Lotus Elise

[Dre]

Just for fun, what are some reasons to choose the mx5 over an elise?

I was interested in Elise's before I started noticing mx5's, and now that I've got my heart set on the mazda I only have eyes for it... the elise even looks a little bit silly to me now, but the older models are coming way down in price now.

The S2000 is another car I'd consider if it were newer and not thrashed by p platers everywhere.

[kazama]

price.

theres a few threads on the elise boards from people who have owned both. pretty good reads

[beavis]

Yeah price, and maintenance costs.

Elise's are around 200kg lighter than an MX5, which is nice, but they cost 4 times as much to buy and probably around the same to maintain.

I have competed against Elises, they are roughly on par with the MX5 for Lap times.

[smy0003]

I wouldn't touch a Rover K engined Elise with a barge pole.
The 1.8 VVT-i Celica engine is a different story, but yes, the dollars are more significant.

Just like the MG-TF's; cool little cars, but do you really want to be under them constantly?

I really really REALLY like the new Exige S, though. Supercharged Aurion engine in a road-legal race car

[oztrackdays]

Did a track day with Supercharged Exige had my asthmatic Mazda "race" engine we did identical times.

Lotus Evora S was able to go a little quicker than one of these with the Honda Powered NA racecar.

following the Honda powered Elise/Exige's go around in some ProdSports races they
are like Mini Musclecars can be quick but ironically don't handle that nicely.

You would get a bitchin 5 for the price of a hard life Lotus and the repair costs
for a shunt are so high people typically give up and buy another Lotus to reshell.

[lee]

The cheapest second hand Elise on carsales is at $34k. There are 41 Elises on carsales around Australia.
The cheapest second hand mx5 on carsales is at $4.8k. There are 351 mx5s on carsales around Australia.

[Dan]

I looked at getting an Elise before I brought my NC after choosing a new Evo over an Exige a couple of years prior.

What I I loved about the Elise is that it seemed to be already a pretty well set up, probably has more potential and has a look which to me is much more pleasing that the MX5.

Since when I was looking at the Elise I was just buying a fun car to drive on the track and the occasional weekend the 2 seats and difficult entrance wasn't really a factor, the higher cost of entry and cost of body panels definitely put me off though, like oztrackdays said it's silly expensive for even a minor accident as the fibreglass 'clams' damage easily and are expensive to replace whereas MX5's are less fragile and panels are cheap. Also if you write it off completely even an NC MX5 is <15k for a road registered example and an Elise is 30k+

I know an Elise did 59 seconds around Wakefield so that shows they can definitely move and they probably have more potential than an MX5 but you need deeper pockets to run one properly.

[smy0003]

My girlfriend came home today and said that she drove past a yellow car that she described as 'very tacky.'

She drew me a quick sketch; lo and behold she had just dríven past an elise.

[manga_blue]

I've always liked Elises; love the look, the concept, the feeling you have when you're strapped into them and the fact that you get a good street and track car straight out of the box. But my desire to own one has diminished over the years. It happens that I do pretty similar lap times to early modded Elises, so I'm often bracketed in run groups with them and get to dice with them a fair bit. My car is lightly modded - just good coilovers, race springs, torsen and good alignments plus about 85rwkw. I feel that I've got the edge on them in handling while they beat me under brakes and in acceleration after exit. The Elise's big appeal is its handling but my handling mods cost me ony $2,500 to get me to the same level. That leaves a huge difference in up front cost for the same fun factor in a car that's as tough as an old boot. Compare that to the fragility and higher running expenses of Elises and I stay with MX5s.

Elises with supercharged Honda motors are something else though.

[Apu]

I had an S1 Elise in my filthy little paws for a while, and whilst it was fun for a while and a great drive, the novelty wore off pretty quickly. The car was on extended loan for a year with the option to buy at the end of it. I returned it after less than 6 months.

You can buy an NB and make it quicker than an Elise, and still spend less...and it'll still be an easier car to live with day to day.

[speed]

You get more car for your money with a 5. Also more comfortable with an easy to use roof. Sure the lotus is lighter but I reckon the mx5 is better for a daily.


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[trader]

I look twice at an Elise as it goes past - takes a pretty schmick MX5 to turn my head!

[Apu]

I look twice at an Elise as it goes past - takes a pretty schmick MX5 to turn my head!

Absolutely right on that count. Everyone took a second look at the Elise, but barely anyone paid any notice to my MX5.

[bootz]

LOL, gotta be a troll question.

Real question is why the Z3 was such a crapola, now what is the motto?... "The ultimate driving machine"

[markwid]

I had an S1 Elise in my filthy little paws for a while, and whilst it was fun for a while and a great drive, the novelty wore off pretty quickly. The car was on extended loan for a year with the option to buy at the end of it. I returned it after less than 6 months.

You can buy an NB and make it quicker than an Elise, and still spend less...and it'll still be an easier car to live with day to day.

Haha. I figured you will say that. I love the looks, the handling but that rover-sourced engine is uninspiring. Getting in and out is also a pain.