Classic rs2000 or Lotus elise s1
 

For once i have the chance to get a car that doesn't need to be a mileage muncher. The Mondy St tdci stays and the Mrs car is going, so for once i get to have a toy.

The choices are an RS2000 circa 1979, or a series one Lotus Elise.

There are up and downsides to each, i have looked into both, obviously the RS is going to be a permanent drain on money keeping it running, but would a lotus be just as bad.

Any ideas guys

RS2000 for me every time, like the lotus but still seems more of a birds car for me whereas the rs is just a ledgend, though i am a ford man at heart (pre 1990 anyway they went pear shaped from then on imo)will definately have a mk2 one day meself.

Theres a few pics in me photobucket album of old escorts scoobymad/cool old escorts - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
though only the black mexico(at a show) is an actual car others were created by this guy DM Multimedia - Contacts cool site shows you how he does it waaaay cool.

Lotus is a horrible-over-priced,over-rated piece of toy cack in my opinion... but RS2000 in mint nick.... oooooohhhhh pass me the Kleenex :thumb:

rs2000 all the way

Someone else who hasn't properly driven an Elise.

Agree with the RS2000 though!

what a choice:wonder:

RS, all the way.
Black, or green, or yellow, or maybe red. Oooh, white.
Yum.

Get you in the mood:
RS Ford - Readers Cars

Haven't driven an Elise but have absolutely slaughtered a hard-driven 1 in my Evo 6.. admittedly not a particularly twisty road... and they look AWFUL in my opinion

Elise any day :)

Voted one of the best handling cars in the world, bar none. Look special, more go that the RS2000 and I would expect a fair bit cheaper to run. Plus its open-top which is great for the summer.

RS2000 fella but Mk1....i sold my MK1 mexico to buy a scoob and the more i think about it the more i regret it...

Thanks for the replies, it is a bit of a hard choice, ideally if i could get a freshly restored RS that would be the ideal. I seem to be permanently reading threads on turbosport forum. Some great projects and cars on there.

The crux of problem is the dreaded rust and i can see myself disappearing into the garage and just reappearing for sarnies should i get an RS, whilst hopefully the lotus would require a bit less effort to keep it on the road

The MK2 RS2000 is certainly benefitting from rose-tinted rear view mirrors isnt it? They may look nice and I wouldnt mind one myself, but they are dynamically ****E. No power, no brakes, no handling. An asthmatic wheezy gutless engine in a chassis that some horse drawn vehicles could out-tech.....

In 1977 a new Ford might have made more sense but in 2007 the sensible answer is Lotus!


Simon

i would say they are 2 completly different cars and thus its hard to make a real comparison!

Never driven the RS, used to own a S1 Elise, so would go with that.

Amazing fun car to drive, unfortunatly when i bought mine it was as my main car, and it just didnt work.

If i was in a position to have a second fun car, it would be the Elise every time, the only car I gave ever sold and missed (still do)

2 very different cars - but 60mph comes up in 8.5/9 seconds for a std one and they did 110mph. The brakes were fine for the std performance even with 4 up and fast driving as they are light compared to modern stuff

As for handling, they had plenty of adjustability even standard................roadholding compared to a modern car is what they are lacking.

And yes I have owned a few ;)

Depends what you want i suppose if you dont want the work involved go for the elise but to be honest i dont give em a second look its just an elise, may drive ok and be exciting to drive but in the looks dept dont do it for me, not only that i could go out tomorrow and buy a mint elise ppl know mk2`s in mint nick are hard to come by, theres just something about mk1/2 escorts-always find meself looking for them for sale once ive seen em at shows etc.

RS2000 - rose-tinted specs?

Elise for me :)

Dan

for me it's not just the drive it's the fun involved. Ok an rs isn't going as standard worry the current crop of quick cars. Mind you go to Turbosports and lordy are there some powerful and quick cars, and sideways :). Not that i have the skills to keep them out of the verge ;).

On one hand you have the rose tinted approach which i think will be fun to own. The other is a quick car and fun to own but with out the massive maintenance. choices choices

That's why Alister McRae 'struggled' to beat a field full of WRXs & Evos with one in this year's Colin McRae stages is it:rolleyes:;)

Having said that, personally I'd go for the Elise:thumb:

And actually, in 1977, a Mk1 Golf GTi would have made more sense to me personally:D

mmmm.....Well, as the Elise (if a std S1 not 111) only has 118bhp, I'm not suprised YOUR EVO 6 slaughtered it (I know the EVO is heavier). Totally different cars. Elise is one of the best handling cars ever, had one before, and only mentioning to the Mrs yesterday how much I miss it. RS is an awesome car, but I'm afraid Elise for me everytime.

Proby

Elise for me too. Fantastic cars and look gorgeous. I will get another one, and echo what someone else says here, it's the only past car I've missed.

The Elise isn't about straight line speed it's a totally different driving experience. For the person who wasted one in an evo 6, i don't think you understand what it's all about. Go drive one and you'll realise what a pig of a car the evo is in comparison, an Impreza for that matter too ;)

Mk 1 all the way, one of the best cars ever.

Have to disagree. Ford didn't win the World Rally championship with a mk1 Escort, they did it with the mk11.

OK, I know it was the RS 1600/1800, but the rest was the same. Sort of;)

Mk11 Rs's COULD be made to handle, and still could now, the parts are out there to do it, from outboard turrets to Atlas axles etc.

Having said all that, I'd have an Elan, 'cos I always wanted one..........;)

Alcazar

If you think that an 'RS2000' and a 'Group4' Escort are mechanically similar in ANY way then you are mistaken/naive/foolish.

The escort is the most successful rally car in the world winning world rally championship for makes in 1968,1969 and 1970...the first 3 years of its life

Rob..check out a website called Days of Grace. they have a couple of 2000's in. the mileage is quite high..as is the asking prices but they do look bloody clean!!

Welcome to Days of Grace i took the liberty of getting the link for you :)

Some might call that an advantage:norty:
One of the best things I've ever seen was Marco Martin driving a mint MkII RS 2000 in the autocar sideways championship. It was an epihony moment:cool:
astraboy.

Ta noobscoob i've been welded on to that and turbosport for the past 6 months trying to track down a decent car, but thanks for the link :)

Have you tried on passionford? Escort for me everytime, I'd prob try and get a Mk1, just personal preference...

Here's a nice Mk2 tho...

PassionFord.com :: View topic - BLACK MK 2 ESCORT RS2000.

that is stunning! whats the spec on the 3dr cossie if its still for sale??