Collection Day Nightmare - 6 mile review

[Cdm2018]

You need to fall in love again ! Take it for a blast tomorrow if weather is ok 

I suspect you will keep looking out of window during the rest of daylight ?

[Rambo]

6 hours ago, jerzybondov said:

Congrats. Hope the drive home went a little better this time?!

It did. It was delivered by flat bed 🤣

[Troyboy]

I've only just read this so I'm late to the party. Thanks for posting. It is important for us to read bad experiences as well as good. The garage sounds like a good company to deal with. I don't think they could have been much fairer. The salesman you dealt with sounds brilliant. Good on him. I'm glad you are happy with the outcome. I would never buy any car without giving it a full inspection first. Especially this type of car. Alls well that ends well.

[mayevora]

Just having my first read of this thread. What an unhappy first experience but hope you are now enjoying it. Reminds me of my first outing a decade ago in my V8 Esprit. After trailering it back in the early hours, I left it on the driveway and went for my first drive next morning (Saturday of a Devon busy Bank Holiday weekend) I live 500 metres from the Dual Carriageway so went up the slip road thinking I’ll stop for fuel at the petrol station 3 miles up the road. I didn’t even make the petrol station. I ran out of fuel (kind of the previous owner to leave less than a thimble) I sat, broken down, in the left lane of a 70mph Duel Carriageway blocking the left  lane completely whilst causing traffic chaos on a Saturday Bank Holiday morning with cars when able to, driving past shouting Tosser!
Traffic Policemen arrived and put cones out to slow traffic, whilst the other Policemen asked why I had decided to drive with no fuel? - New car officer, first drive, done less than 3 miles!! - Simple fix obviously but pretty embarrassed non-the-less.

You will hopefully be pleased to know my also very low mileage 2014 Sports Racer I’ve owned since 2018 has been 100% faultless. Absolutely nothing/zero has broken, worn out or needed mending or fixing. A once a year service has genuinely been my only costs to ownership. This is the cheapest car to actually maintain/own I’ve had the privilege to own in my 55 years.

Hope you now get to enjoy yours. 😊👍
 

[Niffty951]

Time for a 100 mile review Worst thing that ever happened to the Evora was marketing it as a Porsche 911 rival. The 911 in my experience is the most well rounded, accomplished road going sports car the world has ever seen. It is comfortable, practical, spacious, easy to see out of. It can drive in traffic as well as any mass produced car of comparable age, yet it is a purpose built sports car with unquestionable, genuine racing influence and design. In summary it's a road car with genuine racing essence thrown in.

The Evora by contrast is a racing car. Strip away the creature comforts and it's identical to pretty much any purpose built race car. Light weight, independent double wishbones, massively over braked vs any road car, a stiff chassis structure, mid-engine RWD layout and a low centre of gravity. As a consequence it's instantly compromised as a road car. It's hard to get into, hard to see out of, cramped and focused.. but unlike the Elise/Exige it's also got genuine road car essence thrown in. It has nice leather everywhere, soft interior lighting, comfortable heated seats, Air conditioning, cruise control and sound deadening that means you can comfortably hold a conversation at motorway speeds. It even beats the 911 in terms of road comfort over a broken surface. 

They fall somewhere close on the Venn diagram but they are approaching from opposite ends of the spectrum.

So how does it feel. Well, the first drive I took it on, it felt extremely competent. I appreciated the suspension and brakes, but I didn't immediately fall head over heals for the driving experience. The steering is a bit unsettling initially, it grabs at camber changes, tugging and changing weight, which when cornering feels hard to decipher if it's turning more keenly because the rear end is coming into play or just because the front wheels have found a new groove. The gearbox was also uninspiring when cold. I felt it clumsy and unfamiliar. Hard to find the gear I wanted, especially when trying to toe and heel down into 2nd for a bend.

Then later that first day I decided to go out for an extended night drive. Empty roads, I first drove into town to get fuel. Just pooling around I started to feel the magic. At first appreciating the little details they've put in. The interior lights that slowly illuminate when you unlock it, the fact the street lights highlight the letters Lotus on the engine as you drive under them. That view into the air intakes out of the wingmirrors, the fat free response of all the controls.

Then once I'd been driving a while longer and the car and I were warm. I got on the throttle a bit more, made the odd overtake as I came across cars, pitched it into corners with a little more enthusiasm and it felt good, REALLY good. Now the oil was warm I started to feel the pendulum weight of the gear shift and feel through my palm the metallic click home of the gears, you can change quickly when you get it right. The steering made more sense too and the way the car feels so taught and eager for your inputs. Any control you touch it instantly reacts, more immediate than any car I've driven before. It builds your confidence quickly. Speaking of which it's actually pretty quick! Coming from a 600hp turbo nutter monster I don't get impressed much by the way cars accelerate. I'm not suggesting it's a throw you in the seat supercar, but it accelerates with just a pinch more fury than I expected. Possibly a little more than a Cayman S or entry level 3.6 911 of the same era. It's just that little more than you could ever need, right on the fence between an adequate sports car and something actually fast like a 997 turbo/Gallardo/Ferrari 458. Which all feel epic but equally all gain speed too fast for the road. 

By the end of the drive I was thinking, this is one of those drives that will be committed to memory. It was a bit special and a bit of an event. That's pretty much how I feel about the Evora at this early stage. I'll keep you posted as time and experience grow.

Edited February 18, 2023 by Niffty951

[Niffty951]

I should add this car marks a special number for me. Car number 60 that I've had my name on the V5 of ..as well as my first Lotus

[mcdonaa]

That sounds like a much better experience 👍 Great cars that really get under your skin...but strangely not immediately (I had the same initial doubts). Interestingly my Evora is number 59 in the count of cars I've owned (but 4th Lotus).

[jerzybondov]

Nice write up! And yes - it was strange that the 911 and Evora were compared as frequently as they were without that observation of the very different places they’re coming from. Not driven a 991, but Evora S is leagues ahead of 996/997 in terms of the steering/ride/handling/brakes/torque. 
Obviously not quite as easy as a daily though 🤣

But, as you say… more special every time you get in. 

 

 

[jep]

Just a shame you've taken 59 previous cars to wake up to the Lotus magic. 🙂

Better late ......and I hope you continue to enjoy the brilliance of Lotus. 

Justin 

[Phaeton91]

One of the comments JayEmm recently made was the “Lotus effect”.  A but like the Lynx effect ads, it’s The magnetising effect a Lotus has on people - mostly men and mostly petrolheads who want to take a closer look, talk about or compliment it.  @Niffty951, wait till you get a bit of that thrown into your travels too!

[Bruss]

" Any control you touch it instantly reacts, more immediate than any car I've driven before. It builds your confidence quickly. Speaking of which it's actually pretty quick!

and

It was a bit special and a bit of an event. That's pretty much how I feel about the Evora at this early stage. I'll keep you posted as time and experience grow."

 

Is this your first Lotus?

 

I could have said much the same about my Elan plus 2 (my first Lotus experience) and that magic 'feel' has never left me and keeps me with at least one Lotus in the garage.

The only other car that comes close is the Mclaren 540 I drove some 45 years later.

[Rambo]

13 hours ago, Niffty951 said:

As a consequence it's instantly compromised as a road car. It's hard to get into, hard to see out of, cramped and focused.. 

Sorry, I totally disagree with those statements.

[C8RKH]

1 hour ago, Phaeton91 said:

 A but like the Lynx effect ads, it’s The magnetising effect a Lotus has on people - mostly men and mostly petrolheads who want to take a closer look, talk about or compliment it

The Evora is the ONLY car I have ever owned that has actually had women (not girls) compliment me on my choice of car. In Tesco's car park a middle aged woman actually followed me until I parked and when I got out her car was parked across the back of mine, she had opened her window and said "I just had to follow you and your gorgeous car and congratulate you on choosing such a good looking car".  

Now, would love to meet the Porsche owner who had that level of compliment for their car.

Every time I walk into my garage, just to pootle around or get something, the Evora just sits there pouting "I'm gorgeous" at me. It never fails to make me smile and when I am going out for a drive in it, well, the first 5 minutes I'm just like a little boy giggling away...  Like @mayevoramy current Evora was bought in 2018, I bought it new, and also like his car the only thing it has cost me is fuel, insurance, 4 tyres and an annual service. They are just superb cars.

@JayEmm's latest Emira drive video sums up the Evora and Emira positioning pretty well. I keep telling him to drop in for a coffee as he seems to base himself around Glamis for many of road trips, just a few miles from my house and he seems to not have discovered yet one of the best roads around there lol....

[jerzybondov]

19 minutes ago, Rambo said:

Sorry, I totally disagree with those statements.

I can see where he’s coming from! (Entry/egress of S1 particularly)

[Rambo]

I've got 2 replacement hips and I don't have a problem. As long as you push the seat back it's easy. I can see an Elise/Exige being problematic though 🤔

[Niffty951]

5 hours ago, Rambo said:

Sorry, I totally disagree with those statements.

The question I'd ask is, if you'd just got home in it and parked it up. Then needed to go out to the co-op for milk 2 mins away. Would you grab the keys to the Evora or the VW Polo.

For me it'd be the Polo for ease of parking both ends, getting into and out of the car.

Where as the 911 just isn't any less convenient than a Polo. That's the difference (for me).

[Cdm2018]

You be sensible and take VW even if think the 911,is equally as practical to use 

however the sense of attention and theatrics when in Evora you do want to use every time 

for me I see a Porsche every day everywhere you go so it doesn’t capture any attention but people take a double look when in Evora 

[Markindevon]

Is it just me… 2 minute trips for milk quite often end up taking half an hour 😁.  Any excuse!

@Niffty951, it’s great to see the car is starting to weave its magic…

[Troyboy]

As good as any Porsche may be they lack any wow factor imo. Their success unfortunately removed the exclusivity of the brand. 

[Rambo]

3 hours ago, Niffty951 said:

The question I'd ask is, if you'd just got home in it and parked it up. Then needed to go out to the co-op for milk 2 mins away. Would you grab the keys to the Evora or the VW Polo.

For me it'd be the Polo for ease of parking both ends, getting into and out of the car.

Where as the 911 just isn't any less convenient than a Polo. That's the difference (for me).

It would be the Evora, or any other Lotus I have at the time (currently 2x M100 Elan's) anyday of the week.

And I guarantee that would apply to the majority of Lotus lovers on TLF. Why have champagne and drink prosecco?

 

[Whitey]

Fascinating views in this thread, here’s mine. First Lotus 40 yrs ago Europa Special with the big valve twink. Had it 16 years but I was hooked after about a day. Sure, it looked good in Lagoon blue, silver sills, gold pin stripes etc, but the way it drove was what it was all about. Numerous other Loti followed And I have always had at least 1, some as daily drivers. I have never bought one thinking, wow, what will people think of this, it was always how it drove. The fact that they are generally great looking cars was a plus, but the drive and fun was more. It’s true to say, nothing drives like a Lotus. I have just today taken my 2010 Evora NA out for a first blast for 2 months post salt etc, and it’s absolutely still magic. I’ve had it for 11 years and done 40k miles and it’s been fantastic. Emira is in build this month……and I really don’t think it can be 50k better. But I will follow through with it and see which one I prefer/ keep. Once you get in to Lotus it’s a very tough act to follow - taking into account fun, costs, looks, practicality (Evora esp) and reliability. All IMHO, but I have had more Loti and years driving them than most!

[jerzybondov]

10 hours ago, Rambo said:

I've got 2 replacement hips and I don't have a problem. As long as you push the seat back it's easy. I can see an Elise/Exige being problematic though 🤔

My car had worn seat rails from being moved every time the PO got in - as a result the seat wobbled about in my driving position (which was further back than his). One of the reasons I changed the seats as the new rails were ££!

[jep]

Good stuff @Whitey. Lotus is the plural of Lotus ☺️

Evora NA is a true great.

Justin 

[Escape]

Somebody has to say it: most Porsches are as boring and common as a Polo, just faster. On the rare occasions I got to drive one (928 and 996) it didn't feel special at all. For me, a Lotus is usually the car of choice, regardless of the trip.

[jep]

928 from 1987 onwards are pretty special. I owned a few, 2004 to 2022. Loved them, great cabin, ooze class, good revvy V8. 

Evora NA purchased in 2018 killed 928 for me. Evora just as practical (+2), great GT but awesome on fast A and B roads. Suspension ride and steering just left the 928 dead. I couldn't be happy driving the Porsche after Evora. 

I still adore 928.... I'd just rather be in Evora.

Evora - you murdered 928! 

Justin