Never owned a sports car... should I go for an Elise?
Discussion
A friend of mine has one with a nicely built Rover 3.5 V8, was up for sale 2 years ago but did not get a sensible bite on it so he kept it.
An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
Belle427 said:
A friend of mine has one with a nicely built Rover 3.5 V8, was up for sale 2 years ago but did not get a sensible bite on it so he kept it.
An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
I don't like the wind buffeting with the doors off in the Caterham either, and it isn't much fun at all at higher speeds for me. An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
I still love the idea of a V8 in a lighter car though, and that was what attracted me to the Cerbera in many ways as well.
cerb4.5lee said:
Belle427 said:
A friend of mine has one with a nicely built Rover 3.5 V8, was up for sale 2 years ago but did not get a sensible bite on it so he kept it.
An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
I don't like the wind buffeting with the doors off in the Caterham either, and it isn't much fun at all at higher speeds for me. An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
I still love the idea of a V8 in a lighter car though, and that was what attracted me to the Cerbera in many ways as well.
They’re pretty good
ContactName said:
cerb4.5lee said:
Belle427 said:
A friend of mine has one with a nicely built Rover 3.5 V8, was up for sale 2 years ago but did not get a sensible bite on it so he kept it.
An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
I don't like the wind buffeting with the doors off in the Caterham either, and it isn't much fun at all at higher speeds for me. An epic sounding thing, i did not really push it when i took it out it but i did consider buying it myself , I just could not get past the amount of wind buffeting in it.
Would have loved it parked up in a multi car garage though.
I still love the idea of a V8 in a lighter car though, and that was what attracted me to the Cerbera in many ways as well.
They’re pretty good
After 20+ years of Caterham 7 ownership, I had an S2 135 Sport.
Scared the crap out of me on the road but a fab trackday car, with the added benefit that I could drive to track, rag it all day and still have rubber left to drive home! I always took the 7 on a trailer.
Elise has a worse weight distribution than a 911 and can bite big time if you get it wrong. Nightmare on standing water as nose was very light.
Then moved onto a 987S Boxster. Better to drive and not mega expensive to run as lots of parts available and indy garages.
Scared the crap out of me on the road but a fab trackday car, with the added benefit that I could drive to track, rag it all day and still have rubber left to drive home! I always took the 7 on a trailer.
Elise has a worse weight distribution than a 911 and can bite big time if you get it wrong. Nightmare on standing water as nose was very light.
Then moved onto a 987S Boxster. Better to drive and not mega expensive to run as lots of parts available and indy garages.
The OP has probably disappeared but for someone who has never owned a sports car and is dipping their toe in for the first time, the basic Toyota 1.8 S is surely the best option. There's no need for 0-60 in <5 secs in a light car with no stability management on northern Scottish roads...
OP might have to venture south to find one however.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17655419
OP might have to venture south to find one however.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17655419
I've never really seen the point of those - they don't have the lightness, unassisted brakes, and the engine character of the k-series cars some people like, and they don't have the performance of the 2ZZ-GE cars. I can see why no safety assists might be a bit more of a concern with the supercharged cars, but the R/111R cars don't give you the performance unless you ask for it.
Took mine on the track and it was great.
But on the road it gave me a slipped disc, and the small steering wheel meant having to hold onto it as if your life depended on it, which it did, as any bump or pothole would try to rip it out of your hands.
The tinnitus was also an issue.
I didn't feel like spending money making it more civilised so got rid of it quicker than any other car I've ever had.
But on the road it gave me a slipped disc, and the small steering wheel meant having to hold onto it as if your life depended on it, which it did, as any bump or pothole would try to rip it out of your hands.
The tinnitus was also an issue.
I didn't feel like spending money making it more civilised so got rid of it quicker than any other car I've ever had.
otolith said:
I've never really seen the point of those - they don't have the lightness, unassisted brakes, and the engine character of the k-series cars some people like, and they don't have the performance of the 2ZZ-GE cars. I can see why no safety assists might be a bit more of a concern with the supercharged cars, but the R/111R cars don't give you the performance unless you ask for it.
I had one once as a courtesy car. Didn't like it much for the reasons you say.Like any other base model sports car, the basic 134hp S is never going to appeal to seasoned sports car owners. But it's a great first sports car. They have all the driving pleasure of any Elise, in a newer more liveable package than the basic K S1/S2 models and with only a little bit less outright performance.
For young drivers I expect they're cheaper to insure too?
For young drivers I expect they're cheaper to insure too?
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