308 QV Versus Lotus Elise

Get in touch with this Gent.....http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/member.php?u=11830

He has one of each and can probably give you some valuable insights...

 

if you are not scared of doing the work yourself, the Ferrari is really not too bad. Also, in the long run, the Ferrari really doesn't have much downside outside of maintenance costs. In fact, there is a possibility that there can be a slight uptick in value. I know that there are quite a few Elises out there and they are newer but I am not sure of depreciation or maint costs. Buy the one that you like. Everyone here will tell you the 308. Everyone at the Lotus forum will say the Elise.

 

Here's a good comparison between the two.
Aug. 2008 issue
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You had better sit in and drive both. I think the Elise is tiny inside compared to a 308. The Elise would of course drive circles around the stock 308. And doesn't it have a Toyota engine in her...that's got to be fairly reliable. It all boils down with what you want to do with the car....and how small you are. If you want a great track/autocross car you can beat the snot out of and light the track on fire...Elise it is. If you want to be in an iconic classic that people gather around every time you pull to the pump....hear the beautiful note of a V8 Ferrari engine revving behind you, and once you get her up to speed can hold her own around the corners, get the 308. In a perfect world...you'd have one of each.

Best Regards,
John M

 

I fell in love with the original late '90s Series I Elise whilst in Europe about 2000, a true fun car, virtually an inverted fiberglass bathtub without a top, weighing about 1600#/150hp and priced about $13-15k. On return I found it wasn't ex/imported, lacking any US safety standards. By the time it was re-engineered for the US in 2005, it lost it's appeal to me, gained massive weight to 2000# with a Toyoto engine replacing the original Euro GM powerplant and doubled in price, so I lost interest. True there was no place for groceries or a ladies handbag.

So, 60hzHum, which year/model Elise are you looking at?

 

I was looking for an Esprit V8 when I got my 308. I'd still like to have the Esprit one day.

 

I purchased my Lotus Elise new in February of 2006. Upgraded to a Stage 3 exhaust and installed a 5 point harness along with a second set of sticky tires for the track. The first summer 12 track days and 14 events the second year. Sold the car in August of 2009 with 14,000 miles.

The Lotus is a great FUN car for short spirited drives, everyone will notice it (mine was red). My favorite track, did 10 days there each summer, is almost 3 hours away. I would always drive down the day before, stay at a nearby hotel then off to the track. After 3 hours in the Lotus you are a bit weary, every crack, bump, surface change, etc you feel. The car truly attaches you to the road, very responsive.

There is no way to get in or out of the Lotus and look cool – it just doesn’t work that way. Once in, the Lotus fits like a very expensive glove, and with the 5 point harness you don’t move, it’s a great feeling of control as you drive the car hard. Pedal placement is perfect for heal / toe driving. The air conditioning would freeze up on hot humid days, I only used it for long trips on the interstate, otherwise the targa top was off.

Maintenance costs on the Lotus – oil changes & check ups (nothing ever broke)

Scale of 1 to 10 – Lotus Elise gets a 10

I purchased my 1983 Ferrari 308 QV euro model in July of 2011. I have not had it on the track yet. The Ferrari is great FUN for spirited drives, short or long. After a 5 hour drive you get out with a big smile, then take it out for dinner just to drive a little more on those nice summer days. I have racked up just over 4,000 miles since purchase.

Everyone will notice you in the Ferrari (once again mine is Red) The Ferrari is heavier than the Lotus which may account for the smoother ride. I do appreciate the interior of the Ferrari (remember the leather is hand sown by 200 certified Roman virgins) As for handling, they both are a joy to drive. Speed tests, the Lotus is a bit quicker in the 0 to 60 and the Lotus really pulls hard beyond 6,200 RPM when the second cam kicks in (thankfully it has a rev limiter at 8,500 / red line)

The Ferrari has the sound – hands down, nothing sounds like a Ferrari V8 when you are running through the gears. Both cars are going to give you the creeps the first time you pass a semi on the highway and you are below the tires on the truck, guess that’s why I like passing big trucks really fast

Maintenance costs on the Ferrari, just an oil change so far. Next spring cam belts (due in Sept 2012) and a full 30K service with a couple other “as long as it’s in the shop” items will run me about $8,000. Yes, I plan on taking it to the track next summer.

Scale of 1 to 10 – Ferrari 308QV gets a 10

Both cars are first rate. Everyone will want a ride in either car. Plan on extra time at the gas station, everyone wants to see /talk about these cars. Strange things will happen on the interstate driving these cars, you will have your picture taken often, video, lots of waving, smiles and people driving along side of you just to get a better look.

The Lotus Elise or the Ferrari 308 will provide you with magnificent driving adventures.

BUY IT AND DRIVE IT !

Rick
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The post above is very good. I drove an Elise for nearly a year. My comparison would be that the lotus makes the ferrari feel like a GT car. The Ferrari has more space and is more comfortable. The lotus surpirisingly takes speedbumps pretty well but when you hit a pot hole - WHOMP - it sounds like somebody hit you with a baseball bat. The Lotus is more go kart like (Im sure you have heard before). Both take finesse in their own way.

The Lotus is very hard to get in and out of with the top on and I'm 33, 5'11 and in alright shape. Those side sills are very wide. There is very little storage in the Elise, you start to find little cracks and nooks for stuff. It is however very fun. They both are in their own way. BTW coming from driving a 308gt4, not GTS/B - but I have ridden in many GTS's

It is up to you to make up your own mind. I know people like different things and have opinions. Try them both and make an educated decision about what you feel would better fit your life!

 

Here's that puts out around 600 HP this is a bad a** beast.
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I used to own an Elise a few years back. It was completely standard when I bought it, and at the time I was really into track driving. Since there is an endless supply of upgrade parts for the Elise, you will be poor if you have that interest! After two years the cars had become a full race car and I actually raced it during one season. I was smitten by the racing bug and wanted more and more. At the end I sold it and started racing bikes instead, still do. More thrill for your $$
Last year I bought a mint 328GTB. I have always loved them since I was young. This is a completely different car altoghether. Here you have the sound, the "feeling" of a classic beautiful car. This is not a car I would consider thrashing around at a race track. First of all because it cost a fortune to keep the car mint. Secondly because I doubt that it would be much fun. Too soft (even with upgraded adjustable Konis), too slow, too fragile.


So the conclusion: If you want close to race car handling in standard form. Cheap to maintain, durable (because of the low weight the wear on the brakes and tires is very low), modern, the Lotus is the obvious choice.
If you want a classic to polish, take for a fun drive, admire in the garage, impress your friends with, the Ferrari is the obvious choice.

I could not imagine to chose between these two since they are so very different. I'm actually thinking about getting an Elise again. It made such an impression that I named my daughter Elise!

 

I have both cars ('84 euro 308 GTB and a '06 Elise). Both cars are stock. As other have said, you should drive them both and it will become clear. They really are completely different cars.

The lotus is a fantastic drive on the back roads or the track, but it's not much fun on the highway. Ride is HARD. Fiberglass body squeeks and rattles. Shifter is fairly crappy. Cheap plastic interior. Engine is strong, but no soul. This all sounds terrible, I know, but what you get in return for putting up with all of that is absolutely sublime handling. You feel like a hero driving this thing on the twisties, and the view out the front cannot be beat.

Now the Ferrari. The handling is so so (compared to the lotus), but it looks great, smells great, sounds great. It's a classic car at this point with all that entails. Do not kid yourself that you will "hop it up". This is not the car for that. Way too expensive to do and you will destroy the value of the car in the process. It also takes a lot of commitment (in time or money or both) to make and keep it right. The Ferrari is perfect of back country drives, long or short, and is fine for date night too.

What you really need to ask youself if how will you use it, and how much money do you have to spend. The Lotus will be cheaper to buy and run. If you go for the Ferrari, don't buy a beater. It will break you. A good car will be $30k to $40K, and expect to spend an average of ~$2k a year to get it to where it needs to be and keep it there.

For me, if I could only have one the choice would be easy. The Elise would be gone it a heartbeat. For you, I would recommend the Elise. Buy it, try it out for a year, if you don't like it you can sell it at near break even money and you will have only spent money on an oil and filter change. If you buy the Ferrari and there is a problem or you decide you don't like it, you will almost certainly be out much more money.

 

My opinion is mostly subjective, so take it with a grain of salt or sand or whatever. And as a long time 308 owner I am un-shamefully and totally biased.

I've never driven an Elise, was offered but had no interest. For you guys that like these and own them, I'm happy for you, but it's not for me. I can't take the Elise serious with its Toyota engine (is that the same motor in my father-in-law's Corolla???). And it looks too much like a cross between "racer boy" and a scaled down batmobile for me. I'd sooner go with a the latest Nissan Z car.

As others said the 3x8 is timeless classic exotic. Don't be put off by the maintenance costs...in your 1st post you wrote "I like to have a car I can tinker on a little or I get bored". That's the 3x8. I presume you're handy and somewhat experienced mechanically based on that statement so the 3x8 belt service can be done in your garage for way less than some of the numbers thrown out there in this and other threads. There is a lot of help here on this board, these guys can walk you/talk you through just about anything. There is much more support for the 3x8 in terms of parts and other resources today than there was 10-12 years ago. A number of people on this board self manufacturer parts that were previously hard to find. But as ztarum and others said, you need to buy the best example 3x8 you can find. If you start out with one half-dead, you won't enjoy the experience.

I've driven a bunch of Cayman S's, I love that car and would never give one up for an Elise.

But I wouldn't give up my 308 for a Cayman S. I have been close to buying a Cayman S, but as a daily driver, not to replace my 308.

Good luck, these types of decisions are good problems to have. As my son's say to me when I contemplate moving from the 308 into a 360, this is a "1st World" problem.

 

Elise: perfect evocation of Chapman's garagiste ethos, a return to form after the Esprit got facelifted beyond recognition. Chapman didn't care about tradition, comfort or fragility. And it's only when he got Italians involved that he got the looks (Esprit). For me, it is a brilliant utilitarian sports car; it is simply the sum of its parts. Less is more.

308: all the looks and tradition and the baggage that goes with it. You wear it on your heart, not your head. It hits the all the senses; ears, nose, eyes, as well as touch.

Which car will you want to look at more? Which car are you going to drive more? For me, it's the 308 both times. Reading this thread, I suspect that for you it could be the Elise.

 

Look through this whole 3X8 section and read about the AAVs, the WURs, parts that people have to fabricate to replace. Look up the thread about making your own spark plug wires or spending for the factory pieces that some say are inferior. Price out distributor caps. If you're going racing, look into suspension rebuilds and the cost of replacing the steering rack. Search out the cost of suspension upgrades. As for performance upgrades it tends to be with a turbo setup. Price out the turbo setup unless you plan on going to the junk yard to mix and match something up from used parts. I only mention all these things because you suggest putting a 30 year old car on a race track. Racing is always expensive, racing a 30 year old exotic can be even more so. Heck, on my car I had to replace the CV joints on the axles. Turns out there was a cross reference, the CVs from a 911 turbo were a fraction of the Ferrari part cost.

Once sorted a Ferrari can be a great car but they are old cars. I love mine for spirited drives and I've put a lot of trouble free miles on mine this year but I'm unwilling to risk track stresses as my budget is blown.

I've driven an Elise and it was fun. Agree about probably not wanting to drive one cross country but if I was a younger guy I'd get the Elise as I think the odds are stacked in it's favor as starting every time you turn the key and being less likely to have a $10,000 oops occur randomly. If a belt change every 3 to 5 years doesn't sound appealing, look into the costs of rebuilding a Ferrari engine. If 10 to 12 scared you on a Porsche engine, contemplate double.

Or with the Porsche background would you do the same thing with an identical vintage 911? Ferrari parts prices I've found to be a multiple if a cross reference does not exist.

Oops, I almost forgot the slow windows.

I like the Elise and if things line up may still purchase one some day. They are a kick in the pants and I like the idea of a sporting car where the engine is not a worry and any perception of a new vibration or sound won't cause a panic.

 

I am in Louisville and you are more than welcome to check mine out.

 

I too currently own both. I have a 1983 QV and a 2005 Elise with the Sport and touring pack. I love them both, but I am a little partial to my Elise. I've owned my Elise for 5 years and my 308 for 6 months.

As far as ease of getting in and out, I'd say neither are that graceful. For me, the 308's side sail window seems to get in the way. The side sill on the Elise requires you develop a technique, especially with the top on. My car has given me zero problems, but there are some known issues out there depending on year. These include possibly defectively hardened cams, and a recent oil cooler recall that is still pending. Also, the original coil packs are prone to short out against the engine which just required I replace the 4 of them and coat them in di-electric grease.

The stock headlights on the early Elise are like driving with a flashlight in your teeth. Nothing short of dangerous. HID upgrades are cheap and effective. The rest of the car's systems are bulletproof, the parts are affordable, and the car is surprisingly easy to work on. I currently have just under 40,000 miles. Maintenance costs are limited to Synthetic (mandatory) Oil changes, brakes and tires outside of what I mentioned above.

They definitely get noticed about as much as the 308. There are some striking similarities in designs between the two and it is hard to believe over 20 years separates them.

The down side....hit some small road kill or parallel park the car once near a careless driver and "minor" damage to the front or rear clam will cost you about $10k. Even minor damage to the bonded aluminum chassis means the car is a total loss. Exercise due diligence in your search.

The lack of power steering is barely noticeable in the Elise when stationary, but the ride is harsh with the sport pack. When I drove it in DC it was like getting punched in the kidneys on the pothole strewn roads. Highway cruising is fun and I have driven it on long trips numerous times (DC to Florida and back).

The gas mileage averages about 31 MPG, but with a 10 gallon tank, you'll find yourself filling up after 260 miles. It feels more nimble than the Ferrari, but they can't even compete with the V8 sound. Also, the car is WAY small. I have been laughed at and told it is a "cute" car (being also a Hummer h1 owner....I don't take that as a compliment). Some have even called it a "chick car."

Best of luck whatever you decide. My opinion.....buy either one.....then start saving up for the other. They are different enough that you will appreciate each for its own reasons. That's what I did!

 

Lotus are great around the block

 

As I have never owned a Lotus, I would have to vote for the Ferrari. I absolutely love mine. And as others have commented, the value is probably going to hold longer than the lotus which are notorious for depreciation. You can buy an old Esprit for under $10K now. I've never seen any driveable Ferraris for that. Granted the Elise is a much better engineered car than the early Esprits, but nothing sounds like a Ferrari.....Nothing. Accept no substitute.

 

Really??

A V-12 carb'd Lamborghini is on par.. Beautiful sound..