Me raving about the Elise again......

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 09:50

Ok, so if you don't want to hear about me raving on about the Elise again, I suggest you switch off now.

But, if you are interested........

Went to Hethel for their Scare Yourself Sensible Experience Extended yesterday. And what a good day it is.........

For £150, you get 2 15-20 mins sessions around their proving track, with proper tuition from the actual guys who developed the Elise (Mr McQueen. What a legend). Went out initially with a guy some of you have heard of, the Aussie Hyla Breese. I have been out with this guy before and he is a bit good and a very nice fella to boot. Intially went out in a 111S that was a temporary car, as the other one had had its wheels smashed by Hyla himself earlier that morning!!! Anyway, went out, sort of already knew the track as I have been out on it before. Started off at a relatively quick pace, but had to get used to a new section of the track which was a slalom on the back straight, which normally, you would be touching the best part of 130mph on. But after a couple of laps, kinda got the idea. Went well and got plenty of praise from Hyla. The missus, Liz, also went out, but in a standard 120bhp and I can't remember when she last looked so breathless........ s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Waited for everyone else to go out and come back and then we were off again, but this time, I was out in the new 111R. Now, as some of you will remember, I have already driven one of these on the road for a brief time at their launch, and I was VERY impressed by it. But, this time, I could really try the car out. And Hyla just let me have the reigns and go for it. And BOY, did I go for it. WHAT A CAR!!!! That engine transforms the Elise. Its just breaths and breaths and breaths and the second kick at 6K rpm is nothing short of sensational. The brakes we like hitting a brick wall, if not as "friendly" at high speeds as the non-servoed "lesser" cars and the handling defies belief. I really gunned it and it was just fantastic. And it was all over just way too quickly.

I had a quick chat with Hyla after the drive and he said (wait for it. Blow my own trumpet time) that pretty much everything I did was technically spot on, I was quick and very accurate and I gave him a lot of confidence, hence he just let me get on with it as opposed to have to correct people and coach them as he would do with most others. He said he was impressed with my relaxed nature and the confidence I gave him.

How chuffed was I? s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

Anyway, had to hang on again and then go out for a couple of "hot" laps. I again went out with Hyla and just when you think you were going fast and could actually drive a little, he goes and shows off and takes it to a whole new level!!! He was sideways the whole wy round the track and in some of the high speed corners a fair bit quicker than me. The grip on these cars is incredible. Great fun, but he did say that it isn't that difficult to do and someone like me with a little practice could be doing it in about 30mins!!! Wish I could have tried! I did get it sideways once.........

Oh, and Liz jsut loved it! Her first experience of any sort of an Elise and she was so glad they lived up to her expectations too. She was quite quick too. I had trouble getting past her on a couple of corners. Not bad for someone who self proclaimed she was pissing her pants!!!

Anyway, great day, great people, ASTONISHING car and I so, so want one.

Check it out for yourselves. I would highly recommend it...........

juansolo · October 4, 2004, 10:13

So when are you trading up to a 111R then? s:wink: :wink: s:wink: You know it makes sense.

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 10:30

nah no boot space,

heathstimpson · October 4, 2004, 10:32

Quote from: "odub"nah no boot space,

The 2 has not got a great amount either; you could live with that probelm I bet s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

juansolo · October 4, 2004, 10:36

It has more than a Mk3 roadster.

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 10:51

(I was only joking)

It's one of the critics always levelled at the mr2 but never at the Elise.

Should have included a smile.

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 11:29

Quote from: "juansolo"So when are you trading up to a 111R then? s:wink: :wink: s:wink: You know it makes sense.

Juan, if I could, I would! Seriously, its the only car I would realistically trade in the 2 for. But, at the best part of 30 grand still, not really an option right yet.......

Might look into getting an S1 160 though!!! Just within reach I reckon.......... s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 11:30

Quote from: "odub"nah no boot space,

Heh heh................. s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Its a load of bull to be honest. Its not actually that bad and probably better than the 2 in that case. Anyway, its a sports car. Who cares?!!! s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:? :? s:? s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

juansolo · October 4, 2004, 12:58

Quote from: "John Woodward"
Quote from: "juansolo"So when are you trading up to a 111R then? s:wink: :wink: s:wink: You know it makes sense.

Juan, if I could, I would! Seriously, its the only car I would realistically trade in the 2 for. But, at the best part of 30 grand still, not really an option right yet.......

Might look into getting an S1 160 though!!! Just within reach I reckon.......... s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Personally if I was on a budget I'd get the best boggo S1 I could find for the most reasonable money, stick Yokonovas on it and enjoy. If you want to stick with a boggo factory car and want more power; try and get a good S1 S135 or one of the first fifty S1 S160's that were made. S135 would be my choice and I still have first refusal on one if I can ever talk my brother into selling it.

If you want an S2 car of some description, buy a nearly new VX220 and just leave it be. Bloody good car those things.

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 13:13

I'm still pondering a move to a S1 or S2 Elise. Would depend on budget and what I wanted to do with it.

If I went the S2 route, it would stay pretty boggo standard due to funds. If I went the S1, it might be open for a bit more fettling s;)

s;)

Would mean the '2 would have to go and I'd get a daily runner as well. All academic seeing as though I can't seriously think about it until I have a garage, which hopefully won't be too far away. Now, if I can get it all in time for next summer, I could be saying goodbye to the '2 s:cry: :cry: s:cry: but hellllooooo to the Elise s;)

s;)

Very tempting though, and posts like this don't help one bit s:evil: :evil: s:evil: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Darth Paul · October 4, 2004, 13:15

It would be the insurance and servicing costs that would hold me back. s:? :? s:?

aaronjb · October 4, 2004, 13:33

Quote from: "Darth Paul"It would be the insurance and servicing costs that would hold me back. s:? :? s:?

At least there are no pre-cats to explode s;)

s;) heh..

I'd love a VX220 turbo personally, though I'm not sure I'd physically fit in one.. and they are a tad out of my pricerange s:)

s:) (by about £20k at the moment.. heh s:)

s:) )

One day.. or maybe there'll be something better out there by then s:)

s:)

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 13:34

Quote from: "Darth Paul"It would be the insurance and servicing costs that would hold me back. s:? :? s:?

Thought about that, so looked into it. I would only be paying £150 more on my insurance than I already am on an S1 (standard) and the servicing can be done at a specialist for half the price of Lotus and do just as good a job.

They are runnable..........

Christ, I am even convincing myself here!!! s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:? :? s:? s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 13:36

Quote from: "juansolo"
Quote from: "John Woodward"
Quote from: "juansolo"So when are you trading up to a 111R then? s:wink: :wink: s:wink: You know it makes sense.

Juan, if I could, I would! Seriously, its the only car I would realistically trade in the 2 for. But, at the best part of 30 grand still, not really an option right yet.......

Might look into getting an S1 160 though!!! Just within reach I reckon.......... s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Personally if I was on a budget I'd get the best boggo S1 I could find for the most reasonable money, stick Yokonovas on it and enjoy. If you want to stick with a boggo factory car and want more power; try and get a good S1 S135 or one of the first fifty S1 S160's that were made. S135 would be my choice and I still have first refusal on one if I can ever talk my brother into selling it.

If you want an S2 car of some description, buy a nearly new VX220 and just leave it be. Bloody good car those things.

These are all routes I have thought about (especially the XV route) and they are all valid. Even my missus was thinking about how we could afford it while we were waiting for the instructor rides yesterday!

I think a 135 S1 would be a good route to go. Becoming affordable and hopefully should be enough around.

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 13:38

I'd go for a VX220, I personally think they look better than the elise, i don't mind the badge one little bit, but i like their second hand price much.

MRMike · October 4, 2004, 14:08

You know series 2 Elise's are not as expensive as you might think..I was surprised m http://www.christopherneil.co.uk/ m look in the used cars, there's some nice S2's there for £17,000 and a 111S for £22k.

I had a look at a S2 135R a few weeks back, which was £27,000 honestly didn't do a lot for me. Also had a look at a VX, the dealer no joke called me 3 times a day for a week, could have ahd that for silly money. Again really didn't do much for me, felt very old and tired after a few hundred miles.

aaronjb · October 4, 2004, 14:19

Quote from: "MRMike"Also had a look at a VX, the dealer no joke called me 3 times a day for a week, could have ahd that for silly money.

No way! Last time I tried to get a test drive in one it took me a good fortnight of hounding them before I even got to speak to a salesman! s:cry: :cry: s:cry: (Toyota, Rover and Jeep were all the same - only Mazda managed to speak to me on the same day) Even when I did get to speak to a salesman I couldn't get a testdrive - Vauxhall "couldn't get one in", Toyota sold their demo car the morning I turned up to drive it (!) and Rover .. well the car was pants s:)

s:)

</rant> s:)

s:)

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 14:23

Quote from: "odub"I'd go for a VX220, I personally think they look better than the elise, i don't mind the badge one little bit, but i like their second hand price much.

Kinda along the same lines personally. I think I like the look of the Lotus a little more, but the price of the XV is VERY attractive........

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 14:26

yeah thats the thing vx220s
Just had a quick look on autotraders

VX220
2 years old 20K miles
Leather + hardtop

For around 15K. Thats not bad at all.

Anonymous · October 4, 2004, 14:30

Quote from: "MRMike"You know series 2 Elise's are not as expensive as you might think..I was surprised m http://www.christopherneil.co.uk/ m look in the used cars, there's some nice S2's there for £17,000 and a 111S for £22k.

I had a look at a S2 135R a few weeks back, which was £27,000 honestly didn't do a lot for me. Also had a look at a VX, the dealer no joke called me 3 times a day for a week, could have ahd that for silly money. Again really didn't do much for me, felt very old and tired after a few hundred miles.

Mike, its still 22K I don't have!!!! s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

I was thinking a little cheaper........

But I kinda know what you mean about it feeling "tired". The ones we drove yesterday looked like a kicked dog and they only had 5-6K on the clock. But, no matter what you think of them looks wise, you really, really can't beat the drive. If a car went any better than an Elise, I wouldn't care if it looked like a housebrick, I would still want one!!!!

Its a personal thing to be honest, but I couldn't give a monkeys about looks at all if I am after a thrilling drive. I would have an Evo VIII tomorrow, but that looks like its been in a fight with Halfords! The Skyline is pug ugly, but it goes like stink!

Like I said, just my opinion. I don't think the 2 looks all that either. Its nice enough, but its the drive I bought it for.

Now, if I was Mr Middleoftheroad, then maybe I would go for something a little more good looking that might entertain me a little, like an Alfa GTV or something. Each to their own I suppose........

But I know where you are coming from.......they are not the best built cars in the world.......

MRMike · October 4, 2004, 14:50

Quote from: "John Woodward"
Quote from: "MRMike"You know series 2 Elise's are not as expensive as you might think..I was surprised m http://www.christopherneil.co.uk/ m look in the used cars, there's some nice S2's there for £17,000 and a 111S for £22k.

I had a look at a S2 135R a few weeks back, which was £27,000 honestly didn't do a lot for me. Also had a look at a VX, the dealer no joke called me 3 times a day for a week, could have ahd that for silly money. Again really didn't do much for me, felt very old and tired after a few hundred miles.

But I kinda know what you mean about it feeling "tired". The ones we drove yesterday looked like a kicked dog and they only had 5-6K on the clock. But, no matter what you think of them looks wise, you really, really can't beat the drive. If a car went any better than an Elise, I wouldn't care if it looked like a housebrick, I would still want one!!!!

I don't know why they look so tired really, all the VX's I've looked at look and feel really rough. The plastic seems to mark easier than the 2's, and the gearbox feels awfull. However they are a a great drive like you said and you'd be hard pushed to beat the driving experience for the money. I'm sure there must be some good un's around somewhere.

I know what you mean about buying cars for the drive, I'm in love with everything about the S2000, but I just can't love the handling which is keeping me from getting one. (Plus the misses) And the more I read, the less and less i like them.

Anyways i'm waffling and this is in general!

dieamond · October 4, 2004, 15:15

I retryed an S2000 this saturday, and I must say that when I came back in my (non stock) MR, I liked it more :-) :-) :-)

juansolo · October 4, 2004, 15:21

Quote from: "Darth Paul"It would be the insurance and servicing costs that would hold me back. s:? :? s:?

Insurance is s:cry: :cry: s:cry: Servicing isn't bad really. It's a Rover K-Series, nothing special. Use the right stuff on it and you can DIY service it.

juansolo · October 4, 2004, 15:23

Quote from: "John Woodward"I think a 135 S1 would be a good route to go. Becoming affordable and hopefully should be enough around.

They only made 75 s:(

s:( and certainly a few of them have been stacked.

juansolo · October 4, 2004, 15:26

Quote from: "John Woodward"
Quote from: "odub"I'd go for a VX220, I personally think they look better than the elise, i don't mind the badge one little bit, but i like their second hand price much.

Kinda along the same lines personally. I think I like the look of the Lotus a little more, but the price of the XV is VERY attractive........

...and other than the Toyota engined one, it has a better engine.

Personally I'd have the VX every time. I'd have the turbo over the 111R too.