TVR vs Elise - good tradeoff?
Discussion
My g/f and I have a TVR Chimaera 
which we're selling right now 
.
But we both need something quick to blow away those weekday blues. Thinking of getting an Elise (she's fed up with TVR's engineering!), but I still have the TVR bug.
Come on you Elise drivers - sell me on the idea. I'm still not convinced, though I admit it's a sexy-looking little car that handles very nicely.
I'd be happier if they sounded a bit meatier, and I'm concerned about reports of leaks in wet weather!
which we're selling right now . But we both need something quick to blow away those weekday blues. Thinking of getting an Elise (she's fed up with TVR's engineering!), but I still have the TVR bug.
Come on you Elise drivers - sell me on the idea. I'm still not convinced, though I admit it's a sexy-looking little car that handles very nicely.
I'd be happier if they sounded a bit meatier, and I'm concerned about reports of leaks in wet weather!
I'd be happier if they sounded a bit meatier, and I'm concerned about reports of leaks in wet weather!
Yeah.. It sounds like a sowing machine ans leaks like a sieve.. Don't buy one!
Feel better now?
Noise-wise will a good sports exhaust and a nice induction system do wonders. Ok.. It's still a silly little 1.8 engine, so don't expect a 6-cyl rumble, but you can get it as loud as you want.
Leaks.. Yes, well.. A lot depends on the proper setup of the hood and if the windows are aligned properly. Later models do better in this respect than early ones as they for instance add a rubber window seal in the softtop. Maintaining the softtop well also helps.
Most cars are dry while 'on the move' or leak a few drops. When it's parked for a longer period then you should really invest in a shower-cap. That's pulled over the roof and windows and will keep it completely dry on the inside.
The roof has always been for 'temporary weather protection' and never intended to be a 'real' roof. Get one with a hardtop if it's a real issue.
Just drive one for a while and see if you like it. If you have doubts then don't do it. If you like it you probably won't be too bothered about some drops here and there
Bye, Arno.
though it would make a change to be able to hold a conversation at speed!
Don't count on that, expecially if you add a sports exhaust.. The engine is right behind your back and noise insulation is well.. non-existant in the Elise.
Only thing you can do IMHO is rent one for a day or so and see if you can live with it or not. May not be the car you want at all.
Bye, Arno.
I swapped a 4l Chimaera for an Elise and still have it after nearly 5 years. The BBR Sports exhaust really helps and sounds great. It has a wonderfull coarse blare at revs and sounds like a proper race car. It is also nice and throaty at low revs. But it is not a V8, that is a different animal and I still miss it! I agree best to try one but make sure it has a sports exhaust as the standard one sounds like a sewing machine!
I dropped my 4.2 cerb for an Elise, to be honest the engine noise is little dissapointing but in the real world and even on track it's no slower(apart from in a straight line of course).The biggest winning factor for me was the comparative cheapness to run and maintain.Also it has to be said that reliability is always a major factor in the equation and without doubt mechanically the K series has the edge.Apart from that it's a pain in the backside to get in and out of but once your in it's great fun.
Cheers
Steve.
Cheers
Steve.
wedgie said: hmm...
Thanks, Arno (I think!). My worry is that it's going to be a bit of a comedown after 4.5 litres of V8, though it would make a change to be able to hold a conversation at speed!
There's no way an Elise, any Elise, is going to compete on the noise, raw grunt point of view . . . however that's really not what the Elise is about . . . take one out and find some seriously difficult twisties, and having learned how the car behaves enjoy what it does best, handles . . .
Real life day to day driving there's little in it performance wise, unless you want to stay in licence losing territory all day . . .
Be carefull though, it's noting like a TVR, in so many ways . . .
Fd
From someone who's owned a Chimaera 450 for 2 years, sold it and then bought an Elise S2 1 year later, some advice from both myself and my better half.
If you want/love speed, don't get an Elise.
Yes the Elise is great up to 70-80'ish mph, then nothing. We've seriously thinking of getting the Turbo Technics 230bhp upgrade.
Yes, it does go round corners like nothing else I've driven, but, and it's a big but, can you live with not giving it a big right foot down the straights?
I know I used to just put my foot down for the hell of it before, even when there's nothing else around.
The up shot, my wife and I really miss the Chimaera and are thinking of getting either a 2nd hand Cerb/Tuscan/Tamora next year (finances allowing of course).
There you go, won't be to popular with some people, but from my experiences, power corrupts totally.....
I do love the Elise, just want more power.
As an aside, no problems with either the Chimaera (18,000) or Elise (4,000) that I've owned. No leaks, no breakdowns, no mechanical problems. Just lucky I suppose.
Hope this helps,
Geoff...
If you want/love speed, don't get an Elise.
Yes the Elise is great up to 70-80'ish mph, then nothing. We've seriously thinking of getting the Turbo Technics 230bhp upgrade.
Yes, it does go round corners like nothing else I've driven, but, and it's a big but, can you live with not giving it a big right foot down the straights?
I know I used to just put my foot down for the hell of it before, even when there's nothing else around.
The up shot, my wife and I really miss the Chimaera and are thinking of getting either a 2nd hand Cerb/Tuscan/Tamora next year (finances allowing of course).
There you go, won't be to popular with some people, but from my experiences, power corrupts totally.....
I do love the Elise, just want more power.
As an aside, no problems with either the Chimaera (18,000) or Elise (4,000) that I've owned. No leaks, no breakdowns, no mechanical problems. Just lucky I suppose.
Hope this helps,
Geoff...
Appreciate that, Geoff. You have confirmed my suspicions!
Yep, I think I'll stick to the TVRs - I think they're worth the tears. I kewep telling the beter half that when she gets locked in, or the wingmirror falls off, that's just character - a hark back to the pre-war days of sports cars!
Power to the people!
>> Edited by wedgie on Thursday 5th December 09:58
Yep, I think I'll stick to the TVRs - I think they're worth the tears. I kewep telling the beter half that when she gets locked in, or the wingmirror falls off, that's just character - a hark back to the pre-war days of sports cars!
Power to the people!
>> Edited by wedgie on Thursday 5th December 09:58
Geoff_33 said:
If you want/love speed, don't get an Elise.
Yes the Elise is great up to 70-80'ish mph, then nothing. We've seriously thinking of getting the Turbo Technics 230bhp upgrade.
Yes, it does go round corners like nothing else I've driven, but, and it's a big but, can you live with not giving it a big right foot down the straights?
Geoff...
We are into the realms of what defines a 'sports car' the Elise and the Chimera or their respective brands both demonstrate examples of what constitutes the ideal sports car. Lotus represent the ultimate in handling (IMHO) and TVR in terms of out and out straight line speed, especially when you look at the bangs per buck quota.
In some cases, and I agree with Geoff here, you want the best of both worlds i.e. handling and speed and in my own case a 'British' car, which prompted me to go down the TT route (+ improving on the breaking, an area the S1 isn't that strong on again IMHO).
The other obvious debating point is cost, both Lotus and TVR could be considered relative sports car bargains, hence to a degree, why they are so good at their respective sports car traits, given the economics of trying to be all things to all people in terms of a definitive sports car, they specialise in being good at one key sports car trait where they can afford to invest in rather than trying to compete, on cost at least, with the likes of Porsche, Ferrari etc, they just do not have the budget.
Now that they are known as brands that offer what they do, they stick, with good business logic, to the same mantra - Lotus Handling and Weight, TVR Speed at a price that is (relatively) affordable.
So back to Geoff's point we both want the best of both world's and have/may go for the compromise that gives us both traits.
The arguement as to whether to get TVR or a Lotus could boil down to which 'sports car trait' you value the most, balanced against budget.
Wedgie - never mind the collective - go and drive one !
Some very sensible comments made on here - felix has summed it up nicely.
My only point would be - the vast majority of fun driving in the uk is at speeds between 30 - 70 mph
on twisty back roads - this is elise heaven. If I were off to the continent tommorrow and had to pick a weapon I would have the TVR - because top end is more useable over there.
But try one - maybe a bell & colville 160 s2 or a 111s - more powerful variants.
Some very sensible comments made on here - felix has summed it up nicely.
My only point would be - the vast majority of fun driving in the uk is at speeds between 30 - 70 mph
on twisty back roads - this is elise heaven. If I were off to the continent tommorrow and had to pick a weapon I would have the TVR - because top end is more useable over there.
But try one - maybe a bell & colville 160 s2 or a 111s - more powerful variants.
I agree that the base Elise lacks the grunt you would want from a sports car. Given that I a bit of a chubber, I decided that a TT190 conversion was the way to go.
Now I get the stick to the road quality of the Elise with decent grunt up to 100 and happy motoring up to 130. Theoretically of course *8-)
Now I get the stick to the road quality of the Elise with decent grunt up to 100 and happy motoring up to 130. Theoretically of course *8-)
Saying that, I've had the S2 for about a year and a half and the TT190 for about a year of that so I'm looking for a change in the summer.
I'm trying to decide upon either something along the same lines but bigger e.g. a TVR or something along the SUV high driving position for a change.
Would you recommend a TVR as an everyday car? My Elise has served me well, with (fingers crossed) no trouble at all.
rgds/alex
This Elise lack of grunt argument leaves me all rather perplexed. Where do you need it? - where do all you guys regularly average over the ton? - top speed is rather academic IMHO. Nice to know your car will do it, but never really required. Handling and useful acceleration in 30-80 range is much, much more desireable. Fair enough if you spend all your time on autobahn's, etc - but on UK roads don't think so. Sublime chassis engineering much more important and enjoyable than dragster performance. Buy that Elise!!
Perfect example, Top Gear - Elise in Stig's hands as fast round circuit as Ferrari Maranello.
Perfect example, Top Gear - Elise in Stig's hands as fast round circuit as Ferrari Maranello.
We've been using the Chim regularly, but not day-to-day - depends on what you call 'day-to-day use'. Thing is I knock up about 50k a year anyway, and I wouldn't want to put a sports car through that!
But for the grunt, the looks and the sound (oh, God, the sound
) get a TVR - but make it a V8 IMHO it's far superior to the TVR straight six, though the latter is improving all the time.
But for the grunt, the looks and the sound (oh, God, the sound
) get a TVR - but make it a V8 IMHO it's far superior to the TVR straight six, though the latter is improving all the time.
clanger said: Perfect example, Top Gear - Elise in Stig's hands as fast round circuit as Ferrari Maranello.
Yeah I agree, but but not all of us have Stig's ability, so have to make up our deficiencies by having more power to keep up, on the straights at least!!
Need to spend more money with 1st Lotus to improve on the bends.
But its also personal preference, combined with driver ability, attitude to driving on a clear traffic free road, that may/would determine the kind of car you want. As for drving at over a ton, if a lot us were honest, we do, even off the M-way, I know some cracking roads in Wales where I was brought up, where the only thing to worry about is sheep that wonder onto the road!!
The ability to have in gear flexibilty to pull fast and quickly out if the bends (in an S1 TT230) without having to rev the ar$e off, and be quicker too, appeals when combined with the cars handling ability and now better braking.
I enjoy the track, but I also enjoy a good point to point drive on entertaining roads, where conditions permit.
PC
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