consensus on Z4, new SLK and new Boxter vs. Elise
Discussion
How about throwing a few more cars into the mix... the Z4, the new SLK and the new Boxter. That was the choice I faced before ordering the Elise. To be honest it wasn't a hard decision ;-)
The Elise grabs you and doesn't let go. The others just seemed like a compromise! Nice cars, but still just cars in the end. Missing that special something.
Anyway kind of interested to see what you guys think.
The Elise grabs you and doesn't let go. The others just seemed like a compromise! Nice cars, but still just cars in the end. Missing that special something.
Anyway kind of interested to see what you guys think.
I might go for the slk at a push, prob the nicest 'all round' car but its still quite boring and dont think many people notice them/appreciate their value. Old SLK - definitely not!
I looked at some boxsters when deciding what to buy and they are quite wide and basically say can' afford a 911 so just not worth their money IMO.
Z4 is overpriced junk i think, gets pretty decent reviews but I just dont rate them, and they are a girls car (everyone i know who wants 1 is a girl).
I looked at some boxsters when deciding what to buy and they are quite wide and basically say can' afford a 911 so just not worth their money IMO.
Z4 is overpriced junk i think, gets pretty decent reviews but I just dont rate them, and they are a girls car (everyone i know who wants 1 is a girl).
May I also propose an S2000. Bloody great car, especially the MY04 ones. That engine, too...such great fun! Only thing that stopped me buying one was the interior (though it's not like I've gone UP in interior specification 
)
Out of that list though, definately the new SLK for me - I think it looks really nice indeed.
) Out of that list though, definately the new SLK for me - I think it looks really nice indeed.
I've been having the same dilemma but you know what I feel passionate about the elise and just look at the others with a "well it would be a decent compromise attitude." That and considering they work out at about 10k more than the elise for the ones with comparable performance I would say it becomes a no brainer
The new SLK is OK, but there is a world of difference between SLK 200 K and SLK 55 AMG, so what are we talking about. Are we talking purely on aesthetic terms or are we talking performance?
I've driven only the Z4 (2.2i and 3.0i) and have just bought a 987 Boxster 2.7, comparing these is like comparing chalk with cheese, ie. there is none. The Porsche is by far the better car.
The Elise is a great little car and I can see myself driving one, but, and I remember mentioning this to Tony at VMAX it's a car that doesn't suit my character but probably suits somebody like Tony a bit more ie. good looking, young, spiky hair.
My order of preference (if we're looking at poverty spec...ahem);
Boxster 987 2.7
Elise 111R
BMW Z4 2.0/2.2
SLK 200 K
I've driven only the Z4 (2.2i and 3.0i) and have just bought a 987 Boxster 2.7, comparing these is like comparing chalk with cheese, ie. there is none. The Porsche is by far the better car.
The Elise is a great little car and I can see myself driving one, but, and I remember mentioning this to Tony at VMAX it's a car that doesn't suit my character but probably suits somebody like Tony a bit more ie. good looking, young, spiky hair.
My order of preference (if we're looking at poverty spec...ahem);
Boxster 987 2.7
Elise 111R
BMW Z4 2.0/2.2
SLK 200 K
tonyhetherington said:
May I also propose an S2000. Bloody great car, especially the MY04 ones. That engine, too...such great fun! Only thing that stopped me buying one was the interior (though it's not like I've gone UP in interior specification
Out of that list though, definately the new SLK for me - I think it looks really nice indeed.
I might get stoned to death for this but I HATED the S2000 I tried - the engine was such a letdown as I'd heard such great things. The only thing in its favour for me WAS the interior and amazing build quality - if only they'd put a more powerful engine in it (the 3.2V6 would have been awesome).
I liked the new SLK 350 I drove, but it didnt do enough for me. Its something I could see my mum buying which I wouldnt mind borrowing every now and again - rather than buying myself.
I tried a Boxter S which I thought was simply sublime. Build quality was great and the engine was brilliant. The model changeover stopped me from buying one this time - although I could see a new shape (986???) on my drive in the future.
The Elise really doesnt have any direct competition - ALTHOUGH there are cars out there which offer handling which isnt a million miles from that of the Elise but have all the creature comforts you might want if it was a daily driver.
Funnily enough I find my BMW to be faster than my old Elise - I think it is due to not being able to 'feel' every movement of the chassis so ignoring some signs I would have noticed in the Elise. Odd I know.
I think comparing the Elise to that list is just silly...
Much as I love the Elise, it is NO match as an everday road car with *any* of the others on that list.
My other half has an SLK350, and whist it is not sportscar or threat to the Elises feel and handling, as a daily driver or going on a long journey, I know which I would take.
I think the S2000/MR2/MX5 is probably somewhat closer to the Elise in terms of beign sportscars, and they are also somewhat cheaper.
Much as I love the Elise, it is NO match as an everday road car with *any* of the others on that list.
My other half has an SLK350, and whist it is not sportscar or threat to the Elises feel and handling, as a daily driver or going on a long journey, I know which I would take.
I think the S2000/MR2/MX5 is probably somewhat closer to the Elise in terms of beign sportscars, and they are also somewhat cheaper.
scuffham said:
I think comparing the Elise to that list is just silly...
Much as I love the Elise, it is NO match as an everday road car with *any* of the others on that list.
My other half has an SLK350, and whist it is not sportscar or threat to the Elises feel and handling, as a daily driver or going on a long journey, I know which I would take.
I think the S2000/MR2/MX5 is probably somewhat closer to the Elise in terms of beign sportscars, and they are also somewhat cheaper.
Maybe not silly, but I take your point. The Elise has one purpose and that is to be a sportscar, the rest are built with compromises. IMHO, out of the other 3 the Boxster is the only real sportscar and this is why I place these 2 in my top 2, with the Boxster just ahead of the Elise.
Am I in the wrong forum...oops...lol!
And to the thread author....ahem....it's BoxSter.
>> Edited by anniesdad on Thursday 4th August 12:32
>> Edited by anniesdad on Thursday 4th August 12:34
Was it the FIA SLK55AMG though, Davey...that's been somewhat modified!?
Steve - yup, fair comment, it's more a 'me' type of car I guess (which is odd you say that though - look at my thread about it looking like my Dad's car!). I think you summed it up well when you said the Elise is built to be a sports car, whereas the others are built with comprimises - whether that be sound deadening, economy, weight etc.
I'm surprised by the other poster's comments about the S2000. Won't flame you at all - it's your opinino, and that's the good thing about this site! My comments re the interior were not about build quality - it's possibly one of the best I've ever seen - it was about the quality appearance of it. To me, it simply didnt look like the interior of a £27k car. The function of it was simply unbeatable.
The engine I loved! Admittedly it was very on/off...when you hit the V-Tec zone at 6k ish was when everything went nuts, so you had to really work at keeping it 'on song'. You did know it would be bullet proof, though!
The Elise's obvious rival is the VX220 - but what else, I wonder?!
Steve - yup, fair comment, it's more a 'me' type of car I guess (which is odd you say that though - look at my thread about it looking like my Dad's car!). I think you summed it up well when you said the Elise is built to be a sports car, whereas the others are built with comprimises - whether that be sound deadening, economy, weight etc.
I'm surprised by the other poster's comments about the S2000. Won't flame you at all - it's your opinino, and that's the good thing about this site! My comments re the interior were not about build quality - it's possibly one of the best I've ever seen - it was about the quality appearance of it. To me, it simply didnt look like the interior of a £27k car. The function of it was simply unbeatable.
The engine I loved! Admittedly it was very on/off...when you hit the V-Tec zone at 6k ish was when everything went nuts, so you had to really work at keeping it 'on song'. You did know it would be bullet proof, though!
The Elise's obvious rival is the VX220 - but what else, I wonder?!
scotte said:
when the new SLK and new boxster s (i think) were on top gear the SLK appeared to kick ass. Something like 0-60 in 3.9 (i maybe wrong). Mind you the SLK was 44K so maybe is should be compared to the Exige 240R ?
scott
No way can it cover 0-60 in 3.9, its nearer 5.0. It is after all a dirty great V8 engine. JC liked the SLK 55, hardly surprising considering he actually owned it's big brother the SL 55 AMG. It's no surprise he prefered this to the P.B. as he panders to this image thing, which is a shame.
tonyhetherington said:Strictly speaking, I suspect that's your whole list.
The Elise's obvious rival is the VX220 - but what else, I wonder?!
However, for the type of driving experience you'd have to include Caterfield type cars I'd have said. They don't have the day to day possibilities of the Elise/VX (unless you're a nutter!), but otherwise they're almost in the same market space... Dan
DanL said:
They don't have the day to day possibilities of the Elise/VX (unless you're a nutter!)
Dan
In that case this bloke's a nutter!
Oi! Nutter! 
www.pistonheads.com/members/showProfile.asp?memberId=13272
tonyhetherington said:
Was it the FIA SLK55AMG though, Davey...that's been somewhat modified!?
Steve - yup, fair comment, it's more a 'me' type of car I guess (which is odd you say that though - look at my thread about it looking like my Dad's car!). I think you summed it up well when you said the Elise is built to be a sports car, whereas the others are built with comprimises - whether that be sound deadening, economy, weight etc.
I'm surprised by the other poster's comments about the S2000. Won't flame you at all - it's your opinino, and that's the good thing about this site! My comments re the interior were not about build quality - it's possibly one of the best I've ever seen - it was about the quality appearance of it. To me, it simply didnt look like the interior of a £27k car. The function of it was simply unbeatable.
The engine I loved! Admittedly it was very on/off...when you hit the V-Tec zone at 6k ish was when everything went nuts, so you had to really work at keeping it 'on song'. You did know it would be bullet proof, though!
The Elise's obvious rival is the VX220 - but what else, I wonder?!
I have an s2000 and i'm getting a bit bored keeping it above 6000 rpm to get things going.
I also don't get much the occasion of doing this in traffic and you'll defenitly get a lot of bad looks from people if you do, and the cops will propably chase you, even if you don't flirt with the speed limit.
It is a legal thing to do but people aren't used to these high rpm sounds on a car even with the standart exhaust.
If it's a bike doing they don't look twice.
I'll propably sell my s2000 i a year or two and i'd like to have something more racelike, like an Exige.
Problem is, it's character is a bit similar to the s2000 engine.
So if i would buy an exige it would defenitly got to have a supercharger for a more linear powerband and more midrange punch.
I wouldn't trade my s2000 for a Z4, boxter or SLK though.
The s2000 comes somewhere between the elise and the others.
anniesdad said:
when the new SLK and new boxster s (i think) were on top gear the SLK appeared to kick ass. Something like 0-60 in 3.9 (i maybe wrong). Mind you the SLK was 44K so maybe is should be compared to the Exige 240R ?
scott
No way can it cover 0-60 in 3.9, its nearer 5.0. It is after all a dirty great V8 engine. JC liked the SLK 55, hardly surprising considering he actually owned it's big brother the SL 55 AMG. It's no surprise he prefered this to the P.B. as he panders to this image thing, which is a shame.
you are probably right "anniesdad". when i saw the article however i remember thinking the SLK would put up a good fight V the 111R (again its 44k though)
scott
anniesdad said:Well, that's why I added the caveat.
They don't have the day to day possibilities of the Elise/VX (unless you're a nutter!)
Dan
In that case this bloke's a nutter!
www.pistonheads.com/members/showProfile.asp?memberId=13272
IIRC, Mungo used to run a Cat 7 as an only car too... Dan
RCduck7 said:
I wouldn't trade my s2000 for a Z4, boxter or SLK though.
The s2000 comes somewhere between the elise and the others.
In your humble opinion of course.
But in what respect? Have you ever driven a Boxster? my car lacks a little torque (to a lesser extent, the Boxster S does), but certainly it's power delivery is linear and you don't have to rev its nuts off to get any sort of performance out of it. I confess to having never driven an S2000 so I might be talking out of my top hat when I say the Boxster comes somewhere above/below (you choose) the Elise and the others.
S
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