[SKYVUE]

I don't enjoy driving my Elise anymore. At least on most public streets.
Driving on the freeways, city driving, driving to work and back...seems like a waste of a beautiful machine. A machine designed for superb handling on the track, back roads with no traffic, no stoplights and canyon driving. This is the only "public streets" I like.

Crowded city streets and freeways crammed with poor drivers, SUV's and jacked up pick-up trucks, parking lot horrors.... curtailed my Lotus driving to weekend pleasure. It seems like that the track driving is the best. I call this QUALITY DRIVING. Unfortunately, I have to drive the freeways to get to the track.

My Elise sits in the driveway covered from the elements. Once or twice a week, I cover the Elise for short canyon drives or four times a year I do the track (HPDE). Is it a waste for a large investment? I don't think so.

The Quality Driving gives me a tremendous amount of enjoyment, even though it is a small amount of seat time. But the small amount of driving gives the most amount of pleasure and the smiles.:shift:

The frustrations of city street/freeway Lotus driving is in the past.
I appreciate the daily Lotus drivers out there. That can give a different enjoyment for those. But that's not for me. I wait until the time is right, and I treasure every moment of it!

-Hal

 

[Mr. Oz]

I agree. It got to the point that I did not drive my Elise on public streets, so I got rid of it and bought a 2-Eleven.:clap:

 

[Spudboy]

I'm the same way, which is why my car is four years old and has less than 9,000 miles on it. I drive on the regular roads only to get to the GOOD roads!

 

[biscoradio]

I enjoy it on the streets, on the track, at the autocross, whatever... I don't find it frustrating to drive around town. Sure, it's not pushing the car to its limits, but there are always little sweepers to take here and there that make it enjoyable. The slight adrenaline rush I get as I fall into the car and hit the start button is enough for me.

 

[LARRY]

I love driving my Lotus around town.

I can talk to any driver of any other sports car...the Lotus is a great calling card.

Everyone smiles and takes pictures.

What other car gets that sort of response?

 

[mrcarcrazy]

I enjoy it on the streets, on the track, at the autocross, whatever... I don't find it frustrating to drive around town. Sure, it's not pushing the car to its limits, but there are always little sweepers to take here and there that make it enjoyable. The slight adrenaline rush I get as I fall into the car and hit the start button is enough for me.

+1. I worry about it when I park it @ work. so mine has almost become exclusively a weekend car. which sucks! I love the car to death. but I refuse to park it with a bunch of morons' cars/trucks.

Out here in West Texas 95% of roads are straight. this leads to a boring drive in anything. but the experience is approximately 300% less boring in the Elise.

Lately its been 100 degrees....the Elise is not fun in 100 degree weather. its like a damn sauna. the A/c cant keep up @ any heats greater than 90...I'm searching for a place to get my windows tinted, but it appears I can't get my windshield tinted in Texas (again what a downer). we have the gastly inspection/registration stickers affixed to our windshields...and the only way around that issue is to cutout a rectangle for the stickers. (not certain how that'd look.).

I wondered if there was a way to retrofit the blower out of a ford into the Lotus, as those things create tornado strength winds. but I haven't looked into that a whole lot.

well my post is now too long. so rant off.

 

[biscoradio]

Yep, twice in the last month I've played with random Ferrarris on the highway in the lotus (the only 2 ferrarris I've seen on the highway around here in the last month) - both getting thumbs up and smiles from the other drivers.

I'm not an attention whore, but I do like the mild attention my elise gets. It's a fun little car and it seems to elicit a fun response in most people that see it. Who am I to deny others the pleasure of seeing my elise?

 

[agirls]

I don't want this to sound wrong, but age may also play a factor. The Lotus lacks comfort. I daily drive mine and love it to death. But I can't help but notice every time I take my truck somewhere, the ride is quieter, smoother, I don't notice bumps, and I don't have to dodge everything I see on the road. And I agree about the ac. When it is blazing hot, I take what has the best ac, which happens to be my Ford truck! Although I have taken the Lotus to Palm Springs in the dead of summer. The car is bearable, but certainly not pleasant, lol.

 

[CosmosMpower]

I agree, the Elise is a terrible street car. No torque, can't use the handling capability on public roads safely, too fragile to park anywhere, too much attention, a/c is marginal, marginal MPG if you drive it hard.

 

[kertong]

I bought my lotus to drive it, and I enjoy the superb road feel, sensation of speed, and razor response. Even if I'm not pushing it to its limits and just coasting down a street at 30mph, I love the feel. I drive it every chance I get. Putting it away in a garage during the weekdays is akin to having condom-less sex only on weekends. Why deprive yourself?

 

[LARRY]

Yep, twice in the last month I've played with random Ferrarris on the highway in the lotus (the only 2 ferrarris I've seen on the highway around here in the last month) - both getting thumbs up and smiles from the other drivers.

I'm not an attention whore, but I do like the mild attention my elise gets. It's a fun little car and it seems to elicit a fun response in most people that see it. Who am I to deny others the pleasure of seeing my elise?

The Lotus is a great car.

Drive it as often as you like!

 

[Gizmo3000]

same here.
I'd rather leave the car cooped up in the garage than being cooped up in bumper to bumper traffic in it, unable to hit the 2nd cam safely.
I haven't driven mine much either, but still love owning such a fun car.

 

[dasmoofler]

It's a no brainer for me. Either the Elise :nanner: or my Dodge van .

 

[MikeinAlexandria]

I am loving my car. Took it to brunch in Bethesda on Sunday, gorgeous drive, easy garage parking (tucked into a corner where nothing could reach it, and free) and great food at a new place in town.

I drive my car around for errands, to Clydes in West Alexandria, and to places like Annapolis. Have not been to the Eastern Shore or the Outer Banks yet, but I'd like to make it out there as well, and also to West VA and Western MD. (Some great roads once you get away from DC and into the mountains)

To each his own, drive your car if you want to, and don't if you really just want to track it. Elises are so inexpensive compared to similar cars that having one as a dedicated track vehicle does not seem unreasonable to me. If I had an extra garage space, I could easily have two Lotus, one for the street and one for the track.

The attention gets confusing sometimes and a bit disconcerting. Questions like "What do they want for one?" Who? "Where is it made" Uh, England!

My fav, is the person who recongnizes the brand and fondly stares off into space reminicing of the Europa they once owned. I have met a number of people, mainly Europeans like that.

Anyway, drive if you like! I will continue to drive mine on the streets, and trust me, there are streets near DC that are quite fun!

 

[SKYVUE]

Putting it away in a garage during the weekdays is akin to having condom-less sex only on weekends. Why deprive yourself?

Yeah, but the anticipation of the weekend is half of the fun!rotfl

 

[djo715]

I don't enjoy driving my Elise anymore. At least on most public streets.
Driving on the freeways, city driving, driving to work and back...seems like a waste of a beautiful machine. A machine designed for superb handling on the track, back roads with no traffic, no stoplights and canyon driving. This is the only "public streets" I like.

Crowded city streets and freeways crammed with poor drivers, SUV's and jacked up pick-up trucks, parking lot horrors.... curtailed my Lotus driving to weekend pleasure. It seems like that the track driving is the best. I call this QUALITY DRIVING. Unfortunately, I have to drive the freeways to get to the track.

My Elise sits in the driveway covered from the elements. Once or twice a week, I cover the Elise for short canyon drives or four times a year I do the track (HPDE). Is it a waste for a large investment? I don't think so.

The Quality Driving gives me a tremendous amount of enjoyment, even though it is a small amount of seat time. But the small amount of driving gives the most amount of pleasure and the smiles.:shift:

The frustrations of city street/freeway Lotus driving is in the past.
I appreciate the daily Lotus drivers out there. That can give a different enjoyment for those. But that's not for me. I wait until the time is right, and I treasure every moment of it!

-Hal

I absolutely agree with you. My wife's car was in the shop the last 2 days, and I had to commute in the Lotus. Ugh. I think the best way to sum it up - is if there's traffic in front of you - it's no fun driving the Lotus.

My wife got her car back yesterday, so I'm back to the BMW. Much less stressful.


Cheers,
-Darryl

 

[agirls]

traffic sucks no matter what you are driving.

 

[CosmosMpower]

traffic sucks no matter what you are driving.

What if you're a taxi cab driver? Cha ching!

 

[PECivil]

I enjoy it on the streets, on the track, at the autocross, whatever... I don't find it frustrating to drive around town. Sure, it's not pushing the car to its limits, but there are always little sweepers to take here and there that make it enjoyable. The slight adrenaline rush I get as I fall into the car and hit the start button is enough for me.

+2

I am also enjoying going back and forth between the lotus and m3. The M3 is still fun, but soo much more comfortable, more motor, cold ac. I love my m3 and I think its the perfect car when I DD it...

then I get in the lotus and realize all the things that make the m3 so great are the direct opposite of the things that makes the lotus so great.

I think the experience of each car enhances the experience of the other

I have attained Automotive Nirvana!

 

[LordZ]

I agree. It got to the point that I did not drive my Elise on public streets, so I got rid of it and bought a 2-Eleven.:clap:

I'm almost to that point Mr. Oz... If someone would just come out with a 211 body kit for my exige I'd buy it in heartbeat. As little as I drive mine on the street, I would still like to drive to the lotus meets and the close track events without having to get my trailer out.