RE: PH Buying Guide: Lotus Elise S1

[Contigo]

I had one a few years back and can honestly say it was a great car, a proper drivers car, hardcore to the limit with no comfort at all and simple drive by wire basics, no ABS, PAS or any sort of luxury options. Would I buy one now, not a chance in hell, I've had RS4's and M6's since and the modern motor car has me entirely sucked in now.

As a track car they are pretty much unbeatable but for everyday road use not my bag at all, every time you get in and out of the Elise it was a Pantomine. Not ideal for a 6ft 4 bloke.

[whythem]

I love to see and S2 version of this article as a follow up piece.

[polus]

Contigo said:

I had one a few years back and can honestly say it was a great car, a proper drivers car, hardcore to the limit with no comfort at all and simple drive by wire basics, no ABS, PAS or any sort of luxury options. Would I buy one now, not a chance in hell, I've had RS4's and M6's since and the modern motor car has me entirely sucked in now.

As a track car they are pretty much unbeatable but for everyday road use not my bag at all, every time you get in and out of the Elise it was a Pantomine. Not ideal for a 6ft 4 bloke.

Part of the charm, it's an event, its something special with its quirks to remind you it's not mundane. TBH, at 6-4, I can imagine it was just a PITA I've driven just a couple of 400bhp+ barges and while they have a sense of urgency, for me, they're just trying to excite through numbness. Not that I wouldn't love an RS4 in addition.

I don't have a gash, but if I did, it would be positively throthing at the thought of completing the work on mine and turning the key. Driving to work is no longer driving to work

[HereBeMonsters]

Driving purity. That is all.

[Bull1t]

Ive wanted an S1 elise since the first time I saw one in a picture which must have been about 1997 and hopefully within the next year I'll achieve that, the money is sitting there I just need a garage to put it in. I still prefer the S1 to the S2, the styling isnt as agressive but its a nicer looking car to me.

The numbers in the intro dont look quite right to me. The standard car does 0-60 in 5.5 and the Sport 135 in 5.8. Maybe its got much taller gearing it but itd be surprising if it was slower other than top speed.

[EliseKSK]

I've had my S1 Elise 4 years now and have loved every minute. Standard S1 with Lorini Club Sport exhaust, K&N filter and Trophy throttle body - perfect!!
The only problem I have is that if I don't use it for 2-3 weeks, the battery drains. Anyone know if fitting an isolator switch and hooking-up to solar trickle charger (no power in my garage) would help?

[boobles]

I owned my first one for 18 months & covered approx 35k with the biggest smile on my face every single time I drove it (which was on a daily basis) Miss both of mine terribly.

[Contigo]

This was mine, bought from pistonheads ad and I wonder if the young lad is still on here.

For me the best colour combination, Red on Steel with the cherry red interior.

[SAndals]

norman156 said:

Would love one of these one day, wished they didn't hold their value quite so well! The cheaper end of the market seems to have been stuck rigidly at around £8k for quite a few years now...

VX220 - 2k cheaper and arguably better looking.

[boobles]

SAndals said:

VX220 - 2k cheaper and arguably better looking.

Are you being serious?

Cheaper granted but more expensive to insure & no way better looking.

[kambites]

boobles said:

Cheaper granted but more expensive to insure & no way better looking.

Really? I found the VX to be much cheaper to insure when I was researching it four years ago.

[boobles]

four years ago. Try it now. It's something to do with people crashing them & the parts becoming rare.

[zebedee]

EliseKSK said:

I've had my S1 Elise 4 years now and have loved every minute. Standard S1 with Lorini Club Sport exhaust, K&N filter and Trophy throttle body - perfect!!
The only problem I have is that if I don't use it for 2-3 weeks, the battery drains. Anyone know if fitting an isolator switch and hooking-up to solar trickle charger (no power in my garage) would help?

Your best bet is to turn off the interior alarm sensor by pressing the small button just after the big one on the fob. That said, if you battery is a bit old, you might be as well getting a new one. Or just use it more! I think the chargers that plug into the cigarette lighter don't work because the circuitry is 'dead' when the ignition is off, so I have heard. Not sure about the ones you hook up to battery, but assume that would help.

[DeadMeat_UK]

Anyone who has owned and driven an S1 & S2 can comment on the differences ? I always imagined the S2 to be more comfortable and livable day to day, and slightly less pure. All conjecture though, my experience is only of S1 (which I also prefer the looks of).

For academic interest of course, no way I need another one, ever, honest. No, no justification for it at all, I don't need it.

[zebedee]

DeadMeat_UK said:

Anyone who has owned and driven an S1 & S2 can comment on the differences ? I always imagined the S2 to be more comfortable and livable day to day, and slightly less pure. All conjecture though, my experience is only of S1 (which I also prefer the looks of).

For academic interest of course, no way I need another one, ever, honest. No, no justification for it at all, I don't need it.

I know someone who got an S2 after an S1. He is having all the geometry changed so it handles like his S1 as he says it understeers everywhere. I prefer looks of S1 too, still like the S2, but prefer the softer rounded lines, especially with the spoiler and lens covers of the 111S. Hadn't realised how rare the S1 is either, only 8600ish built, god knows how many written off or converted into race cars, many currently fleeing the country due to exchange rates etc - mine's a keeper!

[Rawwr]

I had chassis #8000

[zebedee]

Rawwr said:

I had chassis #8000

will have to check mine, it is a 1999 car so must be a late one, is it the last 4 digits of the chassis #?

[MJK 24]

zebedee said:

will have to check mine, it is a 1999 car so must be a late one, is it the last 4 digits of the chassis #?

Last four digits.

My S2 is 0007 - the seventh S2 they made.

[Tin Hat]

polus said:

Contigo said:

I had one a few years back and can honestly say it was a great car, a proper drivers car, hardcore to the limit with no comfort at all and simple drive by wire basics, no ABS, PAS or any sort of luxury options. Would I buy one now, not a chance in hell, I've had RS4's and M6's since and the modern motor car has me entirely sucked in now.

As a track car they are pretty much unbeatable but for everyday road use not my bag at all, every time you get in and out of the Elise it was a Pantomine. Not ideal for a 6ft 4 bloke.




Part of the charm, it's an event, its something special with its quirks to remind you it's not mundane. TBH, at 6-4, I can imagine it was just a PITA I've driven just a couple of 400bhp+ barges and while they have a sense of urgency, for me, they're just trying to excite through numbness. Not that I wouldn't love an RS4 in addition.

I am lucky to have both, a great combo!

Edited by Tin Hat on Wednesday 6th July 17:28

[zebedee]

Contigo said:

I had one a few years back and can honestly say it was a great car, a proper drivers car, hardcore to the limit with no comfort at all and simple drive by wire basics, no ABS, PAS or any sort of luxury options. Would I buy one now, not a chance in hell, I've had RS4's and M6's since and the modern motor car has me entirely sucked in now.

As a track car they are pretty much unbeatable but for everyday road use not my bag at all, every time you get in and out of the Elise it was a Pantomine. Not ideal for a 6ft 4 bloke.

no comforts at all, but no comfort I disagree with. Seats in the 111S were and are superb and the suspension soaks everything up beautifully. One of the few cars my wife is guaranteed to fall asleep in on a motorway drive, and I have done 4-5 hour stints in it and got out fresh, then again I ain't 6'4"!