Lotus Elise Mk1 anybody got experience of these cars

[ClassiChimi]

A strange request but I'm looking at said cars, K series engined 1.8.
I'm aware of engine issues etc
Why I ask on here is because as Tvr owners we know how a fast car feels so if anyone's had experience of driving these little Lotus cars I'd like to know your views.

I'm not bothered about big power anymore and more interested in cornering ability and how they act and feel on the road.
I can do my own research on technical and reliability issues but just wondered what they are like to drive.
Do they feel slow etc.
I can go for a test drive etc but I can hardly put one on the limit of grip so has anyone enjoyed one of these cars on track.

I've read they handle really well and can imagine they are like a big go cart so if anyone's ever owned or driven one of these cars around 2002-3 year model I'd like to know your thoughts good and bad.
Cheers

[ClassiChimi]

N7GTX said:

Alun, there was an early Elise featured on Wheeler Dealers tonight on Quest. You may be able to download it.

I watched it Iain, which is what's provoked this thread.
I've been thinking of old Tvr Vixens with the little 1600cc engines and find myself really drawn to them but they are so old and I can't imagine they'd be too good on the road but that might be doing then an injustice.

The Lotus Elise (Mk2) appears to be the sort of thing that might be right up my street, I can't afford the Tvr to blow up, I want to have some track fun and cornering ability is what I really want, anyone can go fast in a straight line.

[ClassiChimi]

clarkmagpie said:

A bit more detail.
At the same time I had a 5.0 Griffith.

The lotus,
Nimble, handled like a house fly, serious grip.
It was nippy rather than fast fast.
Loud, rattly, basic.
Kids loved it, always got positive reactions.
Wife HATED it in the end and refused to go out in it.
Never any major problems, few niggles tho.
Water leak and suspension where expensive fixes.

Ended up selling the Elise and going for an RS6.
That went and currently run an SL500 r230.
Much more civilised. Not half as much fun though.
(Still have the Griff)

Excellent description, I'm more than happy to give way to more powerful stuff as when I drive on the roads I'm a wuss!
Same with going trackdays, but watch me muller them in the bends, I learnt many a year ago corner skills as a driver matter far more than the bit that connects them together, I'm constantly reminded that cars with small engines still manage fast or faster times than many cars with far more power.
I like the basic feel and look of the interior in the Lotus, love the name and maybe this might be an itch that I can scratch without it costing the earth.

I've barely scratched the surface when considering these Lotus as my lack of knowledge shows but there's an old man I know, he's about 80 years now, a cyclist so proper fit even now and has owned one for about 10 years and it just sits in his garage, totally looked after, drives it everynow and then but it's just under used, he mentioned he'd let it go to a good owner and he appreciates my Tvr, we get on very well so I might just look closer.
I've noticed there's a Lotus dealer at Silverstone so I might go and check a few out there and maybe take a test drive.

Thanks for this response and it's pretty much what I was expecting.
Thanks Alun

[ClassiChimi]

77racing said:

A friend of mine had the S1 1.8 K engine,which he did the ring in with me several trips and countless trackdays. I was in my Griff. On the seven hour run to germany I always got out of the car fair well in good nick. He on the other hand looked like he had been on spin in a washing machine. The Lotus was really hot all the time in the cockpit and the noise just by your ear was almost unbearable on long trips. The handling was excellent as in go kart esk but on the roads of today with pot holes it was a night mare.The car was reliable , only issue on trackdays was the brakes weren't up to it.

That's great info, hmmm, noise is a problem for me as I have a blown ear drum, that could be a big issue as it's my left ear that plays up! Washing machine I won't be aiming to drive it long distances but that alone could be a deal breaker.
Heat in the cab, ok when racing or driving hard as I love the extremes you go through when on track but if that's an issue when driving on the road then again not what you'd want.

Maybe I need to check one out and I'll probably realise just how good my Tvr is.
I'm finding myself using barely any of my Tvr power ( excuse the pun) and driving like a dick on the road doesn't interest me so these little engines cars are getting my attention.
Thanks for the honest opinion.

ETA it's your video at Brands GP Perry that's also got me thinking, once or twice on that vid I can hear the ESCORT engine, really fast car and driver who's getting on the throttle early and often before the Apex which to me is what it's all about, ramming them through corners. Tvr's ttend to need you to hover the throttle until your through and levelling the car up before really accelerating and that's a frustration.
Harder to drive yes but not necessarily more fun.

Yes I know you have a Vixen, shush.

Edited by ClassiChimi on Friday 28th October 07:59

[ClassiChimi]

A couple more questions
What are they like for fuel economy when used locally around town and also when cruising at say 80 mph

How easy are they to work on, they look simple enough to me!

[ClassiChimi]

nawarne said:

Alun,

- Mk.1 Elise great fun, fantastic in the corners, emminentley chuckable very tactile car. However, will never be as useful as your Chim. was with your drive to the S of France a year or so ago. You'd be snookered for kit stowage.

I did a track day with my mate in his Caterham at Silverstone October 3rd. It'd be all over the exhausts of the GT3's, Fezza Cali's, 355's etc in the bends. You could brake later, be on the power earlier in a corner and hence carry much more momentum in the bend. The Elise is a similar beast.

Another mate has an Elise Mk.1, but he only tracks it....and lately just wants to go to a local track - Combe, Thruxton perhaps Goodwood, because travelling further afield would be more of a work-up.

Nick

Thanks for the input gents, one mate confirmed it won't be as comfortable as the Tvr for longer distances yet another said he had one for 9' years and never had a problem with back ache or the like.
I do have a lower back issue, I'm a broken wreck so I better have a test drive.

I've been out all day and when I got home and looked at the Tvr, it's hard to beat isn't it.
Thanks again.
France, that was another mad run that was.
Cheers Nick

[ClassiChimi]

This is all very interesting reading, the same theme keeps coming up
Not to great over the bumps which considering it's virtually a trackcar is no suprise really.

I think I've been drawn by a smaller engine, nostalgia, my youth, something like that.
Maybe I should just put some Nitrons on my Tvr and be done with it

Twice now I've walked past the Tvr today and boy do I feel guilty for questioning it.

I've been reading the thread about values of Tvr's and I'm slowly coming to the conclusion regardless of value I'd not get a better car for the money in a million years.
The Lotus is a fine piece of engineering and the tubs ability does excite me but in reality how often am I going to get the benefit of it.
It's also because I'd really like to do more trackdays that I'm considering a Lotus but it's not likely to be any more reliable or cheaper to run than a sorted Tvr anyway.

I've done a small amount of reading and the Lotus can also have its issues, corrosion being just one of them, maybe my archaic Tvr box section chassis isn't as bad as all that and once sorted it's going to last years.

The handing of the Lotus in the right conditions is always going to be a huge positive but if it's difficult to use on the road then it's not going to be what I want.
I still feel the need to find out though.
I'll not rush in but I will go and check a few out with an eye on having a test drive.

Today a chap raved about his saying it's the only car he kept for almost a decade, but then he's never driven a Tvr, maybe I should let him drive my Tvr and see what his reaction will be, that might put his words into perspective.

[ClassiChimi]

^^^^^^^^ and have a similar power to weight ratio as the Tvr, well mine anyway, I couldn't make a dent into one when challenged at Bedford Peter.
The owner was a gent and we shared our joy of each others cars.

[ClassiChimi]

Is that you driving Wyn, that's one very fast VX, I can almost feel the G's, poxy Porsche driver should have got out the way miles before. What tyres is the Vauxhall on, I'd discounted the VX as I don't like the styling so much but who gives a hoot when it goes like that.
Expert driving whoever it was.

I noticed many small but very decisive hand movements, what a car and driver.

That's just thrown a spanner right into the works
Those hand movements completely remind me of very fast cart driving.
That's what it's all about, speed of thought and anticipation, i'm in awe.

[ClassiChimi]

That's a pity.

Yes I need to find someone who owns one and start with a passenger ride, see if I like the base feel of it on the road.
Here's an interesting one


A young chap I know who works selling second hand Lotus parts showed me this.
A Lotus chassis, not sure of its age but mid nineties I think, he's going to put and Eagle SS body on it once it's been re built.
The body is ready and already painted and it's got a fully rebuilt race engine going it it, all sorts.

Edited by ClassiChimi on Sunday 30th October 17:07

[ClassiChimi]

mikeock64 said:

I've just joined.

Had a quick flick through, really good looking site and easy to navigate. Excellent
Cheers,

[ClassiChimi]

phazed said:

I am often caught browsing and this has caught my eye.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Sometimes you just feel like a change ,................

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

I flicked on to that, instantly closed it, then thought I'd give it a chance, bloody nice looking car that, love the rear boot lid and access, Turbo, not my bag but flat out it makes little difference!

Im slightly concearned it will feel very small on our busy roads, The Tvr is probably not much bigger in truth but when in it, it feels meaty!

The more I look at the VX the better it appears, more research required.

Only by doing this exercise do I then re appreciate many aspects of the Tvr though, it's shape for one thing

[ClassiChimi]

phazed said:

What about this non-turbo cheapie Al?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Sell the Tvr and I'll have 3' start a team

So I need to buy one from a woman hair dresser cos surely blokes don't buy these cars to tootle about!

It's only because I know of this pearler Mk1 Elise sat in a garage that has had me thinking.

I'm hoping this wave of indecision will fade away and l'll carry on with the Tvr.

But a little Elise or VX cheapie as a project car might be a buzz for a few years?

I'd rather have sorted example and just get on enjoying it.

Drove the Tvr earlier for nothing but to hear it, that will never be beaten, mine has its own distinct sound, it's cost a lot to get it, I need to enjoy it for longer to be honest.
Trouble is I am going to go see the old gent with the MK1 ELise and have a really close look at the engineering etc,
I think I might fall for it!

Edited by ClassiChimi on Monday 31st October 21:55

[ClassiChimi]

griffdude said:

I investigated an Elise Mk1 last month & really, really wanted to part with the £££££. However, being a lanky streak(6'3"), when I put my helmet on I just couldn't fit. Gutted as it was a good one too.

Gonna have to stick with the MX5 for track fun...

https://youtu.be/Q5QIBh2zZu0?t=51s

I've got a very good idea of how well one handles when on the limit,
What are they like on anything but a smooth road, (bumps) at normal driving speeds,
Is it hard as I'd imagine, but at the same time does it feel rigid, no rattles ?
I don't mind hard as long as everything feels tought

I have a 125cc 6 speed gearbox cart, on a race track it's awesome, I once took it up a road, it wasn't awesome then

See my point, I'm answering my own question I think.
You can't get that good handling unless you forsake comfort.

Saying that at 6 K I could afford a van and trailer.

ETA
I should just get the cart running and do a practice day, all I wanna do is rag something, the Tvr's just to fast for that

Edited by ClassiChimi on Monday 31st October 21:51

I've just remembered watching the Elise racing at Donnington when the race series first started up, fierce drivers,
I knew a really talented gearbox cart racer got in one and didn't win straight away, hardcore racers in a hard core car, very tough series.

Rear engined, that's what I get excited about,
Here's a spanner in the works for those who like exotic cars of all description, I recently drove an Alpine Renault GTA turbo.

Rear engined, and what fantastic soft yet firm when needed suspension.
The handling, nothing to aggressive but it felt brill, front light but grippy and turned in like a race car, then the weight at the back actually pushing down and giving good grip and felt totally planted. Long wheel base, very interesting car.
Except for the electrics that look horrific.
This chaps also got the later GT6 version and it's even better. Both built from the ground up.

I digress.
I better see if I can get in and out of the Lotus before going much further.

Edited by ClassiChimi on Monday 31st October 22:14

[ClassiChimi]

It's that driving purity that Lotus and the VX are famous for.

The old chap does'nt want to sell it yet I have to approach him very sensitively.
He's not far away, I'd just like to use his as a chance to look closer at the car Peter, maybe see how he feels about the car, he's got OCD bad, it's engineered off the planet.
It's his pride.

It's green too, hahah.

[ClassiChimi]

It's just dawned on me that the Tvr is also known and can be when set up right and on the best tyres be a very effective pure driving experience.

Nothing's more extreme for a start!
And as said earlier on this thread, the Tvr can do dosile pretty darn good, long journeys are ok, big boot. More comfortable.

The engine is simple. It's got so much going for it.

[ClassiChimi]

Shnozz said:

Many moons ago now I swapped my then Chimaera for an S1 Elise. Polar opposite car in terms of precision handling, steering feel and a lightweight little engine as against the big V8. I loved the looks of the chim and always thought the Elise looked like a squashed dune buggy but a good friend of mine had an Elise and we played cat and mouse on a few runs over the years whereby I would have him on the straights only for him to catch me on the bends.

Drive one and you will be hooked - I had a drive and decided on the spot the TVR was being sold for an Elise.

Ironically, with classic prices doing what they have, I sold the Chim for about £15k and paid the same for the S1 Elise and both cars seem to be near as damn it the same sort of money some 15 or so years later!

Yeahhh, I agree on the price front.

They hold there value well.

They do look better or worse dependant on the position your looking from, I'm not overly into the styling, oddly I quite like the angular look of the VX!

I've been very busy, I'll get a proper look at one, try not to drive it because only when I think of parting with the Tvr, even for a Lotus do I think of what I'd be missing.
All that engine

Considering the updates and refreshing of parts that I've put into the Tvr, the more I've been thinking about it the more I'm leaning towards putting tubular wishbones and top range shocks on the Tvr and giving it a few more years, the Lotus does one thing well, the Tvr does many things well!

[ClassiChimi]

Theres a nice looking one not far from me forsale via a dealer, I might pop over in the Tvr tomorrow and check it out.

A week ago I was drawn by small engined cars,
Fired the Tvr up today and just let it warm for a couple of minutes, steady 12-1500 revs, that was an event of drama in itself

Drove a couple of miles, heaters getting warm, engine under MBE control already exhibiting a steady idle and no over fuelling, pulling out of junctions with only a few revs and always that sense of torque effortlessly moving you forward, temps are getting upto 50 degrees by now and the heaters warmed the cab nicely, the sound is just spell binding, I take it for granted as I use the car a lot, but today imagining all this in a small engined car and not having that sound track,
It's take an R111 at least to loose that.

The wishbones I've seen look similar to ours, some even have GGP shocks!
i like the later engined cars,
There's some well tuned VX 220 cars well worth considering if I really wanted a track focused car, and again plenty of cheap sub 10K VX's which could become good cars with some mods.

I prefer the MK1 Lotus Elise Body shape but the Mk2 would be faster and better to own by the looks of them.

I reckon I'll cruise over there listening to my awesome sounding engine with my big old bonet and shapely dash surrounding me with short solid gear changes and blips of the throttle as I go, slowing for roundabouts waiting for that moment when the revs have dropped to about 1700-1400 revs and you get a big pop and bang, it happens every time like clockwork, yet even after hundreds if not thousands of times I still wait with bated breath, mine sounds like a gun going off then again lower at 1400-1000 revs when shutting off, burbles and just makes going slow a huge enjoyable event. I've got it down to a tee, I can dip the clutch and take out the back fire at 1700 then re engage clutch at 1500 revs and resume normal burble, great late at night

The only way I could get something as powerful as the Tvr would be a Turbo VX.

the video featured earlier in this thread, Look at the power that thing was displaying,

A VX would be the cost effective way to have the best of both worlds, power/handling

The Tvr with better tyres and even better shocks than I have now might still be ahead overall.
It's an interesting experience to put my car up against other marks, I thought I'd keep it for years.

So far I've been weighing up what I know with the Tiv and what I imagine with a Lotus,
If it feels to small when I'm in it then it's not happening.

If it handles like a go cart I'll want it, could I drive one across France, ear plugs, leave off

My mates Renault is right up there as a huge desire, but living with it!!!
It's the rear engine configuration that has led me to a Lotus, or this.



[url]|http://thumbsnap.com/Dm6gqxB4[/url

Edited by ClassiChimi on Wednesday 2nd November 23:04

[ClassiChimi]

Just been to see one that's been sat on a Garage forecourt for a couple of months.
Hoped to hear it start up from cold, just popped in on the off chance sort of thing,
Sold!

Lots of condensation on the inside 2002 Mk1, very low Milege and looks like a nice car, a lot of money for what you get though.

I had a proper hoon about in the Tvr, roof off, country lanes, loud and very fast, i don't think the Lotus is the one for me right now, maybe 10 years ago.

The owner of the garage liked the Tvr more than I liked the Lotus, asked me to make some noise as I left, his two mechanics came from the garage to watch me rip and rasp away with a flame fire and a bang in between gears :hehe, I was gone in less than 5 seconds but I made sure they heard me for about a mile.

Says everything really, a good Tvr friend recently said, you can't get better bang for your buck and He's right.

After some serious thought and a couple of very enjoyable drives in the Chim, I'm still hooked, The torque, I went through a village at 30mph in 4th onto the open road and back upto almost 3 figures within no time and without lifting a hand.

Found some fun corners and it still handles better than most cars.
It engages you in the small things that modern driving smooths out for you, getting your braking points and gear changes and engine revved marched perfectly, slotting yet another gear and controlling the throttle with just the right amount of power, good Brembo brakes making me feel calm after huge acceleration, the noise when on the pipe.

I'll be sticking with it for some time longer me thinks

Thanks for the input on this thread, Lotus rock TVR rumble

[ClassiChimi]

Shnozz said:

I can't make out from your post if you got to drive the Elise?!

It's a car that once you drive, you'll want. As far as aesthetics, features, noise etc were concerned I would have entirely overlooked the Elise. I am so glad I didn't as they are magical.

Sorry Shnozz, I wasn't very clear, no I didn't drive it, if I had the last post would probably read very differently.
The sellor had agreed terms with a buyer.

i will probably go to a main Lotus dealer and take a look at a few, maybe even drive one but regardless of that, getting in and outs going to be a major stumbling block, I use my Tvr for local stuff a lot and just imagining the same thing in a Lotus, hmm!

It's sinking in just how good my Tvr is regardless of outright handling,
This has made me look at the Tvr more subjectively and with softer tyres, slightly higher side wall, and the best shocks I can get my hands on I think it might still be the best car for my needs.
Phew, I've only sunk nigh on 20 thou in too her already.