First post:Sport vs. touring. and other stuff to help a newb.

[Boovett]

Hey guys first post here. I am thinkin about buyin an Elise. So doing some research here I am trying to find exactly what the "sport" packages entails.
Is the suspension different than touring? I think I have seen some posts showing the wheels are .5" wider on the sport pack? Please give me all the performance details/differences. Also any other good advice to a Lotus Noob before buying is really appreciatted! Thanks in advance!

[Chris Mackey]

Hello newbie. The search button is near the top of the screen, on the right.

[mjf]

Hi, and welcome.

You'll find most of your answers with the search function, you might also try looking at the lotus site here: Lotus Cars USA: 2008 Lotus Elise

[plastique999]

Originally Posted by mjf

Hi, and welcome.

You'll find most of your answers with the search function, you might also try looking at the lotus site here: Lotus Cars USA: 2008 Lotus Elise

Great link!

Welcome...I'm new too and looking at an Elise as well...and I hate it when people say use the "search" button...it's like "help a brutha out!"

From the above website (so you don't have to click extra buttons...)

· Touring Pack - $1,600 USD | $1,900 CDN

Thermal and Sound Insulated Soft Top, Full Leather Seat and Door Trim, Upgraded Stereo System with iPod® Connector, Stowage Net, additional Sound Insulation and Full Carpet Set. Leather colors include Black*, Red, Biscuit and Magnolia.

*Only in Black if Sport Pack is also selected.

· Sport Pack - $2,600 USD | $3,250 CDN

Lightweight Forged Silver Alloy Wheels (6J x 16 front 175/55 R16, 7.5J x 17 rear 225/45 R17) with Yokohama AD07 Advan LTS Tires and Lotus Sport Tuned Suspension. Twin Oil Coolers. Traction Control. ProBax™ Sport seats in cloth (unless combined with Touring Pack). Removes approximately 20 lbs. from curb weight.

[cdn_alien]

Sport and Touring are two separate packages. You can get one, the other, or both.

The Touring Package is basically an interior cosmetic and convenience package. It's up to you.

If you don't plan on tracking the Elise, then you shouldn't get the Sport Package. The Yokohama A048 tires will drain you bank account (think 5,000 mile life on the rears). This is assuming that you are getting used. I believe the 2008's have AD07 tires on the Sport Package. The Sport Package also has a rougher ride. If you do plan on tracking it occasionally, then it's a trade-off between grip on the track vs better tread life and softer ride on the street (with Yoko AD07s). If you plan on tracking it a lot, then there's the Track Package, and you'll probably want different tires for track and street anyway.

[karajabola]

Originally Posted by cdn_alien

If you plan on tracking it a lot, then there's the Track Package, and you'll probably want different tires for track and street anyway.

2008 MY Elise does not have the track package though, you need to order an Exige for that.

[Boovett]

Originally Posted by cdn_alien

Sport and Touring are two separate packages. You can get one, the other, or both.

The Touring Package is basically an interior cosmetic and convenience package. It's up to you.

If you don't plan on tracking the Elise, then you shouldn't get the Sport Package. The Yokohama A048 tires will drain you bank account (think 5,000 mile life on the rears). This is assuming that you are getting used. I believe the 2008's have AD07 tires on the Sport Package. The Sport Package also has a rougher ride. If you do plan on tracking it occasionally, then it's a trade-off between grip on the track vs better tread life and softer ride on the street (with Yoko AD07s). If you plan on tracking it a lot, then there's the Track Package, and you'll probably want different tires for track and street anyway.

Thanks! This is the kind of information I was hoping for!

[nvrblu]

I have an '05 with sport and touring packages. I'm happy with the combination. I don't track the car so I got 8000 miles on the rear A048s before they got down to the wear bars. The fronts still look reasonably good at 10,000 miles.

I like the road feel of the sport package.

[mjf]

I have sport and touring and daily drive my car. There's some roads where the level of the communication you get via the sport pack is a little rough, but it hasn't stopped me from driving those roads.

[Terculees]

I test drove a sport pack and a non-sport elise before buying. The regular suspension is VERY stiff and responsive, allowing for the kind of control you could only dream of in other high-end sport coupes like the M3.

The track pack is SO stiff, you will hate it unless the roads around you are german-spec autobahn surface. Every pothole and RR crossing feels like it will destroy the car.

Unless this is a dedicated track car, forget the sport, but get the touring.

And yes, the elise can be daily-driven. Rather comfortably.

[GregD]

The Uberpost is worth checking out. It has everything in it that isn't on Lotus's website.
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f3/uberpost-25131/

[Green Ghost]

Track pack is adjustable (EZ adjustment-nothing confusing) and is the set up I would suggest getting for street, or street to mild track use, if you can find it at a good price (note #1). It will adjust from quite soft (bumpy streets) to firmer then you will need for any track (beginner to medium user). I have track pack and like it a lot. Personally I don’t see why there is a sports pack. If you are in to driving enough to look at a Lotus and desire a bit more in the suspension department then the standard shock set up offers, then to me go for something adjustable. The standard set up is a vary good street set up, and offers massive fun on and off a track. It is definitely not a bad set up by any means. If you know more about driving or wish to learn more about driving (going to a driving school or tracking) then you may want something more.

The track pack will adjust from soft, about that of standard (a 2-1 setting), to sport pack (about a 4-3 setting), to vary stiff (a 10-9 setting). 10 being the stiffest, and the front of the car set 1 setting higher then the rear. The balance of the car is different then the standard set up but the 2-1 setting is about the same firmness. I tend to use a 3-2 setting for most of my daily driving. And yes I do play with it for special occasions, like a nice mountain road. I have over 54,000 miles and just pasted the 2-year mark. I found the sports pack to stiff for that much road use but wanted a stiff sports car set up when it was time for it.

The standard set up has skinnier wheels up front then the sport/track pack. Tire sizes is sort of a bitch when trying to find a replacement other then the stock Yoko tire. The stock base Yoko tire the AD07 can also be a bitch to find even if you like it (it is a vary good tire). Look through the suspension part of this site and you will get an idea of what’s up.

Depending on how you will use the car, love the feeling of a good light well sorted sports car, to getting closer to a cars limits and learning how to play with it, will determine if the standard set up is what you want or not.


Note #1, If you are vary in to going to the track or a more custom street set up, get the sport pack and up grade the shocks to the ones that fit you the most. If you are vary in to suspension set ups the track pack will not be good enough and so maybe not worth it dollar wise.


Kevin

[Boovett]

Thanks for all the great responses! I would primarily use the Elise to autoX and just cruise to town for dinner etc. I might make it to 1-2 road course events a year. Road Atlanta or VIR, but I like to drive to the track run and drive home without any tire swapping. From what I have read so far I think I need to test drive a base suspension car. I test drove a sports pack elise a while back, but only got to drive on smooth roads. Is it common for people to run the sports rims on a base suspension car?
Also I appreciate the responses that really give me some insight on the ownership experience!

[nak]

If terms like "turn in," "roation," and "snap oversteer" are new to you, the base suspension will be fine.

if you know what those terms mean, and you've expereinced them, you might be good enough to get the sport pack and use it on day one.

Conventional wisdom is that most of us drivers have a great deal to learn before we get to the limits of even the base suspension car. In the mean time, the street ride of the base suspension is nicer.

In short, improve the driver before upgrading the car.

[LARRY]

Originally Posted by nvrblu

I have an '05 with sport and touring packages. I'm happy with the combination. I don't track the car so I got 8000 miles on the rear A048s before they got down to the wear bars. The fronts still look reasonably good at 10,000 miles.

I like the road feel of the sport package.

+1