Friday 10th May 2013

Lotus Elise Sport 135: PH Fleet

Danny gets to drive great roads for his day job, just never with the Elise - should he sell?

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Don't get me wrong; I love my Elise. But it's time to face facts. I'm not using it enough, and it's getting to the point where it's difficult to justify ownership of something so lovely when it just sits there idle all the time.

Lots of trouble? Actually, none whatsoever

The last time I drove it was to get its MOT at the beginning of March. It was a trip of mixed emotions. On the one hand the Elise passed its health check with flying colours. Not even an advisory to blemish the ticket. And this was a day when the VOSA inspectors were paying a visit. But on the way home came the sickening realisation that another great local road had been claimed by the slow creep of the 40mph zone that seems to be spreading virus-like across our rural roads. It's the same indiscriminate NSL cull that took out one of my favourite stretches of Surrey tarmac at the end of last year.

I digress, however, and back to the elephant in the room; my neglected Elise. The problem is, I just don't have time to drive it. Because it's such an impractical device, such a pure indulgence, for me at least, there is no excuse to drive it, other than to drive it. And when those opportunities arise, I'm always reaching for my bike rather than the keys to the Elise. It leaves me guilt-ridden, particularly when I go into the shed to get my bike and see the Lotus calendar hanging on the wall.

It's ready to go, just not getting used

The irony is I get plenty of chance to drive the UK's best roads. My day job takes me to many of Britain's best mountain biking destinations, places that coincidentally boast its most enjoyable stretches of tarmac. But these trips are usually experienced from the driving seat of a Mercedes Vito; something nice and practical that swallows bikes, cameras and kit bags. Much as I would love to take the Elise on a few of these trips every year, it's simply not an option.

Something with a boot, or even a proper roof, on the other hand would open up the possibilities immensely. So I've been trawling the classifieds trying to come up with something that might fit the bill. My list of requirements is not long, but the resulting list of options is depressingly short: fun, affordable to run, preferably rear-wheel drive, room to carry a bike, preferably in the boot. Given these criteria, a Toyota GT86 or Subaru BRZ would be the obvious solution. I even took a GT86 for a spin, and although it wasn't love at first drive, I could see myself falling for it over time. But at £20K for the cheapest secondhand model they're way over budget unless I go the finance route.

A pity the Merc van is getting more miles

Mention the Toyobaru to anyone in the know and in the next breath you will probably hear the word Cayman. With used values now less than £15K there's no doubt it's the best value Porker around, but fitting a bike inside would be a game of Tetris that could well become tiresome. In addition, and more critically, while it's relatively affordable to buy, I can see the cost of ownership being a different matter.

Of course there are many other options, but nothing sticks out like the Cayman or Toyobaru. In fact, the next most appealing alternative would probably be to go back to something hatchback-shaped. Something from the Renaultsport back catalogue, perhaps a Clio 200 or Megane R26.

It's at this point that my train of thought comes full circle and the other half of me begins pointing out that I'd be mad to get rid of it. After all, it isn't depreciating and it's a lovely example of the S1's most acclaimed editions. So, keep it or flog it and move on?

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Fact sheet
Car: 1998 Lotus Elise Sport 135
Run by: Danny Milner
Bought: October 2010
Purchase price: £9,500
This month at a glance: Breezes through MOT, but faces the uncomfortable truth that it might not be compatible with current lifestyle.

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Previous reports
A cry of alarm from the Lotus - just drive me!
To Goodwood in the Elise
Why is the Elise slower on its new suspension then?
Nitron suspension upgrade for Danny's Elise

[Gadgeroonie]

Keep the elise - but book some track days in it !

you will not feel guilty when it comes out to play

go get a landrover Disco and put your bikes in the boot - you can do some green laning when you find time !

[McSam]

Yep, I would say track days are the answer to this one. A definite, booked time that you're gonna take it and drive it as it was intended and the side-effect is that you're probably gonna be a lot more likely to use it other times too, once you get hooked again..

[MikeyBoy2000]

Keep it - your money is useless sat in the bank and I would suggest you aren't going to lose any more money on what looks like a lovely example of the one of the best Elises out there.

Trackdays are your church... Go worship!

[gofasterrosssco]

Its almost exactly twice the weight of the Elise, and predictably, a substantially different driving experience, but for a GT / Sportcar thing, a used 350Z offers alot for not alot these days...

Mind you, that bloody rear strut brace may prevent transport of a (fully assembled) bike..!

I'am going through the same thought processes with my VX220 currently - don't use it enough, and can't justify it sitting there, running 2 cars, when I could get one car (to rule them all).

[kis]

z4m Coupe - get a bike in the boot no problems. Can be had for significantly less than 20k and surely more exciting to drive than a gt86.

[kis]

z4m Coupe - get a bike in the boot no problems. Can be had for significantly less than 20k and surely more exciting to drive than a gt86.

[rob.e]

IIRC Henry @ Evo managed to put a bike in the back of a R26.R even with the cage in there..

quick google:
http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/2...

Personally i'd ditch the van and the elise and get a vRS wagon with a few tweaks - not as much fun as an elise but you get to drive it every day and you can throw several bikes in the huge boot or on the roof.

[M@1975]

Know the feeling, my 996 has done 1500 miles since I bought it and its become a very costly lawn ornament since purchase, for driving daily the wife's Panda 100hp gets all the use. May be time for me to sell up.

[Tickle]

Keep it, I sold my Elise for more civilised duties and now have a Clio 200 Cup, the cup is brilliant but just be prepared that when you see an Elise you will have the words "what have I done" going round in your head for the rest of the day! Now youve got me thinking about a 135!

[ES335]

I've been going through precisely the same dilemma but in reverse. I'm a serious biker but having had an Elise for a weekend I'm smitten. The problem is that insuring two cars in Ireland is totally prohibitive and I need a daily driver that will carry the bike. The BMW option is a good one. An E46 or E92 M3 will work well too. However, having owned the latter, its very cotton wool in its responses compared to the Elise. The power is fun if you can live with the fuel consumption and threat to your licence.

[CliveM]

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.

[custardkid]

Dan Milner of Bike Bristol fame???

Z4mc fits an orange sub 5, anything bigger would be a squeeze.
How ever I can vouch that its epic on a 7am sat morning Bristol to snowdonia run! And much faster than the cross country than the satnav suggests!

M3 is the best compromise
However if you are doing lots of miles the fuel is going to kill you... So 330d touring is the sensible option

Custard

[Fantuzzi]

Sell it, some one will drive it every day because they dont have your problems and love it. If youre not using it, not enjoying it, then its rather pointless!

Id say if youre finding youre reaching for your bike rather than the car go for something that fits both bills as a form of transport and fun.

for 20k Id say E92 M3/ RS4 (just seen they are under 20k!) type car, supersaloon with a great engine.

[TravelsVeryRapid]

I will be picking up a Cayman on Tuesday. There is a place for a roof rack that you can fit a bike to.

[herebebeasties]

Why on earth are you putting mountain bikes inside a car?
Bike racks for Elises tend to be pricey and awkward.
Cayman + bike rack, surely?
Or one of these: http://www.seasucker.com/shop/1187/

[molineux1980]

I'll drive it for you :-)

[AyBee]

You can get bike racks for the Elise S1, the S2 less so because of the thickness of the rear clam but you'll be fine

[subaqua]

Dan is worried about the running costs of a Cayman and here we are proposing E92 M3s and RS4s...

TDs are the only place I get to enjoy the Exige these days and transporting the bike for a Sportive in Dorset seems to imply a weekend return on SWT, unless I borrow the OHs mini and leave her to fend for herself.

I feel your pain... but the only way to ease it is to drive the bloody elise! Take a week off in the summer to mess about on the Continent. Go to LM... or a TD at Spa.

[suffolk009]

He should marry it.

[ESOG]

I always forget how clean and timeless the original elise is compared to the newer ones. Its absolutely perfect looking! I don't like the new Elise's, the front is so weak looking.