Which car for motorway 700 mile blast
Discussion
Well in the world of crisis, boring news and boring work...
So I am stuck at my desk waiting for the weekend, ahead of a 700 mile 48 hour motorway blast to London. I am lucky enough to have a choice 111R or BMW 118d, now that it is sunny outside my office I tempted to take the Elise, even tho this is the oil burner's natural habit.
What do you think, roof off night driving in the Elise or 118d motorway cruise listening to CD's .....
So I am stuck at my desk waiting for the weekend, ahead of a 700 mile 48 hour motorway blast to London. I am lucky enough to have a choice 111R or BMW 118d, now that it is sunny outside my office I tempted to take the Elise, even tho this is the oil burner's natural habit.
What do you think, roof off night driving in the Elise or 118d motorway cruise listening to CD's .....
Edited by Stu_00 on Friday 11th September 15:44
just done 60 mile down the motorway in my elise s, was enough to be honest, i think if you took the elise about 100 miles in you would be thinking "bother another 600 to go wish i'd took the beemer".
700 miles is pretty hardcore in a lotus, but them im a bit girly and squeel when i see a wasp so what do i know!!!!
700 miles is pretty hardcore in a lotus, but them im a bit girly and squeel when i see a wasp so what do i know!!!!
kazste said:
just done 60 mile down the motorway in my elise s, was enough to be honest, i think if you took the elise about 100 miles in you would be thinking "bother another 600 to go wish i'd took the beemer".
700 miles is pretty hardcore in a lotus, but them im a bit girly and squeel when i see a wasp so what do i know!!!!
I am a bit mad, I did 1500 mile round trip to Milano last year in the Elise within 3 days (Luckly 2 drivers). But granted the 118d gets is fair share of motorway miles and is a lot better on long runs, but I always wish I was in the Elise! 700 miles is pretty hardcore in a lotus, but them im a bit girly and squeel when i see a wasp so what do i know!!!!
35 mins to decide LoLEdited by Stu_00 on Friday 11th September 16:25
well then to be fair you've answered your own question mate!
take the elise youve done that kind of mileage before in it and dont regret it, fantastic day to have the roof off and as you state will be thinking wish i was in the elise if you took the beemer.
shows what i know but then didnt know that you were madder the Mr. mad mac mc mad!!!!
i really am too girly and nesh!! expecially for a 95Kg 28 year old dude
take the elise youve done that kind of mileage before in it and dont regret it, fantastic day to have the roof off and as you state will be thinking wish i was in the elise if you took the beemer.
shows what i know but then didnt know that you were madder the Mr. mad mac mc mad!!!!
i really am too girly and nesh!! expecially for a 95Kg 28 year old dude
kazste said:
well then to be fair you've answered your own question mate!
take the elise youve done that kind of mileage before in it and dont regret it, fantastic day to have the roof off and as you state will be thinking wish i was in the elise if you took the beemer.
shows what i know but then didnt know that you were madder the Mr. mad mac mc mad!!!!
i really am too girly and nesh!! expecially for a 95Kg 28 year old dude
LOL - Always nice to get pushed into taking the Elise, take the elise youve done that kind of mileage before in it and dont regret it, fantastic day to have the roof off and as you state will be thinking wish i was in the elise if you took the beemer.
shows what i know but then didnt know that you were madder the Mr. mad mac mc mad!!!!
i really am too girly and nesh!! expecially for a 95Kg 28 year old dude
Oh well if I have to
111R?
What are the seats like? That's the biggest factor with long distance Lotus driving - you can always use earplugs if it's a noisy one.
My S1 was abysmal for more than 60 miles on the motorway. The VXT was perfectly happy doing 500 mile round trips, I'd happily do 700 in that car. The Exige I've got at the moment? Well the seats are a *little* bit less comfy than the VXT's, and can start to get a bit numb after 400 miles. So as long as I could stop half way for a bite to eat in a comfy chair, then I'd definitely take the Exige.
I have a perfectly comfortable MG ZT saloon that absolutely eats miles. But it absolutely drinks petrol. One of the benefits of multi-hundred-mile trips in a Lotus is that it costs so little in fuel. Light, small frontal area car, efficient engine, steady motorway speed = bloody good MPG. Even the lardy turbocharged VXT could average 40 mpg on the motorway, and my equally lardy supercharged Exige gets above 40 on a long run. Cheap motoring!
What are the seats like? That's the biggest factor with long distance Lotus driving - you can always use earplugs if it's a noisy one.
My S1 was abysmal for more than 60 miles on the motorway. The VXT was perfectly happy doing 500 mile round trips, I'd happily do 700 in that car. The Exige I've got at the moment? Well the seats are a *little* bit less comfy than the VXT's, and can start to get a bit numb after 400 miles. So as long as I could stop half way for a bite to eat in a comfy chair, then I'd definitely take the Exige.
I have a perfectly comfortable MG ZT saloon that absolutely eats miles. But it absolutely drinks petrol. One of the benefits of multi-hundred-mile trips in a Lotus is that it costs so little in fuel. Light, small frontal area car, efficient engine, steady motorway speed = bloody good MPG. Even the lardy turbocharged VXT could average 40 mpg on the motorway, and my equally lardy supercharged Exige gets above 40 on a long run. Cheap motoring!
Much as I love Lotuses, they are frankly a liability on the motorway. In a normal car it's annoying that you can't see through the tall SUV's & MPV's in front, but in a Lotus you're level with the number plates on normal cars and can't see through them either.
Horses for courses: Elise for fun roads, barge for boring motorways.
Horses for courses: Elise for fun roads, barge for boring motorways.
cyberface said:
111R?
What are the seats like? That's the biggest factor with long distance Lotus driving - you can always use earplugs if it's a noisy one.
My S1 was abysmal for more than 60 miles on the motorway. The VXT was perfectly happy doing 500 mile round trips, I'd happily do 700 in that car. The Exige I've got at the moment? Well the seats are a *little* bit less comfy than the VXT's, and can start to get a bit numb after 400 miles. So as long as I could stop half way for a bite to eat in a comfy chair, then I'd definitely take the Exige.
I have a perfectly comfortable MG ZT saloon that absolutely eats miles. But it absolutely drinks petrol. One of the benefits of multi-hundred-mile trips in a Lotus is that it costs so little in fuel. Light, small frontal area car, efficient engine, steady motorway speed = bloody good MPG. Even the lardy turbocharged VXT could average 40 mpg on the motorway, and my equally lardy supercharged Exige gets above 40 on a long run. Cheap motoring!
Well cyberface the seats are really really good (probax)maybe slightly different to your Exige seats?, infact I am actually more comfortable in the Elise, its just the sound and steering that make it bit harder on the motorway. What are the seats like? That's the biggest factor with long distance Lotus driving - you can always use earplugs if it's a noisy one.
My S1 was abysmal for more than 60 miles on the motorway. The VXT was perfectly happy doing 500 mile round trips, I'd happily do 700 in that car. The Exige I've got at the moment? Well the seats are a *little* bit less comfy than the VXT's, and can start to get a bit numb after 400 miles. So as long as I could stop half way for a bite to eat in a comfy chair, then I'd definitely take the Exige.
I have a perfectly comfortable MG ZT saloon that absolutely eats miles. But it absolutely drinks petrol. One of the benefits of multi-hundred-mile trips in a Lotus is that it costs so little in fuel. Light, small frontal area car, efficient engine, steady motorway speed = bloody good MPG. Even the lardy turbocharged VXT could average 40 mpg on the motorway, and my equally lardy supercharged Exige gets above 40 on a long run. Cheap motoring!
Well in the end I actually used the 118d, After 12 hours in 24 hours in the car I am really impressed with this thing, I have done 22k in 10 months and really is a great car to have with the Elise. You can sit at some speed and still listen to music and return 40+ mpg. Something that is nice after doing 22K in one car over ten months !
Edited by Stu_00 on Monday 14th September 08:51
So let's get this right,
you ask for an opinion, I give you mine. You disagree with it (this I can handle)
I then advise you to take the elise as this is what you want and you agree (still happy)
you then take the beemer anyway (no issues there)
BUT WHY THROUGH ALL OF THIS DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME REMEMBER MY AGE!!!!!
Glad you gad a safe trip
you ask for an opinion, I give you mine. You disagree with it (this I can handle)
I then advise you to take the elise as this is what you want and you agree (still happy)
you then take the beemer anyway (no issues there)
BUT WHY THROUGH ALL OF THIS DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME REMEMBER MY AGE!!!!!
Glad you gad a safe trip
kazste said:
So let's get this right,
you ask for an opinion, I give you mine. You disagree with it (this I can handle)
I then advise you to take the elise as this is what you want and you agree (still happy)
you then take the beemer anyway (no issues there)
BUT WHY THROUGH ALL OF THIS DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME REMEMBER MY AGE!!!!!
Glad you gad a safe trip
LOL Sorry !!! you ask for an opinion, I give you mine. You disagree with it (this I can handle)
I then advise you to take the elise as this is what you want and you agree (still happy)
you then take the beemer anyway (no issues there)
BUT WHY THROUGH ALL OF THIS DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME REMEMBER MY AGE!!!!!
Glad you gad a safe trip
Yes Love the Elise to bits, but I was running late to catch the ferry, and belive or not the BMW is a lot quicker for the fact I do not need to refuel even sitting at a modest turn of knotts.
Thats my excuse! Poor I know, but now I have more miles left in the Elise to enjoy the backroads. roads !!!
Sorry about the reminder LOL
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