Your thoughts on this car please?
Your thoughts on this car please?
Author
Discussion

Scylla

Original Poster:

5 posts

254 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
Hi all

I hope you'll be able to give me your thoughts on a secondhand Elise I'm planning to buy. It's a 2001 Y reg sports tourer with 27000 miles for £16495. There are pictures of it here if you have a minute: http://www.carpages.co.uk/go.asp?session=5@4@68565@617085@500

I'm very excited at the prospect of getting it, but would like to know if it's a realistic day-to-day car... it'll be used for commuting 5 miles to work, then mainly on the weekends.

Are they reliable at this age or am I about to fall into a money pit?

Any thoughts at all would be appreciated.

Cheers

boggy

4,603 posts

265 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
Hi,

I've got an 02 Yellow 111S for the same money 20,000 Mls I'm selling it for a mate of mine

Boggy

nightmare

5,279 posts

314 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
Well i have a 2001 Y reg racetech....done 31000 miles.

I've had it from new....commute in it when Im here...and done about 7/7K of those miles on track. In four years the car has needed

1 x set brake discs
2 x front pads
1 x rear pads
1 x geo set-up
1 x battery (I changed this cos the standard one sucks and you can get a 500amp one for about 35 quid)

total cost : £1,200 ish (very ish)

it routinely gets between 28 and 38mpg and i drive it sensibly but quite fast. insurance is £650 a year...31, full NCB, no points

It's easily the most reliable and cheapest car I have ever owned or run (and not just compared to my other exotics - also includes a G reg Citroen AX!)

so...go for it!!!

Night

bogie

17,100 posts

302 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
yes - reliable - its only just run in

Id get a push bike for a 5 mile commute - the engine wont even warm up !

used mine daily 60K miles in 2 years - 150 mile a day commute at one point...no probs

combover

3,009 posts

257 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
I was going to suggest getting a push bike for work, that way you can use the car more for fun than putting needless commuting miles on it too!
Just a thought but it might be worth considering with insurance and all.

Combover

DJ111S

30,324 posts

257 months

Thursday 25th August 2005
quotequote all
Scylla said:
Hi all

I hope you'll be able to give me your thoughts on a secondhand Elise I'm planning to buy. It's a 2001 Y reg sports tourer with 27000 miles for £16495.
Cheers


Too expensive IMO

boggy

4,603 posts

265 months

Friday 26th August 2005
quotequote all
DJ111S said:


Scylla said:
Hi all

I hope you'll be able to give me your thoughts on a secondhand Elise I'm planning to buy. It's a 2001 Y reg sports tourer with 27000 miles for £16495.
Cheers




Too expensive IMO



Agree,

take a look at this

www.pistonheads.com/sales/43376.htm

Boggy

>> Edited by boggy on Friday 26th August 08:29

Phill_1981

60 posts

272 months

Friday 26th August 2005
quotequote all
yes guys keep pushing those prices down

Scylla

Original Poster:

5 posts

254 months

Friday 26th August 2005
quotequote all
Many thanks for the replies everyone, appreciated.

Unfortunately I have a year old Mini Cooper to trade in as part of any deal, so buying privately wouldn't really be my preference. I'm trying to get the dealer to do some figure-juggling..

btw if you're interested, Subaru are falling over themselves to sell me an Impreza WRX with free Power Pack... they've just rang back to offer to pay the £2000 deposit... guess they're desperate to get rid of the old stock before the new model comes in in October.

Anyway I'm off to road test the Elise in an hour... nice sunny day too!

Cheers

Scylla

combover

3,009 posts

257 months

Saturday 27th August 2005
quotequote all
Scylla said:
Many thanks for the replies everyone, appreciated.

Unfortunately I have a year old Mini Cooper to trade in as part of any deal, so buying privately wouldn't really be my preference. I'm trying to get the dealer to do some figure-juggling..

btw if you're interested, Subaru are falling over themselves to sell me an Impreza WRX with free Power Pack... they've just rang back to offer to pay the £2000 deposit... guess they're desperate to get rid of the old stock before the new model comes in in October.

Anyway I'm off to road test the Elise in an hour... nice sunny day too!

Cheers

Scylla


How did the road test go? Made up your mind yet?

james24

522 posts

280 months

Sunday 28th August 2005
quotequote all
That is very expensive! To be honest there's no way I would pay that as I know I wouldn't be getting a good deal.

I recently sold my 52 plate Sports Tourer with short roof, for £15,995 in excellent condition.

Don't do it! Hey it's your money though!

gooby

9,269 posts

264 months

Sunday 28th August 2005
quotequote all
Scylla said:


Impreza WRX with free Power Pack... Scylla




Go on, get the liz, your smile deserves it!

MJK 24

5,679 posts

266 months

Sunday 28th August 2005
quotequote all
Phill_1981 said:
yes guys keep pushing those prices down


We're not pushing prices down, just giving the guy advice that that particular car is way overpriced.

£14k would be more like it for an early S2.

That's 111s money for a basic car that's a year older.

trance-raver

45 posts

254 months

Sunday 28th August 2005
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just buy it mate!!! you will love it.

S Works

10,166 posts

280 months

Monday 29th August 2005
quotequote all
Hold your horses until you sell the Mini - you'll be paying over the odds otherwise.

The private market is WAY better, you'll get a bigger bang for your bucks. Don't rush in, do your research and get the car you want at the best price possible. Whatever you do, get it checked over by a bona fide Lotus specialist before you buy. AA/RAC checks don't cut it for these badboys.

Scylla

Original Poster:

5 posts

254 months

Monday 29th August 2005
quotequote all
Hi again

I wanted to say thanks for all the replies, your thoughts were much appreciated.

I tested the Elise and was blown away by the handling, pace, panache, sheer grin-inducing excitement of it - all these things you as owners already know about - but I've had to pass on the idea. I just couldn't live with it as an everyday car, as much as I loved it.

I'm normally very impulsive, and am quite surprised at my own restraint, but in my heart of hearts I knew it wasn't right. It wasn't an easy decision: I'm feeling a pang of regret even as I write this, and one day if I ever become wealthy enough to own a second car, it will be mine.

On a positive note it's made me appreciate my Mini Cooper that much more... it's still a truly great driver's car, and you don't have to fold yourself double to get in.

Take care

Scylla

Davey S1

13,394 posts

284 months

Monday 29th August 2005
quotequote all
Good luck

Sirlaughalot

32 posts

275 months

Monday 29th August 2005
quotequote all
Phill_1981 said:
yes guys keep pushing those prices down



As an owner (S1 only I affraid) I cannot agree. Keep prices up! Its my cash on the line now.

Scylla

Original Poster:

5 posts

254 months

Monday 29th August 2005
quotequote all
Very funny Davey

>> Edited by Scylla on Monday 29th August 23:42

Scylla

Original Poster:

5 posts

254 months

Monday 29th August 2005
quotequote all
Funnily enough, my mate who's an Exige owner (member here too) also said you had to be a hairdresser or an estate agent to drive a Mini.

Must be some sort of penis thing.