Initial impressions!

[L100NYY]

:wavey: everyone, I'm a newbie to the Lotus forums but just thought that I would share my first impressions of life with my new toy.

I only picked it up last week and I am over the moon with it :bounce: :bounce: :)

The car is a yellow S1 Elise with black wheels, ITG, Janspeed (no cat), drilled/grooved discs and a few other bits 'n' pieces.

I have had Caterhams for the last few years the last one being an R400 but due to an impending house purchase needed to release 'some' cash! So with the R400 and my Cosworth gone I bought the Elise.

I really am bowled over by the handling precision and overall performance of the Elise and the noise is something else. :evil:

I have heard horror stories of lift off oversteer and sudden breakaway near the limit so thought that I would expreriment (within reason) before it caught me unawares at a later date.

I have racked up approx 1000 miles in it over the first weekend as I went to brighton in it on the Friday, Bournmouth on the Saturday (6 hour round trip) and general blatting on the Sunday.
:driving:

I find the handling suprisingly predictable and controllable although the breakaway near the limit is a wee bit more sudden than the Caterham and can't wait to get it on a track to see how it compares.

I have done plenty of trackdays in my Caterhams over the years and am very keen to get the 'Yellow Peril' on the track too and maybe do some sprints and hillclimbs at a later date.
Anybody got any advice on suspension set ups bias towards track use as I'm guessing the standard set up may be a bit 'soft' for the track?

[Davey S1]

Nice car.

Suspension wise you could go for LSS (lotus Sport suspension) or Nitrons. Nitrons are the best but will set you back about a grand.

I would also highly reccoment a trip to see Andrew Walsh at North Weald (Look on Car Limits site) where you can get some first rate instruction in the Elise and also play around to find the cars limits.

[boggy]

Morning & Wellcome

Just saying hello

Boggy

[L100NYY]

Thanks for your comments and hello's, are there any meetings at North Weald coming up soon? I live not far from there so that sounds ideal

Also, does the Lotus Sport suspension work out that expensive too?

[cuzza]

Do you have the CAT? You'll need it come MOT time.

LSS can be quite noisy - there are somne secondhand sets about as people have upgraded to Nitrons. Installing the S2 kit will set yuou back about £600 which is another option.

[L100NYY]

Cuzza,

I do still have the Cat so Mot won't be a problem for me, I 'm not too worried about noise etc from the suspension to be honest (anything after the R400 seems refined)!
It sounds as though the Nitrons could be the way to go but I will do a trackday first and see in what way (if any) the standard set up needs improving to suit my driving style on the track.

Just been on the 'Car Limits' website but they are fully booked for quite a while but i have purchased the DVD to try and quell my curiosity!

[Davey S1]

DVD is good (still trying to get my head around Andrew doing left foot braking and heel & toe at the same time )

[L100NYY]

Davey S1 said:

DVD is good (still trying to get my head around Andrew doing left foot braking and heel & toe at the same time )

Practice makes perfect I guess!

I also had the honour of taking an ITG equipped S2 Exige home for the night the other day, I have never experienced so much grip and and real 'feelable' downforce in any other car
The overiding impression that has stuck in my mind was just how controllable and chuckable it was at the limit.

A big to anyone that owns one! It's the only car that I could see myself changing my Elise for. Well that or a Sport 190

[tuscan_thunder]

where can I buy the Car Limits DVD?

[L100NYY]

I bought it from the Car Limits website for £14.50. Money well spent me thinks!


Go to www.carlimits.com

[shot2bits]

They'll be selling out, I just bought one as well!