RE: Lotus Elise Sport 135 PH Fleet
Discussion
Keep it. You bought it knowing both its strengths and its limitations, so stick to them. Deep down you know its one of those cars that's lovingly snuggled away in a garage when not in use, waiting for that perfect summer's day (expect for it not to be used for a dank day, even in May!) you own a 'proper' Lotus and you'll never own another like it if you sell up...and as you say, its not depreciating. The reason you drive the Vito is because one of your other cars is an Elise! Don't sully that feeling by buying something you'll drive every day and end up getting bored of.
Embrace that two-seater feeling whilst you still can!
Embrace that two-seater feeling whilst you still can!
Do not sell.
I had a 135 from 2000 until 2008. It was the longest that I'd ever owned a car.
I sold it, craving more power, to buy a Europa S, then a Cayman. Both were wonderful cars, but neither connected like that S1. I wish I'd never sold it.
W162SNT. If you are out there, I still think of you
I had a 135 from 2000 until 2008. It was the longest that I'd ever owned a car.
I sold it, craving more power, to buy a Europa S, then a Cayman. Both were wonderful cars, but neither connected like that S1. I wish I'd never sold it.
W162SNT. If you are out there, I still think of you
I've had my Elise S1 111S for nearly eleven years. For ten of those it was my every day car. I've since seen sense (offspring) and bought a 330D Touring. Even though my Elise only gets used once a month now, I could never bring myself to sell it. It's not worth enough to my back pocket to justify the loss (actual and emotional) and is still the perfect tool for a track day or a sunny blast down some lanes. I plan to still have it in another 10 years and more, so easing off on the mileage (currently circa 80k) means it should last a bit longer too.
The moral of the story is that you don't know what you have until it's gone. My BMW is almost as quick, more comfortable and I can fit a daughter and dog in there at the same time. However, when I drop into the driver's seat of my old faithful Elise, it's like coming home. Nothing compares to the feeling of driving them, so sell in haste and repent at leisure!
The moral of the story is that you don't know what you have until it's gone. My BMW is almost as quick, more comfortable and I can fit a daughter and dog in there at the same time. However, when I drop into the driver's seat of my old faithful Elise, it's like coming home. Nothing compares to the feeling of driving them, so sell in haste and repent at leisure!
CliveM said:
Might a 996 be the (unlikely) answer?
Same price as the Elise, invest in a roof rack for the bike.
I accept the running costs will be more, although that's kind of the price you pay to actually use a car.
<-- this Same price as the Elise, invest in a roof rack for the bike.
I accept the running costs will be more, although that's kind of the price you pay to actually use a car.
It's what I did (Impreza wagon to 996 with roof bars) and not regretted it for a second. Running costs, fingers crossed, will be less than the depreciation on a Megane 250 and you get a 996!
I swapped an Elise for a Cayman and never looked back. They're only expensive to run if you insist on keeping the warranty and taking it to OPCs for servicing. Specialists are usually way cheaper and on the whole it costs around half of what it did to run my Impreza.
FWIW it can take a roof rack for the bikes and has loads of storage for other bits and pieces.
FWIW it can take a roof rack for the bikes and has loads of storage for other bits and pieces.
Fantuzzi said:
deltashad said:
You've fallen out of love. Don't deny the inevitable. Let her go to someone who appreciates her.
Could it be this, that the elise isnt special enough for it to lure you waay from the bike/Not that Im saying the elise inst special, more that you have got bored of it.
Cant believe you're thinking this.
As a voice of experience - owned a beautiful S1 Elise about 10 years ago, then sold it, regretted every minute.....thinking what have I done as she rolled off the driveway in the hands of her new owner.
From that day for the following 9 years I looked on Pistonheads pretty much every day, just thinking......should I shouldn't I......the answer was always Yes, I should, but at the time it wasn't practical
Tried to fill the gap with other sports cars, E92 M3 being one of them....but nothing really cut it from a thrills perspective, connectivity, exclusivity, value for money....
So last year I sold the M3 (awesome car, but with 410bhp on UK roads, where are you really going to be able to get the most out of that???).
In its place I bought 2 vehicles (for the price of the M3)......a beautiful Black Elise Sport 160 with just 17,000 miles on it.... and a uber practical go anywhere do anything vehicle.....a Landrover Defender 90 (Twisted lookalike)!
Both awesome cars in their own right. The Defender is usually full of bikes, mates on the way to the pub, garden rubbish or full of shopping..... The Elise has been kept wax'd up in the garage ready for the long summer days....and the pilgrimage to Le Mans this year....
The beauty of the Defender is that, after 2 - 3 days of driving it....when stepping into the Elise....it feels like a ultra sensitive, fully connected racer!
After 10 years of pondering the ultimate combo for 30k, I think i have cracked it. Especially since they're both solid on residuals.....and should yield me 30k, if not more in a few years....that is if I ever sell them!
As a voice of experience - owned a beautiful S1 Elise about 10 years ago, then sold it, regretted every minute.....thinking what have I done as she rolled off the driveway in the hands of her new owner.
From that day for the following 9 years I looked on Pistonheads pretty much every day, just thinking......should I shouldn't I......the answer was always Yes, I should, but at the time it wasn't practical
Tried to fill the gap with other sports cars, E92 M3 being one of them....but nothing really cut it from a thrills perspective, connectivity, exclusivity, value for money....
So last year I sold the M3 (awesome car, but with 410bhp on UK roads, where are you really going to be able to get the most out of that???).
In its place I bought 2 vehicles (for the price of the M3)......a beautiful Black Elise Sport 160 with just 17,000 miles on it.... and a uber practical go anywhere do anything vehicle.....a Landrover Defender 90 (Twisted lookalike)!
Both awesome cars in their own right. The Defender is usually full of bikes, mates on the way to the pub, garden rubbish or full of shopping..... The Elise has been kept wax'd up in the garage ready for the long summer days....and the pilgrimage to Le Mans this year....
The beauty of the Defender is that, after 2 - 3 days of driving it....when stepping into the Elise....it feels like a ultra sensitive, fully connected racer!
After 10 years of pondering the ultimate combo for 30k, I think i have cracked it. Especially since they're both solid on residuals.....and should yield me 30k, if not more in a few years....that is if I ever sell them!
Get an Alpina D3 Touring - I put my mountain bike in the back of mine regularly with ease and it has fantastic driver involvement, rear wheel drive and handles like an estate has no right to with a light and nimble feeling that reminds me of my previous load lugger (an M5 Touring E34) that swallowed up bikes but that was a wee bit expensive to run. My Alpina is a bit too good to the point that now my Integrale is being neglected like your Elise 
But it will be getting used as intended this year
But it will be getting used as intended this year 
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