Discussion
Last year I decided to take the plunge and buy my all time favourite car; a Porsche 964C2 - This car is a dream - it must be one of the best usable examples around.
Here lies the problem; I get a PM from a chap asking about running costs and general day to day living with the 964 and after a few replies back and forth he thanks me for the info and says he has decided to get a Lotus Exige S2.
I then start trawling the web to look the Exige and I think I'm falling for it; in a big way! This means the Porsche will have to make room if I want one- feck, talk about rock and a hard place. I have no experience with Lotus cars and would probably go with one of the Toyota powered jobbies if I was to.
Can I hear some experiences of the Toyota lumped Exige?
Basically I think it will appeal to me like so;
Excellent on track days
You can tinker with them and add mods pretty easy
Reasonable running costs
More focused than the Porsche
I imagine you can have a lot of fun on the road without going too far over the limit (in the 911 its almost too easy to just plant your foot and take it to 140+ every time you go out.)
A rare sight on the road
Here lies the problem; I get a PM from a chap asking about running costs and general day to day living with the 964 and after a few replies back and forth he thanks me for the info and says he has decided to get a Lotus Exige S2.
I then start trawling the web to look the Exige and I think I'm falling for it; in a big way! This means the Porsche will have to make room if I want one- feck, talk about rock and a hard place. I have no experience with Lotus cars and would probably go with one of the Toyota powered jobbies if I was to.
Can I hear some experiences of the Toyota lumped Exige?
Basically I think it will appeal to me like so;
Excellent on track days
You can tinker with them and add mods pretty easy
Reasonable running costs
More focused than the Porsche
I imagine you can have a lot of fun on the road without going too far over the limit (in the 911 its almost too easy to just plant your foot and take it to 140+ every time you go out.)
A rare sight on the road
The Toyota engine isn't very modifiable, really - it's a pretty highly strung lump as it is. I personally hated the engine when I spent some time with an Elise 111R but these things are subjective. It'll do everything else you mention though.
Go drive one and see what you think.
Imagine the difference between a big Lexus and your Porsche. Then imagine taking the same size and direction of step again from your Porsche and you'll have an idea how the Lotus drives.
Go drive one and see what you think.
Imagine the difference between a big Lexus and your Porsche. Then imagine taking the same size and direction of step again from your Porsche and you'll have an idea how the Lotus drives.
Edited by kambites on Tuesday 18th March 10:00
r5gttgaz said:
a Porsche 964C2 - This car is a dream -
Can I hear some experiences of the Toyota lumped Exige?
Basically I think it will appeal to me like so;
Excellent on track days
You can tinker with them and add mods pretty easy
Reasonable running costs
More focused than the Porsche
I imagine you can have a lot of fun on the road without going too far over the limit (in the 911 its almost too easy to just plant your foot and take it to 140+ every time you go out.)
A rare sight on the road
I can say this, I owned myself a 964C2 a very nice car carrera RS look alike and with the carrera 3.8RS engine (300ps) a joy to drive, but the points you talk about are right, I also drove some elise's and a Exige with yota engine, ofocorse its a bit more hardcore then a porsche but that I think you wantCan I hear some experiences of the Toyota lumped Exige?
Basically I think it will appeal to me like so;
Excellent on track days
You can tinker with them and add mods pretty easy
Reasonable running costs
More focused than the Porsche
I imagine you can have a lot of fun on the road without going too far over the limit (in the 911 its almost too easy to just plant your foot and take it to 140+ every time you go out.)
A rare sight on the road
try one, you only need some more power when you want also power above 100mph from 240hp in a Exige you wont miss it
have fun.
GTRene
Do.
You can't not try a Lotus at least once. Try a few before you buy. My own vote would be for an Exige S2. You can take the roof off them if you're sneaky, and they're slighly more focused than an Elise. The R is brilliant when you get it going, and the S is very driveable, though I must mention that I hate the ABS and TC, both of which suck balls. Others here have far more Lotus experience than I, so I won't try to tell you which Elise/Exige is best - but definitely do get into one. Summer's coming. What could it hurt to scratch the itch?
You can't not try a Lotus at least once. Try a few before you buy. My own vote would be for an Exige S2. You can take the roof off them if you're sneaky, and they're slighly more focused than an Elise. The R is brilliant when you get it going, and the S is very driveable, though I must mention that I hate the ABS and TC, both of which suck balls. Others here have far more Lotus experience than I, so I won't try to tell you which Elise/Exige is best - but definitely do get into one. Summer's coming. What could it hurt to scratch the itch?
Well I had both a 996GT3 RS and My exige 240R at the same time. The Exige got lots and lots of use, the GT3RS spent it's life in the garage not being used and eventually sold.
The Exige when setup is a hugely more engaging drive than the Porsche, especially on track, rawer, noisier less comfy, cramped but more so much more fun to chuck about on track or road.
I know it's each to their own, but give on a good try and make up your own mind, you have to take time to get used to the screamer of an engine, but once you've got the hang of it, you'll be hooked!
The Exige when setup is a hugely more engaging drive than the Porsche, especially on track, rawer, noisier less comfy, cramped but more so much more fun to chuck about on track or road.
I know it's each to their own, but give on a good try and make up your own mind, you have to take time to get used to the screamer of an engine, but once you've got the hang of it, you'll be hooked!
Very close one this, as I was in the same situation a while back.
In the end I went with the s2 Exige and so far absolutely loving it.
I have a deep love for both makes, and have covered lots of miles in both, but for me as a daily drive the Exige is simply awesome. Much more comfortable than you would think, and most of all ALWAYS fun.
The 964's are getting long in the tooth now and dynamically at least, the Exige is way ahead. I can't comment on reliability but wouldn’t be surprised if the 964 was slightly better in the long run, but you can get good and bad examples with both. The Porsche will wear the miles better though.
So go on get an Exige, and preferably in krypton green. You know you want to!
Rpm
In the end I went with the s2 Exige and so far absolutely loving it.
I have a deep love for both makes, and have covered lots of miles in both, but for me as a daily drive the Exige is simply awesome. Much more comfortable than you would think, and most of all ALWAYS fun.
The 964's are getting long in the tooth now and dynamically at least, the Exige is way ahead. I can't comment on reliability but wouldn’t be surprised if the 964 was slightly better in the long run, but you can get good and bad examples with both. The Porsche will wear the miles better though.
So go on get an Exige, and preferably in krypton green. You know you want to!
Rpm
I think you'll love an Exige but do you have to sell the porker? FWIW I'm a driver of very moderate talent and limited track experience but was all over a bunch of 968s and a 964 vintage Turbo on a recent track day at Bedford. That's in a 120bhp K engined S1 elise. Sure the turbo could murder me in straight lines but it was soo much slower round the bends. Fortuntely the driver was a gent and let me go past - in the twisties an Elise murders older 911s (and 968s).
Why not keep the 964 for the road (lovely car) and the very occasional track day and look at an S1 Elise for sunny days and the track.
Why not keep the 964 for the road (lovely car) and the very occasional track day and look at an S1 Elise for sunny days and the track.
I dropped my 997S for an S2 supercharged Exige and have to say I am loving it.
The Porsche was a fantastic car and don't even try to compare build quality!!
However, the feedback and pure "seat of the pants" experience given by the Lotus is second to none, hitting the rev limiter in 2nd through 4th is addictive, plus it is under 10 secs to the ton!
However, when you aren't in the mood and just want to bumble home after a s
tty day at work, the Lotus will piss you off no end with its' crashy suspension and squeeks and rattles etc. As a weekend toy they can't be beat?
The Porsche was a fantastic car and don't even try to compare build quality!!
However, the feedback and pure "seat of the pants" experience given by the Lotus is second to none, hitting the rev limiter in 2nd through 4th is addictive, plus it is under 10 secs to the ton!
However, when you aren't in the mood and just want to bumble home after a s
tty day at work, the Lotus will piss you off no end with its' crashy suspension and squeeks and rattles etc. As a weekend toy they can't be beat?Thanks for all the replies; it might be a case of trying one but there doesn't seem to be much about in North Lincs.
I don't mind niggles - in fact I quiet like ironing out the odd problem or adding a hop up part here and there, the Porsche is a bit too well built in that respect.
I'm unsure on krypton green (didn't Meaden have on in Evo?) I prefere a more subtle approach. Its a shame but I don't have the room for a second car as the Mrs already has one and I have a works van too.
I don't mind niggles - in fact I quiet like ironing out the odd problem or adding a hop up part here and there, the Porsche is a bit too well built in that respect.
I'm unsure on krypton green (didn't Meaden have on in Evo?) I prefere a more subtle approach. Its a shame but I don't have the room for a second car as the Mrs already has one and I have a works van too.
There's a few owners in the North Lincs area, I'm formerly from around there. Lots of us if you come towards Sheffield. Pretty sure someone will take you out for a pax if you ask nicely. Try the Yorkshire region forum on SELOC, that's where you'll find peeps from Lincs.
Edited by LivinLaVidaLotus on Tuesday 18th March 18:27
I would recommend you try all the variants of the Exige before you buy, and probably the Elise too. I decided that none was for me, because £ for £ there were options which I preferred (namely a Honda'd S2 Elise), and there were a number of niggles which I found utterly infuriating, namely:
- Terrible standard suspension set-up
- Servo'd brakes (yuk)
- Throttle response *lag* on the FBW cars
- Inability to heel/toe because of the pedal set-up
- Zero visibility out of the back
- Very heavy steering feel at low speeds
If I were to buy one though, I'd look for a sorted 240R.
- Terrible standard suspension set-up
- Servo'd brakes (yuk)
- Throttle response *lag* on the FBW cars
- Inability to heel/toe because of the pedal set-up
- Zero visibility out of the back
- Very heavy steering feel at low speeds
If I were to buy one though, I'd look for a sorted 240R.
S Works said:
I would recommend you try all the variants of the Exige before you buy, and probably the Elise too. I decided that none was for me, because £ for £ there were options which I preferred (namely a Honda'd S2 Elise), and there were a number of niggles which I found utterly infuriating, namely:
- Terrible standard suspension set-up - Compared to?
- Servo'd brakes (yuk)- Can be sorted
- Throttle response *lag* on the FBW cars - FBW? Sorry...
- Inability to heel/toe because of the pedal set-up - Not to fussed
- Zero visibility out of the back - Don't care
- Very heavy steering feel at low speeds - Not fussed
If I were to buy one though, I'd look for a sorted 240R.
I don't like convertables so the Elise is out - I adore the looks of the Exige. - Terrible standard suspension set-up - Compared to?
- Servo'd brakes (yuk)- Can be sorted
- Throttle response *lag* on the FBW cars - FBW? Sorry...
- Inability to heel/toe because of the pedal set-up - Not to fussed
- Zero visibility out of the back - Don't care
- Very heavy steering feel at low speeds - Not fussed
If I were to buy one though, I'd look for a sorted 240R.
People say about the 240R etc but I would only have about 25k tops to chuck on one.
village idiot said:
how much do you want for the porsche?
i'd love a 964, but have been put off by the stories of electrical gremlins... yours is a later model, so hopefully these should be ironed out.
PM sent - don't be put off by the scare stories you see on the net otherwise you'd never by any car! Mine is the late one anyway but the email will explain all. Cheers.i'd love a 964, but have been put off by the stories of electrical gremlins... yours is a later model, so hopefully these should be ironed out.
Very interesting and relevant advice on here. Im in the process of changing out of my 996 into (hopefully) an exige S. Am test driving another one this weekend.
It will be my daily car in london town and be used for track days. Have been keeping an eye on this forum for the last few months and learnt loads from all you chaps - so thanks.
- Atticus
It will be my daily car in london town and be used for track days. Have been keeping an eye on this forum for the last few months and learnt loads from all you chaps - so thanks.
- Atticus
marlinmunro said:
Cino said:
marlinmunro said:
Don't 
... listen to advice from Mini owners when we are talking about Lotus!
OK buy the Lotus I don't give a flying f
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