25,000 miles pa in an Elise?
Discussion
I'm looking for a new company car at present and a friend's insisting an Elise (and VX220) is a viable option to go 25,000 miles per annum in. Does anyone here have any experience of this sort of mileage in an elise? What are the main issues when putting motorway miles on one? Are they really civilised enough to this sort of miles in up and down motorways, just so I can have real fun with it at the weekends?
Also, I've only driven an S1. How much lower is the sill in the S2? Is exit much easier, or is it a marginal thing?
Also, I've only driven an S1. How much lower is the sill in the S2? Is exit much easier, or is it a marginal thing?
Yep - done 50K miles in my 2 year old S2 no probs.(as well as another 20-30K in the other car!)
No probs really - In hindsight I would have gone for the aircon option...it gets very hot in summer with a suit/tie on etc...and in winter the poor heater on non-aircon cars (S2) takes an age to demist.
Comfort isnt a problem - done 10 hours in a day in mine and still managed to walk after
...you find the fuel runs out every 250mil or so - you get a break then 
As for running one as a company car - go for it - get an S2111S with all the trimmings (rather than the 111R or even a VX220) - nearly the lowest tax bracket
Fuel economy is excellent avg 30-40mpg - dunno if you get a fuel card or just claim mileage - either way you are onto a winner with an Elise.
Overall You just can beat driving an ELise every day...leave client appointment, then take the long way home down the backroads etc...
No probs really - In hindsight I would have gone for the aircon option...it gets very hot in summer with a suit/tie on etc...and in winter the poor heater on non-aircon cars (S2) takes an age to demist.
Comfort isnt a problem - done 10 hours in a day in mine and still managed to walk after
...you find the fuel runs out every 250mil or so - you get a break then As for running one as a company car - go for it - get an S2111S with all the trimmings (rather than the 111R or even a VX220) - nearly the lowest tax bracket
Fuel economy is excellent avg 30-40mpg - dunno if you get a fuel card or just claim mileage - either way you are onto a winner with an Elise.
Overall You just can beat driving an ELise every day
...leave client appointment, then take the long way home down the backroads etc...Suggest you try one out for a few long drives. Not really at their best on the motorway IMHO. Whether the motorway downside is worth it really depends on you.
For 25k miles a year I'd personally want something that ate the miles without me noticing.
Suggest you hire / borrow one for a week. Take it for a few long drives and see what you think.
For 25k miles a year I'd personally want something that ate the miles without me noticing.
Suggest you hire / borrow one for a week. Take it for a few long drives and see what you think.
I came from a Mercedes C280 with all the extras to a new Lotus Elise 111s. I can honestly say that I have not missed any of the extra comfort and boot space on the Mercedes and I still get in the elise every morning with a smile on my face (a year later). I travel up and down the M4 every weekend to see my girlfriend and have no grumbles at all. I would strongly recommend the air con option as whatever others may say, you will use it and you will be glad you have it. I have a hardtop as well for the winter which makes it a little bit more refined up and down the motorway.
I cannot comment on the 111R as I have not tried it but the 111s has served me very well so far.
I cannot comment on the 111R as I have not tried it but the 111s has served me very well so far.
DanH said:
DanH said:
Also an Elise with 50k on it will be a pain to sell because its so atypical.
If its contract hire, it wont be a worry..... be interested in what residual they work on.
Just what the hell is a 3yr old 75,000 Elise worth?
Selling it would be a nightmare!
Think the person buying would have these words on their mind....
Cheap
Engine Conversion
Track
"The way the scheme works means I take out a private lease and the company fives me an allowance. In this way we avoid company car tax. "
sounds like my scheme - do they take care of maintenance too ?...excellent if they do
"Are all new elises toyota engined or are they still k-series? Would I be right in thinking the toyota engine would be better to put miles on? "
get the 111R then - Toyota car...even comfier seats, sound deadening etc
my final price on mine is £8K - for a 4 year old car with 100K on the clock !
so I will buy it for that, refresh the engine in someway and keep for a track toy...at least I know its been well looked after and every other thing that can wear out on it will be replaced by the end of the 4 years
sounds like my scheme - do they take care of maintenance too
?...excellent if they do "Are all new elises toyota engined or are they still k-series? Would I be right in thinking the toyota engine would be better to put miles on? "
get the 111R then - Toyota car...even comfier seats, sound deadening etc
my final price on mine is £8K - for a 4 year old car with 100K on the clock !
so I will buy it for that, refresh the engine in someway and keep for a track toy...at least I know its been well looked after and every other thing that can wear out on it will be replaced by the end of the 4 years
bogie said:
sounds like my scheme - do they take care of maintenance too
...
my final price on mine is £8K - for a 4 year old car with 100K on the clock !
Sounds identical to what I'm looking at.
I haven't got a quote on one yet, but will call the companies we have to use this afternoon. Maintenance is included, but notmally I don't think it's worth it. I'll see what they quote for it on the elise though and weight it up. They wanted £125 pcm for maintenance on a mates diesel golf which I thought was far too much, but if it's the same on the elise I think I'll go for it.
Thanks for your advice.
rfoster said:
Lex want £135 per month for maintenance on a 25,000 mpa contract - not bad value I suppose, it includes tyres, batteries, exhausts (not sports upgrades!)
On an elise I think it's probably worth it. What works out as £1500 pa for tyres and a tax disc for a diesel golf sounds expensive though.
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff