Do these wheels fit?

[PaulF]

Ah jeez not this argument again.

I do find it amazing that a Lotus would come with such heavy wheels as stock, when they are all about light weight and handling.

[NitroDann]

Elise is the better car

How?

Dann

Even you can't deny a stock Elise/Exige would thrash a stock mx5.

Did I ask this or did i ask which was the better car.

Find a 10 grand elise/exige and come race me in it.

Dann

[Apu]

Ah jeez not this argument again.

I do find it amazing that a Lotus would come with such heavy wheels as stock, when they are all about light weight and handling.

It would be interesting to know where the weight is on the wheel. What I mean is, a 7kg wheel may still offer less resistance than a 6kg wheel if the bulk of it's weight is centered around the hub, compared to a 6kg wheel with it's weight around the edges.

Of course that's unlikely...I assume Lotus did the weight vs cost vs strength comparison and chose cost and strength as more important in production.

[Duane]

Your'e all right. The Elise is an amazing car but value for money the MX5 wins.

I crashed my Elise, the cost of the repairs alone could have bought me a NB SE.

I couldn't agree more Paul, its crazy with the standard wheels but they do it on purpose for two reasons. One is to tame down the twitchy handling (heavy and narrow front gives more understeer which they deem is safer for the masses than oversteer) and the second is so you will option the extra $8K or so for the lightweight forged wheels, they try and rip you with all the extras. A Jap car may ask $500 for metalic paint, some of the paint options alone can cost $6000! The touring pack, which is essentially leather seats, some leather trim, cheap driving lights and a cup holder is $8K. The factory hardtop is $6K. There is definitely no value for money. You buy one because you want one.

[Mr nanotech]

You buy one because you want one.

YES!!!!!!! Congratulations, you are the **ONLY** person on this friggin forum who actually understands that!!!!

[Apu]

...if you can afford it - and that opens a whole different can of worms.

Some people are prepared to go into debt for what they want, others will have what they want only when they can own it outright. Some would see the optional parts as a rip-off, others are prepared to be ripped off.

[hks_kansei]

The MX5 is no different, just on a smaller scale.

I can't believe people pay $150 for a Nopro washer bottle.
It's a f*cking washer bottle, you can buy a generic one for $30, pump, lines, bottle, all ready to go.

Just look at the website for Rev9 and you'll see what I mean.
Lots of nice parts, but are they really worth the money if you remove the brand name?

[Zcootz]

On the NoPro bottle I've been trying to work out that myself. What it so special about it ? Im not trying to be smart but I don't get why people want one other than to get a bit of engine bay space

[hks_kansei]

Generally people get it so they can fit a Mania style intake (requires a hole where the stock bottle sits)

But there are heaps of options, ranging from free (cable tie the stock one at an angle) to about $50 (buy a new bottle and fit it somewhere else in the engine bay)


I think the main reasons are:
It's easy (no need to make brackets)
It's JDM yo!


Ive just got a generic bottle and pump to put in, cost me $30 for the lot and came with a pair of universal brackets.
All I need to do is adapt the brakets to fit where I want the bottle.
I'm quite confident I ca do that for under the $120 I saved by not getting a nopro.

[OurCognitiveSurplus]

Elise is the better car

How?

Dann

Even you can't deny a stock Elise/Exige would thrash a stock mx5.

Did I ask this or did i ask which was the better car.

Find a 10 grand elise/exige and come race me in it.

Dann

*A push bike is better than an mx5. Find a $50 MX5 and come race my push bike in it*

What a daft thing to say.

[Aussie Stig]

Elise is the better car

How?

Dann

Even you can't deny a stock Elise/Exige would thrash a stock mx5.

Did I ask this or did i ask which was the better car.

Find a 10 grand elise/exige and come race me in it.

Dann

*A push bike is better than an mx5. Find a $50 MX5 and come race my push bike in it*

What a daft thing to say.

You gotta admit it Dann, Mr OCS has beaten you here.

The only true test of which is "better" is if you were given the choice of winning an MX-5 or winning a Elise, which would you pick.

I think 90% of Mx-5 drivers would pick the Elise.

However, when petrol gets to $5/lt then a lot of people will be saying their pushbike is better than their car.

[NitroDann]

Race me on a ten grand bike.

Or ill race an elise in an 80 grand mx5.

Dann

[Duane]

Which is better depends on what you wan't to do with it.

For me, a less than 10K km old 2004/5 Lotus Elise R is a better buy than a brand new MX5, they are around the same money. To others a $10K MX5 with $40K of mods is superior. Each to their own, we are not meant to all agree.
For the racetrack I want something that I can treat as expendable and not panic about the cost of total loss if it goes sour. So a cheap track car under 6K is what I'm looking for.

For 87K there is a 2009 Lotus Exige Cup 260 with lots of mods, 268rwhp if anyones interested.

[Apu]

I have to agree Duane. I bought my NB to drive on the track, and to learn how to drive a simple RWD car. Not that I am prepared to bingle the car but like you, if it happened, I wouldn't be sweating over the repair bills. I'd be kicking myself of course.

I've had the pleasure of riding in the first generation Exige around a racetrack in the hands of a touring car champ...it might have been a cruise for him but my bum muscles never had a harder workout! They are amazing cars and I'd buy one if I wasn't worried about putting it into a wall at the track.

[lee]

Race me on a ten grand bike.

Or ill race an elise in an 80 grand mx5.

Dann

If you did enough work to it, an mx5 would flog a GT-R or a Ferrari or a Lambo around a track. That doesn't necessarily mean the mx5 is the better car.