General questions

[suedo_gt3]

I've been looking through post and can't quite find the exact answers to my questions, so don't flame me if this has been covered before.

1. What is the reliability/running cost of an Elise?
Part of what I've read says the powertrain runs in the toyota's cars for +100k miles and that in an Elise its less stressed because of the lack of weight and then other post refer to cars with 40,000 miles as "high mileage" and expensive repairs. Do people actually put serious miles on these cars?
2. How fragile are they?
I've read about simple little potholes totaling cars and light bumps from parrell parkers destroying clams. How true is this?
3. I realize the 0-60 is around 5 seconds because of the low weight, but does the acceleration slow down considerably at higher speeds compared to cars w/ similar 0-60 times but higher weight?
4. The seats look really close together. Do the drivers and passenger bang arms, shoulders etc. alot?
5. You can see my current car in my sig. Any of you owned/ driven both carrera/gt3 and elise/exige that wouldn't mind comparing the 2?
6. Kinda a dumb question, but I'm curious. Will an elise fit under a tollbooth/parking garage gate?

Thanks

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by suedo_gt3

I've been looking through post and can't quite find the exact answers to my questions, so don't flame me if this has been covered before.

1. What is the reliability/running cost of an Elise?
Part of what I've read says the powertrain runs in the toyota's cars for +100k miles and that in an Elise its less stressed because of the lack of weight and then other post refer to cars with 40,000 miles as "high mileage" and expensive repairs. Do people actually put serious miles on these cars?
2. How fragile are they?
I've read about simple little potholes totaling cars and light bumps from parrell parkers destroying clams. How true is this?
3. I realize the 0-60 is around 5 seconds because of the low weight, but does the acceleration slow down considerably at higher speeds compared to cars w/ similar 0-60 times but higher weight?
4. The seats look really close together. Do the drivers and passenger bang arms, shoulders etc. alot?
5. You can see my current car in my sig. Any of you owned/ driven both carrera/gt3 and elise/exige that wouldn't mind comparing the 2?
6. Kinda a dumb question, but I'm curious. Will an elise fit under a tollbooth/parking garage gate?

Thanks

All your questions are easily addressed here using search.

Although for # 6....when I had the Elise I never came up to a parking lot or other gate it would go under.

I DID, however, have a 1974 Lotus Europa that could fit under the occasional drawbridge gate, etc.

[cory1000]

Originally Posted by lotusforsale

All your questions are easily addressed here using search.

Although for # 6....when I had the Elise I never came up to a parking lot or other gate it would go under.

I DID, however, have a 1974 Lotus Europa that could fit under the occasional drawbridge gate, etc.

agree with the 1-5, do a search, spend more then 30 seconds, I have seen all asked and answered many times...

I have to disagree with 6, I went under many of them...

[RacyTracy]

Originally Posted by suedo_gt3

I've been looking through post and can't quite find the exact answers to my questions, so don't flame me if this has been covered before.

1. What is the reliability/running cost of an Elise?
Part of what I've read says the powertrain runs in the toyota's cars for +100k miles and that in an Elise its less stressed because of the lack of weight and then other post refer to cars with 40,000 miles as "high mileage" and expensive repairs. Do people actually put serious miles on these cars?

There are high-mileage cars...a few well over 50,000 miles. Mau=intenance is what you'd expect....mostly based on how you use the car. A street-driven only car shouldn't be all that expensive to maintain. Tracked cars like to eat up tires and brakes.

2. How fragile are they?
I've read about simple little potholes totaling cars and light bumps from parrell parkers destroying clams. How true is this?

Many have been hit while parallel parked. The car is so low that the car in front can'r see it and back into it. Look through the salvage yard forum for an idea of how much damage occurs...and why.

3. I realize the 0-60 is around 5 seconds because of the low weight, but does the acceleration slow down considerably at higher speeds compared to cars w/ similar 0-60 times but higher weight?

Yes.


4. The seats look really close together. Do the drivers and passenger bang arms, shoulders etc. alot?

Depends...the bigger the people....yes. You're not going to want to make a cross-country drive with someone unless you really like them.

5. You can see my current car in my sig. Any of you owned/ driven both carrera/gt3 and elise/exige that wouldn't mind comparing the 2?

I had an Elise. I now have a 993TT. For me, I enjoyed driving the Elise more on the track. I like the 993 better for the street. Think of the Elise as a race car for the street. If you're OK with that, then great. That's what I expected and that's what I got. But I got tired of it too. The 993 is a little more civilized. I drove the 993 to LOG29 from Chicago, straight through, after working a 12-hour day and I was fine. If I had done that in an Elise, I would have arrived feeling like I had gone 15 rounds with Tyson.


6. Kinda a dumb question, but I'm curious. Will an elise fit under a tollbooth/parking garage gate?

A few

Thanks

.

[vincesf]

Let me say this, I can not answer all your questions, but have owned many Porsche's including a 2003 GT3, 997 and 987S. The Porsche is a much better car, no question. In my opinion the Elise is a more unique driving experience. Think go-kart, as such it has the ergonomics of a go-kart. Also, the Lotus does not have IMS and RMS issues, and if you are a Porsche owner you know exactly what I am referring to (if not, do a google search), and thanks to Porsche not owning up to it, you have watched the value of your car decrease to a level thought unimaginable. If you need to have some of the vault-like attributes of a Porsche, stay with the Porsche, but it will cost you..dearly. And by all means drive an Elise before buying it, as it may not meet some of your expectations, such as ease of ingress/egress, a radio that actually has reception, door windows and body panels that rattle on the slightest hint of road irregularity, seats and steering wheel that do not adjust, heck the passenger seat is fixed in place.... I can go on, but in the end, I am now driving an Elise and enjoy the fact that I am once again driving the car, unaided with PASM, PSM, PDK...

vincesf

[motorsport1924]

Sorry to jump in, but was wondering whether anyone could recommend the best tyres for a Lotus Elise S from 1999?

Do Dunlop do any that work particularly well?

Thanks

[roffle waffle]

Originally Posted by motorsport1924

Sorry to jump in, but was wondering whether anyone could recommend the best tyres for a Lotus Elise S from 1999?

Do Dunlop do any that work particularly well?

Thanks

thats gotta be the most random post I've ever read

[RWLott]

Originally Posted by suedo_gt3

I've been looking through post and can't quite find the exact answers to my questions, so don't flame me if this has been covered before.

1. What is the reliability/running cost of an Elise?
Part of what I've read says the powertrain runs in the toyota's cars for +100k miles and that in an Elise its less stressed because of the lack of weight and then other post refer to cars with 40,000 miles as "high mileage" and expensive repairs. Do people actually put serious miles on these cars?
2. How fragile are they?
I've read about simple little potholes totaling cars and light bumps from parrell parkers destroying clams. How true is this?
3. I realize the 0-60 is around 5 seconds because of the low weight, but does the acceleration slow down considerably at higher speeds compared to cars w/ similar 0-60 times but higher weight?
4. The seats look really close together. Do the drivers and passenger bang arms, shoulders etc. alot?
5. You can see my current car in my sig. Any of you owned/ driven both carrera/gt3 and elise/exige that wouldn't mind comparing the 2?
6. Kinda a dumb question, but I'm curious. Will an elise fit under a tollbooth/parking garage gate?

Thanks

What does your elise/exige cost you? - LotusTalk - The Lotus Cars Community

The above is an old post. An inexpensive car to own. I've added a few extras, e.g., Larini Sport Muffler, Multivex mirrors.

So far after 28K+ miles the car runs perfectly. Have replaced the rear tires twice from TireRack. Had the coolant system flushed by the dealer after 4 years. Other than that I do the routine maintenance myself.

[motorsport1924]

Thanks Roffle Waffle for the help...

Never owned a Lotus, never used a forum so forgive me for posting in the wrong place!

[lotusforsale]

Originally Posted by motorsport1924

Thanks Roffle Waffle for the help...

Never owned a Lotus, never used a forum so forgive me for posting in the wrong place!

Well, you're even a little wider of the mark than you realize. Most posts on here are about the federal cars, there are no truly legal first generation elise's in the US, so you won't get posts with too much first hand knowledge.

Go to SELOC, that's where most of the S1 guys are.

[Aedo]

Originally Posted by motorsport1924

Thanks Roffle Waffle for the help...

Never owned a Lotus, never used a forum so forgive me for posting in the wrong place!

Welcome to the forum!!

Originally Posted by lotusforsale

Well, you're even a little wider of the mark than you realize. Most posts on here are about the federal cars, there are no truly legal first generation elise's in the US, so you won't get posts with too much first hand knowledge.

Go to SELOC, that's where most of the S1 guys are.

lotusforsale is right - he means SELOC | Lotus Enthusiasts Club which is the UK Lotus site