[dana]

I had the last drive Wednesday afternoon. After having begged for pics from perryeyges's thread, I screwed up and the batteries for my digicam were dead. D'oh...

But at least I had the handy dandy camera phone. The pics are lousy, but I can prove I was there! I drove it! And, it was fantastic!

They were doing the same drive route for everybody, up Franklin to Geary, down Presidio and then through the Presidio, and back. What really struck me about the car is how totally liveable it is. I've been preparing myself for so long now that this car will be a huge PITA to live with, but I'm really beginning to think that's not so true, and that it may very well be a viable daily driver.

The little shelf behind the seats nicely took my mini messenger bag, and the car was no problem to get into. Top was off, so I didn't get a feel for how difficult it's going to be with a roof. With the seat in proper position relative to the pedals, my short legs/long arms mean that I have more bend in the elbows than I would like. Something to get used to, I suppose.

The drive on that car is fantastic. I won't go on, because it's been said before -- I just know now that everything that everyone said is true. And what an attention getter! I felt like a rock star with people hanging out of their car windows hooting at us.

The demo is ardent red on black, with touring package. The pics came out kind of orangey, and there was quite a bit of glare.

Anyway, I'm #29, storm titanium on red, touring package, with a quoted estimated delivery date of March/April. Lots of time to practice my zen.

 

[dana]

How the F do I get the stupid image to attach?!!

 

[_JD_]

Click on Browse at the bottom, select the image and click "open". You won't see the image on a preview, so just post it anyway. There's a size limit, so just reduce it to max 800 pixels wide and it should work.

 

[shay2nak]

Anyway, I'm #29, storm titanium on red, touring package, with a quoted estimated delivery date of March/April.

Hi Dana

how many deposits are at your dealership? Is SF's dealership a small one that you have to wait that long to get #29? I ask because I'm #28 at a small & new dealer and i've been told December.

 

[shinoo]

What really struck me about the car is how totally liveable it is. I've been preparing myself for so long now that this car will be a huge PITA to live with, but I'm really beginning to think that's not so true, and that it may very well be a viable daily driver.

Amen, brother. I think most people will be suprised at how comfortable it is. Looks like the people who have driven the LSS cars are singing a similar tune...

With the seat in proper position relative to the pedals, my short legs/long arms mean that I have more bend in the elbows than I would like. Something to get used to, I suppose.

You may be able to place some washers at the front seat mounts to raise the front of the seat. This will effectively tilt the seat back a bit opening up your arms slightly. Might be worth investigating.

 

[rtking]

Shinoo wrote:
Amen, brother. I think most people will be suprised at how comfortable it is. Looks like the people who have driven the LSS cars are singing a similar tune...

One thing I noticed was that Car & Driver thought the LSS suspension was a bit jarring. (They drove the car on Michigan's roads and on the track at Beavrun.) But Road & Track (who drove the car on California roads) thought it was sporty and comfortable. I suspect that the regional roads in your area will make a difference in ride comfort. But even driving the S2 Elise that Newport European had (a few months back), I have to admit that the ride was amazingly comfortable.

Bob

 

[John Stimson]

One thing I noticed was that Car & Driver thought the LSS suspension was a bit jarring. (They drove the car on Michigan's roads and on the track at Beavrun.)

The Car & Driver staff has turned into a bunch of old farts. A few years ago they did a comparison between a BMW M3 and a Subaru STi 22B, and picked the M3 purely because of the ride quality...

 

[raggedy1]

Re: Re: Drove SF BMG's demo car

Amen, brother. I think most people will be suprised at how comfortable it is. Looks like the people who have driven the LSS cars are singing a similar tune...


not to rain on anybody's parade, but let's remember that there will be a "honeymoon" period with this car (as any other). Within this time frame we'll be very forgiving of the Elise's shortcomings. I refer to the car being used as a daily driver of course, and not a weekend warrior...

I can't imagine driving this car every day without getting overly frustrated at its lack of practicality (e.g. space).

We all have different needs so I'm only speaking for myself. If my Elise ever arrives it will be a weekend toy only...

 

[rtking]

Raggedy1 wrote:
We all have different needs so I'm only speaking for myself. If my Elise ever arrives it will be a weekend toy only...

Strangely enough, I have plans to put about 10,000 miles per year on my Elise! On my Mach 1 and Mustang SVO, I never had such aspirations (though after 7 months, my Mach 1 has 5,300 miles.) But I expect my Elise to be:

1) Stress relief (as needed) from PITA business problems/clients
2) Weekend stress relief on local twisties
3) Long Weekend escape vehicle to Sedona, Mammoth, etc.

Bob

 

[raggedy1]

Strangely enough, I have plans to put about 10,000 miles per year on my Elise! On my Mach 1 and Mustang SVO, I never had such aspirations (though after 7 months, my Mach 1 has 5,300 miles.) But I expect my Elise to be:

1) Stress relief (as needed) from PITA business problems/clients
2) Weekend stress relief on local twisties
3) Long Weekend escape vehicle to Sedona, Mammoth, etc.

Bob

so Bob,
it doesn't sound like you'll be using your elise for an everyday commute with coffee in hand, cellphone at the ready and briefcase on the passenger seat, eh?

oh, and let's not forget the golf clubs wedged in front of the passenger seat for the after-work-9-holes...

 

[hermanslotus]

Re: Re: Re: Drove SF BMG's demo car

[B I can't imagine driving this car every day without getting overly frustrated at its lack of practicality (e.g. space).




Raggedy, I agree with you in this area. It is a very small car with almost no storage space. No area to even put a cell phone. I guess you could put one in the cargo net and fill up the cargo net. I view this car as a toy and it will be my weekend fun car. Yes, one could drive it everyday, but that may get old in the area of practicality. We'll have to just wait and see how folks find living with this car.



Best Wishes,
Mitch

 

[Randy Chase]

One thing I noticed was that Car & Driver thought the LSS suspension was a bit jarring. (They drove the car on Michigan's roads and on the track at Beavrun.) But Road & Track (who drove the car on California roads) thought it was sporty and comfortable. I suspect that the regional roads in your area will make a difference in ride comfort.

Coincidently, I picked up a bunch of relatives last night at our airport. They are all from Detroit. Heard on the way back:

"wow.. your roads are sooo much smoother than our's!"

Keep in mind.... this is the same family that years earlier, I had picked up a niece at the airport. Driving back to my home along interstate 8, the niece points at the homes overlooking Mission Valley and says "That must be where those people live."

Keep in mind, the canyons are maybe 200 feet high and we are just above sea level.

I said "What people?"

"The people that use those special directions when you bake a cake, the high altitude people."

sigh....

 

[raggedy1]

I said "What people?"

"The people that use those special directions when you bake a cake, the high altitude people."

sigh.... [/B]

rotfl rotfl

 

[Jasonv44]

Hey Randy, you from Detroit?

 

[rtking]

Raggedy1 wrote:
so Bob,
it doesn't sound like you'll be using your elise for an everyday commute with coffee in hand, cellphone at the ready and briefcase on the passenger seat, eh?

Yeah... you're probably right, Raggedy1. I won't use it everyday to commute to work. But I might use it on Fridays to hasten my escape from work!

Bob

 

[Randy Chase]

Hey Randy, you from Detroit?

Nope. The wife's family is from there.

I am from farther way.

 

[smoseley]

Re: Re: Drove SF BMG's demo car

Amen, brother. I think most people will be suprised at how comfortable it is.

I found the opposite. My initial impression (from my euro test drive) was that the car was livable. After getting in / out with the top on, though, I changed my tune. I now find myself wavering on the hardtop.

 

[smoseley]

Hey Randy, you from Detroit?

I'm from Detroit originally. I also have a lot of relatives there.

 

[Jasonv44]

So am I, but am in LA now. Looks like both of us got away from the Winters....LOL, they were terrible!

...and the roads are REALLY crappy! The Elise would probably fall into any one of the thousands of lake sized pot holes!

 

[dana]

Well, sorry to have posted and run... about an hour after I originally started this thread I had to leave for the airport to go surfing in Puerto Rico for a few days and then diving in Dominica for the rest of the week. Now I'm back to catch up on my Elise mania.

The pics aren't too big, so I don't know what the deal is with why they won't show. Oh well. They suck anyway, but I stuck a few up on the web: http://www.netwiz.net/~danale/elise/

But, I'll still assert that I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of stuff I could fit in the car... my purse thing (I'm still learning how to be a bona fide girl) went quite neatly on the shelf behind the seat, holding all my stuff securely and conveniently. Maybe you fellows need to start using man purses (heh) -- having disparately carried objects would get troublesome to try to manage the storage. Otherwise, all I usually carry on workdays is a small gym bag, my laptop bag, and any groceries/sundry items I may pick up on the way home. No problem for the Elise!

To address someone else's question, I think SF's list is pretty small. The manager there told me they expect TWO cars for this quarter, then another TWO cars by the end of the year (!!) and then after that they will start getting larger allocations in the neighborhood of 6-8 cars/month.

So meanwhile, I'll wait patiently and try not to go insane...