[Mr Ohnoez]

Im litterally just going bonkers every night searching car reviews looking at pictures of this car

I still hear of little problems some rattles and such
Im hoping to find a British racing green 06 Lotus elise with sport package
but honestly color doesnt matter to be just the sport package (who needs electric windows anyways or a hardtop roof) =P

I've been on these forums before reading some threads
Right now I drive a 2012 GTI its fun but just not the car I want for a while....its practical but I honestly just dont need practicality right now all I carry is a backpack and a extra pair of shoes
are there any other quirks to the 06 Lotus I should know about...?
rattles I hear the AC is good in some bad in others living is florida hopefully I get a good one. I dont talk on a cellphone on my car so thats not a problem
cabin noise may be a issue but Ill but ear plugs I know about the oil cooling recall Im not sure how to go bout checking if the car has had it fixed or how to get it fixed I only know of 1 decently close lotus dealership near me and its still 45 minutes away next is over an hour and a half away

how do you guys like your lotus
mine would be a most likely primary car unless I wait and pay off the GTI and keep the lotus as a secondary

 

[jefrac]

Go find one to drive.... You will then be cured of the obsession, or more likely, even more obsessed.

The touring package cars are much more common in the US. The difference is really not that much. Most people that track the cars mod them beyond the point of touring pack anyway and the electric windows supposedly add no weight.

I did not care about the hard top, but found a car with one. Now, it is pretty much all I use. Hard top for track and top off for nice days.

A lot of your questions/search criteria depend on how you plan to use the car so you might share that. Nice weather second car? DD? Track tool? It's a very fun car all around.

 

[Tcab]

I live in South Texas and my 06 Elise AC is non existent over 95 degrees, which is all the time here lol... But really it doesn't matter because the driving experience is worth it

 

[jefrac]

I live in South Texas and my 06 Elise AC is non existent over 95 degrees, which is all the time here lol... But really it doesn't matter because the driving experience is worth it

Tcab, have you done the A/C improvements on Sir Lotus's thread? It really does help. Just insulating the distribution pipe that goes from the evap to the cab was a huge help. It is all pretty easy stuff. My ac was "meh" and now it is at least adequate for Texas.

 

[Scott Bowman]

Here is a picture of my 2006 BRG Elise when I picked it up at the dealer in Austin. I specifically didn't want the leather, extra carpeting, etc. of the touring package, so it was ordered with LSS, limited slip and a hardtop only.

I wouldn't want it as a sole daily driver mainly because of the risk of bumper (or lack thereof) damage while parking and the fact that it is hard for others to see in traffic. Most vehicles in my area are big pickup trucks and SUVs.

 

[rnr]

There are a few hundred daily driver threads out there so you should read them. TL;DR on them is that you can do it if you really want to and never have to parallel park.

I personally have 75k miles on my 06(bought new) as daily driver and used it as an occasional track car before I got the Seven. My wife had a Mk V GTI for a few years and and while it is a fine (and reasonably fast) car it is no Elise.

PS: The base Elise is far beyond the capabilities of 99.9% of drivers and is much more comfortable on city streets than the sport pack. I will recommend an LSD if you plan on doing any autocrossing at all.

 

[derrek1280]

Yeah, driving one will only make the obsession worse. But it is totally worth it. These cars are unlike anything you've ever driven, and even with the touring package, most would never consider them comfortable or luxurious. With that said, I have taken mine on a couple trips and it's not all that bad, as long as you've accepted what you got

Just another little tip... odds are highly against it, but I ended up buying a 2006 Exige (only year they came N/A). They cost slightly more than the Elise, but not terribly much so. I like the styling better, but they are meant to be enclosed-top vehicles. There were only 271 or so imported to the US in 2006, so odds of finding one is low, but I was looking for a 2006 Elise and ended up running across an Exige for a good price, and here I am now!

 

[LotusCC]

Überpost has lots O information.

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f115/uberpost-read-here-there-information-uberthread-25131/


Sent from AutoGuide.com App

 

[Tcab]

Tcab, have you done the A/C improvements on Sir Lotus's thread? It really does help. Just insulating the distribution pipe that goes from the evap to the cab was a huge help. It is all pretty easy stuff. My ac was "meh" and now it is at least adequate for Texas.

I will look into it! The only issue I have is finding enough time to actually do the work, had to do the bungee cord turn signal fix last week but thankfully that wasn't much of a hassle... I will definitely look into it though

 

[kiteswim]

I just lost mine in an accident - 2006 Bordeaux red, touring pack. A sad story. Loved it!

 

[sturgeongeneral]

I drove one and was consumed until I had my own. I drove all over the state looking for the right one. I finally bought one 3000 miles away. Keep looking and find the right one.

 

[GR82DRV]

PS: The base Elise is far beyond the capabilities of 99.9% of drivers and is much more comfortable on city streets than the sport pack. I will recommend an LSD if you plan on doing any autocrossing at all.

I own a sport pack Elise and I don't much agree. It seems the OP already understands that any Elise is far from a luxury ride in the first place. The differences between the sport and touring versions on the street are really pretty subtle.

I like the even more spartan interior look of the sport, especially the simplicity of those beautiful billet aluminum manual window cranks. I'm 6'2" tall and I can reach the passenger window crank while driving!

Many people also like the comfort and durability of the sport fabric seats, although I just removed and stored mine in favor of Composite Worx CF.

 

[Prolene]

Sports Pack and Touring Pack are two separate options which can be had simultaneously. I do like the looks of the cranks and was considering not having the Tour Pack for any added lightness, but the Elise came with both options.

 

[derrek1280]

Sports Pack and Touring Pack are two separate options which can be had simultaneously. I do like the looks of the cranks and was considering not having the Tour Pack for any added lightness, but the Elise came with both options.

Don't quote me, but if I remember correctly, the touring package only adds about 30 lbs. For me, it's worth it.

 

[darkSol]

Touring package is 12 lbs.
Sports package saves 20 lbs.

 

[Prolene]

Yeah, extra lbs of Touring package was not a deal breaker, plus I liked the looks of the Touring interior on that Elise.

 

[Racer Smurf]

Saw this thread and had to reply...I am in the same boat! I saw my first Elise years ago and was smitten...got my local high-falutin' non-Lotus dealer to let me test one they had just gotten on a trade-in...obsessed ever since. I drove an Evora at a dealer event before they went on sale and loved that too, but I am still bent on having an Elise. My DD is a 2011 GTI, too! Got that paid off and I am thinking the Elise is near...just need to decide on a color and have a place to put it...

 

[rnr]

The differences between the sport and touring versions on the street are really pretty subtle.

Have you driven both? I have driven a sport pack car back to back with my base suspension car and felt it was significantly more jarring over potholes etc in the city. Didn't notice much of a difference on the highway though. Not saying people shouldnt' get a sport pack car - just saying that it might not be necessary to get the full Elise experience and may even detract from it.

I like the even more spartan interior look of the sport, especially the simplicity of those beautiful billet aluminum manual window cranks. I'm 6'2" tall and I can reach the passenger window crank while driving!

The window cranks and cloth seats are from the lack of touring pack and have nothing to do with the sport pack. In 06 cars the sport pack only affects the suspension, wheels and 2nd oil cooler.

 

[ZeRoSL]

Mine has both, and it definitely is pretty harsh on rough roads, but I try to avoid them anyway. I also do not DD my car (but do end up putting 8-9k miles a year)

all in all no complaints, but I don't think I could daily drive this car especially with the winter seasons here in NY

 

[Prolene]

The Sport pack is very jarring on chip seal or other road imperfections, IMO. If one does not plan to track the Elise, then the basic suspension probably will be a better experience. Also the wheels and shocks are upgradable if one so wishes for the basic anyway.