Can you drive a Lotus Elise EVERY DAY?

Can you drive a Lotus Elise EVERY DAY?

Author
Discussion

Carcher

Original Poster:

51 posts

175 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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! eek

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

1,266 posts

178 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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.

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 19th August 10:49

boobles

15,241 posts

214 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
Ofcourse, its a bloody car, drive it! biggrin
Drove mine every single day for almost 2 years & covered 38k miles.

Stu_00

1,529 posts

218 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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! eek

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!




Carcher

Original Poster:

51 posts

175 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter! laugh

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
By the way you can fit a stereo (and carpets for that matter) if you want to. Both were options.

rhinochopig

17,932 posts

197 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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.

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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.
yes The ergonomics are dire unless you're exactly the right shape for it.

deadmau5

3,197 posts

179 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
Carcher said:
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter! laugh
I thought you were getting 3 classics?

kambites

67,462 posts

220 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
Carcher said:
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter! laugh
The heater is crap... you wear a coat.

Carcher

Original Poster:

51 posts

175 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
deadmau5 said:
Carcher said:
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter! laugh
I thought you were getting 3 classics?
Read my first post again rolleyes

(from the start to the end!)

boobles

15,241 posts

214 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
Carcher said:
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter! laugh
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

ctallchris

1,266 posts

178 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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.
If anyone who works for lotus ever reads this I am willing to do som consultancy next time you sesign a car. a couple of days here and there. The elise is only about 6 inches out (2 on the pedal box 2 vertical play on the wheel and 2 around the body all of which are solveable. Offer is open to anyone designing an interior who wants to know how to make it inclusive :-P

Andrew_M

1,111 posts

218 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
I see a chap on a daily basis in an Exige with 888’s on wind rain or shine – even in the snow. I have run a smart roadster for a while which is kind of similar [better in and out access] and it was ok, some days your not in the mood though which makes it a drag.

Carcher

Original Poster:

51 posts

175 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
boobles said:
Carcher said:
But what about winter? Are they managable, and how good are the heaters for that matter! laugh
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.
It was more for winter, i was shocked about my mate going to use it then, but i am suprised people use them as daily drivers, if i had one i would worry all day about it in the car park! frown

Edited by Carcher on Wednesday 19th August 11:00

boobles

15,241 posts

214 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
As already said, its a car & can be driven everyday in all weather & all parts can be replaced if damaged/vandalised etc.

amare32

2,417 posts

222 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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 smile

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

TIPPER

2,955 posts

218 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
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!

mrssumner

186 posts

193 months

Wednesday 19th August 2009
quotequote all
^^^^ +1 to what Tipper said.

My S1 Elise is my only car, but I don't drive it EVERY day! Sometimes I use my feet/bike or even, dare I say it, public transport.