Purchasing a Lotus - Where do I start?

[Quatermass63]

Hi All,

I'm looking for some advice. I'm looking at purchasing a new toy. My thought process is that I have a company car so practicallity isn't a requirement and my mum drives an M2 Competition so I want something that offers something different to the somewhat brawnish style of the BMW. Fun don't get me wrong. When is 410hp not? Prior to that she had a Honda Civic Type R FK8 and before that a Mazda MX-5 2.0 ND which I loved driving. Myself I've owned and built 7 replicas with my dad and even ran a Caterham in the winter. The Sevens were good fun but the maintennce you had to really be on top of and owning them was hard work. Parts supplied by a handful of business (if they were still in business), garages couldn't work on them/do MOTs etc. 

So looking for a new car for me I've considered another MX-5, the GR86 and even a 718 Boxster. However the idea of owning a Lotus really appeals. I just don't know what one is going to be best suited to me and watching videos online seems to suggest they're all great. Great but that doesn't help me nail down a path to go down.

I've got a budget of around £40,000 and the car will probably do 4000 miles a year. Pretty much all of it will be road use with maybe one or two track days a year if at all and I intend to use the car at every available opportunity I don't need more than 2 seats or a large boot all year round. From what I've seen online I can get anything up to a 5 year old Sport 220 Elise, a 12/13 year old Exige or a 2010-2013 Evora. So I guess my question is what car is going to give me the best bang for buck? What should I avoid? What are spec differences/what should I look to have inclued on the car? Is a 12 year old car just going to give me headaches? etc.

TIA

[jep]

Bang for buck? Exige V6. Unquestionably. You perhaps need £45k to £50k for a good one though. Probably the greatest road car Lotus ever, tied with Elise S1. S is perfect for road use, CUP are too jiggly for my taste. 

If you need more space, Evora utterly brilliant but not the ball-grabber that is Exige V6. 

Elise S3 - what's not to like? Special cars. 

I've run plenty of older Lotus. Nothing to worry about, all routine stuff for older cars. If left outside, expect more bills, as with any older car. 

Justin 

[Quatermass63]

Not sure I can save up as quick as Exiges are appreciating lol.

It is worth mentioning the car will live outside under cover but get use at least once a week.

[ChrisJ]

You really need a Lotus Esprit 

The only downside is that track days with more modern cars on track can be frustrating.

PS - when you buy one Lotus, you have to get a second one

[jep]

Pre-aluminium tub Lotus is a brave place to start. Fab cars but are very old now and you need a certain dedication and love. 

I wouldn't start there. Ease in, enjoy, explore, meet fab folk and learn the easy way. 

Justin 

[jerzybondov]

4000 miles a year is a decent amount - how much of that is drudge vs fun? 

Whereabouts in the country do you live? Will a lot of your driving be speed bumps and traffic lights, or are you straight onto decent roads from your house?

Agree that unless you specifically want a classic, you want an ally chassis car (ie Elise, Exige, Evora). 

But as to which of those is best for you, will depend on the realities of how you’ll use it. For longer drives (road trips etc) and year round use Evora wins. For Caterham like analogue driving immediacy then you want Elise or Exige. 

For what it’s worth in your shoes I’d be looking at Lotus too rather than the other options you mentioned!

[Quatermass63]

I live in Surrey so I guess you could say a mix of both. I'm am very much looking for a modern car, something I can just get in and enjoy. It'll mostly be short trips, going to car meets etc. But then how many of us have needed to go to the shops and then gone to the 4th nearest one just to have an excuse to drive? As for weather if things get really bad I would just use my daily driver but then the weather down south probably gets really bad once every 5 years or so. 

[mg4lotus]

You have had Sevens previously so are used to more compact cars for fun, so the Elise and Exige might be OK for you. The Evora has more space for luggage and is easier to get in and out of so will also give you the option of comfortable road trips.

The obvious thing is to try them out on test drives and see which suits you best. If you know someone who has a Lotus , approach them and see if you can tag along, maybe as a passenger. I think SELOC have meetings in your area, do any forum members know about these?

[jerzybondov]

Agree you probably need to get hands on with some and see which really presses your ‘want’ buttons! 

From what you’ve described I think you’d get along with any of Elise, Exige or Evora in terms of how you’d use it and what you want to get out of it.
 

The difference between them comes down to the inevitable balance of compromise (practicality & comfort vs purity of driving experience). Worth noting that the model that leans most towards the former (Evora) is still way to the right hand side of the equation when compared to a 911 or Cayman, for example. 

[Bibs]

Pop along to Tom's meet, there's usually 20-30 Lotus cars there and the bacon rolls are epic

 

Pop into Bell & Colvill too, they'll have a good selection of cars you can take a look at and you might even see one you like, they're a great dealership

[Nelly]

Once you have decided which car you want, keep a regular eye on the "market watch" threads within the individual model forums - it started as an Evora, thing, but I think most models have their own now under the "General chat" section of each.

I got my Evora this way from a member who was selling, so dealt direct and the car didn't even end up being put up for sale.  A forum member is about the safest way to buy privately I would say. 

[madmax]

And, you wont find a  more genuinely helpful, enthusiastic group of people who love their cars more than the folk on here. The cumulative knowledge base hereabouts is unsurpassed and really easy to access.

Once Lotus bites you properly, you'll be smitten - nothing comes close and I've owned almost 200 various makes and models of cars over the years😎

[TomE]

I can’t make the Newlands Corner meet this Sunday as I’m away on business. But there will be plenty of other people and cars around. 

it’s every third Sunday of the month, and I’ll be at the January one.  I’ll be bringing my 2011 Evora S - I also have a later Evora and and early Exige and used to have an Elise.

Happy to chat in Jan or meet somewhere local in Surrey between Christmas and New Year.

[mg4lotus]

Before I settled on my Evora, I was in a similar quandary to you. I had initially considered an Elan (M100) but then moved to wanting one of the newer models and was vacillating between an Elise or Evora. I did have a test drive in an Elise 1.6 and decided that just didn't suit my driving style. Later, for various reasons, I settled on an acquiring an Evora. Getting the Evora took a long time so be prepared for a long slog to get the right car for you.

After I had got the Evora, I had the fortune to drive an Elise Sport 220 for a day, I also drove one at the Lotus Driving Academy. If I had been in the market for an Elise, that would have been brilliant for me. Having driving experiences is very helpful to decide which model and variant is right for you.

When I had decided on an Evora the important things for me were the sports pack and the tech pack, I also wanted the electric folding mirrors (I've hardly used them since I've had the car). The premium pack wasn't important to me but was only a desirable option. No matter which of the three packs an Evora has they are all lovely.

The Elise, Exige and Evora are no longer in production, so there is a finite market of these products. Depreciation on good models is glacial and may be appreciating on some models. Good luck with your search.