Entry into the Lotus world: S or 111R?
Discussion
Evening all.
Went for a test drive on Sat (as part of the Merritts of Amersham open day - the 2-Eleven looked insane, but I digress), and really enjoyed my time behind an S - this exact one, Lotus fans.
Now, as well as finding out how much I can get for my current car, I need to work out which Elise would suit me best.
I'm imposing a budget limit of about £25k and browsing through the classifieds makes me think I could either get a nearly new S (if anyone's actually selling one!) or a year old (ish) 111R.
Now, I've read a bunch of reviews and am leaning towards the S. Is that the right choice do you think? Also, what options should I make sure I have? I've been told aircon is a godsend in winter and since this will be my everyday car (doing around 25-30 miles per day on b-roads and back roads) I want to make sure it's a nice place to be in, even if I get stuck in traffic.
Cheers!
Went for a test drive on Sat (as part of the Merritts of Amersham open day - the 2-Eleven looked insane, but I digress), and really enjoyed my time behind an S - this exact one, Lotus fans.
Now, as well as finding out how much I can get for my current car, I need to work out which Elise would suit me best.
I'm imposing a budget limit of about £25k and browsing through the classifieds makes me think I could either get a nearly new S (if anyone's actually selling one!) or a year old (ish) 111R.
Now, I've read a bunch of reviews and am leaning towards the S. Is that the right choice do you think? Also, what options should I make sure I have? I've been told aircon is a godsend in winter and since this will be my everyday car (doing around 25-30 miles per day on b-roads and back roads) I want to make sure it's a nice place to be in, even if I get stuck in traffic.
Cheers!
i had the same dilemma in March and tested both models. i got an 8 month old R for a cracking price from a good dealer. If you get an S you will love it but you will soon crave extra power, and wonder, 'what if....' Get the R
Fondue said:
Evening all.
Went for a test drive on Sat (as part of the Merritts of Amersham open day - the 2-Eleven looked insane, but I digress), and really enjoyed my time behind an S - this exact one, Lotus fans.
Now, as well as finding out how much I can get for my current car, I need to work out which Elise would suit me best.
I'm imposing a budget limit of about £25k and browsing through the classifieds makes me think I could either get a nearly new S (if anyone's actually selling one!) or a year old (ish) 111R.
Now, I've read a bunch of reviews and am leaning towards the S. Is that the right choice do you think? Also, what options should I make sure I have? I've been told aircon is a godsend in winter and since this will be my everyday car (doing around 25-30 miles per day on b-roads and back roads) I want to make sure it's a nice place to be in, even if I get stuck in traffic.
Cheers!
Went for a test drive on Sat (as part of the Merritts of Amersham open day - the 2-Eleven looked insane, but I digress), and really enjoyed my time behind an S - this exact one, Lotus fans.
Now, as well as finding out how much I can get for my current car, I need to work out which Elise would suit me best.
I'm imposing a budget limit of about £25k and browsing through the classifieds makes me think I could either get a nearly new S (if anyone's actually selling one!) or a year old (ish) 111R.
Now, I've read a bunch of reviews and am leaning towards the S. Is that the right choice do you think? Also, what options should I make sure I have? I've been told aircon is a godsend in winter and since this will be my everyday car (doing around 25-30 miles per day on b-roads and back roads) I want to make sure it's a nice place to be in, even if I get stuck in traffic.
Cheers!
You've not said if you've had a drive in the 111R yet - if not then it would be remiss of you not try one as well before you make up your mind. The 2nd cam action is a "treat" which you won't find on the normal yota Elise S. That said some have said they prefer the characteristics of the normal Elise S for day to day use.
For road use the extra sound insulation and leather trim of the touring pack is nice and there are quite a few with air-con (deffo very nice when it gets hot or humid).
Good luck
For road use the extra sound insulation and leather trim of the touring pack is nice and there are quite a few with air-con (deffo very nice when it gets hot or humid).
Good luck
bjc388 said:
You've not said if you've had a drive in the 111R yet - if not then it would be remiss of you not try one as well before you make up your mind. The 2nd cam action is a "treat" which you won't find on the normal yota Elise S. That said some have said they prefer the characteristics of the normal Elise S for day to day use.
For road use the extra sound insulation and leather trim of the touring pack is nice and there are quite a few with air-con (deffo very nice when it gets hot or humid).
Good luck
Cheers all.For road use the extra sound insulation and leather trim of the touring pack is nice and there are quite a few with air-con (deffo very nice when it gets hot or humid).
Good luck
Not yet driven a 111R yet, so will make an appointment...
I got a brand new S in July - I realise that buying new is basically financial suicide, but I've never had a new car before and this was the time. I kept the spec very basic (just paid extra for solar yellow paint) and it came in at £25k. I've had other 'quick' cars, and I can't say I've found the S lacking in poke. I never drove an R, because I feared I might want one, and it was above my budget. My Liz is my only car, but I only drive evenings/weekends for pleasure, so I don't mind the basic spec (not that S2s are that basic though - central locking, electric windows, stereo, probax seats).
Not a lot of good advice just personal recomendations...
Fondue - we dont know anything about your driving history. If you have been driving shopping carts (fiestas, Ka's, saxos, etc) then I would suggest you get an S. If you are going for your first experience in mid engine, rear wheel drive, light sports cars then the S is for you. If you are used to something a bit more "meaty" and you are already a good driver then go for the R.
The S is a superb entry into the world of Lotus. Please dont get me wrong, it is NOT a slow car and with any Elise derrivative it depends more on the driver than anything else.
I have spent about 8 weeks in an S as a courtesy car while my R was being repaired. It is composed and handled superbly. It lacked punch out of the bends. It was a joy to drive but a little slow from about 85 upwards. The R is nuts to about 120.
I was chasing a BoLOC who had the same courtesy car (S) in my R, he is used to driving a 'zige and it was a challange to catch him so dont go thinking "poor cousin".
If I had no experience in the world of mid engine, RWD, I would head for the S and then in a year when I had the basics, switch to an R while the value was still in the S.
The bottom line is there is only one way to choose - get out and drive them.
Fondue - we dont know anything about your driving history. If you have been driving shopping carts (fiestas, Ka's, saxos, etc) then I would suggest you get an S. If you are going for your first experience in mid engine, rear wheel drive, light sports cars then the S is for you. If you are used to something a bit more "meaty" and you are already a good driver then go for the R.
The S is a superb entry into the world of Lotus. Please dont get me wrong, it is NOT a slow car and with any Elise derrivative it depends more on the driver than anything else.
I have spent about 8 weeks in an S as a courtesy car while my R was being repaired. It is composed and handled superbly. It lacked punch out of the bends. It was a joy to drive but a little slow from about 85 upwards. The R is nuts to about 120.
I was chasing a BoLOC who had the same courtesy car (S) in my R, he is used to driving a 'zige and it was a challange to catch him so dont go thinking "poor cousin".
If I had no experience in the world of mid engine, RWD, I would head for the S and then in a year when I had the basics, switch to an R while the value was still in the S.
The bottom line is there is only one way to choose - get out and drive them.
More good POVs... Car history wise, other than a work BMW 320 for 6 months, I've really only been driving my Mini Cooper, so even an S will be a markedly big step up the sports car ladder. To be frank, I'm a little worried that the R may be a step too far given my relative lack of experince (consistently setting fastest laps amongst friends whilst karting doesn't count in my eyes!), but then part of me regrets not buying a Cooper S instead of loading the Cooper with extras, so I feel there'll always be a nagging at the back of my mind if I go for an Elise S.
£25k is a tricky amount of money to spend if I want an open topped, rwd sports car - there's not a lot of options without getting something that's several years old, which I'm loathe to do (running costs, servicing, the long for something that doesn't feel a bit worn, etc).
£25k is a tricky amount of money to spend if I want an open topped, rwd sports car - there's not a lot of options without getting something that's several years old, which I'm loathe to do (running costs, servicing, the long for something that doesn't feel a bit worn, etc).
Boggy said:
P.s. out of my budget - I've imposed a £25k limit (and I'd really like aircon since I'll have to use this car every day!)I was in the same position as you about a year ago: I had to make up my mind whether to go for the S or the 111R. As luck would have it, I could stretch to the 111R and I'm so glad I did!
Don't worry about whether the 111R will be 'too much'; and please don't think that the S is a 'starter car' - any Elise variant has the power-to-weight ratio to send you screaming backwards into a hedge
You have to treat the car with great respect, and drive it like you would a motorbike: assume noone has seen you, and only take the speed into a corner which you *know* you can maintain all the way through. And do some driver training (http:///www.carlimits.com). Oh, and sign up to SELOC (http://www.seloc.org)!
As mentioned above, the second cam on the 111R is what really sets the cars apart - it's just such a hoot, and hearing the engine sounding like a super-bike is just the best!
To my mind, the only reason not to get a 111R is budget.
Good luck!
Don't worry about whether the 111R will be 'too much'; and please don't think that the S is a 'starter car' - any Elise variant has the power-to-weight ratio to send you screaming backwards into a hedge
You have to treat the car with great respect, and drive it like you would a motorbike: assume noone has seen you, and only take the speed into a corner which you *know* you can maintain all the way through. And do some driver training (http:///www.carlimits.com). Oh, and sign up to SELOC (http://www.seloc.org)!As mentioned above, the second cam on the 111R is what really sets the cars apart - it's just such a hoot, and hearing the engine sounding like a super-bike is just the best!
To my mind, the only reason not to get a 111R is budget.
Good luck!
Fondue said:
More good POVs... Car history wise, other than a work BMW 320 for 6 months, I've really only been driving my Mini Cooper, so even an S will be a markedly big step up the sports car ladder. To be frank, I'm a little worried that the R may be a step too far given my relative lack of experince (consistently setting fastest laps amongst friends whilst karting doesn't count in my eyes!), but then part of me regrets not buying a Cooper S instead of loading the Cooper with extras, so I feel there'll always be a nagging at the back of my mind if I go for an Elise S.
£25k is a tricky amount of money to spend if I want an open topped, rwd sports car - there's not a lot of options without getting something that's several years old, which I'm loathe to do (running costs, servicing, the long for something that doesn't feel a bit worn, etc).
I went from FWD cars to a 111S with 156 bhp, when the equivalent to an S would have been a 120bhp car and the extra power isn't the main issue - having the engine behind your head and RWD is the the biggest difference. As long as you're sensible then an R won't be too much to handle, especially if you limit youself to less than 6,000 revs whilst you learn its characteristics.£25k is a tricky amount of money to spend if I want an open topped, rwd sports car - there's not a lot of options without getting something that's several years old, which I'm loathe to do (running costs, servicing, the long for something that doesn't feel a bit worn, etc).
Spend a couple of hundred quid on a Carlimits day or even £30 on an activity day at North Weald and you'll soon see what it can do.
TBH you should be able to find a 2006 R for your budget and if you intend keeping it for a few years then it saves the depreciation hit of changing up to the more powerful model later on.
Quite a few £25K Rs in the classifieds, both trade and private:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?g=&s...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?g=&s...
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