Reply With QuoteDare I say it, but what about the new MX5 ?
Okay.... After 4 years of having a Lotus Elise it's time to call it a day; I've had my fill. The Elise is a stonking track car with phenomenal performance and agility; at the price bracket an Elise can go round a track like no other road legal car (okay caterham maybe but the Elise will keep you dry as well). c. 4 seconds 0-60 and the braking and cornering has to be seen to be believed. The problem is, IMHO, I don't think it's really real world proof. I tried it as a daily drive and, after the honeymoon was over, you start to notice the noise, rough ride, limited room, super low down driving position, poor ingress/egress, etc... I shall miss the c. 4 seconds acceleration and the mouth open stares from school boys (not so many school girls but then we won't go down that route) but time to go more grown up.
So tomorrow it's probably off to we-want-your-car and if they give me near what they say then I shall be very happy (this is my second Elise and depreciation on these is VERY good - just buy right in the first place).
So I'm after a more grown up sports car. I have c. 30K though I can push it a little for something really brilliant.
Convertible
Sports car
NOT BMW/Audi/Merc (I can't stand them - sorry)
Up to 20K miles
Up to 5 years age
Good reliability (I know you won't believe this but the two Elises have been quite reliable with no breakdowns)
Reasonable running costs (again the Elise has been cheap to run... I mean 40+mpg and c. £160 per year insurance!)
Ideas...
Boxter - though which one and what spec? Below is 2012 with 9K on the clock, 2.7 manual
Dare I say it, but what about the new MX5 ?
I think you've named that tune in 1.
Excluding the other German brands doesn't leave a lot else, perhaps a 370z, but the boxster is arguably the obvious 'grown up' progress from the Lotus.
It's probably the one that also gives the right kind of drive, after what you've been used to.
Thanks... that's what I was thinking. Time to admit I'm not a 50 year old any more (when I got my first Elise) ;-) Now I'm 55 so time to admit I'm no spring chicken.Originally Posted by westberks
So talk to me about Boxsters. Any particular engine? Manual okay? Years to avoid? I know nothing about Porches. In fact a Lotus fan typically pours derision and scorn on Porsche and their drivers - so that's going to be a learning curve as well!
I've only driven the pdk in the later model and its lightning fast on change but the manual should loads of fun. The 911 has an odd configuration which along with the pdk being so good means the boxster/Cayman is the only real manual choice. The sports exhaust sounds great is you can find that option, other than that there were some issues on the older model 911 & boxster engines (up to 08 I think), but not as far as I'm aware on the current model.
Other than that I'm sure more knowledgeable boxster drivers will be along, I've an older 911 and tend to just worry about what can go wrong on that!
You (foolishly) think you want this:
But, you do realize that you actually NEED this, right ? (not talking about the blonde wife...)
You just said a sports car is no longer viable for daily life and you're going for a second one ? Where will your (future?) children stay ? How about the dog ? The 5 bags of groceries ?
Nice rack! Very practical.You (foolishly) think you want this:
But, you do realize that you actually NEED this, right ? (not talking about the blonde wife...)
You just said a sports car is no longer viable for daily life and you're going for a second one ? Where will your (future?) children stay ? How about the dog ? The 5 bags of groceries ?
Actually I'm in the fortunate position of NOT needing this
No kids, toy dog (can sit on lap), and one bag of groceries each night from Waitrose on the way home :-)
The sort of freedom some blokes dream of ;-)
Boxster is the obvious choice BUT have you considered keeping the Elise and just buying a little cheap runaround for daily use?
I bought my first Elise in 2000 and boy did it become difficult to live with - from a daily driver it became a weekend car, trackcar and then a few seasons of racing in the Elise Trophy (as it was). Ive still got it now, with all the race tat off & its now an occasional drive.
I supplemented the Elise with other cars to keep the Elise special, starting off with the 'new' Mini when it first came out......
If you do decide to sell, is webuyanycar the best choice? good time of year to sell privately for sure.
good luck with your decision.
cheers
Paul
We already have the polo for day-to-day driving but that means there's even less reason to take the Lotus out. :-(
I think it would be better to go for something which is more a 'compromise' sports car which would get a lot more use e.g. run into the local town for coffee on a Sunday morning or a blast to Helmsley for a day out.
Have you considered a classic car instead? Provided you're not too worried about going really fast (an over-rated pastime IMO) and you're handy with the spanners you can have a lot of fun with an old car. Your expectations are a whole lot lower in terms of performance and capability, but there's fun to be ha din driving a less capable car close I to it's (modest) full potential. With a classic, you embrace the whole hobby, it's more than just a car. Buying well, having a war chest and big box of spanners for when it does go wrong are prerequisites.
How about an MGB with a V8 conversion? Have a trip to Hull and talk to the guys at CCHL. They'll build you one into a new body shell for around £35K, which is a bit steep, but you're getting essentially a new car. Nice ones crop up at around £25K, but there's plenty of rubbish around too. Find a car that's been built by CCHL and you could be onto a winner.
Personally, I`d try a few cars and keep an open mind. It sounds like you've done the 'going fast' thing and now it's time for a change.
Paul
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...nd/5851600?v=c
As you dont need it everyday, and yes it falls down on a few points you made, but there really is nothing like them on the road for anythng close to sensible money.
If you really had your heart set something sensible like the porsche I would pick the Cayman personally, but thats just me.
But seeing as you liked the lotus and you just fancy something a little easier to live with
I will just leave this here.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...10/5628976?v=c
A TVR!!
Speaking at the weekend to someone in our village that has a TVR... broken down twice this year so far :-(
Evora is nice though.
Well since I'm in Hull then this isn't a completely stupid idea! Just had a look at their web site and that MGB V8 does look good. Not sure if this ticks all the right boxes though... Wife friendly, good weather protection, comfort! ;-) The thing is though my spanner wielding days are past now. Having Land Rovers (I mean 'proper' Land Rovers) for nearly 20 years was enough spanner wielding to last a life time! ;-)
I suspect you are about to go down a road I've been on many times...have something special but impractical....decide it's special but impractical...swap for something less special but more practical...decide you miss the specialness...sell it and buy something special but impractical...And repeat!
If We-buy-any-car-at-a-price-competely-divorced-from-the-one-we-gave-you-online don't come through, drop me a PM. I may be on the opposite end of the recurring cycle.
The wife had a 987 3.2S for ten years and now has a 981 3.4S both were great but imho the 987 is a lighter more nimble car and coming from a Elise you might want to try a 987, you'll save a bunch of cash and if you look you'll still find well maintained examples.
Porsche Cayman?
Yes... I think your analysis might be 100% correct ;-)
- - - Updated - - -
Now this is where my ignorance comes out.... a 987? Has that got a name?
They look a bit pricey for a lowish mileage/year.
And cut the top off to creat a Boxster presumably?
He specified a "convertible".
So clever my foot fell off.
Surely once you've had a Lotus everything else is a bit rubbish?!
The Evora is a cracking car, but I'd recommend the supercharged version; the n/a would feel slow. It's probably the best car I've driven, closely followed by...
A car (slightly) more practical that the Elise would be a Europa - they are hard to find now but what a stonkingly good car to drive. Again go for the faster SE version. Great residuals too.
Edit: I've ignored your convertible request!
Second generation Boxster: 987 (2004–2012)
Third generation Boxster: 981 (2012-2015)
My Volvo was off the road for 3 months, doesnt mean they are all that bad. Plus that one has 12 months parts a labour warranty.
Upping the budget quite a bit, but more special but i would guess MUCH higher running costs compared to Porsche & lotus. Also ignoring the age limit as well, if you want something new and special the closest thing I would guess is a 4C if the Aston doesnt float your boat.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifie...07/4215785?v=c
A late model 987 (perhaps a spyder or black edition) or an early 981. Looking quickly on the OPC car locator there are a handful of 981's available at your budget.
The convertible's chassis is by all accounts very unfriendly to anyone wishing to press on. Good for driving slowly through town centres so boys look at you, not so good if you're used to driving an Elise the way its engineers intended.
"A man of little significance"
Well now the 4C... I was speaking to guy that's closely involved with the Alfa campaign for the 4C... this guy REALLY knows how to drive and his job at a promotion event earlier this year was to demonstrate and try to convince potential buyers that the 4C is the car to go for. He was/is NOT impressed... one of the big complaints is the turbo charged engine which has too much lag. He reckons the equivalent Lotus is loads better, as a performance car any way. He also said the 4C is very noisy but then so is the Lotus Elise/Exige. Oh and another thing... the Alfa dealer round here is a total ******.
Really? This is
http://locator.porsche.com/ipl-custo...arch.ipl?cid=1
I couldn't find ANYTHING at less than 35K :-(
I'm thinking about one of these, in fairness it is as well as the other toys
http://vuhl05.com/
What search criteria did you use? I just selected Boxster 981 and hit search. There are about 18 cars under £35k.
What year spec. Elise have you got ?
With 30k or a tad more will get you in a nice 3rd Gen Boxster. Not a lot to worry about engine or anything else for that matter. Smart money would go on the Porsche all day long. Enjoy.
PS you could go for a wildcard Jag XK150 nice sound and some good ones around for your money.
Honda S2000?
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Boxster is the boring option. You already have the right car, unless you were to get the best driver's car ever made......but you have discounted Caterham! And before you ask, yes I have had Boxsters (986 and 981) and three 911s (996 and two 997s). Competent but nothing more.
Not sure I can think of much which isn't a Boxster. Looks like it is either a good late 987 or a 2.7 981. I would go for PDK, particularly if in traffic a lot etc but coming from an Elise, you might prefer a manual. They are a little cheaper which helps. When I was buying my 987, loads of different options so try and choose one which suits you. I would personally go for one with full leather seats (not leather/alcantara) and the paddle shift wheel if getting PDK. Other niceties to look out for are sports exhaust, sports chrono (if PDK in particular) bi-xenon lights, Bose sound etc etc.
Despite the fact I love the Boxster, if it was my 30k, I would bend rule 3 a bit and get this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classifi...code=p&adPos=3
Won't get the chance to get an NA V8 again, great sound, quite like the look, good spec and still manages 34mpg!
Putting the specs into autotrader, and ignoring merc/BMW/Audi, it's Boxsters and Elises. Oh, a and couple of Morgan 3 wheelers.
Left field suggestion , brand new mustang V8 convertible?
Probably won't fill the below criteria on your list (and maybe a bit above budget at roughly £38k) but other than a boxster, what does?
Having driven one for a week they're cracking cars. Well worth a look though cornering is not their forte...
the elise was my first and only car for 7 years, admittedly a s1, drove it though all weathers it was great fun (try putting 50kg of grow bags in the boot it makes roundabouts hilarious and the car so easy to drift) when i changed i did consider the boxster..
compared to the elise it's just so dull, it's nice and goes fast but it won;t be fun after the elise
my suggestion, get an old lux barge for a few k, use to to waft to work and show you how poor lotus ergonomics and build quality really are
use the reaming money to buy an ariel atom which feels like a more extreme elise, they are serious fun at legal/semi legal speeds
That's all a matter of perspective...
By which I mean do you prefer looking from the perspective of through the windscreen or through the side windows when you corner
New Fiat Spider
I know you said no mercs but I'd look at a Sl55 or sl63. The engine in my e55 in something smaller with a folding hard top so best of both worlds, would be fairly stunning.
The 981 really is a great car. I've got a Cayman 2.7 and it's great for daily duties and a weekend blast.
You can throw all your luggage in the front and the back and get 36mpg tru doing up the motorway. Then stick it in SPORT mode at the weekend and get teen mpg.
Perfect handling, looks modern and has all the toys inside.
I had a Boxster 981 the other week as a courtesy car and it was lovely...not sure about white with a red roof though !
Reports seem to suggest this is going to be very pricey.New Fiat Spider
Apologies... don't know what I'm talking about! Fiat Spider now high up the list ;-)
Last edited by solwisesteve; 8th July 2016 at 09:48. Reason: I'm an idiot that doesn't know what he's talking about
There is a buyers guide for the 987 Boxter in this months Evo magazine, if that helps.
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Maybe good at drifting but proper cornering... I don't think so ;-)That's all a matter of perspective...
By which I mean do you prefer looking from the perspective of through the windscreen or through the side windows when you corner
Until you tried something like an Elise then all else (non-Lotus I mean) pales into significance.
Just driven the Elise to work today (going to WWYC at 10:15) and the drive really sums up the situation. A couple of clear corners which made me smile and question was this the right thing to do. Then hit speed cameras, appalling roads, and traffic where the idea of something a little less focused would be nice.
I think it's time to move on... I've had three years of Lotus ownership. In that time my driving has certainly improved (at speed I mean) and I've had that opportunity to try a real, proper sports car in my life. It's cost me 5K in depreciation (over two cars) which is darn excellent! I think it's time to admit, if I'm going to have 30+K tied up in a car, then it needs to be something that's used for more than 1K miles a year. I still want something that's a sports car (2 seater, not embarrassing at the traffic lights, looks okay and not as common as a Focus) but it does need to be more liveable so it will get used more. Until that Evora 400 comes along (like it ever will) the Boxster seems to tick the boxes. My only worry is I have heard of quite severe depreciation on Porches which I'm not used to (aforementioned Lotus and also before that Land Rovers) but that's probably something I have to learn to live with.
Or the Abarth version.New Fiat Spider
Surely an Evora S whilst waiting for the Evora 400 is what Sir is after?
Actually I take back what I said above... I don't know why but I thought the Fiat Spider (Abarth) was a lot more money. 30K RRP for the Abarth.... Now that's tempting. I think put the money from the Lotus in the bank and wait a couple of months to see what the spider is like. Still got the t****r of a local dealer to deal with but I might be able to live with that.
Those old man jeans are a crime. Clearly not Selvedge and not usually likely to trouble either this forum or Sales Corner.
But back to cars. Boxster. Every time.
c. £30K will get you into a 981-series Boxster (or an S at a push) or easily a 987.2 (facelift) Boxster S.
Low mileage 981 here: http://www.shirleys-garage.co.uk/carsforsale.asp at just over budget but am sure there's wriggle room. They had a 997.2 cabrio that was up for £30K ish recently too.
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