibly fragile these days any kind of clam damage and it's highly likely you've written the car off (VX and MK1 Elise).

I'd certainly buy another but would want a Stage 2/3/4/5 VXT with Nitrons

mattdedasc · Post by **mattdedasc** » Sat 16 Aug, 2008 09:19

I was thinking about doing the same thing. Selling my 1.9 and buying a S2 elise.

I am still not convinced though. no boot and no comfort...

Alex L · Post by **Alex L** » Sat 16 Aug, 2008 18:51

There is a boot which you can get a couple of overnight bags in and storage space behind the seats. Seats are remarkably comfortable too. I'd drive one if I were you.

zroadster.net

Another Suzy impulse buy!? Advice please

Another Suzy impulse buy!? Advice please

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