Can you drive a Lotus Elise EVERY DAY?
Discussion
A mate of mine has just sold his daily runner - a 15 year old BMW! - and i in the process of searching for an Lotus Elise, the original 118bhp model with no carpets/radio etc. Now i said it is a summer/high-days & holidays car for the right road at the right time (having driven an 135 Sport), so was amazed when he said he would be using it as his sole car!! Yes thats right even winter time!
Can this be done? I think you would have to be a 'hard-nut' to use something so spartan every single day - especially with the forthcoming winter!!
Anyone else drive one everyday (or know someone who does) or have you all got sense?
Can this be done? I think you would have to be a 'hard-nut' to use something so spartan every single day - especially with the forthcoming winter!!
Anyone else drive one everyday (or know someone who does) or have you all got sense?
Plenty of people do, myself included.
I drive an S2 which is rather more livable, but I work with someone who used an S1 to commute (about 70 miles a day I guess) for years.
I think about half of Elises are daily drivers, and half are toys/summer cars.
I drive an S2 which is rather more livable, but I work with someone who used an S1 to commute (about 70 miles a day I guess) for years.
I think about half of Elises are daily drivers, and half are toys/summer cars.
Edited by kambites on Wednesday 19th August 10:49
Carcher said:
A mate of mine has just sold his daily runner - a 15 year old BMW! - and i in the process of searching for an Lotus Elise, the original 118bhp model with no carpets/radio etc. Now i said it is a summer/high-days & holidays car for the right road at the right time (having driven an 135 Sport), so was amazed when he said he would be using it as his sole car!! Yes thats right even winter time!
Can this be done? I think you would have to be a 'hard-nut' to use something so spartan every single day - especially with the forthcoming winter!!
Anyone else drive one everyday (or know someone who does) or have you all got sense?
A lot of people do - ask in the Elise forum! I personally have an Elise S2 111R and run a BMW oil burner along side as I prefer this for the motorway and car parks oh and to carry my bike! But they are perfectly usable on a daily basis! Can this be done? I think you would have to be a 'hard-nut' to use something so spartan every single day - especially with the forthcoming winter!!
Anyone else drive one everyday (or know someone who does) or have you all got sense?
ctallchris said:
No!
I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.
I feel your pain. Lotus must have lost a lot of sales because the lack of leg room for taller drivers. What is galling is that Kimberly is 6' 5" or thereabouts IIRC.I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.
rhinochopig said:
ctallchris said:
No!
I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.
I feel your pain. Lotus must have lost a lot of sales because the lack of leg room for taller drivers. What is galling is that Kimberly is 6' 5" or thereabouts IIRC.I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.
Carcher said:
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter!
Why do you find everything so funny about the Elise?It is a car that can be driven everyday suprisingly even if its cold outside!
Ok, its never going to win if you intend buying rather large items etc but ofcourse it can be driven everyday.
Edited by boobles on Wednesday 19th August 10:58
rhinochopig said:
ctallchris said:
No!
I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.
I feel your pain. Lotus must have lost a lot of sales because the lack of leg room for taller drivers. What is galling is that Kimberly is 6' 5" or thereabouts IIRC.I cannot drive them any day because i dont fit in the drivers seat of the blasted things despite it being the car I would most like to own.
boobles said:
Carcher said:
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter!
Why do you find everything so funny about the Elise?It is a car that can be driven everyday suprisingly even if its cold outside!
Ok, its never going to win if you intend buying rather karge items etc but ofcourse it can be driven everyday.
Edited by Carcher on Wednesday 19th August 11:00
I had one between 2002-03 and used it as a daily runner (S2 111S). Did 10k miles through wind/rain/shine/snow and was fine although had a few niggles along the way i.e. heater took ages to heat up during my daily 12 mile commute, indicator lenses popped out a few times and pedals needed adjusted. Locks did freeze up and so did the windscreen inside aswell which annoyed.
Other than that was fine. It was one of those cars which was a ball ache to commute with but once I got home from work, I would head out again for a proper drive
Had to approach parking it in supermarkets different from say a Polo (usually later in the evening in quieter spots) as it does attract kids and sometimes strangers would come up for a chat wanting to see the car.
Only once did something bad happened to the car when it was parked up in Edinburgh on a nice sunny afternoon and cake was left on the engine bay cover.
Other than that was fine. It was one of those cars which was a ball ache to commute with but once I got home from work, I would head out again for a proper drive
Had to approach parking it in supermarkets different from say a Polo (usually later in the evening in quieter spots) as it does attract kids and sometimes strangers would come up for a chat wanting to see the car.
Only once did something bad happened to the car when it was parked up in Edinburgh on a nice sunny afternoon and cake was left on the engine bay cover.
Edited by amare32 on Wednesday 19th August 11:12
At various stages over the past four years my S1 Elise has been my only car. Sometimes its been supplemented by a second, somtimes not. Its back to being my only car right now and it doesn't worry me one bit. I bought my car at the end of October 2005 and eventually (after a couple of niggles had been sorted) took delivery in December.
The heater works fine, I've fitted a stereo which you can actually hear, and I have floor mats in the footwells as a concession to comfort.
Cracking car that's been very reliable over 34k miles. Living in south Devon means most UK tracks are a fair distance from me. I think nothing of driving to say, Snetterton, staying overnight then doing the track day and driving straight home to Plymouth. Its a surprisingly comfortable car (and mine's fitted with track orientated Nitron suspension) too.
Your mate will have no problems as long as he remembers that lightweight, mid-engined cars need to be treated with respect in slippy conditions - you can't just chuck them around like a front driver. I'd suggest he books a day at Carlimits to get some basic understanding of the car's dynamics once he's bought the car.
BTW, I'm 52 so a bit past the sleep on the floor at parties stage!
The heater works fine, I've fitted a stereo which you can actually hear, and I have floor mats in the footwells as a concession to comfort.
Cracking car that's been very reliable over 34k miles. Living in south Devon means most UK tracks are a fair distance from me. I think nothing of driving to say, Snetterton, staying overnight then doing the track day and driving straight home to Plymouth. Its a surprisingly comfortable car (and mine's fitted with track orientated Nitron suspension) too.
Your mate will have no problems as long as he remembers that lightweight, mid-engined cars need to be treated with respect in slippy conditions - you can't just chuck them around like a front driver. I'd suggest he books a day at Carlimits to get some basic understanding of the car's dynamics once he's bought the car.
BTW, I'm 52 so a bit past the sleep on the floor at parties stage!
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