# does anyone have a nice word to say about Lotus Elise?



## tt9060 (Mar 10, 2004)

*elise MKII*​
Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious - NO519.23%track day madness - YES2180.77%


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## tt9060 (Mar 10, 2004)

mark II elise. had a drive in my friends neighbours and i kinda liked it. seat of your pants stuff, no lux extras but i guess thats not the point?

more of a2nd car i'd say. tempted :wink:


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

Plenty of nice words from me.  
And no trouble at all so far (I expect it'll fall to bits now...)


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## tt9060 (Mar 10, 2004)

K-series or proper Jap motor inside? 
seems a lot of issue with the cylinder head gasket failing on Rover K series,no diff with the elise i guess?


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

Yep, newer Toyota engine in mine.
K-series does have a reputation for head-gasket failure, but then I gather it's not actually a major expense to have fixed.


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## TTwiggy (Jul 20, 2004)

For me, it's the best car I've owned. But I only drive for pleasure, not necessity, so the raw 'race car' feel is fine. Having said that, they are quite practical, and an S2 is perfectly feasible as an every day motor.


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

Don't have a view but do have a story,

A couple of weekends ago when it was sunny, i came upon a Chrysler Crossfire and an S2 Elise (nice looking yellow with black wheels) that seemed to be having a play i sat behind them both as we waited to get on a local dual carriageway. Anyhow and off we go, we get up to about 80, neither of them giving each other an inch, so i decide to back off as its getting silly now. They are now say 400yds ahead of me and approaching a roundabout, the Lotus veers off as if to go left to an Asda supermarket and the Crossfire go's straight on. The next thing i see is the Lotus airborne and so vertical that i can see the engine slats, i guess he was trying to overtake the Crossfire around the outside  and somehow lost it hit a kerb and got airborne.

I pulled onto the grass verge on the other side of the roundabout as did a lady behind me, The car is trashed wheels hanging off, fibreglass everywhere, So i got out and i can see the guy with his head on the steering wheel motionless, Oh Sh1t i think this isn't good, he then moves and gets out of the whilst still on the phone the AA i think !!

Anyhow my point is i was amazed that given the nature of the crash just how well the monocoque/drivers cell has stayed together enabling the driver to escape unhurt


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## E (May 7, 2002)

My brother brought an early Elise for track days, went on his 1st track to Donnington a few weeks ago and loved it. The bug started with us going on an Exige experience at Silverstone, he opted for an Elise as it was cheaper and he can spend the rest of the money on track days, tyres etc.

Just found out from him there's a Dyno day organised through the Lotus club in Lakeside this Saturday, not sure where, which I thought i'd go along to have a look with him.

E


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## TTwiggy (Jul 20, 2004)

BAMTT said:


> Don't have a view but do have a story,
> 
> A couple of weekends ago when it was sunny, i came upon a Chrysler Crossfire and an S2 Elise (nice looking yellow with black wheels) that seemed to be having a play i sat behind them both as we waited to get on a local dual carriageway. Anyhow and off we go, we get up to about 80, neither of them giving each other an inch, so i decide to back off as its getting silly now. They are now say 400yds ahead of me and approaching a roundabout, the Lotus veers off as if to go left to an Asda supermarket and the Crossfire go's straight on. The next thing i see is the Lotus airborne and so vertical that i can see the engine slats, i guess he was trying to overtake the Crossfire around the outside  and somehow lost it hit a kerb and got airborne.
> 
> ...


they are incredibly strong - in a crash they behave much like an F1 car, everything flys off it spectacularly, but the bit you sit in is hard as nails...

having said that, the guy in the Lotus should have done what I usually do and just outbrake the other car as it slowed for the roundabout - what we lack in straight line speed we make up for in braking and cornering...


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

TTwiggy said:


> what we lack in straight line speed we make up for in braking and cornering...


Nope its all about powering out :wink:


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## tt9060 (Mar 10, 2004)

at long last i picked the replacement for this










sold the TT back in Sept, sat out a long winter saving pennies and got me this ->



Picked this up yesterday.....Lotus 111R elise 2005 with proper toyota engine not the ropey Rover K-Series lump. 190 bhp, 6 spd close ratio box, only 860 kg (+me). oh yes !

not done a single thing to it yet, delaer prept - not TOO bad.a few very quick pics will get some proper ones when the weather is better.














































:thumb:


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

NIce car congratulations,



TTwiggy said:


> BAMTT said:
> 
> 
> > Don't have a view but do have a story,
> ...


But did you check the history :wink:


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

mmm, nice.


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## skiwhiz (Feb 17, 2008)

always liked them and when I test drove one realised it was not an everyday car but if you can aford it a good fun car probably more for the track, ttr for me for a rag top


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## Mark Davies (Apr 10, 2007)

Can you possibly get more car for your money, pound for pound? I expect not.

I hired one for three days as a try-out before I finally settled on the TT. It was the only other car at the time that I thought I might prefer to spend my money on. The TT won out simply because of the practicality of that huge boot. If I'd been able to persuade the wife to sell her little Ford Ka and get something bigger with a decent boot for my dive gear then I may have gone for the Lotus, but she wouldn't budge.

These days I'm happy with the decision I made as the TT turned out to be a great car, but I still fancy an Elise. Now, 5 years later, I'm still trying to persuade the wife to sell that bloody Ka but to have the Lotus instead!


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## DPG (Dec 7, 2005)

Now that is a nice car. I'd love to have one as a second / summer car

Am i correct in thinking only the R came with the Toyota engine and the other variants came with the Rover engine??


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

I'm seriously tempted to jump ship (again).

I love the Lotus and can't imagine the cost is any more than a well sorted TT.

What's the owners club like? :roll:


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## tt9060 (Mar 10, 2004)

the R has the toyota lump, 6 speed close ratio box, servo/ABS too IIRC.

no K-Series action here.


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## sniper-sam (Jan 23, 2007)

Big thumbs up here for the Elise, second car for me, and as we all love pics heres mine
In case there is any confusion, i changed the plates, put the cherished one on so it is the same car :lol:


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## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

Cracking car.


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## bristewart (Jul 31, 2006)

I've always loved Elises. Had an yellow S1 as my daily driver for over 4 years before my TT. Hardcore!
The S2s are lovely looking cars, and the engine is rock solid.

But the problem with them is you really have to thrash the hell out of that Toyota lump to get any decent speed out of the car.
The second cam kicks in around 6250rpm on a standard car, which is way too high for me.
Even when you get a Hangar111 remap to enable it to kick in lower at 5750rpm its still way too high.

No way could I live with one and enjoy driving quickly in it.
To drive quick in a 111R, everyone thinks you're trying to race them as the engine note screams around A roads! It's like driving a Honda Civic Type-R.

The supercharged Elise is miles better, the power comes in a lot earlier. My bro's got an Exige S and it's much more fun and easier to drive fast than the normally aspirated Exige he had before.


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## sniper-sam (Jan 23, 2007)

I agree with you about the 111R. I very rarely hit second cam, even on track, as the engine is screaming at that stage. I know it ain't doing any real harm just don't see the point, far too high up he rev range. 4000 would be good :lol:
I must add though that I love this car, and choose to have the Toyota engine as feel it is alot more reliable than the K.


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## chips2 (Jan 9, 2008)

sniper-sam said:


> I agree with you about the 111R. I very rarely hit second cam, even on track, as the engine is screaming at that stage. I know it ain't doing any real harm just don't see the point, far too high up he rev range. 4000 would be good :lol:
> .


Rarely hit 2nd cam on track?? Do you drive round doing 50mph? 

Owned my lotus for over 2 years, and never doubted this choice. Few compromises on luxeries bits and comfort, but the positives outweighs them. Not the most powerful car on the road/straights, but pure pleasure on track  Done >35 track days in mine (mostly on 2nd cam ) and the car has not skipped a beat (except for one semi-seized caliper). Even bought a spare new engine so I will have more years of enjoyment ahead.

Rgds
Tom


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## sniper-sam (Jan 23, 2007)

I should have said the track I use only has one straight and rather than let the engine screem I just change gear. I don't claim to be a track god, I go for enjoyment and my number one goal each day is to drive the car home again.
So if that means doing 50 then so be it.


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## tt9060 (Mar 10, 2004)

Finally got TTime for a little update
First important modification to the motor completed over the weekend.....the Supagard and dealer stickers had to go.


























sorry Murray Motor Co. 



















Supagard, not sorry about that one :shock:

Joking aside, I got the car up off the wheels and started the hyper cleaning schedule i have planned. The arches cleaned & dressed, inner and outer wheels cleaned & sealed and the brake disks/calipers painted. click here http://www.********.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=143313 :wink:

......got the diffuser back and fitted this morning. 
gone is the aluminium naffness.........


















 long live the black diffuser lovelyness.........


































































started a little paint correction too.....


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## Garry.L (Feb 1, 2009)

rustyintegrale said:


> What's the owners club like? :roll:


Depends on just how far you can insert your head up your own A*se.... 

Seriously though, Most owners are great and very helpful - it's just the odd few who think that a superiority complex was OEM with the car...

And as a FWIW the 'Lizzy is a fantastic car which any true petrol head should aspire to own at some point.. :wink:

Main owners club/forum is .. http://www.seloc.org/


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