RE: You Know You Want To: Lotus Elise S1
Discussion
RobCrezz said:
A S1 with a Honda k20a engine and 6 speed gearbox would be simply perfect.
then add a supercharger and they become manic!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq_WbFBwBrE
I hired one in February 1997 for my 28th birthday from Haydon Cars in Salisbury. Best birthday pressie ever!
The car was totally new then and was the first Elise most people had seen. "My car" was yellow and we had the salesmen from the local porsche garage Chapelgate running out, yes running out to take a peek as we drove past! What a load of rubbish about it being too slow and too dangerous in the wet. In 3rd gear from 50-80 it is well quick enough and the one of the best cars for real world overtaking I have ever driven. Certainly better than my brother in laws S2000 or even his Boxster S!!. Point and squirt and it just takes off---low weight of course, with no lag. You just need the slightest gap and you can squirt past a slower car. Ok, the acceleration runs out over 90 MPH, but thats not an issue in the UK and taking it on the autobahns, what do you expect?!! I had my car in torrential rain and wind and I found that you just had to take a slow in approach in the rain and not be silly. having said that, Haydon lost 4 cars due to idiots writing them off and by 1998 had increased the excess to £3!
The car was totally new then and was the first Elise most people had seen. "My car" was yellow and we had the salesmen from the local porsche garage Chapelgate running out, yes running out to take a peek as we drove past! What a load of rubbish about it being too slow and too dangerous in the wet. In 3rd gear from 50-80 it is well quick enough and the one of the best cars for real world overtaking I have ever driven. Certainly better than my brother in laws S2000 or even his Boxster S!!. Point and squirt and it just takes off---low weight of course, with no lag. You just need the slightest gap and you can squirt past a slower car. Ok, the acceleration runs out over 90 MPH, but thats not an issue in the UK and taking it on the autobahns, what do you expect?!! I had my car in torrential rain and wind and I found that you just had to take a slow in approach in the rain and not be silly. having said that, Haydon lost 4 cars due to idiots writing them off and by 1998 had increased the excess to £3!
Edited by Bezza1969 on Saturday 28th July 09:56
suffolk009 said:
I quite agree.
Top of my current (realistic) wants list. I'll have a plain one in Purple with Cream please.
This was the colour of my first Elise. I really miss this car! The best car I have ever owned!Top of my current (realistic) wants list. I'll have a plain one in Purple with Cream please.
This was my second, not liking the colour of this one to be honest.
A nice completely standard S1 is pretty close to the perfect car to play with on dry days for me. I bought mine new in 1998 and haven't regretted it for one millisecond since. I would NEVER consider selling it.
There are probably better cars out there as daily drivers but as a second car to play in they are very difficult to beat.
Oh ... and Aluminium Silver with red leather has to be the best combination .... pale metallics show off the gorgeous shape better (although I admit I'm biased).
Would also say that:
Yes the hood is a pain to fit and it can leak if its raining hard enough ... but mine hardly ever goes on anyway
The original composite aluminium/silicon carbide brakes are fabulously progressive (no servo)... don't rust .... generate virtually no brake dust ... and the discs and pads are good for 100k miles. They just don't work when they are soaked .... so take care on first application after you wash the car!
The head gasket thing .... a few Elises may have been affected ... but probably fewer than any other K Series application. It's a cooling issue. The factory say that there isn't (or shouldn't be) a problem ... because the Elise is more than adequately cooled.
The window winding mechanism WILL fail at some point .... but hey ... worse things happen.
Oh .... and whatever you do when the dash says "refill" you'd better find some fuel pretty quickly. Mine goes from 11 litres to "refill" in the blink of an eye .... then runs out shortly after!
The seats look pretty pared down and thin .... but they are actually pretty comfortable.
If you fit a "sports" exhaust you might find the noise pretty wearing after a while .... although admittedly it would be good for short blasts. Mine still has the original exhaust .... 14 years later!
And the smaller you are the more fun you'll have. Weight makes a MASSIVE difference because the car only weighs 700Kg. This is artly why the early S1s are so much more fun to drive. Take a porker of a mate for a spin and you'll notice how much it blunts the performance and ruins the handling. If you're 70Kgs wet through like me .... let the tank get down to about 15 litres ... leave the hood and any other luggage at home .... and you'll experience just how sublime these cars can be through a series of your favourite bends. Fit some new Yokohama AD07s (195 fronts 225 rears) and it will be even better.
If you're considering buying one as a second car to have some fun .... don't think about it .... just do it .... I promise you won't be disappointed.
I think values of early S1s with the boot bag, composite discs and aluminium engine covers etc are bound to harden over time. They are destined to become THE classic Elise.
There are probably better cars out there as daily drivers but as a second car to play in they are very difficult to beat.
Oh ... and Aluminium Silver with red leather has to be the best combination .... pale metallics show off the gorgeous shape better (although I admit I'm biased).
Would also say that:
Yes the hood is a pain to fit and it can leak if its raining hard enough ... but mine hardly ever goes on anyway
The original composite aluminium/silicon carbide brakes are fabulously progressive (no servo)... don't rust .... generate virtually no brake dust ... and the discs and pads are good for 100k miles. They just don't work when they are soaked .... so take care on first application after you wash the car!
The head gasket thing .... a few Elises may have been affected ... but probably fewer than any other K Series application. It's a cooling issue. The factory say that there isn't (or shouldn't be) a problem ... because the Elise is more than adequately cooled.
The window winding mechanism WILL fail at some point .... but hey ... worse things happen.
Oh .... and whatever you do when the dash says "refill" you'd better find some fuel pretty quickly. Mine goes from 11 litres to "refill" in the blink of an eye .... then runs out shortly after!
The seats look pretty pared down and thin .... but they are actually pretty comfortable.
If you fit a "sports" exhaust you might find the noise pretty wearing after a while .... although admittedly it would be good for short blasts. Mine still has the original exhaust .... 14 years later!
And the smaller you are the more fun you'll have. Weight makes a MASSIVE difference because the car only weighs 700Kg. This is artly why the early S1s are so much more fun to drive. Take a porker of a mate for a spin and you'll notice how much it blunts the performance and ruins the handling. If you're 70Kgs wet through like me .... let the tank get down to about 15 litres ... leave the hood and any other luggage at home .... and you'll experience just how sublime these cars can be through a series of your favourite bends. Fit some new Yokohama AD07s (195 fronts 225 rears) and it will be even better.
If you're considering buying one as a second car to have some fun .... don't think about it .... just do it .... I promise you won't be disappointed.
I think values of early S1s with the boot bag, composite discs and aluminium engine covers etc are bound to harden over time. They are destined to become THE classic Elise.
In February this year, after owning a '91 Caterham 7 then a '71 Lotus Europa I finally got the car I'd wanted for years - an S1 Elise.
All I can say is it's a fantastic car and I 100% agree with all the positive comments on here. Yes there are limitations/compromises and it's still a bit hardcore compared to a Boxster or an MX-5 but it's one of the few cars that still turns my head even though I now own one.
It would be a dull world if we all liked the same thing but I can't think of many other cars I'd rather own, even with a Lottery win. If I do sell it one day it will only be to buy another Lotus, possibly an Elise S2
All I can say is it's a fantastic car and I 100% agree with all the positive comments on here. Yes there are limitations/compromises and it's still a bit hardcore compared to a Boxster or an MX-5 but it's one of the few cars that still turns my head even though I now own one.
It would be a dull world if we all liked the same thing but I can't think of many other cars I'd rather own, even with a Lottery win. If I do sell it one day it will only be to buy another Lotus, possibly an Elise S2
Edited by 61GT on Sunday 29th July 11:05
ChrisJ. said:
kambites said:
I must admit I don't really see the appeal of keeping the Konis on an S1. They just, well, aren't very good.
Are Konis bad from day one?, or do they wear out quickly?Is the S2 Bilstein upgrade a 'must have'?
kambites said:
In my opinion, they just aren't high quality dampers at any age. Bilsteins are certainly an improvement, but if it was me I'd be going for NSS or NTR Fast Road, depending on budget.
I'm surprised. Koni were always a cut above, back in the day. 'Standard on lots of classic Ferraris for example.Maybe for the first Elise, they were down to a price?
RobCrezz said:
A S1 with a Honda k20a engine and 6 speed gearbox would be simply perfect.
I can't help but agree with that. About 5 years ago I thought I'd the 'sports car thing' out of my system by buying a hopelessly impractical S1 Elise. I picked up a sweet 1999 example with 25K on the clock.Now 6 years and 130,000 more miles (156K total today) are on it's little odometer and I've still not quote got rid of that 'sports car thing'. Mine now has a Honda K20 NA conversion thanks to Essex Autosport, after the head gasket popped at around 80K. Other than that it's had a few other modifications - mainly small stuff to improve practicality and comfort (carpets, electric boot release, HID lights, stereo) and handling (Nitron suspension/upgraded brakes).
I need to pay a big thanks to the guys at SELOC for their advice and help, and even bigger thanks to mostly the same guys for their banter and endless crap jokes
. If this thread has inspired you to look at an elise, then the chaps there can answer all of your questions*My car is the nice yellow one at the front.
- *no really - not just questions about elises. Ask them *anything*
Denver09 said:
I was looking at buying on of these and was amazed at the prices for S1 cars. Totally put me off - an immaculate S1 is not worth more than 7-8k IMHO
a car is worth what someone is willing to pay- I dont think a ferrari 355 is worth 30k more than a similar age Griffith but thats what you have to pay to get one, so clearly a S1 is worth more than 7-8k. james280779 said:
Denver09 said:
I was looking at buying on of these and was amazed at the prices for S1 cars. Totally put me off - an immaculate S1 is not worth more than 7-8k IMHO
a car is worth what someone is willing to pay- I dont think a ferrari 355 is worth 30k more than a similar age Griffith but thats what you have to pay to get one, so clearly a S1 is worth more than 7-8k. Not unless the owner was desperate to sell. These cars hold their value lets not forget.
TameRacingDriver said:
Captain Muppet said:
I use my S1 Elise as a daily. My other car is currently a mk1 MX5 and I find neither of them more or less practical than the other. The MX5 has bucket seats and when I had an injured shoulder it was easier to get in the Elise.
One of my two fabric roofs for the Elise leaks and the other didn't (when fitted properly), but now I have a hard top which also doesn't leak. If I did more motorway miles I'd use ear plugs or swap back to a standard exhaust, but other than that it's lovely. Every journey is still an event, even after 4 years. I love it.
I do like the Elise, lets get that of the way, but I did always wonder whether it was worth the extra over an MX5. I mean, you can get the focused RS Limited model for £2K (which I owned), complete with buckets etc. That versus £8K of a tatty S1. Better to drive no doubt, but 4x better?One of my two fabric roofs for the Elise leaks and the other didn't (when fitted properly), but now I have a hard top which also doesn't leak. If I did more motorway miles I'd use ear plugs or swap back to a standard exhaust, but other than that it's lovely. Every journey is still an event, even after 4 years. I love it.
As for the "4x" thing - my MX5 cost 30 times more than my 320i, and certainly isn't 30 times better. There isn't a linear relationship between ability and price, never has been.
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