If you had a choice...

[Vezna31]

Ok...I'm again faced with that decision of what to do here. I just spent $2,200 on maintenance this month and now the clutch and tranny may need replacing. There's a really good chance I can get the clutch and tranny fixed through insurance (long story), but even so, my wife wants the S as her commuter car because her SUV only gets 15 mpg. She knows I want another S and she is fine with that. I've looked for '02 & '03's and found a couple at a decent price ($18-$20K). I also found an '04 SC for $24k and I know the person well.

The dilemma: my wife said fo another $6k, I could get an '05 Lotus Elise for $30k and she would help me pay for it. Believe me...I want the Elise. I'm worried about the money.

[Dr. Jimbo]

If you're just screwing around on the weekends, the Elise sounds fun. I sat in one and I could hardly get my fat ass out of that car. The dealer had to talk me through the "procedure" for extracting myself. If I was a Cirque de Soleil acrobat, its the perfect car. As my DD, I'll keep the S. Just my 2 cents.
Jimbo

[jagg]

Farmer's Almanac says,

"Don't spend what you ain't sure you've got."


Regards,

"Old" McDonald.

[appleade280]

Get an Elise!!
its very very hard to get in and out of an elise and look cool, im 15 and its hard for me, but when your in it its amazing, its the funnest car i have ever driven and thats saying something, go for a test drive and you will end up buying it.
But it depends were you live these things do terrible in the snow and rain.
James

[gomarlins3]

If it were me and I got to keep the S, I would get the Elise. If money is ANY kind of an issue (and your last sentence made me think it might be), I wouldn't do it. I would get the SC'ed 04. Once you go FI in an S you won't want to go back, trust me.

[chazdawg35]

DUDE ! ELISE WHY DON'T YOU BUY A MR2. LOL!

[philiam]

Gotta put my 2 pence in here. I have owned several (3) Brit cars and found them to be as quirky as Prince Charles trousers. Don't know if the Elise uses Lucas electrics, but that would be a factor. Lucas is known as the Prince of Darkness! If it were my wife driving I'd want her in a Honda. Less chance of getting stranded. Being a depression kid (or maybe depressing) I lean toward in stretching a buck till it yells. There is nothing like compound interest. In my case it paid off. Had to retire about 10 years ahead of schedule. Me, I'd get the stewie and bank the difference. But then I remember buying a BMW 2002 for $3500 out the door. Not a good car though. On the other hand, if you have good retirement plan, and you really, really dig the Lotus, go for it. Life is short.

My first sports car below.

[Java Junky]

'Can't find fault with Phil's assessment.
My past experience has left me with a queasy feelin' when it comes to rollin' things English. If I was gonna cobble some Franken-rod again, I'd expect to godda spend time sortin' things out n' workin' towards a good level'a reliability. Ta spend 30 large n' not be able to be sure that I wasn't gonna godda meke return trips on the hook'a some wrecker?
Nah. Stewie'z spoiled me with an impressive ability to carve chicanes, drop it's top and, provided I don't apply massive doses'a stupid ta my antics (N' even alodda times when I do) reliably bring me home when my therapy's completed.
As I see it, most'a the "want" involved in the Elise/Exige is only 'cause we ain't actually owned one. If we did, I firmly believe that we'd be longingly thinkin' back to our days with Stewie n' pumpin' up the Lotus' abilities to one n' all in the hopes that one'a those poor brossards ('At's a town in Canadia. Honest) would take it off our hands so we could slide back inta a Stewie again.
Watch what you wish for . . . . .
Be well.
Java (N' thanks for the flicks Phil)