New Owner S2 111S
Discussion
Hello chaps/chapess's, just to say hello after a good six months lurking and waiting, generally PH has been a great source of real world advice that helped me to choose my new 'mota', black '02 111S, just thought I'd give a few impressions of the first few months....
Initially took some getting used to non-PA steering, non-servoed brakes, getting in and out and the creaks, rattles and groans - but got used to them I did and have had a blast on the types of road the car was designed around, put the rattles down to saving 10,000 squid over a similar performing car.
I've done a fair bit of advanced driving to instructor level (not saying that makes me any good though!) and feel the car is spot on with its handling, very little weight transfer, excellent grip and balance, firm suspension, very responsive progressive driving to real world speeds. If you enjoy driving rather than rallying, making progress rather than scorching away from lights and like to be at one with a vehicle rather than a frightened passenger behind the wheel then this is a superbly capable vehicle to do it in. Go in with your eyes open and you'll have a blast.
Even motorways can be fun, did 6 hours from Scotland to Hereford (plenty of tea stops!) and not fatigued - hold back, wait, squirt through the gap and leave everyone behind you...excellent! BUT you do have to 'drive' it all the way - no passengers in the driving seat in this car.
Whats gone wrong? Well, heater packed up - I've the non-a/c model and the fans have stopped turning, my dealer reckons this is a fault with the heater motor and will be expensive (400 and the front off) to put right - it's booked in to check this and I'll let you know the result - he reckons there have been a few of these lately).
Another thing that struck me was the non-ABS brakes - these are good and when used properly and can be better than ABS (ie stop in a shorter distance) BUT you should really try to take it out on an airfield and play with it if you aren't used to it - (sucking eggs time!) - threshold braking and seeing what the car does when you have a drama is more important in this car than most others - all the ESP ABS etc driving aids make dramas almost easy - with non of the above you can still make good faults but have to have an understanding and a bit of a shot at doing it I reckon.......enough - sounds ike I'm preaching but just my thoughts...
So....all in all a great drive, thrilling performance, beautiful to look at - has its limitations and weaknesses but so does every car - even Porsche.....ahem...
Initially took some getting used to non-PA steering, non-servoed brakes, getting in and out and the creaks, rattles and groans - but got used to them I did and have had a blast on the types of road the car was designed around, put the rattles down to saving 10,000 squid over a similar performing car.
I've done a fair bit of advanced driving to instructor level (not saying that makes me any good though!) and feel the car is spot on with its handling, very little weight transfer, excellent grip and balance, firm suspension, very responsive progressive driving to real world speeds. If you enjoy driving rather than rallying, making progress rather than scorching away from lights and like to be at one with a vehicle rather than a frightened passenger behind the wheel then this is a superbly capable vehicle to do it in. Go in with your eyes open and you'll have a blast.
Even motorways can be fun, did 6 hours from Scotland to Hereford (plenty of tea stops!) and not fatigued - hold back, wait, squirt through the gap and leave everyone behind you...excellent! BUT you do have to 'drive' it all the way - no passengers in the driving seat in this car.
Whats gone wrong? Well, heater packed up - I've the non-a/c model and the fans have stopped turning, my dealer reckons this is a fault with the heater motor and will be expensive (400 and the front off) to put right - it's booked in to check this and I'll let you know the result - he reckons there have been a few of these lately).
Another thing that struck me was the non-ABS brakes - these are good and when used properly and can be better than ABS (ie stop in a shorter distance) BUT you should really try to take it out on an airfield and play with it if you aren't used to it - (sucking eggs time!) - threshold braking and seeing what the car does when you have a drama is more important in this car than most others - all the ESP ABS etc driving aids make dramas almost easy - with non of the above you can still make good faults but have to have an understanding and a bit of a shot at doing it I reckon.......enough - sounds ike I'm preaching but just my thoughts...
So....all in all a great drive, thrilling performance, beautiful to look at - has its limitations and weaknesses but so does every car - even Porsche.....ahem...
Glad you're enjoying it, I came to mine after a string of quattros, really opened my eyes to how much information I was missing out on (and still does everytime I get to drive it now - wife's car).
First thing we planned after buying the Elise was a trip to Scotland..... From Cornwall.
Pure driving, did up to 8 hours a day in the car without problems, even kept smiling when the torrential rain started. As long as you drive with your head when the going gets slippery the car is still remarkably quick, just have to know how to read the road.
First thing we planned after buying the Elise was a trip to Scotland..... From Cornwall.
Pure driving, did up to 8 hours a day in the car without problems, even kept smiling when the torrential rain started. As long as you drive with your head when the going gets slippery the car is still remarkably quick, just have to know how to read the road.
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