Can you drive a Lotus Elise EVERY DAY?

[TonyHetherington]

Had an S2 111S as my one and only car, commuting to work everyday for 2 1/2yrs. Was bloody great

[M1KEY]

I've just got an S2 111R and the plan is that it will be used pretty much all year round.

It's not my only car so probably won't be used in really bad weather/snow etc but seems perfectly useable - although it's not as hardcore as an S1 and has got aircon which is supposed to help with demisting.

[TonyHetherington]

Mikey - the few hours I spent playing with my 111S in the snow were absolutely brilliant!!

10mph and glorious powerslides, donuts, you name it. Got bless industrial estates.

[M1KEY]

rhinochopig said:

ctallchris said:

No!

I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.

I feel your pain. Lotus must have lost a lot of sales because the lack of leg room for taller drivers. What is galling is that Kimberly is 6' 5" or thereabouts IIRC.

I'm about 6' 5" and fit in OK, just! It is a bit of a squeeze but then I find most cars are really so I'm kind of used to it now. Once in the seats are really comfortable but it's a bit tight on legroom near the steering wheel.

[M1KEY]

TonyHetherington said:

Mikey - the few hours I spent playing with my 111S in the snow were absolutely brilliant!!

10mph and glorious powerslides, donuts, you name it. Got bless industrial estates.

Now that sounds good! I'll have to find a suitable location in time for the snow!

[TIPPER]

mrssumner said:

^^^^ +1 to what Tipper said.

My S1 Elise is my only car, but I don't drive it EVERY day! Sometimes I use my feet/bike or even, dare I say it, public transport.

Public Transport!!! i tried it once and it was full of smelly poor people;)

[kambites]

I managed the commute in last winter's snow without a problem.

There was a certain satisfaction to be had from driving an Elise past all the SUVs stuck in ditches at the side of the road because their drivers thought their four wheel drive made them immune to the laws of physics.

[Stu_00]

Some of my best days have been in -1 conditions, with sun beaming and the roof off!

[mrssumner]

TIPPER said:

mrssumner said:

^^^^ +1 to what Tipper said.

My S1 Elise is my only car, but I don't drive it EVERY day! Sometimes I use my feet/bike or even, dare I say it, public transport.

Public Transport!!! i tried it once and it was full of smelly poor people;)

That'll be me then...

[rhinochopig]

M1KEY said:

rhinochopig said:

ctallchris said:

No!

I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.

I feel your pain. Lotus must have lost a lot of sales because the lack of leg room for taller drivers. What is galling is that Kimberly is 6' 5" or thereabouts IIRC.

I'm about 6' 5" and fit in OK, just! It is a bit of a squeeze but then I find most cars are really so I'm kind of used to it now. Once in the seats are really comfortable but it's a bit tight on legroom near the steering wheel.

That's what killed it for me. I can drive one - just - but my hands hit my knees when I turn the wheel which ruins it. I wouldn't want to drive one quickly for that reason, which is kind of the raison d'etre of the car. It's a shame, because a slightly higher steering wheel would have meant that I could and would have bought one.

[M1KEY]

rhinochopig said:

That's what killed it for me. I can drive one - just - but my hands hit my knees when I turn the wheel which ruins it. I wouldn't want to drive one quickly for that reason, which is kind of the raison d'etre of the car. It's a shame, because a slightly higher steering wheel would have meant that I could and would have bought one.

I know what you mean - it's far from ideal but it just OK for me. I find it helps to wear shoes with as thin a sole as possible too... maybe I need to get some Sparco raceboots!

[Stu_00]

rhinochopig said:

M1KEY said:

rhinochopig said:

ctallchris said:

No!

I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.

I feel your pain. Lotus must have lost a lot of sales because the lack of leg room for taller drivers. What is galling is that Kimberly is 6' 5" or thereabouts IIRC.

I'm about 6' 5" and fit in OK, just! It is a bit of a squeeze but then I find most cars are really so I'm kind of used to it now. Once in the seats are really comfortable but it's a bit tight on legroom near the steering wheel.

That's what killed it for me. I can drive one - just - but my hands hit my knees when I turn the wheel which ruins it. I wouldn't want to drive one quickly for that reason, which is kind of the raison d'etre of the car. It's a shame, because a slightly higher steering wheel would have meant that I could and would have bought one.

It is actually a bit of problem, I find that I am ok but could really do with moving the steering wheel up a bit, some people do run aftermarket momo / sparco wheels etc with spacers - See Seloc.

It is a problem that Lotus should address IMO

[ctallchris]

One of the problems is if you moved the wheel up too much you would end up obscuring the dash. I reckon if they moved the pedals back a bit your knees would move away from the wheel giving some more space. add a caterham style suspended cloth seat and you end up an inch lower in the car giving you additional knee space as well as headroom. at the end of they day i don't think lotus are too bothered.

[STEVEY_SC]

My S2 Exige has done 65k miles in 4 years and gets driven everyday.

Only issue was when my clutch was replaced and one of the driveshaft seals leaked. Other than that its been faultless.

[braddo]

Carcher said:

A mate of mine has just sold his daily runner - a 15 year old BMW! - and i in the process of searching for an Lotus Elise, the original 118bhp model with no carpets/radio etc. Now i said it is a summer/high-days & holidays car for the right road at the right time (having driven an 135 Sport), so was amazed when he said he would be using it as his sole car!! Yes thats right even winter time!

Can this be done? I think you would have to be a 'hard-nut' to use something so spartan every single day - especially with the forthcoming winter!!

Anyone else drive one everyday (or know someone who does) or have you all got sense?

They're compact, cosy, comfortable, easy to drive, economical, depreciation-proof.... Even all-round visibility is no worse than a Golf. They're very easy to live with all year round (in central London too).

I'm amazed at the variation of opinions on Elises' heaters - the one in mine works perfectly well and I'm not aware it takes any longer to start providing warm air than any other car.

Tip - if it's cold/wet when you get in, turn the fan on immediately (maybe crack open the windows too) to keep air circulating and the windows won't mist up.

S1 elises might become a drag on daily motorway commutes but otherwise I don't see why people see them as such a challenge to live with.

[S Works]

Had 4 Elises over a period of about 5.5 years and all were my everyday cars. No issues at all with them, even in snow. You just prepare and drive accordingly. Miss 'em now they've gone

[Loudman]

Mine is an everydayer, an s2 though, no problems with anything. I don't get the securitything (depends where you live of course) mine is out in the works carpark somewhere with the roof off, never had a problem. I think that someone who has a BMW being worried about vandalism is laughable, people vandalise cars if they are the sort that people assume the driver is an overpaid, inhuman tosser (I'm sure you can think of a few makes here), not a problem with an elise. I actually came back to it once and a passer by was actually cleaning a scuff off the back, no joke! Also I've gotremovable steering wheel for if parked at airport or pikeyville....

[matt173407]

my experience has been with s1's so can't comment on s2 as a daily car, you can live with the S1 but in my opinion you need to be dedicated especially when its raining , or in the winter or you have a hangover it can be a pain but not impossible , nobody really will mess about and try damage them inless they are real low life scum even then most of them will just want to ask you about it as its a real car not a poncy bmw or porsche (no offence).

I would reccomend if your having an S1 would be to get hold of a cheap 2nd car for those days your hungover , its belting down or your doing a big shop (i ended up driving a 17 year old fiesta as my hangover car) that way you have best of both and still cheaper than a normal day to day car.

i have a cooper s at the mo which is great fun and a bit of a comprimise and i do love it but no other car i have been in or driven gives you that feeling that driving a lotus does!

(i want a europa next)

[zebra]

Had two elises over a three year period [a k-series and a yota lump] _ nearly 60k miles covered in that time as everyday cars; never put a foot wrong and was practical enough if you thought carefully about packing in advance. Easily managed a weekly shop.

Zebra

[bogie]

some poor souls have to manage everyday with the hardship of push bikes, mopeds, motorbikes ....I did for 10 years, my ELise was luxury in comparison - it had a heater...and a roof for when it rained

you can drive anything every day if you are committed enough, or in the case of supercars, have deep enough pockets LOL