Should I buy an Elise? **Newbie**
Discussion
I'm sorry for repeating a common post but....
I'm 24, and want to be irresponsible before I get too old, or before a young lady saps me of any free pennies.
As such, I'm looking at Elises. It would be my everyday car. I commute around 10 miles a day from central London out to Richmond, and the car would not be garaged at home, but would be at work.
I prefer the look of the S2 Elise, but wonder whether at around £12k I'd be better off buying an S1, or whether I should get one as a daily driver at all????
Please advise, thanks in advance.
Sam
PS- I've only done some quick quotes, but so far the insurance seems stupid. 1 years NCB, and no points
I'm 24, and want to be irresponsible before I get too old, or before a young lady saps me of any free pennies.
As such, I'm looking at Elises. It would be my everyday car. I commute around 10 miles a day from central London out to Richmond, and the car would not be garaged at home, but would be at work.
I prefer the look of the S2 Elise, but wonder whether at around £12k I'd be better off buying an S1, or whether I should get one as a daily driver at all????
Please advise, thanks in advance.
Sam
PS- I've only done some quick quotes, but so far the insurance seems stupid. 1 years NCB, and no points
SamPet said:
I'm sorry for repeating a common post but....
I'm 24, and want to be irresponsible before I get too old, or before a young lady saps me of any free pennies.
As such, I'm looking at Elises. It would be my everyday car. I commute around 10 miles a day from central London out to Richmond, and the car would not be garaged at home, but would be at work.
I prefer the look of the S2 Elise, but wonder whether at around £12k I'd be better off buying an S1, or whether I should get one as a daily driver at all????
Please advise, thanks in advance.
Sam
PS- I've only done some quick quotes, but so far the insurance seems stupid. 1 years NCB, and no points
I'll be honest mate, I'd forget all about a Lotus till your at least 25 and you've got 3 year's NCB? Your going to need another 4 - 6k for insurance living in London, I'm 37 living in Essex with everything going for me to reduce insurance and it's still over a grand, well unless you have money to throw awayI'm 24, and want to be irresponsible before I get too old, or before a young lady saps me of any free pennies.
As such, I'm looking at Elises. It would be my everyday car. I commute around 10 miles a day from central London out to Richmond, and the car would not be garaged at home, but would be at work.
I prefer the look of the S2 Elise, but wonder whether at around £12k I'd be better off buying an S1, or whether I should get one as a daily driver at all????
Please advise, thanks in advance.
Sam
PS- I've only done some quick quotes, but so far the insurance seems stupid. 1 years NCB, and no points
Boggy
Boggy
If you can afford the insurance, I'd say go for it. They are just about the most involving, tactile cars out there and are relatively cheap to run.
S2's are more liveable with, especially the short top ones, but plenty (inc. me) prefer the S1 and you will get a fantastic one for well under 12 grand. They are also more likely to become the appreciating classic.
If you go for an S1, change the suspension to S2 Bilsteins if it's not already been done.
Plenty of people use them as their only cars. It never suited me, but if you can do without a proper boot and 5 seats, then go for it.
Good luck!
S2's are more liveable with, especially the short top ones, but plenty (inc. me) prefer the S1 and you will get a fantastic one for well under 12 grand. They are also more likely to become the appreciating classic.
If you go for an S1, change the suspension to S2 Bilsteins if it's not already been done.
Plenty of people use them as their only cars. It never suited me, but if you can do without a proper boot and 5 seats, then go for it.
Good luck!
As an everyday proposition, much as it pains me to say so, the S2 is better than the S1. Although, you may want to look at VX220's as well.
I've had my S1 111s for about a month now and its been used every single day. I don't actually find anything about it particualrly difficult to live with. Getting in and out with the roof on is a pain, no two ways about it. Its particularly difficult for me because I park it in a narrow garage. The windscreen wiper is also crap, but I beleive it can be improved with an S2 arm and wiper. Boot space is better than people may give it credit for, but the opening is narrow and is obstructed by the latch mechanism meaning that you have to pack carefully. The roof is fiddly to take on and off, but I'll admit that mine has been on 95% of the time so far so its not something thats really bothered me.
Some S1's are more hospitable than others. Mine has a full carpet set and a subwoofer behind the seats, which means that the stereo can be heard at motorway speeds, despite also having a Larini exhaust and Hurricane intake. A standard S1 I test drove, with no carpet and a standard exhaust seemed far louder at cruising speeds oddly enough. With the roof on the heater is more than up to the job, in fact it can get very warm indeed if you leave it on full blast for a while.
You have to exercise some restraint in poor conditions. No ABS and little weight to push the tyres through the grime means that it can be twitchy, but you adjust to this quite quickly and I've not managed to scare myself yet.
I understand the boggo S1 seats can start to cause pain after a while. The 111s ones seem ok to me although there is no padding whatsoever at the base of the spine. I actually only ever notice this when I first get in. Sport 135/160 seats seem very comfortable but I'm not sure if they make it more difficult to get in and out. S2 seats are maybe the best of the lot.
Costs wise, I'll be servicing mine myself and I'm hoping running cost should be pretty low. Insurance isn't cheap, but shop around. Chris Knott did an excellent deal for me and Elephant were pretty competitive on unmodified cars.
I've had my S1 111s for about a month now and its been used every single day. I don't actually find anything about it particualrly difficult to live with. Getting in and out with the roof on is a pain, no two ways about it. Its particularly difficult for me because I park it in a narrow garage. The windscreen wiper is also crap, but I beleive it can be improved with an S2 arm and wiper. Boot space is better than people may give it credit for, but the opening is narrow and is obstructed by the latch mechanism meaning that you have to pack carefully. The roof is fiddly to take on and off, but I'll admit that mine has been on 95% of the time so far so its not something thats really bothered me.
Some S1's are more hospitable than others. Mine has a full carpet set and a subwoofer behind the seats, which means that the stereo can be heard at motorway speeds, despite also having a Larini exhaust and Hurricane intake. A standard S1 I test drove, with no carpet and a standard exhaust seemed far louder at cruising speeds oddly enough. With the roof on the heater is more than up to the job, in fact it can get very warm indeed if you leave it on full blast for a while.
You have to exercise some restraint in poor conditions. No ABS and little weight to push the tyres through the grime means that it can be twitchy, but you adjust to this quite quickly and I've not managed to scare myself yet.
I understand the boggo S1 seats can start to cause pain after a while. The 111s ones seem ok to me although there is no padding whatsoever at the base of the spine. I actually only ever notice this when I first get in. Sport 135/160 seats seem very comfortable but I'm not sure if they make it more difficult to get in and out. S2 seats are maybe the best of the lot.
Costs wise, I'll be servicing mine myself and I'm hoping running cost should be pretty low. Insurance isn't cheap, but shop around. Chris Knott did an excellent deal for me and Elephant were pretty competitive on unmodified cars.
Gad-Westy said:
I understand the boggo S1 seats can start to cause pain after a while. The 111s ones seem ok to me although there is no padding whatsoever at the base of the spine. I actually only ever notice this when I first get in. Sport 135/160 seats seem very comfortable but I'm not sure if they make it more difficult to get in and out. S2 seats are maybe the best of the lot.
.
Corbeau reupholster S1 seats to Sport 135 style and they are extremely comfortable - more comfortable than 111s seats or any others I have sat in. I've had both. No difference in getting in and out. .
Jez
Wow...thanks for the replies everyone. As has been mentioned, insurance is the greatest problem for me. There's also something else I should mention. I'm 6'3", add an inch with shoes on! Would I fit with the roof on? I've only ever sat in one with the roof off.
Otherwise, it seems that an S2 would be best.
Otherwise, it seems that an S2 would be best.
SamPet said:
Wow...thanks for the replies everyone. As has been mentioned, insurance is the greatest problem for me. There's also something else I should mention. I'm 6'3", add an inch with shoes on! Would I fit with the roof on? I've only ever sat in one with the roof off.
Otherwise, it seems that an S2 would be best.
You'll fit, you may just have to go to some yoga classes to aid getting in and out. A removable steering wheel may help.Otherwise, it seems that an S2 would be best.
the costs go down and the buddget goes up as you get older 
SamPet said:
I reckon insurance would be about £1200 a year if I shop around. Servicing and consumables each year would be approx £1000?
Do you think that's reasonable?
I'll eat my hat if you get that. I pay £1075 with Business Class 1 (which added £100 on), 26, 3 Years NCB, in a Derbyshire Village, with tracker and with my GF on (which knocked off £250).Do you think that's reasonable?
Yes
but think about the following:
1 - do you REALLY want to be drivng a great handling fast car in stop start london traffic???
REALLY? are you going to be using it for weekend blasts / trips away (you should!)
2 - do you want to leave it parked on a street overnight?
3 - dont bother with A-plan they wouldnt talk to me as i'm under 30! Chris Knott is a better bet. get a quote via elephant on line, give them a bell and they may beat it (took 10% off mine). when you are playing about with the elephant quote on the last screen there's your excess.a high volentary excess drops the quote price.
4 - where's your nearest specialist / garage?
5 - are you spanking all your cash on your car or will you have an emergeny fund?
good luck if you go for it.i got my a month ago and am loving it.
but think about the following:
1 - do you REALLY want to be drivng a great handling fast car in stop start london traffic???
REALLY? are you going to be using it for weekend blasts / trips away (you should!)
2 - do you want to leave it parked on a street overnight?
3 - dont bother with A-plan they wouldnt talk to me as i'm under 30! Chris Knott is a better bet. get a quote via elephant on line, give them a bell and they may beat it (took 10% off mine). when you are playing about with the elephant quote on the last screen there's your excess.a high volentary excess drops the quote price.
4 - where's your nearest specialist / garage?
5 - are you spanking all your cash on your car or will you have an emergeny fund?
good luck if you go for it.i got my a month ago and am loving it.
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