Is the Elise getting soft? $37K for an almost new 05

It is getting soft but that car on ebay is a demo that has been beat up. It also doesn't have the sport package. dealer is just trying to get his money out of the car.

 

I'm a buyer at 35. They'll be there before the year end. Then plop another $7.5k into it for a good s/c job and you'll have the most fun you can imagine, and it'd take an f40 to keep up.

--Dan

 

What he said. I am in it if its blue.

 

Blue one with 4K miles at European Collectibles in the OC, asking $38K or so, reduced from $42K and then $39K to the present price. Not a demo, but not a highly optioned car. Talk to Nick. www.europeancollectibles.com.

Yes, prices are soft. Only the real hardcore sports car fiends want one now that the 'new' has passed.

 

I've been seeing them almost dime-a-dozen around here. I'm sure it has a flooded market b/c of its popularity.

 

I'm just still amazed it dosen't have an LSD.

 

it's a cute $25k toy but i wouldnt pay a dime more for one.

 

Man!!! I'm glad I didn't buy one new! I had a deposit down, but didn't order it...... I'm like the others though after the market drops I might pick one up.

 

It has lost no more in value in the last year than a new Boxster S or Z4 would have (having owner two Boxster S models, I learned this the hard way) and it gets nearly as much attention as an Italian exotic. It is not for everyone and I would certainly not enjoy it is a daily driver, but it is a blast at the track (where it was designed to be driven). I have driven many cars on the track and this one puts as big a smile on my face as any.

That blue car is interesting as the MSRP shows a sport pack but it does not have sport pack wheels. Hmmm???

JJB

 

It has lost no more in value in the last year than a new Boxster S or Z4 would have (having owner two Boxster S models, I learned this the hard way) and it gets nearly as much attention as an Italian exotic. It is not for everyone and I would certainly not enjoy it is a daily driver, but it is a blast at the track (where it was designed to be driven). I have driven many cars on the track and this one puts as big a smile on my face as any.

That blue car is interesting as the MSRP shows a sport pack but it does not have sport pack wheels. Hmmm???

JJB

 

I've posted before that I anticipate the cars to be tradiing in the low $20's for a base car and upper $20's for a Sport within 18 months. MANY folks bought these as fashion accessories (like the Beetle and BMW MINI) but found they weren't quite the practical car that the others were.

Just go over and read the Elise boards... plenty of unhappy/disillusioned owners who likely can't wait to dump at the end of their lease. Add to that a more powerful factory version from Lotus and I predict a glut of low mileage used cars on the market.

This is not a slap at the car; there just is an overabundance of them for true enthusiasts that understand that a Lotus AC system doesn't cool like a Cadillac one...

I'm in for a Sport when they break $30k.

Bill

 

Where is the logic in your analogy? The Mini has one of the highest resale values around.

 

They have 30 there that I can see... wow.

 

My analogy is that this is the third small car in the past few years to transcind enthusiasts and jump directly into the mainstream as a "must have" car (similar to the Miata back in '89) leading people who would normally only buy an Accord or Camry to buy one.

In the case of the Beetle and the MINI (and the Miata way back when), these were actually very practical, well-built cars that more than fulfilled "Camry-level" expectations because not only were they reliable and comfortable, they were also "cool" and fun to drive. That's why the MINI resale value has remained so high... it's a car with very broad appeal (similar to the real Mini and for a lot of the same reasons).

The Elise, on the other hand, is a car with very narrow appeal... yet the same sorts of "Camry expectations" folks bought them because they were "cool". And while they might be fun to drive, they are cramped, punishing, etc. (Actually, since these are a bit more expensive, it would be more like Lexus or BMW expectation owners...)

Go over to the Elise boards and read the comments by the non-enthusiasts... it's easy to tell who they are. They are complaining about the air conditioners being inefficient, door trim falling off, etc. Like they thought Lotus ownership was going to be like owning a Volvo.

Anyway, that's my theory... only time will tell if I'm right... but just today a Lotus dealer told me that he was waiting to buy his personal Elise as well...

Bill