which Lotus??

[Simon813]

Good evening.

I am trying to decide what "weekend" vehicle to purchase for the summer months. For the last two years I have owned an early (K-series) Ice Blue S2 Elise. I sold it to my dad in October as I didn't want to drive it through the winter.

Now I am in the position of looking for another one! I just can't decide what to get. I would ideally like electric windows and central locking. What noticable differences are their between the K-series cars and the early Toyota cars? (No HGF moans please as I found my last K-Series to be fine).

I am also considering the S2 Exige. Can anybody give any anecdotal evidence of moving from S2 Elise to S2 Exige. My only hesitation is not being able to get the roof off, although I have seen some roof conversions on Exige's. Are these hard to come buy / expensive?
Finally, how different are the maintenance costs? By that I mean MPG, insurance and servicing?

Thanks in advance

Si

[hueandcry71]

[quote=Simon813]Good evening.

I am trying to decide what "weekend" vehicle to purchase for the summer months. For the last two years I have owned an early (K-series) Ice Blue S2 Elise. I sold it to my dad in October as I didn't want to drive it through the winter.

Now I am in the position of looking for another one! I just can't decide what to get. I would ideally like electric windows and central locking. What noticable differences are their between the K-series cars and the early Toyota cars? (No HGF moans please as I found my last K-Series to be fine).

I am also considering the S2 Exige. Can anybody give any anecdotal evidence of moving from S2 Elise to S2 Exige. My only hesitation is not being able to get the roof off, although I have seen some roof conversions on Exige's. Are these hard to come buy / expensive?
Finally, how different are the maintenance costs? By that I mean MPG, insurance and servicing?



Im no expert but i can offer my opinion on two points.

1 The Toyota engine is massively different to the K series one. I have owned both and they are like chalk and cheese. Much prefer the Toyota engine.

2 An Exige with the roof off is just wrong IMO. If you want a topless car stick with a hardtop Elise.

[Simon813]

Thanks for the input.

The more I think about it the more I fancy an Exige.

Si

[miro]

If you dont want to hear about HGF how about Oil starvation hehe whats your budget??? Elise SC or one of those Elise S with the turbo kits or Honda Elise

[Simon813]

£25k is about the top end of what I can justify spending.

Si

Edited by Simon813 on Sunday 13th January 01:18

[Gooby]

Simon813 said:

£25k is about the top end of what I can justify spending.

Si

Edited by Simon813 on Sunday 13th January 01:18

There is your first mistake, you are trying to "justify" what you are spending. Slipery slope my friend...

[miro]

Gooby said:

Simon813 said:

£25k is about the top end of what I can justify spending.

Si

Edited by Simon813 on Sunday 13th January 01:18

There is your first mistake, you are trying to "justify" what you are spending. Slipery slope my friend...

hehe its true

You could get a stonking car for <20k and then have >5k for upgrades when you want them

[miro]

actualy you might be in Honda teritory there deffo get a nice 111R if you like the cam change. i dont think the Toyota cars are quite as good mpg as the K. Servicing i would think is much of a muchness.

[kambites]

If it was me looking at spending 25k I'd get a Honda engined Elise. http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/333403.htm is about that money for example (nothing to do with me, just the first Honda car I found in the classifieds).

[Simon813]

Gooby said:

Simon813 said:

£25k is about the top end of what I can justify spending.

Si

Edited by Simon813 on Sunday 13th January 01:18

There is your first mistake, you are trying to "justify" what you are spending. Slipery slope my friend...

What I mean by that is I have £25k saved and I don't really want to get a loan.

Si

[Simon813]

miro said:

actualy you might be in Honda teritory there deffo get a nice 111R if you like the cam change. i dont think the Toyota cars are quite as good mpg as the K. Servicing i would think is much of a muchness.

I don't really want to get into the realms of modified / highly tuned cars. I am not the best driver in the world and I am not in the least bit mechanically minded.

Si

[Simon813]

Right, let me be a bit more specific. I know none of you have crystal balls but say I buy something like this-

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/328995.htm

Is it going to be a lot more expensive to service/maintain than my S2 was?
Is it going to depreciate like a stone?

Si

[rfoster]

At £25 for an Exige you're right on the cusp of getting a late 189hp car or an early Exige 'S'. If you go down the Exige route do try both and make your mind up afterards, with that budget I'd stretch to the 'S' if I could.

If you decide on an Elise, my money would be on an '04 plate 111S with A/C, Leccy Windows, Remot Locking etc. I much prefer the 'K' to the Toyota engine, have had three to date. I just didn't like the powerband on the Toyota though I do understand the attraction!

[Sparkie17]

Exige with the roof conversion is the way forward in my opinion....can't beat the looks or the driving experience....still looking in a few weeks then give me a shout....you can have change from your £25k too!!!

[wooooody]

It's only 5 allen bolts to remove the roof of an S2 Exige, but one and treat it like an elise with a hard-top. To fit the canvas roof only requires a couple of holes to be made in the roll bar cover. I'm sure you could find the roof second hand if you were prepared to look for a wee while.

When it comes to Toyota engined cars, for me it has to be the exige. As the roof does come off and the suspension & tyres on an elise can be upgraded, IMO it comes down to what you prefer the look of.

[nsm3]

wooooody said:

It's only 5 allen bolts to remove the roof of an S2 Exige, but one and treat it like an elise with a hard-top. To fit the canvas roof only requires a couple of holes to be made in the roll bar cover. I'm sure you could find the roof second hand if you were prepared to look for a wee while.

When it comes to Toyota engined cars, for me it has to be the exige. As the roof does come off and the suspension & tyres on an elise can be upgraded, IMO it comes down to what you prefer the look of.

Sorry to sound pedantic, but I had to take mine off yesterday and there are 9 Torx bolts on my S, and that includes the bolted headlining sections, although I think the rear pad could actually stay in-situ if required, so maybe 7?

I took it for a spin and really enjoyed it - and I don't like convertibles!

Shame they don't put the holes in the roll bar cover - just in case you wanted to use it as a soft top periodically?

[7805]

Servicing and maintaining is about the same for the Elise/Exige isn't it?… best way to get a robust answer is to speak with your local dealer and ask about servicing costs, at least then you’ll get a fair idea of what they charge (Labour rates may change by region??)… My last service on the Elise (111R ‘Yota) was about £360 for the 2nd year service. The only other consideration would be tyres and insurance I guess (Exige might be more expensive for tyres and insurance??).

There are plenty of vehicles to choose from so I don’t think you’ll be short for choice in any way…

Happy hunting, searching the PH Classifieds is always entertaining.

Edited by 7805 on Sunday 13th January 22:05

[Snapper7]

I went from a S2 Elise 111s to a S2 Exige and I think the S2 Exige was a far better ca. I was worried about not being able to tale the roof off, but in the end having spent ages sorting out the roof rattle that some of the earlier cars had. I never bothered taking the roof off.I now perfer coupes.

If you do go for a S2 Exige I would say Aircon is a must. Especially i in the summer or for touring in Europe.