Exige - as an every day car.

[stevenandalex]

I am planning for the future really and i thought if i start now i can be certain about what lotus i will have in the future. As the title says really is an exige a car i could use daily or would i be better off with an elise. I donot want to upset anybody - but i really don't like the europa, i would rather buy an older vx220 which in my mind is a far better car anyway. Your thoughts would be valued.
Steve.

[Loudman]

I use my '03 Elise 111s everyday, it gives the impression of total reliability and robustness, its economical and quick (although I don't think I'd want anything less powerful than the 111s and I've heard that the R is less torquey, which might feel weak at low revs) - the soft roof leaks a bit but my hardtop doesn't so I can't see that being a prob an exige.
only real issues
1. access (especially if you park in a garage)
2. luggage space, which is just OK in an Elise - 2 people for a long weekend, with tent is OK, dont know about Exige.
3. Roof system - its too fiddly to be bothered with for less than a 10 min journey
I think with benefit of hindsight (and now knowing that you can take top off exige) I'd have certainly given one serious consideration.

[bogie]

to me, the main downsides to an Exige everyday, are the rear visibility and the tyres that it comes with

So you may as well have a 111R or Elise SC ...or even a Europa for a daily drive

[Mr Fix It]

Not very practical, esp if you have an exige s with the intercooler completely blocking the rear view, or a cup car with the acusump so the boot space is dramatically reduced.

You get use to the lack of rear view.

[Alexbturbo]

Been using my Exige S as a daily driver to commute to work - never had any probs - tbh you get used to the lack of rear view after a week - interior in both sports & touring packs is easy to live with everyday & if like me you dont take much to work with you just put it in the passenger footwell or seat rather than using the bootspace

[nsm3]

Me too, daily driver and I just strap my rucksack into the passenger seat.

Can brighten up a stty day at work having a hoon back along the country lanes

[bogie]

lets face it - people have been asking the same question for years...about daily use in an Elise/Exige etc and get the same answers

I did use my Elise for 60K miles in 2.5 years every day...some days I would do 300-400 miles in it for business and I managed just fine, in all weathers.

There are others that do the same in all derivatives. Its only relatively small things that either add hassle/discomfort or make it more bearable...the fact that you are using an Elise/Exige daily is unbearable to many so called 'sportscar' owners ...you know, the ones that have their car in the garage, clean and polished, to be driven 3K miles a year in fine weather etc

Cars are meant to be driven after all

I came to the Elise from bikes, via a couple of other cars and to me, it was a luxury just having a roof, heater, and 4 wheels on the ground etc.

If you are coming to it from any modern repmobile it will be pretty stark...although they have got leagues better over the last 10 years - get out of an early S1 after 200 miles etc, compared to a late model 111R or Exige and they are worlds apart.....aircon, comfy probax seats, central locking, lecy windows, sound deadening, ABS, tractions control etc ....my early S2 didnt have any of these and I managed just fine for daily use so you wouldnt have any probs in a later car

SO the best thing to do is just to go and drive the different models and see what suits you, and what you are expecting out of a 'daily driver'. ...you see to some owners, thats just a 5 miles commute, to others, its 200 miles a day doing sales visits in a suit n tie etc and me for one, much prefer the comfort, aircon and convenience of a larger car for doing business in now and any Elise would be a sprint/hillclimb/trackday toy...

horses for courses really - what do you expect to do in the car?

[R.P.M]

bogie said:

lets face it - people have been asking the same question for years...about daily use in an Elise/Exige etc and get the same answers

I did use my Elise for 60K miles in 2.5 years every day...some days I would do 300-400 miles in it for business and I managed just fine, in all weathers.

There are others that do the same in all derivatives. Its only relatively small things that either add hassle/discomfort or make it more bearable...the fact that you are using an Elise/Exige daily is unbearable to many so called 'sportscar' owners ...you know, the ones that have their car in the garage, clean and polished, to be driven 3K miles a year in fine weather etc

Cars are meant to be driven after all

I came to the Elise from bikes, via a couple of other cars and to me, it was a luxury just having a roof, heater, and 4 wheels on the ground etc.

If you are coming to it from any modern repmobile it will be pretty stark...although they have got leagues better over the last 10 years - get out of an early S1 after 200 miles etc, compared to a late model 111R or Exige and they are worlds apart.....aircon, comfy probax seats, central locking, lecy windows, sound deadening, ABS, tractions control etc ....my early S2 didnt have any of these and I managed just fine for daily use so you wouldnt have any probs in a later car

SO the best thing to do is just to go and drive the different models and see what suits you, and what you are expecting out of a 'daily driver'. ...you see to some owners, thats just a 5 miles commute, to others, its 200 miles a day doing sales visits in a suit n tie etc and me for one, much prefer the comfort, aircon and convenience of a larger car for doing business in now and any Elise would be a sprint/hillclimb/trackday toy...

horses for courses really - what do you expect to do in the car?

any plans on replacing your old one yet or is still early days?
Rpm

[SeanyD]

Yes depends what your expectations are for storage

If its
a) The typical briefcase/lunch bag to the office and back every day
b) A smallish shop (handful of carriers) with a passenger, or
c) A largish shop (10+ carriers) without a passenger.
... then you'll be okay.

If its
a) A pasting table, rollers and bucket to work
b) Regular big weekly shops with passenger
c) Flat pack furniture shopping at the weekend.
... then chances are slim to none.

Also depends what other cars you/partner have. We've got a sensible 5 door shopping trolley for when the Elise can't manage.

[bogie]

[/quote]

any plans on replacing your old one yet or is still early days?
Rpm
[/quote]

not yet, Ive just invested the cash for now (had an agreed value on it at £25K).

Im still on regular visits to various consultants and physio at the moment, and I need a couple more operations (that will be 8 this year!), realistically, I wont be walking unaided until xmas ...Im on crutches now, but need more work on my feet to get them right - i smashed them in the accident and broke nearly every bone in them.

So no driving for me until early next year probably...and no rush for another car yet...I have the Vantage of course which is lovely to drive and no hardship

Not that Im not thinking about it all the time...Im in Notts Sports Car club and was supposed to be in their sprint/hillclimb series etc....maybe next year ! ...A 2-eleven is tempting (I did a day in one last year) but I will wait until they are 1-2 years old...or maybe an early S1 S190 ...for sprinting I really need a stock car to be in a competitive class, I will wait and see if Ive still got the bug in a years time, or whether I fancy something completely different...I cant wait to see the Eagle and defo want a new Esprit

<sorry for the thread drift !>

[R.P.M]

bogie said:

.....a lot of very painfull sounding things.....

Glad to hear your on the right road to recovery, albeit a very long one. The news of your accident has made me think twice many a time recently whilst driving, and i'm sure i'm not the only one!

I remember seeing your elise at a lotus club day at donny just after you had the new clams and respray

the fact your still on ph's proves youve still got the bug, but take it easy!

Rpm

ps thread highjack over....sorry.....

[SeanyD]

Bogie - Sorry if its a repost, and understand if you dont want to answer..

... but what actually happened, I know from all the posts wishing you and other half well, and a good recovery etc etc, but no where have I read what actually happened.

All I can work out from the posts I've read is, top bloke, liked by all, accident, hospital, shockwaves through the Loti community, long recovery, now back on PH.

Again - understand if you dont want to answer - fair do's.

Sean.

[bogie]

thanks RPM

I cant really post up details of what has happended as theres still a Police investigation underway. Once its all over I can talk about it...or I should say, what other people have said, as I had a head wound and have lost all memory of the event, well actually a few days before and 3 weeks after it whilst I was in intensive care uncouncious !

[SeanyD]

Sure I understand. Difficult times, so needless to say, again, wishing you all the best and all that.

[bogie]

thanks mate - yeah, a bit of a crappy start to the year for sure...and basically, due to my injuries, a year lost...but im lucky to be here so (so the doctors keep telling me) and I will make the most of it next year !

[stevenandalex]

Thanks all for the replies. I have had a vxt before but lived very close to work. I now life furthur away, but after a recent rack day and having a very practical second car (a vectra est) I now think a lotus would be fine. Most of my drives are on my own with as said above lunch box etc. The car can be garaged at home, but would be left at work for over 12 hours. I need a hard top if i go for an elise 111r. What car is better the 111r or the standard exige without the blower?

[Loudman]

I got my (lotus original, bodycoloured) S2 short roof hardtop from ebay for about £800. Very good with insulated inner to reduce noise, no leaks. Only slight problem is the rear sits a few mm proud of the roll-bar and whistles at high speed (>85), not tried to fiddle with it to fix as the soft top is back on now

[bogie]

stevenandalex said:

Thanks all for the replies. I have had a vxt before but lived very close to work. I now life furthur away, but after a recent rack day and having a very practical second car (a vectra est) I now think a lotus would be fine. Most of my drives are on my own with as said above lunch box etc. The car can be garaged at home, but would be left at work for over 12 hours. I need a hard top if i go for an elise 111r. What car is better the 111r or the standard exige without the blower?

well put it this way - if you buy a 111R, you need a hard top - other than that, its a perfect daily drive for you

if you buy an Exige, you will want a soft top kit, about £1K, then some different wheels n tyres - another £1.5K ish

the main difference between the 2 models these days is just the looks, the suspension, and the wheels n tyres, and which roof that comes as standard

the rest is up to you - do you want a coupe that you can take the roof off?...or a roadster that you can put a hard top on? - either car can have the wheels/suspension/tyres the same - its just what intended use you want for it .......

[S Works]

What bogie said

Best advice is go out and test drive a few examples of each and get a feel for the various options available in your budget. You'll soon figure out which one you prefer. The main differences that I've found (and which I decided against the Exige on) are largely around rear visibility and the general ride (harder than the Elise, and I feel, less resolved).

P.S. bogie - glad to hear the recovery's coming along and you're in good spirits

[bogie]

"P.S. bogie - glad to hear the recovery's coming along and you're in good spirits"

thanks mate..im doing well...a couple more operations before I can walk/drive again, but overall Im doing great...and of course I have plenty of time for the forums