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Trading Straight Across: Elise for Evora. Has Anyone Done It?

3K views 29 replies 16 participants last post by  Pipedown 
#1 ·
It's an idea that has been floating in the back of my head ever since my son was born 3 years ago. Now that I have a daughter as well it crosses my mind more often. I have driven my Elise less times than the fingers on one hand in the last 3 years because to be honest I have no desire to leave my SO and kids behind to go for a lonely drive. The thought of bringing them along for a nice drive is much more attractive to me.

However, I have some reservations because I still am in love with my Elise and there are things about it that will not be replicated in the Evora, such as a curb weight under 2000 lbs. It's one of the unique things about the Elise that I love. Also, value wise I think they only way to trade straight across (2006 Elise, 20k miles, all 3 packs) would be for a standard Evora (non-S) which, from what I've read is slower than my Elise. Does that matter? Yes. Should it matter? No, but I can't shake it. Now if for some strange reason someone wanted to trade an Evora S straight across I would certainly be open to it, but only up to a certain mileage.

Anyways, the real reason for this post is to see if anyone else has considered or even done this trade and if so, do you have any regrets?

Edit: I should mention that "straight across" is used liberally here. In the right situation I would certainly add cash if I ever really decided to go through with it. I'm ideally talking about a scenario with a higher mileage Evora trade.
 
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#3 ·
You will miss the elise.

Not exactly a trade for me. I had an elise. I can't decide what else I like so I went out and bought the evora and exige. 3 loti not a fun conversation with wife. But whatever.

Then one day it was clear. I sold the elise and evora. Kept the exige.

It's easy to replace the evora not so much the elise/exige.
 
#5 ·
My two cents as I have been thinking of doing the same thing for the same reasons (offered despite the fact that earlier this year on LT you proposed that I perform an anatomically impossible act!).

I'd drive an NA Evora before you decide that it's going to feel slower to you than an Elise. I drove one recently and was impressed by the power - in particular the linear yet torquey way it pulled (quickly) to redline. And it sounded great (albeit it had an aftermarket exhaust). I wouldn't say it was faster than my Elise, but using my right foot was every bit as satisfying.

I didn't, however, get to feel how it corners as it was a quick drive in the 'burbs (though the assisted steering was amazingly accurate and precise). I doubt, though, it will feel as lithe and agile as the Elise given that it's ~1000lbs heavier.

I was also unable to fit my three year old's car seat in the back. Or rather, the seat fit fine, but the Evora's two mounting latches were too close together so that I couldn't stretch the belt around the back of the car seat to reach both latches (if that makes sense?). Also, the front of the car seat touched the back of the passenger seat so there would be no room for his legs (or any space for my wife if the passenger seat was pushed further forward). I think a smaller car seat would probably have worked (the Recaro - yes, they make car seats!- I test fit is a few inches bigger than our other car seats). Certainly a booster would have fit fine.

For me, the big question is how much are my kids really going to care if they are driving in a fast/cool car? I know some owners on here say their kids love the Evora, and mine may too, but I am not sure at the moment. Also, how enjoyable is it going to be for me to drive around all the time at a family safe speed? I enjoy the track and the canyons in the Elise, but how fun is normal street driving in a high performance car (even one which is much more comfortable than the Elise)?
 
#6 ·
The two cars are very different. I am fortunate enough to have one of each (Elise SC and Evora NA). A few observations:

Unless you are on a track or acting stupid, Evora NA is plenty fast.

Elise photographs well and is beautiful in person. Evora looks terrible in most pictures but looks just as nice as the Elise in person (personal taste).

Evora is one of the most engaging cars to drive. Elise is THE most engaging. Yesterday I would have told you that they are pretty close in how they handle. Compared to a BMW 750, I would have been right. Today I drove them back to back for the first time. After driving the Elise, the Evora felt like a bus.

Evora is a great daily driver and great for two adults and a child (I'm 6'4 so putting a child behind me is possible but not comfortable). Elise is amazing as a nice weather convertible for one or two.

An Evora test drive is the only way to know for yourself.

Driving an Evora beats an Elise on the garage every day!


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#7 ·
I am also fortunate to have one of each. The Elise is why I fell in love with Lotus. However, I grab the keys to the Evora much more often. It is more "wife-friendly" as it is a smooth touring car for long road trips but a sharp handling, peppy Lotus when you want it to be. The bonus are the two back seats for small kids or understanding older kids. Despite the criticisms, I think that Dany Bahar created a hell of a car. My only complaint about the Evora is that it is so smooth that it gives a false sense of security. I have driven far faster in the Evora than the Elise. The Elise is a high rev, "rattle the bones" experience. Full feedback from noise, vibration, and manual steering; but it also means that I am more conservative (i.e. slower) in the Elise.

If I want extreme I take the Elise. If I want a little of everything I take the Evora!
 
#12 ·
No worries. Let us know if you decide to get an Evora.

One more thing on the performance - I had a few PMs with a LT member (khodey?) who went from a highly modded Elise (300hp, iirc) to a NA IPS Evora (so from a very fast Elise to the slowest Evora). He told me that he didn't find the performance of the Evora to be lacking. He's now selling the Evora (ad is on here) but only b/c he wants to get an old 911.
 
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#9 ·
Get the Evora. It fits your life right now and you will appreciate her magic.
 
#10 ·
By all means buy an Evora, they are a great car, but forgive me if I do not understand your life at all

I drive my Exige to the hardware store, to buy beer, to Home Depot. Brought it to the glass company to pick up a replacement window.

You seem to be treating your car as the automotive equivalent of a 4 star restaurant. What, you need a coat and tie to drive? Just drive it.

You are going to have the same issue with the Evora.

Do you think the wife and kids really want to go on a canyon run with you?

Mommy mommy he's touching me, stop touching me, are we there yet, where are we going stop touching me...........

Honestly buy a more interesting daily driver[so you hate driving to the pediatricians less]or a less interesting daily driver[to encourage you to drive the Lotus more]

Which Lotus you own should be decided by which Lotus you want, and, I think, you already know the answer.
 
#11 ·
The primary reason I don't drive the Elise more often is out of pure laziness. It's parked in the garage on a tender. My daily driver is then parked in the driveway behind it. Meaning, for every hardware or beer run I have to pull out the van, park it in the street, then put everything back when I get back home. Lame excuse I know, but it's the truth. I agree I'll have the same issue with the Evora, but at least I could say "hey babe, lets strap the kids in the Evora and take the scenic route for some mexican food". I can't do that now. I don't know, maybe that's a ridiculous thought. Maybe I'm just looking for a change of pace. All I know is I hate seeing my Elise collect dust.
 
#14 ·
The Evora photographs just fine and they are an attention grabber when in public. I often tell the story of being parked at the Porsche dealership and there was a 430 Ferrari and my car was still grabbing all the attention away from many high end cars. They are rare and people love the looks of them. All the time people are taking photos at stop lights and posing with my car in parking lots.

The NA, despite what some may say, has plenty of power for running on the street. In test driving an NA and S back to back (several times now) it's hard to tell the difference in power between the two. If I was going to track a car I would use an Exige or Elise but for street duties the Evora is a blast that has kept a smile on my face for nearly 3 years.

I often carry my 11 year old and 5 year old grand daughters in the back with grandma in the front.

Could it handle better? Could it be faster? Could it be lighter? Yes but once you are in the cockpit driving you forget all that crud.

 
#17 ·
I'll chime in, I have both as well. Each car is fun in its own way. The Evora NA is not slower than a stock Elise they are pretty much equal per magazine (bench-racing) instrument tests. I always grab the keys to the Evora as well. It is a much more comfortable car with all the amenities. However my SC Elise has turned out to be the most reliable w/o one breakdown. Well save for a broken manifold bolt but it still ran.

I can't see how you guys are getting two kids in the back. I'm 5'10" and the back of my seat is touching the rear. I can barely fit my 7yo back there. When my wife is in the car her knees are practically touching the dash to make room for him.
 
#21 ·
The last point is crucial as there's no point getting a car to drive your kids in if they can't fit! From reading posts on here, I assumed that small kids (say up to 10) could fit in the Evora given the right car seat/booster. But as I noted in my first post and Mobius97 does above, the crucial thing seems to be the location of the adults in the front seats. If one or both of them needs their front seat back far enough that it touches the front edge of the rear 2+2 seats, then any kid whose legs are longer than the depth of the 2+2 seats won't fit, right?
 
#18 ·
Maybe I am a glutton for punishment, but I will grab the Elise keys before the Evora for any local driving on noce days. Poor weather and road trips are for the Evora.

Unlike the OP, laziness is overcome by my desire to drive. I use a four post lift to store the two cars in one garage spot. I don't hesitate to flip the cars on the lift in order to drive the right car.

Finally, a great solution would be an Evora 400. Performance is amazing but has the comfort and convenience of the Evora. It is truly an incredible car if it fits your budget.


Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
 
#20 ·
I have carried a fairly drunk Hooters girl 5'8" across town in back of an Evora.

But she was quite thin. Any Lotus makes sure that the girl you get home and wake up with ain't a fat one.
 
#22 ·
Yeah that's the key....it is dependent on the seating positioning of the front passengers. My wife and I are not large people. I'm not laid back in a "gangsta lean" or anything. I did put my son and another kid in the back, my neighbors 6yo to test it out. I had to put the seat-back straight up and scoot pretty far forward to give his legs room. I could drive but it is not comfortable AT ALL. My legs were bent at an awkward angle making pedal work weird (have manual) and I looked like one of those grannies with her seat forward, face in the steering wheel.

When it is me, my wife and son in the car it works, she isn't uncomfortable just less leg room. She is 5'9". It's fine for a quick drive say to dinner but I wouldn't be taking any long trips. Best bet is to physically test it out yourself and see if it works for you. Everyone has different dimensions. What works for one my not work for all.
 
#25 ·
#26 ·
Yet another person with both. To me the Evora is a much better daily driver but the Elise is just more "special". The evora s is significantly faster and a much nicer way to get to your destination but the Elise is the one you want when the drive is more important than the destination.

If I could only keep one of the two it would definitely be the Elise. Mainly because there are other cars that can do much of what the Evora can but nothing that can replicate the Elise experience.

If I had to pick one as my only car it would be a much tougher call and this is from someone who daily drove an Elise for 9 years and 90k miles. The Evora practicality makes it usable in every situation short of going off-road.
 
#27 ·
I'm in a similar position as the original poster. I'm not able to drive my car to work, so relegated to being a fun evening/weekend car. To come home after work and tell my wife, who's been watching our child that I'm going out for a drive would be bad for my health... that and it would be fun to take the kid with me or have a sports car we could all enjoy together. If my wife wasn't so set on keeping the Elise we'd likely have moved to an Evora by now.
 
#28 ·
I'm in a similar situation, been contemplating replacing my Exige with a Rossion Q1, but came to the realization that an Evora will keep me in the Lotus family that I'm so proud to be in, I can get my wife to join me in this car because it's easier to get in and out of, and overall more comfortable than the Exige, plus the back seat in the Evora gives me the opportunity to take my little one with me (she loves driving with me, constantly telling me to drive "fast fast" >:) . I find the 1st gen Evora to look a little too vanilla for me, but the new 400 is pushing the right buttons for me. I also thought about keeping the Exige and adding the Evora to the garage, but it would be foolish for me to have both. Still undecided though, and the Exige will be here to stay for a little longer.
 
#29 ·
Own both. An Evora S and an Elise.

The Evora is the car for 300 mile days; the Elise is for the track.

I find the Evora more engaging in almost every way. But let's remember that both vehicles are way over at the far end of the spectrum on that point. The Evora is faster, brakes better, handles better (admit it: turn-in is crisper, particularly with the Pirelli Corsa's) and is much more comfortable on public roads. You can cruise at completely unreasonable velocities until the tank runs dry. The Evora is better built.

The Elise is, in some respects, more fun to toss around at it's limits. But, I need ear plugs and generally collect a bruise or two (right knee against the console) when I'm on the track. The sport suspension is harsh on public roads, and you can tell that there is at least 10 years of development advancement between the two chassis designs.

I find the Evora attracts less attention. In the Evora, I get "Nice car" and they usually walk away. The Elise always starts a conversation.
 
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