Thinking of buying a Lotus Elise. Anyone have/had one?

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JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,578
982
126
Just looking back through the pics I took of the Elise I rented...:'(

siderear.jpg

rear1.jpg

interior.jpg
 
DivideBYZero

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
2
0
Sweet colour combo. A guy at work has a black one, just like the one you rented. Not a viable DD for me though.
 
Fritzo

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
OK, after some soul searching and the desire to be able to drive around with my wife in my new toy, I'm starting to waiver on the Elise dream. Now I'm thinking more of a Saturn Sky Redline. Same price range, lot easier to get into, and it still looks cool with the proper treatments.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Fritzo said:
OK, after some soul searching and the desire to be able to drive around with my wife in my new toy, I'm starting to waiver on the Elise dream. Now I'm thinking more of a Saturn Sky Redline. Same price range, lot easier to get into, and it still looks cool with the proper treatments.
Click to expand...

There was a Solstice GXP (very similar, I think) that did very well at the last autox I went to...it and an Elise were the fastest cars there.
 
Fritzo

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
jlee said:
There was a Solstice GXP (very similar, I think) that did very well at the last autox I went to...it and an Elise were the fastest cars there.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they're nearly the same car, but the Solstice is a little more "girly" looking. From what I'm reading they both use a lot of Corvette chasis tech in their design.

The fact that they had a limited run means they'll be collectable too :)
 
J

JCH13

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2010
4,981
66
91
A Solstice GXP or Sky Redline would be an awesome collectible sport car.

You had mentioned Miatas before, and with $25k you could buy a used NB (1999-2005) Miata and outfit it with a Flyin' Miata Turbo kit, good for 265whp, and have enough cash left over for a new suspension and then some.
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,578
982
126
Fritzo said:
OK, after some soul searching and the desire to be able to drive around with my wife in my new toy, I'm starting to waiver on the Elise dream. Now I'm thinking more of a Saturn Sky Redline. Same price range, lot easier to get into, and it still looks cool with the proper treatments.
Click to expand...

I drove around with my wife all day on a Saturday. We took the top off and went out to brunch along the coast and then did some shopping in La Costa afterward. The Elise was perfect for that duty and we looked great in it too! It's the kind of car that draws oohs and ahhs when you pull up and get out of it.
 
Fritzo

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
JulesMaximus said:
I drove around with my wife all day on a Saturday. We took the top off and went out to brunch along the coast and then did some shopping in La Costa afterward. The Elise was perfect for that duty and we looked great in it too! It's the kind of car that draws oohs and ahhs when you pull up and get out of it.
Click to expand...

Mostly from the passengers :D "Ooooooh Ahhh! My Back!!!! AgghhH!!!"

I'm 6'4" 220lbs, and my wife is on the "portly" side. Wouldn't be a good fit unless they've widened a bit since 3 years ago.
 
JulesMaximus

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,578
982
126
Fritzo said:
Mostly from the passengers :D "Ooooooh Ahhh! My Back!!!! AgghhH!!!"

I'm 6'4" 220lbs, and my wife is on the "portly" side. Wouldn't be a good fit unless they've widened a bit since 3 years ago.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my wife is 5'4" and 125lbs, I'm 5'11" and around 190lbs so we fit in it quite nicely.

The seats aren't really uncomfortable but after an hour or two they can become so. Hell, I ride a motorcycle so an Elise would be a bloody luxury compared to that. :)
 
PricklyPete

PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,582
162
106
JulesMaximus said:
I wouldn't take a Camry to 150mph unless someone had a gun to my head. I have driven a Lotus Elise up to 120mph though and would have no problem pushing it a lot further...it felt that good.
Click to expand...

Several people have taken their Camry's to 150...just not on purpose.
 
T

thegimp03

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2004
7,420
2
81
My friend had a green one that he had bought new a few years back. He sold it recently and bought a Noble....
 
StageLeft

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
0
Fritzo said:
OK, after some soul searching and the desire to be able to drive around with my wife in my new toy, I'm starting to waiver on the Elise dream. Now I'm thinking more of a Saturn Sky Redline. Same price range, lot easier to get into, and it still looks cool with the proper treatments.
Click to expand...
Don't go and do that.

I was in a Mazda dealership today and with the 2011 almost here the 2010 are being given away. For a base model + convenience package (cruise, power locks) it was $19,999 out the door before even trying to negotiate (granted, I think this price was close to as low as they can go), but $20k will buy a new miata, which is universally considered the best roadster in this price range (except not nearly as ghey as the saturn, granted!).
 
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