Elise / Exige Questions? | FerrariChat

Elise / Exige Questions?

Discussion in 'British' started by thecarreaper, Aug 15, 2012.

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  1. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Sep 30, 2003
    17,564
    Savannah
    I'm Bored.

    Sold the 308, the Lotus, my fun Nissan truck and my 88 911 is on the block to be sold.

    Driving just my F150 is going to make me nuts.

    Anyone here able to chime in a few words on the Lotus Elise / Exige line?

    The cars are really getting affordable and would seem to make a fun weekend / work car good for smiles and good gas mileage. I dont do track days or many car shows.

    I want something fun to drive thats not a 308, 911 ect. Had 8 of each, need a break. :)

    Any feedback especially from former or current owners would be great.

    Michael
     
  2. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

    Nov 19, 2008
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    #2 miurasv, Aug 15, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2012
    I don't know which models have been imported to the US but the Toyota engined series 2 models are fabulous. The Rover engined cars suffer with head gasket failure. Particular favorites are the 190 BHP Elise 111R, Exige and 220 BHP Exige S. They are fast, have stunning looks, amazing handling and not expensive to run. You must be very careful not to buy a car that's previously been smashed. Get an expert to inspect before purchase.

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCC7LrHu7cw[/ame]

    The Supercharged 220 BHP Exige S is great too.

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBEgkuEoew[/ame]
     
  3. plastique999

    plastique999 F1 Veteran
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    Nov 9, 2008
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    I had a Lotus Elise which I eventually turned into a track monster. I race in LotusCupUSA and eventually traded my Elise for a Lotus 211.
    The Lotus is THE most visceral street car you will ever drive. It is like a go kart on steroids and the most fun car of any that I have ever driven...you will be invigorated. No other car will give you the raw feedback of a Lotus. More fun I daresay than my 430 Spider.

    I had a 2005 Elise which you can now get for around $30k. They are extremely easy to work on as they have a Toyota 1.8 l engine. I blew my engine on track once and it was only $2500 for the short block. An exige from 2007 onwards has a supercharged engine with an intercooler. 07's are going for around $36-$42k on Lotustalk. Com.
    If you want a better interior, there is the Evora.

    I am going to get an Elise or an Exige again and I'll probably get an 07 ExigeS. However you can get a $3500 blower for a $30k Elise and produce the same power (or more) than an Exige S.

    Let me know if you have any further questions.

    Oh and don't take it to the track or else you will be Addicted!!
     
  4. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Very cool, thank to the both of you. There is a Lotus dealer in Atlanta. :)
     
  5. Flash G

    Flash G Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #5 Flash G, Aug 17, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I couldn't decide between the Elise and Exige... so I got both.

    :D

    It will be the best handling car you ever drive (short of an Ariel Atom). The grip is insane and the communication/feel from the wheel is second to none.

    I do like the extra torque of the supercharged Exige, but they're both great cars. And if you buy one (especially an Exige) get ready for a LOT of attention.
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  6. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    wow, I really like the small differences. hell i could buy 2 as well. i am thinking one green, and one yellow. :)
     
  7. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Local dealer has a used white Elise. Going to see if I can schedule a test drive.
     
  8. SAFE4NOW

    SAFE4NOW F1 Veteran
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    Aug 25, 2004
    5,378
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    If you know you know
    My .03 worth after owning several

    Alot of car/fun for the money
    Rattles - expect them
    getting in/out - Practice - Practice Practice
    Good Fuel Economy 28mph for me
    Drive it like you would ride a motorcycle - other drivers won't see you
    Get a second set of tires now. I went through 2 sets of rears to 1 set of fronts
    I drove mine weeks at a time as a DD, as well as several week long road trips - No Problem
    Expect alot of attention - How much? How Fast? etc...
    The car is alot of fun out of the box, no need to modify, unless you just want to..

    I would suggest spending some time on Lotus Talk , alot of good information there.

    GL,

    S
     
  9. leead1

    leead1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 29, 2006
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    #9 leead1, Aug 18, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2012
    I kept the car for 8 years then bought an Lotus Evora S. The Elize is the most fun you can have in a car. A stunning car for handling althou power at 192/220 hp is not alot. The car is just a blast to drive. It comes on cam at 6500 rpm.

    I had no problem with my Elise. I did have freinds who had cam gauling problems because of a manufacturing problem.

    My Current Lotus is a 2011 Turbo Evora with a more modern Chasis. I had to replace the battery in three months of purchasing the new car. My Lotus dealer would not help me at all. I think Lotus was being sold to India at the time.

    Strange because I still own an Astin Martin that I bought from that dealer.

    I think Lotus is having financial trouble so they were not helping with warrenty work.

    Not wanting to be disrespectful but I must respond to someones post. I own an Erial Atom 3 with 300 hp and the Lotus is hands above the Atom on handling. The Atom of course is a good to fair handler that has stunning acleration that you do not get with the Lotus. The quote for the Atom manufacturer was 0-60 at 2.85 seconds. Not sure if it is true but it is quick and makes other cars feel slow. My Mosler is a tad quicker and my ZR1 is a little slower 0-60.

    Good luck

    Lee
     
  10. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Thanks both of you. great info, its so nice to hear from owners. i am on Lotus talk, and have been reading ALOT! I did notice people say they go through tires frequently. I dont plan on doing tons of mods, i do like the idea of the hinged rear clam to make working on the car easier. i dont have a lift at home yet, got to fight with the city to add one.

    Thanks again!

    ps: The dealer that had one locally sent it to Florida to the auction. If it comes back they said they would call me. I have been told of a yellow one that is just sitting with a home made for sale sign in it. Going to scope it out tomorrow.
     
  11. leead1

    leead1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 29, 2006
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    If I could be so bold. If you can find the Sport model of the Elise you may enjoy it better.
    They only made 50 of these units mine was #8. It is set up for racing although it is street legal. The paint scheme and the powder coated vlack mags are neat. The exhaust change get it up to 220 hp versus the base 192.

    My freind in central Florida put in a lift and had no problem. He manufacturer can help you with that. If you are still concerned you can ask the city administrator

    regards

    Lee
     
  12. hyenahf

    hyenahf F1 Rookie

    May 25, 2004
    2,603
    +1

    i've driven a SC K20 atom in anger a few times and tracked a whole slew of S1 exige race spec, elise S2, elise S2 with 350hp turbo, opel speedsters etc...

    imo, the elise handles better than the very competent atom. however not much beats the atom for crab walking when u stomp on the loud pedal.

    i'll venture the say the caterham has a more adjustable chassis than both of them on the track.

    i may fancy an elise myself for a DD, anyone want to part with there LR Green, NF Blu or Storm Ti S2 ?
     
  13. High_Colorado

    High_Colorado Rookie

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    #13 High_Colorado, Aug 20, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  14. kverges

    kverges F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
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    I have an '05 Elise I bought new in Feb 2005 and still love it. Everything above I agree with, although I will say the car is underpowered. You will probably want to add a supercharger (I turbocharged mine), but that is a well-proven modification at this point.

    The cars are very reliable, but spartan, with marginal A/C, lots of rattles and ingress/egress that is terrible for most fatazz 'Mericans. Once you are in, it has great ergonomics, but you and your passenger will be shoulder-to-shoulder.

    Drive one and see what you think.

    I have several cars but still rotate my Elise for daily driver duty.

    You are missing out if you never track it. It is the only car I have ever bought that can go on track with no modifications and run hard for 30 minute sessions with no overheating or brake fade.

    Finally, there is really no other car that is within 1000 lbs of curb weight and when you drive a car that weighs under 2000 lb you will always view even 911s, Ferraris and other sports cars as fat toads in comparison.

    Don't get me wrong, it is not the fastest car out there. My C6 Z06 is faster in every way. But the joy of driving is incomparable.
     
  15. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Thanks!


    The search continues.


    The yellow Elise that had been sitting near the beach for sale cannot be found. The dealer that had a white one locally sent it to an auction. So i have not seen, nor sat in one yet.

    Atlanta is 4 hours away, maybe I need too bug the Lotus dealer there.

    I do fit in everything, at 5 foot nothing and 100 nothing, :) :) :)
     
  16. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

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    It is small and watching me get in and out of one is 100x more comical than me in the 308. Fun go kart, but build quality of a kit car.
     
  17. kverges

    kverges F1 Rookie

    Nov 18, 2003
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    Well the switchgear will never get sticky, plastic dash won't shrink, and has a timing CHAIN (what a concept). That said, it makes a corvette look luxurious and well appointed
     
  18. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Underpowered?

    i have noticed many people have mentioned the cars lack of power.

    With low weight, and a 10,000 rpm red line, 4.? second 0-60, how can these cars "be" underpowered? Or, are they a bit slow compared to their ability to handle?

    I am not a big fan of modding a car, i am sure this thing is fast enough to get in trouble with on the street. i may look into the Supercharger options, but as a second good weather car, i think it may be just what i need, and be a break from the 911's and 308s that i have had.

    I STILL want a GT40 replica, but they are $$$$.
     
  19. thecarreaper

    thecarreaper F1 World Champ
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    Sep 30, 2003
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    Nice to "see" you !!!!!! Hope you and the family are well, Do you still have the Ferraris?

    Your 365 and even the Mondial have more room from what i have seen posted about the Elise line. Good thing the top comes off, as i remember how tall you are. I am a short thin guy so i fit in airplanes and little cars just fine. 308's are fun, but I do admit the market for nice ones is really going up, which dampens my enthusiasm to drive one alot. That, coupled with the rising resentment the general public has towards anyone or anything that's "more" than what the everyman has, makes it not fun as it used to be.

    I feel a brightly colored Elise is going to be better tolerated in public, as its clearly a fun silly car not to be taken seriously, as it seems to breed smiles from the videos I have seen. Still hope to see a car in person very soon. Perhaps a well used 308 or GT40 replica can grace my garage one day as a weekend "serious" car. :) :)
     
  20. judge4re

    judge4re F1 World Champ

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    We're all good and I haven't sold anything.
     
  21. kverges

    kverges F1 Rookie

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    My comment on "underpowered" is probably in part tainted by my love of stupid power. I also am a huge fan of the C6 Z06, all things Viper, CTS-V, F40. If it will not light up the tires in first gear (and not just by dropping the clutch) then it's underpowered. If it will light the tires in 3rd gear it's about right.
     
  22. Eric308gtsiqv

    Eric308gtsiqv Formula 3

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    Carreaper...have you considered contacting World Imports USA (www.worldimportsusa.com) here in the Jacksonville, FL area? They are an official dealer (sales & service) in Northeast FL. Not sure if they are any closer to you than Atlanta is or not. BTW, I'm not affiliated with them at all -- just thought I'd mention them as another option in your search. Like you, I'd like to get an Elise "just for fun" in the near future -- closest thing I'll ever get to something similar to the Dino. Best of luck to you in finding your next new "toy"!
     
  23. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I agree.

    I've seen a couple of Elises around and they're just cool cars, zero snob factor. The owners I've met are all serious, skilled drivers who actually track their cars.

    If/when I get an extra garage, the Lotus is on my list.
     
  24. Desperado

    Desperado Formula Junior

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    #24 Desperado, Aug 21, 2012
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  25. boxerman

    boxerman F1 World Champ
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    When you zoom around in an elsie, people look and smile. The same driving style in almost any other car gets a scowl. An elise is like a great radio controlled car that people can fit in. Its like a dodgem car at the fair to onlookers, they just point and smile.

    Yes some aspects of build may be of the built in a shed british style, but, the chassis, really an aluminun tub (circa easrly 80's f1 style) and suspension pieces are like works of modern art.

    As long as your'e rolling the ac works fine, although there are only a few vents and none at the feet, more of a heating issue.

    The car is stiff and robust. The handling on the street is very predictable at the limit with mild understeer. It steers very much like a track car, and frankly nothing with 4 wheels that i have driven comes even close to the direct feel of the lotus. As to power, the elise is already fast, but you have to cane the engine and keep it on the boil to extract the performance, so some go supercharged. The Katana supercharger will lift an elise to exige power. Spend 7-8K on a tvs supercharger and you can get to 300+bhp, which will put an elise close to Gt3 performance, but this misses the point.

    With its relatively modest power you have to use all an elsie has in handling and breaking to go really really fast, this is a momentum car. On th track the only thing staying with you through the coirners is, pretty much another lotus. On the street this nay be too extreme a way to drive, but even at 7/10ths pace an elise is rewarding and fun. Perhaps for the street a supercharger puts the power down low which is preferable, but frankly an elise is faster than pretty much every car out there already, and a 308 will be a truck in performance by comaparison.

    As a DD it might get tiring, but is going to be less tiring than any 70'80s ferrari. Its really the plug and play supercar. If a Maclaren F1 was 90's F1 tech on the street then a lotus elise is 80's F1 tech in anaffordable package for the street.

    I went for an elsie over an exige, because I wanted to drive on the street and track. An elise is also lighter than an exige, but can be modified to be more powerful than a factory exige. I drive mine on the road weekends, then change to slicks put it on a trailer and take it to the track. The versatilitry comes from its lightness, if you see lightness directness, lack of power steering etc as virtues you will love a lotus. Put is this way a cayman R on thge track is not even close, but is way more refined and comfortable. My buddy with the cayman laments that he sold his lotus. My boxer has become more of an ornamental pice since the lotus arrived, besides highway work I always prefer the experience and fun of the lotus. Plus its not an arm and a leg to service and run. If you only ever had one sportscar in your life and it was a lotus, you would have really missed nothing in terms of driving experience and fun.
     

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