How the hell are you supposed to look cool owning an elise?
How the hell are you supposed to look cool owning an elise?
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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

85 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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My first post in this forum....

I went to look at an Elise today, as a wild card in my car-hunt, and I must admit, it struck a cord and it's moved up the list a little. Great looking cars, with the performance to match, but how are you supposed to look good?

Let me explain.... 6'1 17 and a half stone rugby player + wide sill + low door = comedy

Is there a technique to getting in the bloody things without looking like an elephant trying to get into a fridge??
Once in (eventually) there was quite a lot of room in the cabin, but I'd imagine you wouldn't want to pull up outside a bar on a summer evening and try and get out. I think if I end up owning one, I'd park around the corner, squeeze my fat ass out of it, and appear 10 minutes later!

Any tips?

kevin ritson

3,423 posts

258 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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Piece of p*ss at 6'3", would play Rugby but would have to like it first (it's a cruel irony that all the race drivers are 5'0"...)

Just pretend you're climbing out of a GT car during Le Mans

shangani

3,069 posts

268 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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S1 or S2? The S2's are a lot easier as the sill is 5cm lower.

lawrence5

1,254 posts

266 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
quotequote all
Left leg in, bum on sill, slide bum into seat, left leg up into your chest and swing in. Windscreen surround is non structual so DO NOT LEAN ON IT !


When I worked for Lotus I never got the elise - thought people looked squashed and silly. Then once I went for a spin I reached for my cheque book. You'll forget about posing and remember what driving pleasure is.... only people I've found impressed are 14yr old girls and 5 year old boys


S2 is easier than S1 for entry....

twpbugger

301 posts

254 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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Mac GT said:

Once in (eventually) there was quite a lot of room in the cabin, but I'd imagine you wouldn't want to pull up outside a bar on a summer evening and try and get out.



Be careful what you say on this forum about using ure lotus to pull and look cool in a pub. I said this was my intention when i was considering a lotus, and took a grilling.

Just be careful how you put ure questions across on the forum.

as to gettin in and out, i have a s1 exige and does get easier with practice


shangani

3,069 posts

268 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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Yeh but he's 6'1" and weighs 17 stone and probably noone will want to piss him off. As the comment that came later stated, elises really impress boys between the age of 5 and 10 and 14 year old schoolgirls. Not really what I hope anyone here is aspiring to. On the other hand there was a great pic on here a while back entitled "proof that an elise attracts p*ssy". Had me interested until I found out it was a pic of someones cat asleep on the softtop!

shnozz

30,676 posts

302 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
quotequote all
twpbugger said:
Mac GT said:

Once in (eventually) there was quite a lot of room in the cabin, but I'd imagine you wouldn't want to pull up outside a bar on a summer evening and try and get out.



Be careful what you say on this forum about using ure lotus to pull and look cool in a pub. I said this was my intention when i was considering a lotus, and took a grilling.


You pointed it out before I posted. I bought the car to drive, not look cool in. I don't really get this pulling thing using a car to help out I must say. Any night I am out on the sniff I am never driving anyway!

Back to the original post...I am 6'3" and 15 stone. Easy. Leave roof off, feet onto seats (usually have to wear dainty gayboy shoes with the pedals so close together anyway), drop down. Jobs a carrot.

uldis

251 posts

266 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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I'm 6'2" and 16st, athletic build.
No problem with the leg-bum-leg technique described above.

You just need to work on that flexibility. There is a point were basically your nose is touching your right knee. And I have an Exige S1 (tallest sill, fixed hard top).

A bit more difficult whith a suit, coat and laptop, but it all can be done

The very fact of mastering a smooth in-out will make you look cool (to other trackday enthusiasts who wouldn't give a toss anyway)

chouca

102 posts

279 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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snap off steering wheel will help a lot...

Marki

15,763 posts

301 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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Fatty

philygumbo

1,500 posts

280 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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What is the problem? Don't tell me you left the roof on, thats just for poofs.
Without the roof you just walk in and sit down, then stand up and get out.

156er

4,291 posts

260 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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lawrence5 said:
Left leg in, bum on sill, slide bum into seat, left leg up into your chest and swing in. Windscreen surround is non structual so DO NOT LEAN ON IT !


Erm, does yur right leg just drag along in the road????

cej

961 posts

253 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
quotequote all
156er said:
lawrence5 said:
Left leg in, bum on sill, slide bum into seat, left leg up into your chest and swing in. Windscreen surround is non structual so DO NOT LEAN ON IT !


Erm, does yur right leg just drag along in the road????


Janitor

2,372 posts

250 months

Saturday 25th February 2006
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On a sadder note... the fella that wrote 'The Hokey Cokey' died earlier in the week. It took them ages to get him in the coffin apparently

Someone said "You put the left leg in..." and that's where the f*@kin fun started!

lawrence5

1,254 posts

266 months

Sunday 26th February 2006
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cej said:
156er said:
lawrence5 said:
Left leg in, bum on sill, slide bum into seat, left leg up into your chest and swing in. Windscreen surround is non structual so DO NOT LEAN ON IT !


Erm, does yur right leg just drag along in the road????




Oi - I have no right leg only two left ones.... well I dance like that anyway !

gooby

9,269 posts

265 months

Sunday 26th February 2006
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Getting in and out is not that important. I look like spam being forced out of can when I get out. Get in, drive hard, smile loads. Job Done.

There is sod all point in "pulling" in you Elise. Where would you do it? No way in the car and on the bodywork you will crack a clam. Girls do swoon though!!

They are good for one thing and very good at that one thing - driving.


For a fast exit, ask Shangani. He thought it was on fire. You have never seen a car exited so fast.

shangani

3,069 posts

268 months

Sunday 26th February 2006
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At least it wasn't as bad as the vx in front of us at Silverstone, which actually was on fire! At least it went out. Ignorance is bliss.

J1mmyD

1,823 posts

250 months

Sunday 26th February 2006
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I'm having a discussion with my fiancee's Dad about cars right now and the Elise has ended up pretty high on the list for a new toy - ie. cheap and fun way to shoot into the office and back. That said, I'm 6'4" and I noticed those sills when we were going through all the photos.

Now, a little twist on things is that this car would be for use in New York. The Lotus dealer is showing all the current Elises with 16" front and 17" rear wheels. Is this standard over here?

And one last question - what would you insist on having fitted in the way of options, and what isn't worth having?

Lotus/beemer/maz

547 posts

249 months

Sunday 26th February 2006
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To macgt:what else is on your list of possibles because if the elise was the outsider?

beachbum

2,610 posts

262 months

Sunday 26th February 2006
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I am 6'4" and after a couple of goes, its not issue what ever. You just end up with a style of your own, very rarely is it graceful and its usually an effort, having said that a 5 min drive makes up for any issues you might have with the car.

I bought a brand new 111R, and had no extras fitted except metalic paint. Was the first ever 111R ordered that way, I know this because Lotus rang the dealer, who then rang me, to check there hadnt been a mistake.
All the extras to my mind just add weight, as much as 60Kgs for the touring pack, the only thing in that Pack I was considering were the driving lights, which are easy enough to have installed later. So the answer to what I would insist on having is "Nothing" for an Elise. In an Exige, seriously think of having AC and take the 15Kg hit

>> Edited by beachbum on Sunday 26th February 18:40