RE: You Know You Want To: Lotus Elise S1
Discussion
zebedee said:
The S1 didn't have sun visors.
Nor does my S2. It is slightly annoying sometimes. I've always found the Elise to be a decidedly poor track car in standard form - it's much too soft. Doesn't take much to turn it into a fairly decent one, but the track really isn't its natural home, IMO.
I took the plunge last week and bought an Azure blue S1. I've wanted one since they were new and now I have one. I'm kicking myself for not doing it years ago. It's absolutely awesome. It bangs and rattles, the gaps between window and trim are comical, it's a bugger to get into, its the least practical thing I've ever owned (and I've ridden fireblades) and I've loved every second of it so far.
chevronb37 said:
RemarkLima said:
chevronb37 said:
RemarkLima said:
Absolutely! I had a S1 Exige, and even with the VHPD sounding like a barrel of spanners, the airbox being vast and cacophonous, and an aftermarket Ti exhaust, at cruise, the road noise was a killer! My wife and I became experts at different road surfaces, from your nice smooth asphalt to the deafening light gray concrete stuff. Add a bit of wind noise and really ear plugs were the only option for long journeys.
Oh God, the noise. It's just everywhere - the rattles, wind, road and general mechanical din; quite apart from the de-catted exhaust and induction! The VHPD sounds like a wounded animal under all circumstances but there's something so awesome about tackling a favourite road at a reasonable pace. It feels borderline psychotic the way it darts around, changes direction, and flies higher in the rev range. I desperately hope I'm never in the position where I have to sell mine. It's extraordinary and stupid and wonderful.
The other ability I gained was to be able decypher noises inside noises, I managed to get an early diagnosis of a wheel bearing through all the rattles, squeaks, clanks and bangs! Still to this day I have no idea how!
I fitted an Emerald (fitted by my own hands! Give it a go if you have a sunny afternoon free, it wasn't too hard in the end) and it stopped the 3k hesitation, and I kept getting the 5.5k misfire which it sorted once and for all. It was also novel to adjust the idle speed with a laptop, great party trick.
Denver09 said:
I was looking at buying on of these and was amazed at the prices for S1 cars. Totally put me off - an immaculate S1 is not worth more than 7-8k IMHO
You have missed the boat I am afraid. You'll never get an immaculate one for that ever again! When the Euro was worth lots of pounds the Europeans could finally get their hands on the cars that the UK had snapped up as they left Hethel. They migrated to the south coast, where they sold for more than in the North and they flew the country, never to return.Whenever it was sunny and you were on a good road in the early 2000s you always saw Elise S1s, now you very rarely see S1s. When they hit a low, lots of the tatty ones got bought by boys coming out of Novas and they got crashed very quickly because you have to know how to drive a mid-engine short wheelbase car a bit differently and they didn't.
No-one will sell you an immaculate S1 for 8k unless they are an idiot.
kambites said:
Nor does my S2. It is slightly annoying sometimes.
I've always found the Elise to be a decidedly poor track car in standard form - it's much too soft. Doesn't take much to turn it into a fairly decent one, but the track really isn't its natural home, IMO.
I think the S2 was set up more for understeer than the S1 was. Then again, mine has LSS and a non-standard geometry applied by a workshop that used to set up some of the Elise racecars, so I can't comment on standard cars on track. I have seen plenty going quickly enough and looking fun enough though!I've always found the Elise to be a decidedly poor track car in standard form - it's much too soft. Doesn't take much to turn it into a fairly decent one, but the track really isn't its natural home, IMO.
zebedee said:
I think the S2 was set up more for understeer than the S1 was. Then again, mine has LSS and a non-standard geometry applied by a workshop that used to set up some of the Elise racecars, so I can't comment on standard cars on track. I have seen plenty going quickly enough and looking fun enough though!
I don't think anyone runs standard geometry any more. Lotus' tolerances for the "standard" geo were laughably wide anyway; they all handled completely differently out of the factory. 
Mark-C said:
Denver09 said:
I was looking at buying on of these and was amazed at the prices for S1 cars. Totally put me off - an immaculate S1 is not worth more than 7-8k IMHO
Good old fashioned supply and demand would beg to differ with you ....
kambites said:
Denver09 said:
True, but value is in the eye of the beholder. I don't think they are value for money at that price point when you can get a 996 convertible for similar money
I'd have thought most people who'd want an Elise wouldn't want a 911 and vice versa. I suppose that is true. I think if i were to spend that sort of money on car such as that I'd probably go for a VX220 Turbo. Yes it's a Vauxhall but I'm not a badge snob so it wouldn't bother me too much.
kambites said:
I'd have thought most people who'd want an Elise wouldn't want a 911 and vice versa.
Denver09 said:
I suppose that is true. I think if i were to spend that sort of money on car such as that I'd probably go for a VX220 Turbo. Yes it's a Vauxhall but I'm not a badge snob so it wouldn't bother me too much.
Unfortunately it also has a turbo. The N/A VX220 is a much nicer car, IMO (and probably what I'd buy if I had 9k to spend on a daily driver). kambites said:
I'd have thought most people who'd want an Elise wouldn't want a 911 and vice versa.
LewisR said:
I used to like these cars until I owned one for 2 1/2 years ('02 S2). After 9 months, the novelty wore off. Was glad to get rid of it in the end. Too noisy, too crashy, too water-leaky, too heaters-don't-work-well-y. Not THAT fast really; took it Germany twice where it was positively outrun by diesel Passat estates and needed ear plugs too.
I'm not going to be the only one here thinking you really missed the point. "not that fast" I don't think many Elise owners ever bought one because it was fast...handling yes. Heater, noise... you definitely should have gone Passat in the first place.Denver09 said:
kambites said:
Unfortunately it also has a turbo. The N/A VX220 is a much nicer car, IMO (and probably what I'd buy if I had 9k to spend on a daily driver).
I must admit I haven't driven either but from what I hear the Turbo is insane. Probably a bit much to live with as a daily..It was the VX220 turbo that initially triggered my general hatred of the turbocharger.
kambites said:
Denver09 said:
kambites said:
Unfortunately it also has a turbo. The N/A VX220 is a much nicer car, IMO (and probably what I'd buy if I had 9k to spend on a daily driver).
I must admit I haven't driven either but from what I hear the Turbo is insane. Probably a bit much to live with as a daily..It was the VX220 turbo that initially triggered my general hatred of the turbocharger.
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