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Elise that looks like an Exige

12K views 106 replies 25 participants last post by  charliex  
#1 ·
does anyone have one, when I get my Elise I want to make it look like the Exige, not because I want people to think its an Exige, I just like the Black cover over the side coves, the mesh screens instead of the plastic vents, the front spliter, the black rear wing, the colored hard top, and the black wheels, I just want to make sure you can put all these on an Elise.:confused:
 
#3 ·
Why don't you just get an Exige? Is there some reason you want an Elise more than an Exige (other than looks?)

There are kits available to make this transformation - but it is likely to end up costing the same as an Exige anyway.
 
#4 ·
Aedo said:
Why don't you just get an Exige? Is there some reason you want an Elise more than an Exige (other than looks?)

There are kits available to make this transformation - but it is likely to end up costing the same as an Exige anyway.


no, you see I can only afford $32-33 grand tops for a toy, wont be able to find an exige for close to that, why how much is it for all those parts, not counting the wheels, I could have the stockers powder coated.
 
#5 ·
You can get an elise with the hardtop ($1400ish option). You can then add the mesh grills, the black side scoops, a front splitter (it will look different than the exige's though, maybe a good thing?). The rear wing won't look the same, but wings do exist, you will lose your rearward vision. You can powder coat the rear diffuser and the sport pack wheels to make it complete as possible.
 
#11 ·
Most upgrades are for performance as well as appearance and as such CF offers both. The limited size of the market means that there are not a lot of suppliers and therefore not a lot of choice aftermarket.

Where you could make some saMaybe you could get factory parts off someone who has upgraded to CF?

Both cars have the same perma-grin inducing factors! If you get an Elise now you can upgrade it over time - but if you want Exige looks now you would be better off waiting for an appropriately priced Exige (just IMHO)
 
#12 ·
every person gawking at you driving by in an elise will probably make you forget about wanting your car to look more like an exige. When i first bought the elise i too was afraid that i would just want to buy an exige later on.. but now im very happy with the elise, i mean its waaaay sexier than any other car you will see on the road anyways.
 
#14 ·
wantanelise said:
no, you see I can only afford $32-33 grand tops for a toy, wont be able to find an exige for close to that, why how much is it for all those parts, not counting the wheels, I could have the stockers powder coated.
Just wait.... :)
 
#17 ·
All the Elise really needs is the wing with cover & the splitter..


The scoop can be left out to be honest and at least that will tell people you are driving an Elise and not being a poser.
 
#19 ·
Please accept this in all charity.

Why don't you take all this effort, that you are using to make the Elise something it was never intended to be, and direct it towards earning a little more money? I can never fully understand the thinking of a person who modifies a lesser (in this case different) model to appear to be something that it is not. There was a term coined for these types, Rice Boy. Don't be a RiceBoy. People who go down that road are never truly satisfied and their car's reliability suffers in inverse proportion to that of their modification.

From a recovering Riceboy and fellow Lotus enthusiast.
- Inetd
 
#20 ·
Bavarian Motorist said:
All the Elise really needs is the wing with cover & the splitter..


The scoop can be left out to be honest and at least that will tell people you are driving an Elise and not being a poser.


to be honest I dont care what people think, and if I saw an Elise with Exige parts I definately wouldnt call the owner a poser. Its not that I just like the scoops, I kind of dislike the Elise vents, they look kind of chinsey to me.
 
#22 ·
inetd said:
Please accept this in all charity.

Why don't you take all this effort, that you are using to make the Elise something it was never intended to be, and direct it towards earning a little more money? I can never fully understand the thinking of a person who modifies a lesser (in this case different) model to appear to be something that it is not. There was a term coined for these types, Rice Boy. Don't be a RiceBoy. People who go down that road are never truly satisfied and their car's reliability suffers in inverse proportion to that of their modification.

From a recovering Riceboy and fellow Lotus enthusiast.
- Inetd
Some of you are overthinking this, the Elise was never intended to be modified? OK then why do they make the modifications? Its no big deal, some like the wing, some dont, I happen to like it and dislike the walmart vents so I change it to be like a car that is idenical.
 
#23 ·
I say do whatever the hell your desire tells you...it'll be your car that you paid for. Modify to your heart's content. I didn't even take delivery of my car until i had the Reverie scoops, carbon mirrors, things blacked out, all installed just the way I liked it. The whole rear Exige clam thing will make sense to people if they need the room later to do something like an intercooler or what not...but even I am intending to put a huge ass wing on my Elise soon to get some downforce (for the one day I am good enough on the track to even need it lol). Stick with performance modifications and it won't matter what you do to your car - chances are these things will also look very cool, which is what we all want: cool looking, and peformance driven.
 
#24 ·
wantanelise said:
to be honest I dont care what people think, and if I saw an Elise with Exige parts I definately wouldnt call the owner a poser.
because that would be the pot calling the kettle black...:rolleyes:

Buy the car you want and do not settle. What we're trying to say is that economically it doesn't make sense. I'm not calling you anything... only giving you good advice. Save up a little longer and buy the car of your dreams.


...don't be this guy...
 
#25 ·
wantanelise said:
Some of you are overthinking this, the Elise was never intended to be modified? OK then why do they make the modifications? Its no big deal, some like the wing, some dont, I happen to like it and dislike the walmart vents so I change it to be like a car that is idenical.
If you buy it, you own it. Whether an after market exists is not an endorsement for cut and paste engineering. Your confusing can you modify with should you modify. If you look at your typicall Honda with a body kit you might note that they rarely look as good as stock. (I struggled between using the word rarely and never)

Is your financial future this bleak, were talking about 10k?
 
#26 ·
KingOfJericho said:
ugh, thats terrible!

I think the point some people were trying to make is that using real Exige body parts (clam and whatnot) will push the price up nearly as much as a real Exige would. You can do the subtle changes (side scoop covers, front splitter, powdercoating pieces, etc) for relatively cheaper though just by going with aftermarket (non Lotus) parts.