Elise as a daily ?

[J4CKO]

Going to change my car this year, waiting for a policy to mature so should have about ten grand, maybe a little more and don't really need a practical car as we have a Galaxy as well as mine, so I tried a go in a neighbours Westfield, was epically quick but would drive me mental, though I realise his was track oriented and there are more civilised options, even so, dont think it was for me. I only work seven miles away and cycle most days, car will be for fun, something to use when wife has the Galaxy and I need a car.

I am looking to put the money into a car and get reasonable running costs, decent resale but mainly fun.

S1 Elises seem to have hit about nine grand as a floor price, I am thinking that potentially if I put my money in one the depreciation will be very little if anything.


Any flaws in my logic, pitfalls (headgaskets I am aware of), what is the insurance like (im 40), it cant live in a garage as ours is full of washers and stuff.

[J4CKO]

DeadMeat_UK said:

The key to the choice is thinking about getting in it on a cold wet dark Thursday morning in January with a hangover.

You will likely have to scrape some ice of the windscreen on the inside.
Some water will drip on your leg as you drive along.
You'll feel every bump, and hear every tappet in your thrumming head.
You won't be able to see past the car in front in the slow moving traffic, the dirty spray will all seem to land on your windscreen.

If putting up with that, in turn for those good moments (which are often) when you can throw it round a roundabout, and the smile returns.
Or the joy of winter roof down days when everyone else is trapped in a dull metal box with screaming brats.

I did, for 3 years.

Alternative is to don Lycra, a big yellow coat, helmet, wooly hat, ski gloves, silly shoes that attach to pedals, climb aboard a vehicle with no suspension, a seat designed solely to go up your bum, deal with wind, rain, potholes, snow, ice and Range Rover Sports

We have a 67 Fiat 500 and I would imagine any pain a modern-ish Lotus could inflict would pale into insignificance compared to that thing and I have manged to commute in it.


Its a while off, just need to know whether to consider it, i.e. research wise for later in the year, and to work on the missus to convince her a 2 seater sports car is a good idea, we have 3 kids but the times we all go anywhere in my car is minimal but its for the times when we need say three seats, people manage with 1 car so I think we could probably do it with 1 3/4 (Lotus = 1/2, Fiat 1/4)

[J4CKO]

When I say "Daily Driver", I really mean, my main car but I have only done 9000 miles in three and a half years in my current car due to the proximity of work and cycling.

I do my own spannering mostly, suspension and brakes, servicing, my last involvement with a Kseries VVC was in my Rover 200 BRM which had HGF, should put me off but it was a great engine in the relatively (in comparison) heavy BRM.

I think the Elise will potentially go up in value
as fuel continues to skyrocket, people still want a fun drive but ultimate straight line speed will take a back seat for handling and being a bit special with reasonable fuel economy, I am thinking decent S1's wont drop this year as potentially a lot of people will have the same idea as me, leaving a lot of other, thirstier stuff depreciating a lot more so I reckon its a fairly safe place to put some cash compared to say a Focus ST or similar which would normally be on my list.

[J4CKO]

slipstream 1985 said:

J4CKO said:

it cant live in a garage as ours is full of washers and stuff.

garages are for cars not household appliances and turning into bedrooms!

why not an s2? better looking (imo)

I would agree, but domestic realities take precedence, most modern cars can live outdoors but I am not aware of a Fridge Freezer, Washing Machine or Dryer that is safe to operate al-fresco. In fact, most modern cars have to live outdoors as most garages will accomodate the car but not let you open the doors, ours is 1930's and everything then was sit up and Beg, nowadays its down to the fact very few people put their cars in their garages and generally they dont fit much above a supermini comfortably anyway.

The 500 lives at her mums farm in a barn, tucked up all cosy with the kids Metro field car, the Fiat hibernates all wintre there and then comes back in April, the winter would kill it being made of Italian vintage steel.

Am I right in think the Elise is fairly simple in terms of suspension and brakes, in terms of replacement if not setup ?

Doesnt have to be an S1, was just thinking thats was more what my budget runs to, potentially could go a little higher if I convince myself the depreciation is going to be reasonably light, have lost perhaps six grand (nine when I got it, worth three, perhaps a bit more now) on my Saab in three and a bit years, would hope that it would be nearer a grand a year or less.

Not ruling out the VX either.

[J4CKO]

One thing that concerns me is the whole getting in and out thing, I am just over 6ft and about sixteen stone, big shoulders, big legs (cycling for you) and a bit of belly, not the most flexible individual either, I guess its a knack and I know taller people than me use them as a guy I worked with who was 6ft 7 had one !

Is the VX a bit easier to get in and out,

Basically I want to be left alone with one to practice

[J4CKO]

Mentioned to the missus, she likes them but considers them a girls car !