Lotus Elise alternative?

[maxp]

Hi Guys,

Ive got an Elise S2.
When im in it, I absolutely love it. However it isnt really a daily drivers car(which is what ive been using it as).
Im just seeing negatives at the moment:
Poor build quality, absolutely freezing in the morning, very fragile meaning I worry where to park it, and is just about to tick past 46k miles, meaning its resale value is about to tumble.

Im considering selling but am having trouble what to replace it with.

I dont need luggage space or seating for more than two, but I have drawn these negatives about the possible candidates:

S2000 - +'s: reliable, nice styling. -'s: Completely discontinued and felt abit lardy when I had a shot in one.

Boxster mk1 / 986: +'s:nice styling, good build quality, competant daily driver. -'s: Its still a porsche and has porsche running costs (plus wary of IMS)

MX5 mk1 - +'s: Has the rawness of the elise i love and is a very cheap runner. -'s: Are getting on for ~15 years old, bit of a girly hairdressers image.

Mini cooper s - +'s: Great value for money, reliable. -'s Dreadful interior, also a bit of a hairdressers car.

Can any offer any advice or am I just looking for a car that doesnt exist?
Ive considered changing the criteria completel and just getting something obvious like a mk5 golf gti.

[Rawwr]

Go for something completely different. Get away from anything that could be classed as similar.

[kambites]

The mk3 MR2 does a remarkable job of emulating most of the Elise's driving character without the small-volume niggles.

[HereBeMonsters]

kambites said:

The mk3 MR2 does a remarkable job of emulating most of the Elise's driving character without the small-volume niggles.

It does however, have even less luggage space. If that were possible.

[kambites]

True but he does say he doesn't need luggage space.

[Monkeylegend]

Can you afford to keep the Elise as a fun car and buy another cheap car for your daily runaround. You will probably feel the same about any replacement sportscar after a while if you use it daily.

If not how about something like an SLK or Z4?

[darkcat]

VX220?

really depends on your budget....

[benzito]

darkcat said:

VX220?

really depends on your budget....

yep, what is the budget? It seems a hot hatch like a golf r32 would be an option for a fast, reliable daily driver

[maxp]

I would like to shelve a bit of cash so 5k? But could go upto 8k-9k.

VX220 is essentially a rebadged elise so wouldnt be considered.

[Park'O]

Renault Clio 200 cup!

[MX7]

MGF?

Personally I'd go for the S2000.

[Herbs]

Alot of Elise owners move onto eithe a 3.0 Z4 or a 350z - maybe worth checking these out.

[maxp]

Where did you hear that? From what i've seen the majority move to boxsters.

[Shnozz]

I swapped my Elise/X-Type combo for a Boxster S as I was fed up spending 95% of my time driving a Jag saloon whilst still in my 20's. It was a great all round car and performed faultlessly. Highly recommended. That said, as soon as I lost the need for a 1 car fits all solution I went back to Lotus. I wouldn't consider running the Exige as a daily driver though, whereas the Porker didn't feel a compromise. Motorway drudgery, coffee in the cup holder, talksport on the radio, happy as larry. Then pull off onto a side road, drop the roof, radio switched to some tunes and enjoy the sports car DNA. A great balance.

[Monkeylegend]

maxp said:

Where did you hear that? From what i've seen the majority move to boxsters.

Well you did ask for advice/comments and thats what you got.

[Shnozz]

If you are going to look at 350Zs, drive the later (post 2007?) revision. I was most disappointed by the earlier cars, felt very heavy, sluggish and neither enough low down torque or enough revs to enjoy. Tried a later car and I really enjoyed it, poles apart and great to drive.

[icepop]

Rawwr said:

Go for something completely different. Get away from anything that could be classed as similar.

I think that has it in one.

Do you really go from an Elise to a Z4? Dont think so.

You go from an Elise to a 7, or an Atom. Regardless of peeps, in hair shirts, using them everyday, they aint everyday cars, no matter what the puritans say. An S2000/Z4/MX5 is, you go to them, from a std road car.

So, as the above poster says, go for something really different. Try an ALFA of some sort, that way you'll still enjoy the warm feeling, of standing on the hard shoulder, whilst people, in Fords/Vauxhalls/Kias, (whoever would have thought the day would come), laugh, and point at you, for being a fool.

[madmover]

Z4, 350Z, TT225, RX8, Clio RS, Mazda MPS, Focus RS mk1, Golf GTI...

Edited by madmover on Tuesday 17th January 01:31

[Herbs]

icepop said:

I think that has it in one.

Do you really go from an Elise to a Z4? Dont think so.

You go from an Elise to a 7, or an Atom. Regardless of peeps, in hair shirts, using them everyday, they aint everyday cars, no matter what the puritans say. An S2000/Z4/MX5 is, you go to them, from a std road car.

So if it's your only car you'd would spend another 15k and go for an atom

[ikarl]

you could get a really nice mk2 MR2 turbo (one of the last 97-98) within budget....spend some money renewing suspension and getting some decent tyres and you'll have a very competent, good looking, reliable 2 seater with some of the luxuries you've been missing but still with the rawness that you've been used to