Bought a Lotus
07-01-2010, 08:41 PM
#29
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Just out of curiosity, since Lotus dealerships are so scarce, would a Lotus owner get the vehicle serviced at a Toyota dealership since is uses a Toyota Engine?
07-02-2010, 09:52 AM
#34
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But to answer your question, from what I have seen on the Lotus forum, the owners generally do not take their cars to a Toyota dealer. If the dealer is not close they either do the work themselves or go to a mechanic that works on foreign cars.
2 grand less than the RX-8 cost me 6 years ago.
07-02-2010, 12:21 PM
#37
I still have the RX-8 after 6 years. The RX-8 has worked well as a daily driver so I decided to keep it and get something less practical.
The handling is amazing on the Lotus, it is not even close to anthing else I have ever driven. First tank of gas was 32.8 Mpg, about double what I get in the Mazda.
The handling is amazing on the Lotus, it is not even close to anthing else I have ever driven. First tank of gas was 32.8 Mpg, about double what I get in the Mazda.
07-02-2010, 01:38 PM
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If you are going over 5 MPH you wont realize it's missing. Turning the wheel when the car is stopped or barely moving is a workout.
$26. 14k miles. Its a 2005. I've been looking at them for a few years. It was too good of a deal to pass up.
It already has quite a few mods. CAI, Lotus Sport ECU chip, Lotus Stage 2 Catback, SSR wheels, SS brake lines, short throw shifter, all the grills are Carbon Fiber, most of the plastic on the interior was replaced by carbon fiber, polished aluminum or painted orange, black rear difuser, upgraded sound system with a 10" sub between the seats.
Most of the stuff I wanted is already there. I would have put mesh grills on it but I like the carbon fiber. I want to get a set of the stock Exige wheels to use for the street and put some sticky tires on the SSRs for autocross.
$26. 14k miles. Its a 2005. I've been looking at them for a few years. It was too good of a deal to pass up.
It already has quite a few mods. CAI, Lotus Sport ECU chip, Lotus Stage 2 Catback, SSR wheels, SS brake lines, short throw shifter, all the grills are Carbon Fiber, most of the plastic on the interior was replaced by carbon fiber, polished aluminum or painted orange, black rear difuser, upgraded sound system with a 10" sub between the seats.
Most of the stuff I wanted is already there. I would have put mesh grills on it but I like the carbon fiber. I want to get a set of the stock Exige wheels to use for the street and put some sticky tires on the SSRs for autocross.
Last edited by GotBass; 07-02-2010 at 01:43 PM.
07-02-2010, 02:57 PM
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If you are going over 5 MPH you wont realize it's missing. Turning the wheel when the car is stopped or barely moving is a workout.
$26. 14k miles. Its a 2005. I've been looking at them for a few years. It was too good of a deal to pass up.
It already has quite a few mods. CAI, Lotus Sport ECU chip, Lotus Stage 2 Catback, SSR wheels, SS brake lines, short throw shifter, all the grills are Carbon Fiber, most of the plastic on the interior was replaced by carbon fiber, polished aluminum or painted orange, black rear difuser, upgraded sound system with a 10" sub between the seats.
Most of the stuff I wanted is already there. I would have put mesh grills on it but I like the carbon fiber. I want to get a set of the stock Exige wheels to use for the street and put some sticky tires on the SSRs for autocross.
$26. 14k miles. Its a 2005. I've been looking at them for a few years. It was too good of a deal to pass up.
It already has quite a few mods. CAI, Lotus Sport ECU chip, Lotus Stage 2 Catback, SSR wheels, SS brake lines, short throw shifter, all the grills are Carbon Fiber, most of the plastic on the interior was replaced by carbon fiber, polished aluminum or painted orange, black rear difuser, upgraded sound system with a 10" sub between the seats.
Most of the stuff I wanted is already there. I would have put mesh grills on it but I like the carbon fiber. I want to get a set of the stock Exige wheels to use for the street and put some sticky tires on the SSRs for autocross.
More pics!
Ryan
07-07-2010, 12:32 AM
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07-22-2010, 12:06 PM
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Insurance for these cars is not bad at all. Power steering and not needed, most people that have driven mine do not even notice is not there. Working on the cars is another story, the dealers charge quite a bit, but if you do the work yourself it is not bad (oil changes and such). Replacing the radiator sucks, especially if you do it yourself. Enjoy the car, while it handles amazingly it is not as forgiving as the RX8 and you can get in trouble in a hurry. Best thing to do is improve what is behind the wheel. Autocross is a blast.
07-23-2010, 08:56 AM
#45
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Do you happen to drive through Schaumburg? I saw an orange Elise on Schaumburg Rd. recently and thought of this post. Saw from your sig that you're in the Chicago area.
What a great car. I would love to own a Lotus some day.
What a great car. I would love to own a Lotus some day.
07-23-2010, 02:37 PM
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Sorry, wasnt me. I have not been up to Schaumburg in the Lotus.
07-23-2010, 06:50 PM
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Insurance for these cars is not bad at all. Power steering and not needed, most people that have driven mine do not even notice is not there. Working on the cars is another story, the dealers charge quite a bit, but if you do the work yourself it is not bad (oil changes and such). Replacing the radiator sucks, especially if you do it yourself. Enjoy the car, while it handles amazingly it is not as forgiving as the RX8 and you can get in trouble in a hurry. Best thing to do is improve what is behind the wheel. Autocross is a blast.
07-23-2010, 11:31 PM
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I would not say it stays gone, but it is a short wheel base and it is much harder to catch than the RX8 (at least in my opinion, I owned a 2005 RX8). That being said, if the car is well driven it will outhandle most. Other owners will talk about snap oversteer, and while I have not experienced that, I have broken it loose before and it is a handful. I took the Lotus driving school in Nevada and it was a blast, but one of the corners is a slow right hand sweeper over a crest. You carry quite a bit of speed through the corner and I lifted at the crest. The back end immediately broke loose, it was intense. My experience with the RX8 was much different, I could drive closer to the limits and the car would give me plenty of notice as to when it was about to break loose. The RX8 was a great car, practical and fun. The Elise is pretty much the same, but much less practical. I drive mine pretty much as a daily driver when the roads are clear. Most of the time it is great, but in rush hour traffic in 100 degree heat, it can get annoying. At the same time I just finished a drive tonight (almost a full moon) and it was great. If you have any questions about anything send me a PM, I have owned mine about three years now and have done about 95% of my maintenance and slight modifications (I want to remain in SS class).
