Straight to Elise? or Elise via MX5?

[Agrilla]

I want an Elise, and can afford an S2 late K series/early yota. Have checked servicing & insurance costs etc and that's all fine... but...

Although I'm in my 30's, I've only been driving a few years, and my fleet has been neither extensive or exotic, and small lightweight RWD rag tops have not featured at all.

I want to end up with an Elise, but I've a sneaky suspicion that fools rush in, and that I should spend a couple of grand on an MX5 to run for a year first to minimise my chance of binning my P&J. My current steed drives like a bus, and my previous could have been overtaken by a mobility scooter.

Either way I plan to have some additional driver training, but should I learn to walk before running and get the MX5 or get straight to the point & buy the Elise?

[stew-S160]

Why deny yourself the Elise when you're in a position to have it? It's the better car. I've had both and the Elise is the one I miss most.

[killsta]

Just get the Elise and don't drive like a prick for the first few months

[carl carlson]

Haven't we just had a thread like this?

[Chrisw666]

Buy the elise, your situation may change and you might never be able to afford it again. Just take it easy while learning the car, especially in the wet.

You could always invest a few hundred pounds in a decent fast road/track driving course that could save you lots of hassle and would teach you things you about the limits of your car and importantly your ability.

[PaulB81]

Get the Elise

The very fact that you have started this thread suggests you are careful by nature so will be gentle with the Elise until you are happy with how it handles. It will oversteer if you get a bit over-eager accelerating out of a bend but you know this and will most likely not do it for that reason

[Ikemi]

Buy the Elise ... The S2 is known for it's pro-understeer, so you'll have a job of losing the rear end in anything other than snow! If you buy the MX-5, you'll only question yourself as to why you didn't go for the Elise sooner

ETA: Well, you could lose it in the wet ... Just be careful with your right foot, especially in the first few months of ownership.

[Mr E]

If you crash a properly setup K series S2 in the dry without outside assistance you're an absolute tool.

Even in the wet they're pretty docile unless you provoke....

[98elise]

Get the Elise.

I went from a mondeo to the elise an its managed to stay the right way up and out of hedges for 4 years.

[killsta]

98elise said:

Get the Elise.

I went from a mondeo to the elise an its managed to stay the right way up and out of hedges for 4 years.

Then you stacked it?

[Chris71]

PaulB81 said:

Get the Elise

The very fact that you have started this thread suggests you are careful by nature so will be gentle with the Elise until you are happy with how it handles.

Very good point. If you're as considered with your driving as you are with the car choice you'll be fine.

Just take it out to a car control day on an airfield where there's nothing to hit before you even consider getting remotely close to its limits on the road. Even if you don't think track driving is your thing it can be a very useful skill if you hit that patch of ice/diesel/wet leaves that seems to creep up on every petrolhead who has an accident.

[chuno]

Straight to the Elise.

I bought a VX220 when i was 23 (which i still have) with no experience of anything remotely fast (and no experience of rear wheel drive and mid engine) and it was the best thing i ever bought.

If it's anything like the VX it is very 'adjustable' and is not likely to throw you off the road and kill you instantly lke some people might think.

[GKP]

Just get the Elise. My Missus commutes in hers, they really aren't some sort of mystical vehicle which requires superhuman abilities to drive.

[Ikemi]

I bought a S1 at the age of 21, only 10 months after I passed my test. I'm actually typing this from 'the other side'

[DeadMeat_UK]

Elise.

Do a track day or two in it.

Take it easy on the road.

Jobs a good 'un.

[300bhp/ton]

Agrilla said:

I want an Elise, and can afford an S2 late K series/early yota. Have checked servicing & insurance costs etc and that's all fine... but...

Although I'm in my 30's, I've only been driving a few years, and my fleet has been neither extensive or exotic, and small lightweight RWD rag tops have not featured at all.

I want to end up with an Elise, but I've a sneaky suspicion that fools rush in, and that I should spend a couple of grand on an MX5 to run for a year first to minimise my chance of binning my P&J. My current steed drives like a bus, and my previous could have been overtaken by a mobility scooter.

Either way I plan to have some additional driver training, but should I learn to walk before running and get the MX5 or get straight to the point & buy the Elise?

I'm sure some will not agree.

But I don't see an Elise as a direct progression from an MX-5. Very different cars with very different handling traits.


That said, I don't see the Elise as a fire spitting feisty beast of a car. It's a fairly docile 1.8!!! With supreme steering and fine balance.

But it's not a hooligans car. If you want to practice Tokyo drift all the while then arguably few (or none) mid/rear cars are the thing to chose.


So the question is:

"What type of car do you want?"


Arguable a better car than the MX-5 in this regard would be an MGF, MGTF, MR2 (MK1, 2 & 3). All of these are m/r cars and have similar handling traits to the Elise, although none in quite the same league.

Or as a more leftfield option a smart Roadster. Closer to the Elise in weight and also a fine handling and balanced car. Not as quick in a straight line, although a remap and a couple of mods can potentially give them 125-145bhp/tonne compared to an original S1 Elise that is around 156bhp/tonne.

[LuS1fer]

Straight to Elise otherwise you'll miss the Mazda's build quality. Going straight there allows you to jsutify the bits that fall off as though it's normal...

[trickywoo]

The only way your question would make any sense is if you were asking about an F40 or early 911 Turbo.

An Elise isn't anything to worry about.

[Cock Womble 7]

I went from a Mk2 VW Scirocco to a Caterham 7, because I wanted a Caterham 7.

Yes, you need to adjust, but you will adjust.

Just get the car you want.

[Ikemi]

LuS1fer said:

Straight to Elise otherwise you'll miss the Mazda's build quality. Going straight there allows you to jsutify the bits that fall off as though it's normal...

Meh, saves weight

I'd also say that a Caterham 7 is more of a handful (for someone new to RWD) than a S2 Elise!