Lotus Exige opinions
- Thread starter hamza
- Start date
Paza3 has gone from an MC to an Exige via a 911. He still drops in occasionally, why not PM him?
I have had 5 elises and an s2 exige. What aspects do you want to know about particularly?
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I've had a exige s 220 - it's a way different type of car to an MC
Think trackday that can be used on the road, rather than fast road that's good on a trackday.
Tyres last 4k and are semi slick (A048s) anything less is a crime. Standard supercharger heatsoaks like crazy requiring upgrade (intercooler or charge cooling).
Incredible handling and wears bushes, suspension, steering racks etc all at the rate of a race car! Seriously,20k refreshes of suspension are normal and required to keep the car at its best.
Incredibly rewarding to drive, I loved mine more than my 911 turbo (996) even though it had 200hp less.
Think trackday that can be used on the road, rather than fast road that's good on a trackday.
Tyres last 4k and are semi slick (A048s) anything less is a crime. Standard supercharger heatsoaks like crazy requiring upgrade (intercooler or charge cooling).
Incredible handling and wears bushes, suspension, steering racks etc all at the rate of a race car! Seriously,20k refreshes of suspension are normal and required to keep the car at its best.
Incredibly rewarding to drive, I loved mine more than my 911 turbo (996) even though it had 200hp less.
Johnnymiller said:
I've driven both the new V6 and the older 220hp S2 so I know how they feel to drive for a short while on yhe twisties at least.
LOVED the V6!
Guess what I'm after really is more what are they like to live with and how do they handle on boring roads in town and on the motorway. What are they like to live with and how do running costs compare with the Z?
I had mine as a second car, it was chrome orange 2005 touring pack car. A great track car, too compromised for the road IMO. Being the NA you had to really wind it up to get on cam, by which time your licence is in danger! the S or v6 wont have that characteristic. It rides quite hard if your not used to that sort of car, semi slicks aren't great in the rain, you sit too low at junctions, and headlights blind you as you are so low. Limited luggage room, and you absolutely need air con. I had the dab stereo in my touring pack car, but the speakers were garbage (it's not that sort of car though!) sounds like I'm rubbishing it..... But...
If you are buying a track toy that you can drive to and from track in, absolutely get one now. Much better handling car than than the Z, so much precision and poise, it rewards you so well when you get your lines right and the grip from it is pretty amazing. Don't remember the running costs being scary, certainly not like the head gaskets I got through on my series 1 Elise's.....
I had an Elise sc a few years later (2009) and that was much better balanced toward road use, not quite as ace for the circuit, but much better road manners in terms of wet grip and suspension compliance, if I was in the market for an every day, that would be where I would be looking.
Would love a V6 one now, they look and sound awesome. But I'd only want it as a second car......
If you are buying a track toy that you can drive to and from track in, absolutely get one now. Much better handling car than than the Z, so much precision and poise, it rewards you so well when you get your lines right and the grip from it is pretty amazing. Don't remember the running costs being scary, certainly not like the head gaskets I got through on my series 1 Elise's.....
I had an Elise sc a few years later (2009) and that was much better balanced toward road use, not quite as ace for the circuit, but much better road manners in terms of wet grip and suspension compliance, if I was in the market for an every day, that would be where I would be looking.
Would love a V6 one now, they look and sound awesome. But I'd only want it as a second car......
Ref running costs -
It's all relative to what you want the car to feel like. Used as a daily driver you may get more miles out of the components but the car will get progressively less and less taught and rattle more and more.
Because the chassis is so rigid it uses all the suspension and steering rubbers as mini dampers in their own right to give the body that incredible control. As they wear, things get sloppy. Not to an MOT fail but to a point where it's not the handling car it started as.
They are expensive to run - forget the fact that its got a cooking toyota engine in that's cheap to oil Service - it's all the other bits. If you are handy with spanners bills are a lot less.
I wouldn't use one as a daily driver, but for a fun car they are second to none.
It's all relative to what you want the car to feel like. Used as a daily driver you may get more miles out of the components but the car will get progressively less and less taught and rattle more and more.
Because the chassis is so rigid it uses all the suspension and steering rubbers as mini dampers in their own right to give the body that incredible control. As they wear, things get sloppy. Not to an MOT fail but to a point where it's not the handling car it started as.
They are expensive to run - forget the fact that its got a cooking toyota engine in that's cheap to oil Service - it's all the other bits. If you are handy with spanners bills are a lot less.
I wouldn't use one as a daily driver, but for a fun car they are second to none.
Interesting you both say it wouldn't be your daily driver.
It would probably be my only car but then I only really use my car on the weekend or to get to the gym. I don't need it for commuting or anything and I would have my wife's car available if needed (Mini Cooper S).
I think I might be able to make that work.... Or it could turn out I'm just kidding myself....
It would probably be my only car but then I only really use my car on the weekend or to get to the gym. I don't need it for commuting or anything and I would have my wife's car available if needed (Mini Cooper S).
I think I might be able to make that work.... Or it could turn out I'm just kidding myself....
I had an Elise (S2 111S, highly modified) before the Z4M, and I would (mainly) echo what others have said - a truly fantastic driver's car, a scalpel compared to the mallet of the Z4.
However, they really do come alive on track. Depending on which exact car you get, then normal bumpy roads, with traffic calming and potholes and manhole covers can be a pain.
Mine was very low, with Nitron suspension, stiff springs, LSD, CR gearbox, no interior comforts, no stereo, windy windy windows, no air con etc.. I would carefully plan routes to avoid sleeping policemen.
Regarding suspension although it is true that it needs a fair bit of care, it isn't all that expensive - a full refresh of my Nitrons with service, re-valve-ing to latest spec., several new parts, etc.. was about £800. And they turned them round in less than a week.
Generally I found parts and servicing pretty cheap. Brakes are fabulously cheap - they last forever!
In the end I sold mine because I found it too draining on long journeys - e.g. to the 'ring or Spa.
However, they really do come alive on track. Depending on which exact car you get, then normal bumpy roads, with traffic calming and potholes and manhole covers can be a pain.
Mine was very low, with Nitron suspension, stiff springs, LSD, CR gearbox, no interior comforts, no stereo, windy windy windows, no air con etc.. I would carefully plan routes to avoid sleeping policemen.
Regarding suspension although it is true that it needs a fair bit of care, it isn't all that expensive - a full refresh of my Nitrons with service, re-valve-ing to latest spec., several new parts, etc.. was about £800. And they turned them round in less than a week.
Generally I found parts and servicing pretty cheap. Brakes are fabulously cheap - they last forever!
In the end I sold mine because I found it too draining on long journeys - e.g. to the 'ring or Spa.
You'd probably be ok then - you'd have long enough between drives to forgive it the daily driver comforts!hamza said:
If you've got access to another car for the mundane trips then go for it. I'm a strong believer in the fact that every 'driver' who likes to drive should have owned an lotus 111 chassis derivative car at some point - they are a true modern classic. I actually preferred my s1 bogo k series Elise to my exige. Driving experience was even more pure and unaldulterated, with the kind of power you drive flat out everywhere and marvel in the handling.
One of the few cars I sold for more than I bought it for.
I am looking to get an Exige S either 220 or 240hp and with the touring and performance packs so hopefully that should provide enough comfort to be a semi daily vehicle and fit my usage.
Seems to be a few around that have been used as daily drivers so either there are some very hard core commuters out there or they must be at least bearable
Seems to be a few around that have been used as daily drivers so either there are some very hard core commuters out there or they must be at least bearable
tertius said:
I had 3 laps around The Ring in an Elise on R-compound tyres last week and it's handling was superb, so I can imagine an Exige must be awesome. BUT, I couldn't live with anything like that because the incessant engine noise would drive me mad. The driver wore ear-plugs! I assume the Exige will be much the same?
I like them but does getting in and out of it not become a pain on a daily driver. I know it's that kind of car where stuff like that isn't supposed to matter, but I could see it becoming annoying.
Series 2 cars have a slower chassis sill to make entry/exit easier but yes, on a wet winter day expect mud on suit trousers if not very careful.
The "lotus knack" of getting in and out is soon developed though, it's a very ungraceful arse out first affair sometimes but hey, the reward is worth it!
The "lotus knack" of getting in and out is soon developed though, it's a very ungraceful arse out first affair sometimes but hey, the reward is worth it!