How much for a half decent S1 Elise? (and other questions)
Discussion
I'm looking to buy a new 'fun car' in the next few months. The main candidate I was looking at is the TVR S, but a few people pointed out that my budget was approaching S1 Elise levels. I'm a little bit flexible, but don't really want to spend more than about £7k. Is this realistic for an Elise in basic spec, but good condition?
I remember the Elise being described by Top Gear as the best handling car ever made when it was released. I am slightly aprehensive about a mid engined car though - do you have to be Tiff Nedell to get the best out of them?
Dare I mention it, how much of an issue are the head gasket problems? Are the engines fairly robust with a suitable after-market gasket in there?
Lastly, are there any young-ish drivers out there? The other cars I'm looking at are either classics or kit built and so even for a 24 year old (probably 25 by the time I come to buy...) the insurance costs aren't too silly. I'm slightly worried that a more modern and slightly more mainstream sportscar might cause problems - I tried to get a quote on an Excel a while back and for some reason anything with a Lotus badge was thousands to insure, whereas a Porsche of the same performance was peanuts.
I remember the Elise being described by Top Gear as the best handling car ever made when it was released. I am slightly aprehensive about a mid engined car though - do you have to be Tiff Nedell to get the best out of them?
Dare I mention it, how much of an issue are the head gasket problems? Are the engines fairly robust with a suitable after-market gasket in there?
Lastly, are there any young-ish drivers out there? The other cars I'm looking at are either classics or kit built and so even for a 24 year old (probably 25 by the time I come to buy...) the insurance costs aren't too silly. I'm slightly worried that a more modern and slightly more mainstream sportscar might cause problems - I tried to get a quote on an Excel a while back and for some reason anything with a Lotus badge was thousands to insure, whereas a Porsche of the same performance was peanuts.
Start by having a look at the buyers guide at the top of the page and ringing round for a few insurance quotes.
You'll find cars for £7k but you are looking at the bottom of the market to be honest.
I reckon good straight Elises start at about £8-£8.5k but even then expect to have to spend on consumables (most likely the suspension/steering will need refreshing).
Have a dig around on here and seloc and you'll find plenty of threads where people have spent plenty (£2k plus) in their first year of ownership.
For info: I paid 'top dollar' (£13k from a quality sports car dealership) in October 2005 for a 38k mile car. Apart from wheel bearings/brakes etc I haven't had to spend any money on her other than servicing in a further 22k miles. I am however doing a complete suspension refresh soon and parts for this (including dampers) are costing about £1,500).
Bargains are out there and this is a good time of year to buy but shop around, shop wisely and go in with your eyes open.
(Oh and HGF? Don't worry about it - £5-700 to fix).
You'll find cars for £7k but you are looking at the bottom of the market to be honest.
I reckon good straight Elises start at about £8-£8.5k but even then expect to have to spend on consumables (most likely the suspension/steering will need refreshing).
Have a dig around on here and seloc and you'll find plenty of threads where people have spent plenty (£2k plus) in their first year of ownership.
For info: I paid 'top dollar' (£13k from a quality sports car dealership) in October 2005 for a 38k mile car. Apart from wheel bearings/brakes etc I haven't had to spend any money on her other than servicing in a further 22k miles. I am however doing a complete suspension refresh soon and parts for this (including dampers) are costing about £1,500).
Bargains are out there and this is a good time of year to buy but shop around, shop wisely and go in with your eyes open.
(Oh and HGF? Don't worry about it - £5-700 to fix).
You will be able to pick up an S1 for 7k however you will likely have to spend some money on it after that, I would imagine the same would be true of a TVR, and I would think the bills will be bigger with that. You are better off buying a car of better quality for a bit more money, maybe like mine in the classifieds 
How good a driver do you need to be ? They are good fun for everybody, however you need to appreciate that you are not a racing driver and this is a sports car. Drive like an arse and you will be going backwards into a hedge - same is true in any car, its just easier to loose the back end in an elise than other cars. Best thig is to have a couple of driver training days early on (www.carlimits.com)
Head gaskets ? It is considered a problem however, caring for the car and warming up properly, good maintenance and an AA Parts & Labour warranty and you should be good, generally its not an expensive fix.
Insurance, couldn't advise but I know there are a lot of people that drive them at your age. Try a getting a few quotes - A-plan, CCI, Edgar Lawson etc
How good a driver do you need to be ? They are good fun for everybody, however you need to appreciate that you are not a racing driver and this is a sports car. Drive like an arse and you will be going backwards into a hedge - same is true in any car, its just easier to loose the back end in an elise than other cars. Best thig is to have a couple of driver training days early on (www.carlimits.com)
Head gaskets ? It is considered a problem however, caring for the car and warming up properly, good maintenance and an AA Parts & Labour warranty and you should be good, generally its not an expensive fix.
Insurance, couldn't advise but I know there are a lot of people that drive them at your age. Try a getting a few quotes - A-plan, CCI, Edgar Lawson etc
Edited by StuartB on Saturday 5th January 13:02
echo all of the above - although you can pick one up at £7K dont forget you are buying a 10 year old car. If the previous owner has had a it a few years (and could afford to run it) then if you get a good un, it should have all the suspension components, tyres, brakes, niggles etc all sorted/replaced/upgraded.
If you buy one thats had a couple of recent "economic" owners who have bought it for £9K, run it for a year and then flogging it because it needs a lot of work doing then you will be looking at a couple of grand.
This is why people recommend spending £8-10K and getting an enthusiast owned car thats got a few choice upgrades (suspension, brakes etc) and be well looked after...of course these are priced accordingly.
As for the handling - its a mid engined RWD car - if you have never driven one before (maybe coming from FWD cars) then yes, you need to spend some time on an airfield and get used to the limit handling otherwise the first time you approach the limit you will be in a hedge...its not like a FWD car that will just understeer a bit if you overcook it going into a corner.
You hear lots of horror stories of people that prang them in the first few months...or they make it through summer feeling like an F1 driver (you have to be a real loon to exceed the dry limits in one on the road) and then the first damp winters morning they lose it on a roundabout...and then blame the car.
Learn how to drive one properly though and nearly anything else you will get into for the rest of your life will be a piece of piss...and feel like a barge in comparison
If you buy one thats had a couple of recent "economic" owners who have bought it for £9K, run it for a year and then flogging it because it needs a lot of work doing then you will be looking at a couple of grand.
This is why people recommend spending £8-10K and getting an enthusiast owned car thats got a few choice upgrades (suspension, brakes etc) and be well looked after...of course these are priced accordingly.
As for the handling - its a mid engined RWD car - if you have never driven one before (maybe coming from FWD cars) then yes, you need to spend some time on an airfield and get used to the limit handling otherwise the first time you approach the limit you will be in a hedge...its not like a FWD car that will just understeer a bit if you overcook it going into a corner.
You hear lots of horror stories of people that prang them in the first few months...or they make it through summer feeling like an F1 driver (you have to be a real loon to exceed the dry limits in one on the road) and then the first damp winters morning they lose it on a roundabout...and then blame the car.
Learn how to drive one properly though and nearly anything else you will get into for the rest of your life will be a piece of piss...and feel like a barge in comparison
Yeah, Bogie makes good points. Try and buy from someone who has owned the car a few years and has loved it, rather than someone who has bought and sold in the space of a year.
I turned up to look at one and it had the roll bar faring/cover missing so that the window rattled and the roof didn't really fit very well. Bloke selling it didn't even realise it was meant to have one! Oh, it was a Cat D and he didn't realise that until I HPI'd it. Needless to say I walked away
I turned up to look at one and it had the roll bar faring/cover missing so that the window rattled and the roof didn't really fit very well. Bloke selling it didn't even realise it was meant to have one! Oh, it was a Cat D and he didn't realise that until I HPI'd it. Needless to say I walked away
Edited by fleetelise on Saturday 5th January 14:11
The time has come that i may have to sell mine soon if my house purchase gets approved. I will not be asking for the world for it, infact it will be priced at around 7.5k - 8k & for someone will be a complete bargain! I have cherished it for the last 18months & driven it on a daily basis & maintained it to the highest level. You can pick them up for a very reasonable price with full Lotus service history as i may prove within the next month or so.
I've always had sportscars of one desccription or another inclduing a couple of RWD models, so it doesn't sound like the Elise would be too dramatic a contrast in those terms.
The general consensus (as I expected) seems to be that £7k is unlikely to buy a decent example. I don't doubt the Elise is a much better car in most respects than the TVR, but an A1 condition S3 costs about £5k at this time of year and if it does go wrong the bits are mostly made by that nice Mr Ford.
If I had the cash for either the decision would be far harder, but it sounds like I'd be pushing my luck a little with an Elise at that budget.
The general consensus (as I expected) seems to be that £7k is unlikely to buy a decent example. I don't doubt the Elise is a much better car in most respects than the TVR, but an A1 condition S3 costs about £5k at this time of year and if it does go wrong the bits are mostly made by that nice Mr Ford.
If I had the cash for either the decision would be far harder, but it sounds like I'd be pushing my luck a little with an Elise at that budget.
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