DarkForce

Hi all,

I've had my car for about 6 months now, and have just had a test drive in a new model Elise. It felt really smart and has got me thinking about changing. I would love the new model, but its a bit expensive (about £26k with the racetec pack) so I was considering spending about £18k on a second hand model. This seems to put me into about a T reg with low miles on a private sale.

Has anyone else gone from a Scoob to an Elise? Whats the performance difference like? I know it won't be nearly as practial as the Impreza, but can it be used as day to day transport? Whats the fuel economy like?

Cheers,

Chris

Mr Leigh

LOL Elise as fast as an impreza! Even a 160 falls back at the top of third gear

The new Elise is much better built than the old one and would be easier to live with as it does not bang and rattle to the same degree.

BT52

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Mr Leigh:
<B>LOL Elise as fast as an impreza! Even a 160 falls back at the top of third gear

The new Elise is much better built than the old one and would be easier to live with as it does not bang and rattle to the same degree.

[/quote]


135 will do 0-100 in under 14s which is faster then the standard turbo.

BT52

I have had an Elise for 2 years and am now getting an Impreza alongside it.

Get one, you won't regret it. I would go for an old one as well because the new one is a bit pricey.
I can recommend the 135. In my opinion this is the nicest of the lot, it keeps the broad torque band and opens it up so that it screams right up to 7000 very easily.

The standard car gets a bit breathless at 5500.
You could get a standard car and add the 135 upgrade kit as I did. Cost me 3000 including an SS Janspeed exhaust which sounds amazing.

This will make it noticeably faster than the old Impreza turbo, at least upto 100 anyway and throttle response is much better.

Mainly though the torque curve is maintained much better than the other conversions. It is actually PTP who provide the conversion and it gives more like 145bhp, over 150 with the exhaust easily.

You can live with it every day, the soft-top doesn't leak unless you have put it on REALLY badly. But it is a bit noisy and a stereo is utterly pointless.

Economy is wonderful, a million miles away from the Impreza! Hard driving can still give you above 30mpg and motorways will see 40-45mpg with no problem.

Grip is a bit hopeless on the standard Pirellis, but that's easily fixed.

Go for it. YOu'll love it. Best to have both though...

Jza

Have to agree with BT52,

Its great - but i cant fit in one properly so im dead jealous!!

There was an excellent buying guide in evo a few months back - check that. Its got loads of info on the different models.

Luv Fat Bloke

Jza

BT52

Other place to look is Robert Colleridge's site (can't remember the URL) but he has info and contact on virtually everything under the sun.

RonaldoH

Great Car, however you need a flexible frame to get in and out with the roof off.

Screams above 5000 rpms and handles like a go-cart. Floor it and it just asks for more and more and more.


R

AnthonyR

Soft top doesn't leak unless you put it on badly, that's a joke, the 97 model I had always leaked no matter how well you put the hood on.
The engine also blew up on it as well due to the radiator hoses chaffing through on the inside of the chasis.

Lotus build quality still leaves a lot to be desired.

Great car on the right road though, easily beats the Scooby on pure driver entertainment

BT52

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by AnthonyR:
<B>Soft top doesn't leak unless you put it on badly, that's a joke, the 97 model I had always leaked no matter how well you put the hood on.
The engine also blew up on it as well due to the radiator hoses chaffing through on the inside of the chasis.

Lotus build quality still leaves a lot to be desired.

Great car on the right road though, easily beats the Scooby on pure driver entertainment[/quote]

I have driven mine through thunderstorms so severe that the M25 was down to 20mph because any higher would result in aquaplaning and I can honestly say not a drop of water entered the cabin.

All you have to do is make sure that you have the doors open when you wind up the side windows to let them reach their maximum height (they won't do this when the doors are closed and you get a small gap between hood and windows as a result).
Do this and you'll stay dry.

wall

Hi,
there was athread on this a few weeks ago you might want to check it out. I've gone from an STI-V to an Elise111S with LotusSport exaust in sep last year....never looked back. Faster in the dry (unless you have very long straights), sounds amazing at 7000rpm+, feels amazingly alive, fade-free cross-drilled brakes, and looks great too, like a proper little race car. Doesn't leak especially with the hardtop on for winter, and I've had no problems with reliability.
Minuses.....it's not nearly as fast as the STI in the wet, it's tiring on long freeway trips, it's delicate (no bumpers, clamshell panels, etc), tiny boot, no back seat (who cares), no abs (I like it in the wet), high insurance here in Italy. Coming from an STI the standard liz was too slow for me so the 111S or the Sport160 where the only options. The first is more of a road rack compromise, the second is a track only affair IMO (too lumpy for normal city driving).

Go on, you know you want one

wall

RoShamBo

iTrader: (1)

Collegue had a 2 year old Elise for a year or so - with a few mods (exhaust/engine).....
4 (yes 4) new suspensions
Windows fell out several times
Window winders fell off
It leaked, It rattled.
He may have had a duff one but he changed it for an EVO6.
But on the right day (ie dry) with the hood down he said it was superb.

BT52

Window winders are good at falling off, but they are so horrible everyone buys some alloy replacements anyway.

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

Why not come along to Knockhill on Saturday afternoon. There will be a large contingent of Elise owners there (12 taking part I think), some of who own Imprezas, or have driven them.

You'll be surprised how close things are around the track between the cars. Imprezas have more acceleration at higher speeds above 80mph, but the Elise is a lot more nimble through the corners. Same things goes for driving them on the roads.

BT52

Would love to, but I'm already busy replacing my disks on the 306 and putting the dashboard back in my MGB before parents-in-law get so fed up with occupying their garage that they sell it! (Wouldn't be a bad idea, but the wife would be upset...)

Also it's a bit far for me...

Have tussled with a Scoob or two at Donington though, and although the body roll looked quite nasty they were pretty quick.

Don't think I'll be taking my WRX to a circuit though when I get it.

DarkForce

Hi again,

Sounds like a lot to think about! I'll probably be up at Knockhill this Saturday - but not to take part, i don't think i trust myself enough yet! Anyone fancy giving me a spin in their Impreza/Elise? I'll be the guy in the DBM 4-dr with P1 alloys, reg X* XXX, cowering in the corner.

Cheers,

Chris