wife's toy: nsx-t, 996 cab or elise?

which of the three do you think makes most sense for a woman? she'll maybe put 1-2k miles on it per year... mostly just driving our son to school. i know how the nsx drives... very easy. i've never driven a 996 or an elise. are there any driving quirks that would rule them out for a timid driver?

 

Couple of questions:

Real girly girl? -> take 996 convertible

Is she hot?! -> take 996 convertible


Otherwise -> take others

No offence

 

Elise, fun for you and for her.

 

If she's a self-proclaimed timid driver will she really want any of these cars? If so then definitely the NSX, they drive just like an Accord. If she likes to really feel flashy like she's wearing a new pair of expensive shoes, the 996 cabrio. I think perhaps only the hardcore (read: dumb, rabid car guys like us) can appreciate an Elise but I won't presume on your wife's personality.

 

The best way to find out the best choice for your woman, hands down. . .


. . . let her choose.


I think the majority of the ladies will agree with me on this one.

 

The 996 is extremely easy to drive, and comfy. It's quieter than the earlier Porsches, so you can use it like a normal car or stomp the accelerator and enjoy the 320bhp. It looks a little humpbacked in cabriolet form (both the ones I've driven). Later ones (starting 2002) had the glass rear window on the cab and other upgrades. The base interior was cheap, so I'd find one with the full leather option if you can.

The tiptronic saps a lot of power and isn't one of Porsche's better options. The manual shifts easily, and that's definitely the way to go if she likes to drive stick.

The Elise can be a bit of revelation when you get in, especially if you're wearing a skirt. It's not a go-for-cocktails car, and there's zero trunk/stowage space. You might also find the sparse dealer network to be annoying, especially compared to Acura and Porsche.

That said, I'd take the Elise in the heartbeat. IMO, it's a true exotic and one seriously hot little car with a targa-style roof (my favorite).

 

you say that like it is a bad thing..

 

If you show her all 3 in person, and maybe drive them, she will want the 996.

NSX is too masculine in appearance and the Elise too spartan and impractical.

 

C4 Cab sounds like your best bet for a daily. What are those running - $45k?

 

For her? I'd stay away from the Elise. And I've never seen a girl drive an NSX, I guess you could start but I wouldn't.


Go with the 996...

 

996

 

How could there be any question? 996 for the lady. Please.

 

The Elise is fun to drive, but a pain to get in and out and it's much worse for a woman in skirts. Also there's little room for odds and ends or grocery shopping.

A 996 will be easy to drive and comfortable and always has the back seats that work for kids in an emergency.

No comments on the NSX as I have no experience with them.

 

Trying to show some of the legendary FChat sensitivity towards other guys' wives...

 

Actually if I were to choose I'd take thhe 996

 

I agree, go with the 996, but I have only see one girl driving an NSX. I don't want to sound like a freak, but that was hot. A cute asian girl too.

BTW, it was a manual.

But, personally, I believe she would appreciate an M3 convertible even more. It all depends on her style, let her choose.

 

Hmmmm...996 Cab sounds the best. She can lower down the top, let her hair go crazy in the wind...

NSX...heh, not really girly.

Elise...heh, not really girly looking.

 

I only know one girl for which of the three I'd pick the Elise as probably being the best match.

The 996 has the most practibility, the NSX lleans more on the side of a freindly supercar. The NSX forced Ferrari to raise the bar, so it can't be all that bad. The 996 is the most..."dull" of the 911's, especialy the cabriolet. It was aimed to increase Porsche's sales base into people more into a luxery car than raw sportscar. You have a split of some older Porsche owners screaming profanities at people who drive 996's. I'd go with a newer 996 over an older, there was one or two design flaws they fixed from the originals.

When I look at which I'd like to own, it would come very very close. With experience with Porsche's, and some with an Elise, and only head knowledge on the NSX, I wouldn't be able to make that decision easily. The Elise would probably win, so long as it wasn't my only car. (IF I didn't have to part with my Porsche, and was adding one of the three, it would be the elise). If it where my only car, I'd go with the 996 undoubtedly.

As you say its a "toy" car for your wife, I assume there is a more practicle vehichle availible, which makes the 996's practicalit and useibility less of a need. Because of this, I'd say a NSX.

 

I have had experience with all three. I would definitely recommend the 996. If she is the type of woman who wants perfomance, comfort, a reasonable dealership support system, the ability to carry more than a handbag at the end of a long day of shopping, the ability to drop the top at the push of a button when she and the girls feel like cruising, and the ability to take a long road trip without hassle, then the 996 is the hands-down choice.

The Elise is fun, but EXTREMELY focused. Not sure how long her love affair would last with this one.

The NSX is nice, but is a tight fit for taller people, and the storage space is a little lacking when it comes to grocery & mall runs.

Overall, not a bad decision to have to make.

 

Elise gets my vote. Its a really nice car and also a really fun car to drive. Only down side that I could think of right now is that its a little uncomfortable for me. A girl also looks good inside an Elise.

 

I found the Elise to have the best physical setup for me of any mid engined sports car I've been in. Its made for arms that are shorter than the legs, where as in a Ferrari, my long legs put my knees in front and on top of the steering wheel, almost impossible to drive. In the Elise, I found it fit my rather large frame near perfectly, I have long legs and wide shoulders, and everything seemed to be in the right place for me. Downside, I also have realy wide(and long) feet, the close pedal spacing prohibits shoes and driving, as its impossible to hit just one pedal in a shoe for me, and very very close without, which is fine, I take my shoes off its raining anyway to avoid any pedal slip.

 

I don't how good a driver your wife is, or how much you love her, but I couldn't in good conscience put the women I plan on spending my life with in something that appears so dangerous. Not sure what the crash tests prove, but the car looks as if you'd be on the losing end if you got into a wreck with a Vespa

I say 911

 

Funny you would post that.

My close friend just called a few hours ago to say his wife was in an accident in his Elise today. The car is totaled and they needed the jaws of life to get her out.

Having said that... she is FINE other than some bruising. The paramedics said they couldnt believe that tiny car held up so well. Hospital released her after just a few hours.

Good job Lotus. I will see if he has pics and I will post them if I can get them.

 

glad to hear shes ok. I've seen a bunch on the road her in Las Vegas- and you see so many bad wrecks and flat out inept drivers out here that I would be terrified driving that thing, never mind my girlfriend/wife/lover

 

Regarding the accident - glad your friend's wife is OK. Cars like the Elise are small & low sports cars and most drivers are NOT as attuned or aware of them as they should be and often miss seeing them. It helps if the car is in a bright color; but a driver needs to be in defensive driving mode all the time. This tends to make them less comfortable/suitable for casual driving/drivers.