Seriously, who on here has an Elise / Exige?

[Paul C]

Not talking about elan, excel etc...

But seems a lot of guys have either sold the Esprit and got an Exige / Elise,

or you have the Esprit and have an Exige / Elise to go alongside the Esprit?

Would be a stupidly big poll if it went to variants of each series so have gone

S1 and S2 of both.

[Jussi]

Does it count....that I wish...and almost bought one.

But then Finnish tax was about 10 000

[th4neuk]

This could be interesting as there could be quite few pop up.

Nearly got all the little fiddly jobs done on it now which it need to make it useable (mainly electrics).

Can start modding now lol

Cheers

[Katie]

Money no object, I would not hesitate to have an Elise, but it would have to be as well as the Esprit, and not instead of.

[Simon350S]

I've almost bought one several times, first time back in 1998, second time in 2006 and lastly about a month ago....

First one was a brand new, Yellow S1, second time an S2 135R in Blue, lastly the S1 160S that Alan has bought.

Out of the 3, I wish I'd bought the 135R, the only thing that stopped me was the lack of Air-Con as I was going to be using it as my main work car @ 20k+ a year, mostly sat in motorway queues!

Bought the Vectra instead which has been a good workhorse but its lost a shed load more money than the Elise would have!

The 135R is loverly with its Blue alcantara interior!

Think it would have to be an Esprit + Elise though for me!

Edited March 12, 2009 by Simon350S

[Paul C]

Think it would have to be an Esprit + Elise though for me!

Would be for most of us mate, If we could.

Interesting the 'thinking about one' option is winning...

[matk]

How about an "I'd love one but can't fit in" category!!

[Simon350S]

For such a small car theres more room than an esprit and I can sit in it comfortably which I can't in either of my cars at present.

Also for a lot of people, like yourself, they've had their Esprits for an age and will be fancying a change.

I'd have an Elise to throw around a track happily whereas the Esprit I'd be worried about causing irepairable damage in the event of a kiss with a tyre wall!!!

How about an "I'd love one but can't fit in" category!!

I find it strange you don't fit in one Mat as I find them real comfy! Well better than any Esprit I've sat in. Can't wear a helmet though which was a pain on my Lotus day out!

[matk]

You're right, once in you're well OK, but its the getting there that's the problem.

[Advantage]

You've missed off the "Had one, but gone back to Esprit ownership" option.

Ex S1, S2 and 340R owner after selling V8 in 2000.

[Hippo]

For me it has been...Big Lotus, little Lotus, big Lotus, little Lotus...

[Katie]

When you say ''you can't fit in one'', is that a height or length of leg problem, purely out of interest?

[th4neuk]

This is primarily one of the reasons we've got one. Much as I would love to take the esprit onto the track I would be so scared of breaking something that I wouldn't enjoy it.

This is why I went for the one I did as well. As it has already been tracked (nearly to death lol) the bodywork isn't in fantastic nick. However I don't care as it isn't a show car. It's there to be used.

TBH I'm surprised as I thought I would have a lot more problems than I have getting it working ok to use. I reckon I've spent about

[matk]

Katie

Its the narrowness between the roof and sill. Like trying to squeeze through the slot in a letterbox. Once you're in its fine for length and breadth.

Of course this may be a comment on my own physical dimensions. Each to their own!

[arbell9]

Real men dont drive elises or exiges.

Real men have beer bellies and love V8 comfort seats.

Real men dont have dinky cars on their drive way.

Shandy drinkers drive elises and exiges

Shandy drinkers are skinny dudes that need a few pies inside them

Shandy drinkers park toy cars on their drive way and go brmmm brmmm beep beep when they drive them.

Shandy drinkers have pictures of these cars on their walls

That should be enough petrol of the fire for now

Heheheehehhhheee

[MPx]

Used to have a minor interest in a yellow S1 soon after they first came out - really enjoyed it at Castle Combe. But...I suffered as Matk says. Easy with the roof off, but with it on I struggled to get in and embarrassed myself getting out. Best technique I found was to use my hands to "walk" the top half out of the car and across the pavement then sort of twist/kneel on the sill and scramble upright. Also slightly disagree that all is well when you're in - OK for length /height, but not width. Not if you're wider than average ayway, with two biggish blokes (say about 44/46 chest in), shoulders would be pressed together throughout the journey.

[Bazza 907]

Love our S1 Elise

It's just different to the Esprit, less of an occasion but more of a blast round twisty B roads

[jimmybondi]

I had a 99 Elise 111 as a daily driver for nearly ten years. Just sold it a few days ago to G

Edited March 13, 2009 by jimmybondi

[Kimbers]

Hah! As you know I just bought an Exige S. I must say, from the drive I had previously (to Castle Coomb), that the performance far outweighs the Esprit, but the ride is a bit noisier (well...than most). However after 7 hours sitting in Traffic with James I must say it was both comfortable and easy to drive (even for my size).

As to getting in and out, how many have driven the newer cars? I've never looked dignified getting out but can do it very easily! After a day in and out, your elbow does take a bashing but I use my right elbow to pull myself so I am sitting on the chassis sill then you can pull one leg out and slide out.

Crikey! If Jeremy can do it, any one can!

As for interior space, not a problem at all (I do make a sound like a cork coming out of a bottle everytime I get out of a Sport seat tho!)

[Paul C]

but the ride is a bit noisier...

God damn right! Have not turned the radio/CD on yet, doubt i ever will.

Makes the Esprit (with it's luxury carpet soundproofing) sound as quiet as

a crib. At 80mph in the Elise you have to shout in your passengers ears and

even then they can't hear you, at 130mph it's like having your brain sucked

out of your ears.

Can't go with you on the comfort though Kimbers. I think the Esprit is one of

the most comfortable cars i have ever owned. The Elise is a bit of a bone shaker,

but then its more raw, nearly half the weight, and lacking any comfort toys.

I went from Supra to Esprits and was staggered by the handling, now i've gone

from Esprits to Elise and am staggered by the handling, it just makes me wonder

what some of the other small stuff out there is like, theres stuff even stickier??

[Bibs]

There is, but it's best left on toast!

[Paul C]

How good does that look!

[Bibs]

Would be nice in silver!

[simonf]

Hah! As you know I just bought an Exige S. I must say, from the drive I had previously (to Castle Coomb), that the performance far outweighs the Esprit, but the ride is a bit noisier (well...than most). However after 7 hours sitting in Traffic with James I must say it was both comfortable and easy to drive (even for my size).

As to getting in and out, how many have driven the newer cars? I've never looked dignified getting out but can do it very easily! After a day in and out, your elbow does take a bashing but I use my right elbow to pull myself so I am sitting on the chassis sill then you can pull one leg out and slide out.

Crikey! If Jeremy can do it, any one can!

As for interior space, not a problem at all (I do make a sound like a cork coming out of a bottle everytime I get out of a Sport seat tho!)

Hee hee hee

With an elise/eige you don't so much GET IN IT as STRAP IT ON (and we all know how much kimbers likes a bit of strap on action!)

When i had my S1 elise i used to say to people getting in and out of it was like posting an octopus through a letterbox! i am sure that the S2 is no different!

The comfort of the S2 must have been improved as i foolishly took my elise to cornwall on good friday and got caught in the rush hour traffic at slough - my 'A' hole healed over man! I nicked a cushion from my mates sofa for the ride home!

[Paul C]

The comfort of the S2 must have been improved as i foolishly took my elise to cornwall on good friday and got caught in the rush hour traffic at slough - my 'A' hole healed over man! I nicked a cushion from my mates sofa for the ride home!

Ha Ha!!!

Reminds me of a week ago, as mentioned on another thread i took my mate rich

out in the elise, he's paralized from chest down. Of course you and i are lucky to

have buttocks, but rich has no arse fat and is pretty much sat on bone.

"Next time we take a f*cking cusion though"

He said, having made the trip with the teeth being shaken out of his head.

Consider how lucky we are to have arses.