[amazingjason]

I may be able to get a 2006 (I want the 2006 seats and pedals) Elise within the next couple years. I am having a hard time deciding if I should get one with the sports pack.

Reasons I don't want the sports pack:
*stiffer ride
*less forgiving at the limit, less prone to understeer, more prone to snap oversteer
*more expensive
*slightly lower, more likely to scrape on speed bumps and curbs
*short tire life, I would run less extreme tires
*I drive on the street, have never driven on a track

Reasons I think the sports pack might be a good idea:
*lighter, better looking wheels
*I like the idea of adding the Lotus Sport supercharger and the two oil coolers might be a little extra benefit for such a highly stressed engine. The summers are very hot here.

The decision to get the LSS might come down to whether the 2 oil coolers would be important to go with the supercharger.

Jason

 

[Chris Mackey]

Get the sport pack. The ride is just fine. Buy a set of base wheels and put some decent street tires on them for regular driving, and save the A048s for track time.

 

[cory1000]

I think if your time frame of getting the car is "within the next couple years" then you dont really need to worry about that right now...

 

[amazingjason]

So no one has any input as to whether the second oil cooler would be beneficial or important with the supercharger? Do all of the Elise SCs come with 2 oil coolers?

Jason

 

[Abe]

So no one has any input as to whether the second oil cooler would be beneficial or important with the supercharger? Do all of the Elise SCs come with 2 oil coolers?

Jason

If you're going to autocross or track your car more often than not then dual oil coolers will be necessary and having a supercharger has nothing to do with it. Hope this helps.



Abe

 

[gone2lotus]

If you're going to autocross or track your car more often than not then dual oil coolers will be necessary and having a supercharger has nothing to do with it. Hope this helps.



Abe

How easy is it to add a second oil cooler? Also, where can one get this second oil cooler (didn't see any on the usual vendor sites)?

 

[charliex]

the TSB 2005/05 Oil Cooler fitment change should tell you how and all the bits required, i believe its available at the lotus tech site.

 

[ads_green]

If you are going the diy route then it may be much easier to fit a water/oil cooler. It'll also be more effective on the street anyway and the fitting is *much* easier. The plumbing is there already (just blanked off) and Lotus offer a kit for this now from the 2009 motorsport brochure.

The supercharger (I think) is now offered for all elises's not just with the sport pack.

As for the oversteer/understeer - Yes it less prone to power on oversteer. The front will push wide. But I find this really isn't a major problem in any elise (even my 211 s/c is fine with power) as the rear grip is large compared to the available power. You could do it easily in the rain but thats possible regardless of the setup.
Lift off oversteer is the big nightmare with the elise (high COG, short wheel base, rear weight distribution) and I found the better suspension and tyres actually makes this much less likely to happen. I also found the LSS and 48's much better riding bumps in the road - the standard suspension can feel like it crashes a bit.

 

[buzzy]

the TSB 2005/05 Oil Cooler fitment change should tell you how and all the bits required, i believe its available at the lotus tech site.

I don't think that one is there - most of them are missing.