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Prepping for elise ownership

3K views 23 replies 18 participants last post by  m100 Sean 
#1 ·
Be prepared to answer the following numerous times:

What is it?

Who Makes it?

How fast does it go?

How much does it cost?

Chris

BTW> I've found easiest way to get out with top up or down is to use the right side passenger seat bolster to help lift yourself, ie, right hand on right side bolster where the fabric is. The fabric on the bolsters was an exc. idea, as that area takes a beating, leather color wouldn't hold up well at all.
 
#3 ·
mlk_f1 said:
And........

How many cylinder does the engine has?

What's the HP on this thing?

What is the top speed?
A few years ago I got pulled over in my Esprit while doing well over 100mph. The cop was grinning from ear to ear. She had to do 140 to catch me, and I stopped at 2 red lights. :D She was in a Caprice with the vette motor and asked what I had. Pretty funny telling her I had a little four banger.
 
#4 ·
JeffersonRaley said:
A few years ago I got pulled over in my Esprit while doing well over 100mph. The cop was grinning from ear to ear. She had to do 140 to catch me, and I stopped at 2 red lights. :D She was in a Caprice with the vette motor and asked what I had. Pretty funny telling her I had a little four banger.
That sounds like the intro to porn with a plot rotfl
 
#6 ·
zvezdah1 said:
Be prepared to answer the following numerous times:

What is it?

Who Makes it?

How fast does it go?

How much does it cost?

Chris
I was thinking of actually printing out some business cards with info on the Elise that I would suction cup to my window for when I wasn't there, and have to hand out for people who asked. I'd give the basic information, and a couple websites to find out more. So, I guess this is what I should make sure is on that card.
 
#9 ·
zvezdah1 said:
Craigy,
I"m skinny, balding, middle-aged have bad knees and woefully out of shape and still manage entry/egress with or without the top:D

Chris
Sure you can get *in* the car... but how fast does it go with you driving?

Actually, you'd better not answer that as you'd probably cane me round any given track anyway.

Craigy
 
#10 ·
Craigy said:
I thought this thread was all gonna be about learning to drive a midengined car quickly and smoothly, and all about losing weight and getting fit.

So disappointed.

Craigy (thinking of starting elisaholics anonymous)
For me, it's about moving, buying a car cover for my other car since it's getting booted out of the garage, buying a Valentine One, shopping for car loans, telling my dad he'll need to be able to fit into 13.5" wide seats if he wants to drive my car, practice smiling more so that an Elise-induced perma-grin won't cause sore facial muscles, planning my 600-mi. break-in route...
 
#11 ·
I can guarantee the common questions here:

1. How fast does it go (meaning top end).

2. What does it do in the 1/4mile?

3. What kind of mods do you have?

Been there, done that.
 
#12 ·
I was thinking about trying for a personalized plate to answer all questions....




"IT CAN"
 
#13 ·
I've had my elise almost 7 years now and I still get those little moments that brighten up my day.

Yesterday I was driving back from the UK to Switzerland across france. I guess my average speed was about 100mph with peaks at about 140mph.
I had just stopped at a peage (toll booth) and had got out of the car as you cannot reach the payment window from inside a right hand drive elise with a payment window designed for left hand drive trucks, when I heard someone shouting. I glanced round and in the next lane were 3 girls all waving and grinning at me from their car, the one in the front seat then shouted "You have a beautiful car" to which I replied "Thank you" Though I wanted to say "Thank you and you have beautiful breasts" she then said "you just overtake us - how fast?" I told her and they went on their way, leaving me with a nice grin and a memory of a sexy french accent.

Anyone who has seen my car will know it is not beautiful as it is scratched and has cracks in the bodywork and is usually filthy, though I suspect the girls could not see this as I passed them.
 
#15 ·
i have been through all that so many times.... with an lancia, p1800, Elan, and TVR.. at least most people had heard of lotus, when i would explain its a TVR and get that blank look and they they ask again "yeah.. but who makes it?" i would say "a couple dozen guys in a wharehouse in england"
 
#16 ·
Bill Swizz said:
I've had my elise almost 7 years now and I still get those little moments that brighten up my day.

Yesterday I was driving back from the UK to Switzerland across france. I guess my average speed was about 100mph with peaks at about 140mph.
I had just stopped at a peage (toll booth) and had got out of the car as you cannot reach the payment window from inside a right hand drive elise with a payment window designed for left hand drive trucks, when I heard someone shouting. I glanced round and in the next lane were 3 girls all waving and grinning at me from their car, the one in the front seat then shouted "You have a beautiful car" to which I replied "Thank you" Though I wanted to say "Thank you and you have beautiful breasts" she then said "you just overtake us - how fast?" I told her and they went on their way, leaving me with a nice grin and a memory of a sexy french accent.

Anyone who has seen my car will know it is not beautiful as it is scratched and has cracks in the bodywork and is usually filthy, though I suspect the girls could not see this as I passed them.
You had me at "yesterday I was driving back from the UK to Switzerland across France". Jealous!! :bow:

My version, once I get my Elise.

I was driving down the 101 Freeway and got off to stop at MacDonalds for a bite to eat. Three homies pulled up with the radio blasting so loud that I could barely hear myself think. One shouted "Yo, dude, nice ride". Though I wanted to say "Thank you and please don't shoot me" I just replied "What?". They went on their way leaving me with a bewildered look on my face and a memory of a not-so-sexy valley accent.
 
#17 ·
For some reason, I can see a repeat of what used to happen when my Dad got the first Pantera. We used to get stopped by the police, just so they could see the car. After this happened a couple times, we told the officer that this had happened a couple times already. Why not just get on the radio and call all his buddies that would like to see the car, at least today we don't have much to do. So he did, and we waited and talked to officers for about an hour. At least they didn't pull us over after that;)

Barry
 
#19 ·
jml1952 said:
You had me at "yesterday I was driving back from the UK to Switzerland across France". Jealous!! :bow:

My version, once I get my Elise.

I was driving down the 101 Freeway and got off to stop at MacDonalds for a bite to eat. Three homies pulled up with the radio blasting so loud that I could barely hear myself think. One shouted "Yo, dude, nice ride". Though I wanted to say "Thank you and please don't shoot me" I just replied "What?". They went on their way leaving me with a bewildered look on my face and a memory of a not-so-sexy valley accent.
Erm... my ex of 5 years is French. It's not so sexy after a while...

Craigy
 
#21 ·
When I had my 3.2 NSX I got those questions on a fairly regular basis - although I'm sure the Elise will be worse (better?). When I told people it had a V-6 you could see the letdown in their eyes. I wanted to yell "but it is more or less the equal of a Ferrari 355" but it wouldn't have mattered - it was "just" a V-6. I am expecting to see major disappointment when I tell people the Elise has a four. Of course, if they are in a Camry I can at least point out that it is a Toyota engine :D .
There are a lot of people out there who can count to 8 or 10 cylinders but have no concept of power-to-weight ratios.
I am going to bravely try to enjoy the car anyway...........

Richard Fogg
 
#24 ·
Yup, got used to the questions when driving my M100 Elan. #1 question was "what is that?" (Lotus Elan), followed by "who makes it?" (um, Lotus...) and, inevitibly, "who makes Lotus?".

I will gladly take all the dumb questions with a smile on my face if my car just shows up in the next few days!!!

Best question I got after the usual "what is it, who makes it?" was "Is it a concept car? When do they go on sale to the public?" I told the guy it was 10 years old and that you can buy one for around $20K. He got this very unhappy look on his face and said, "Man... I just got on a 6 month waiting list for a Porsche Boxster... and I like your car much better!" I was like, "Well, get one!"

Then the light turned green...
 
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