Elise S1 as daily driver
Discussion
Plenty of people do but it requires a certain amount of dedication.
Unless you're very lucky you will suffer from a variety of niggling faults, although it's rare for anything serious to go (except the head gasket). Personally, I wouldn't even consider it unless you have access to a garage, because they are all but impossible to keep completely dry inside and very hard to demist if they get damp.
They are also very loud inside on the motorway (ear plugs are almost a must-have if you intend to do long distances) and crash and bang over bad road surfaces, although they actually soak up bumps quite well.
You should see around 35-40mpg depending on how you drive it.
If the head gasket goes there are various things that might need to be corrected to avoid it going again. The big ones are a good gasket, steel head location dowels, and checking the liner heights. They also sometimes have problems with porous heads, which means you need a new head (not that they're very expensive).
They tend to eat suspension bushes and to a lesser extent dampers, so budget for some suspension work. You'll also probably suffer from the upgrade bug, which will cost you far more than servicing or repairs, so it might be worth hunting down a car that's already got a sensible set of modifications - S2 suspension conversions are probably the best known and most useful.
There's not that much difference in price between an S1 and an early S2 now. VX220s are well worth a look, too.
Unless you're very lucky you will suffer from a variety of niggling faults, although it's rare for anything serious to go (except the head gasket). Personally, I wouldn't even consider it unless you have access to a garage, because they are all but impossible to keep completely dry inside and very hard to demist if they get damp.
They are also very loud inside on the motorway (ear plugs are almost a must-have if you intend to do long distances) and crash and bang over bad road surfaces, although they actually soak up bumps quite well.
You should see around 35-40mpg depending on how you drive it.
If the head gasket goes there are various things that might need to be corrected to avoid it going again. The big ones are a good gasket, steel head location dowels, and checking the liner heights. They also sometimes have problems with porous heads, which means you need a new head (not that they're very expensive).
They tend to eat suspension bushes and to a lesser extent dampers, so budget for some suspension work. You'll also probably suffer from the upgrade bug, which will cost you far more than servicing or repairs, so it might be worth hunting down a car that's already got a sensible set of modifications - S2 suspension conversions are probably the best known and most useful.
There's not that much difference in price between an S1 and an early S2 now. VX220s are well worth a look, too.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 30th December 15:52
okay thanks
I have a garage but my other car would be in it most of the time, whcih may mean its not a sensible option for me then, it would be garaged if not used for more than a couple of days as I'd be using the other car.
if head gasket is worst or biggest issue normally then thats fine.
Thanks
Simon
I have a garage but my other car would be in it most of the time, whcih may mean its not a sensible option for me then, it would be garaged if not used for more than a couple of days as I'd be using the other car.
if head gasket is worst or biggest issue normally then thats fine.
Thanks
Simon
Not an s1 bit I have an elise s as my daily driver, so some comparison.
Have never come across any jealousy, people seem genuinely pleased to see these cars on the road, and often let you out at junction and pull over to let you pass on country roads. I get around 37 mpg and guess this figure would be similar for all due to low inertia and unstressed engines. Servicing and tyres very cheap for the type of car and again due to everything being minimally stressed most components last quite a while.
From what I've read about head gasket failure, your only looking at around £500 to permanently fix if it does happen.
Main issues I have is leaving it places, but only because I'm precious about it. On motorway if you have a lorry on one side and any other car on the other you do feel vulnerable.
And you need to get used to people looking at your car, but not registering it as a car and pulling out on you.
Again very different car in some ways but if you enjoy it even half as much as I enjoy mine you won't regret it for a second.
Have never come across any jealousy, people seem genuinely pleased to see these cars on the road, and often let you out at junction and pull over to let you pass on country roads. I get around 37 mpg and guess this figure would be similar for all due to low inertia and unstressed engines. Servicing and tyres very cheap for the type of car and again due to everything being minimally stressed most components last quite a while.
From what I've read about head gasket failure, your only looking at around £500 to permanently fix if it does happen.
Main issues I have is leaving it places, but only because I'm precious about it. On motorway if you have a lorry on one side and any other car on the other you do feel vulnerable.
And you need to get used to people looking at your car, but not registering it as a car and pulling out on you.
Again very different car in some ways but if you enjoy it even half as much as I enjoy mine you won't regret it for a second.
back in 1998 I was about to order a new one in yellow.. I hessitated and bought a secondhand MR2 instead.. my 2nd or 3rd mr2.. I have always looked back on it as a wise and an unwise move lol and fancy a change in the daily transport and they seems to be well priced now, I do reasonable mileage and my current Sti used a reasonable amount of fuel so the saving in mpg would be nice.
Space might be an issue but I am sure I can adapted, used to ride a bike as only transport so used to that and the pulling out on you from junctions.
Lorry - Motorway - I did think about and wonder how they hold up in an accident?
Is the S2 safer being newer?
Does the S2 suffer the same damn issues?
Simon
Space might be an issue but I am sure I can adapted, used to ride a bike as only transport so used to that and the pulling out on you from junctions.
Lorry - Motorway - I did think about and wonder how they hold up in an accident?
Is the S2 safer being newer?
Does the S2 suffer the same damn issues?
Simon
I'd not use a long tail roof car as a daily. Short roof later cars are acceptable as daily use, but you still need to be prepared to scrape ice off the inside of the windcreen in the mornings. You will find you need to adjust your driving style to be more comparable to a biker, people just don't see you and pull out in front if you, reverse into you etc, you are invisable.
JollyGrnMonster said:
b
Lorry - Motorway - I did think about and wonder how they hold up in an accident?
Is the S2 safer being newer?
Does the S2 suffer the same damn issues?
The passenger cell is extremely strong and the lack of an engine in the front means they have a huge crumple zone, but almost anything you hit is going to be significantly heavier than you, so they will never be great in a head-on with another car. They have been known to go under other cars in accidents, which generally works out OK because the shape of the chassis directs the other car over your head. Lorry - Motorway - I did think about and wonder how they hold up in an accident?
Is the S2 safer being newer?
Does the S2 suffer the same damn issues?
The S2 generally suffers from a whole load of different problems. They are a bit more usable but mostly because they're better damped and quieter. Generally the newer the car, the better built they were, regardless of which model it was. MY04 onwards S2s fixed the last of the leaks if the windows are set up right, but that age is starting to get a bit more expensive. The S2 has a much simpler roof mechanism, if you like driving with the roof off.
JollyGrnMonster said:
long tail/ short roof? when did they change?
off to look at classifieds lol
The switch was in 2004, but there is almost no difference in the S2 in practice. The S1 and S2 long-tail roofs were completely different, the S2 short-tail is almost identical to the S2 long-tail, just lacking a couple of clips. There were various changes to the seals over the years, but they didn't correspond to the change in the roof design. off to look at classifieds lol
The long to short switch made no significant difference to waterproofness. The main difference is that you can take the short-tail roof off from inside the car.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 30th December 16:32
shoestring7 said:
I used a Caterham as a daily for 2 years. It was worth every one of the 16,000 or so miles.
An Elise is a comfy sofa in comparison. Do it or you'll regret it.
SS7
I was going to say something similar. People commute on bikes, motorbiles etc, so its a very subjective question.An Elise is a comfy sofa in comparison. Do it or you'll regret it.
SS7
I'd probably be happy to use mine for a daily driver, as long as the commute wasn't more that 45 minutes or so.
Something else to bear in mind, depending on where you'll park it, is that you need a pretty wide parking space to be able to get in and out with the roof on because the doors are so thick, and the sills are so wide. With the short-tail roof, you can just roll it back a bit and get out the top (although obviously the car will get wet if it's raining); with the long-tail, I don't think that's possible.
I've been using my S1 daily for coming up to 4 years and 50,000 miles. The car lives outside in all weathers.
The car has been very reliable, considering the hard use it gets. It has only let me down twice: once when a wheel bearing started to disintegrate during a continental holiday, and once when it got moisture inside the distributor cap following a prolonged spell of rain. Both were sorted quickly and relatively cheaply. I don't worry about potential HGF as it's not that big a job to fix, and is a good excuse to get the head fettled for more power.
Running costs are surprisingly low. I get 35-40 mpg most of the time, and 45+ on a long motorway run. Engine servicing is as cheap as chips, and brake and suspension parts are not excessively expensive unless you go for mega upgrades. Bushes, ball joints and dampers should last you 40-50k miles if you don't track the car often. Keeping the suspension in proper order with a good geo setup is essential, as the difference between sloppy and sorted examples is night and day. Tyres last me around 10k miles of mixed road and track use.
Practicality is not great, but it's ok if you generally travel alone. The boot can hold a surprising amount of stuff but the aperture is small so you can't easily fit big stuff in. Getting in and out can be tricky, especially with the roof on, even after you get the hang of it. As mentioned, you will want to wear earplugs on longer journeys. The heater is very good, but takes a little while before it blows hot air.
If the car lives outside or is used in all weathers then you will need to pay careful attention to waterproofing. The softtops can leak when they get old and tired, and you need to make sure the windows are adjusted properly. I use a hardtop in winter, which helps a lot with making it feel cosier inside. I also have some GRP covers that fit over the engine grilles to prevent water getting onto the engine and electrics when it's parked. Rain water also collects on the radiator at the front, then either sprays up onto the windscreen at 60mph or turns to steam as soon as the thermostat opens.
The car has been very reliable, considering the hard use it gets. It has only let me down twice: once when a wheel bearing started to disintegrate during a continental holiday, and once when it got moisture inside the distributor cap following a prolonged spell of rain. Both were sorted quickly and relatively cheaply. I don't worry about potential HGF as it's not that big a job to fix, and is a good excuse to get the head fettled for more power.
Running costs are surprisingly low. I get 35-40 mpg most of the time, and 45+ on a long motorway run. Engine servicing is as cheap as chips, and brake and suspension parts are not excessively expensive unless you go for mega upgrades. Bushes, ball joints and dampers should last you 40-50k miles if you don't track the car often. Keeping the suspension in proper order with a good geo setup is essential, as the difference between sloppy and sorted examples is night and day. Tyres last me around 10k miles of mixed road and track use.
Practicality is not great, but it's ok if you generally travel alone. The boot can hold a surprising amount of stuff but the aperture is small so you can't easily fit big stuff in. Getting in and out can be tricky, especially with the roof on, even after you get the hang of it. As mentioned, you will want to wear earplugs on longer journeys. The heater is very good, but takes a little while before it blows hot air.
If the car lives outside or is used in all weathers then you will need to pay careful attention to waterproofing. The softtops can leak when they get old and tired, and you need to make sure the windows are adjusted properly. I use a hardtop in winter, which helps a lot with making it feel cosier inside. I also have some GRP covers that fit over the engine grilles to prevent water getting onto the engine and electrics when it's parked. Rain water also collects on the radiator at the front, then either sprays up onto the windscreen at 60mph or turns to steam as soon as the thermostat opens.
thegreenhell said:
Rain water also collects on the radiator at the front, then either sprays up onto the windscreen at 60mph or turns to steam as soon as the thermostat opens.
That's always a worrying one when it first happens. One minute everything is fine, the next there is steam pouring out of the front of the car. 
Perhaps another thing worth mentioning is that Elise prices are highly seasonal. S1 prices seem to be on the up, overall; they seem stay static from about September to February, rise significantly as soon as the first warmish weather arrives, then crawl up for the rest of the year.
If you're going to buy one, buy it before the weather starts to warm or you'll pay around a grand more for it.
If you're going to buy one, buy it before the weather starts to warm or you'll pay around a grand more for it.
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