I agree with all you say here. Nice video. I bought a new 2009 Elise and sold it in 2015 for $4K more than I paid for it new. I loved it, but financially I had other obligations. I was 47 when I bought mine and I can't tell you the number of times the haters would say, "What's that for, you having a mid-life crisis?" Everyone thought it was a $90K car. I'd just tell them that they probably paid more for their new full-sized truck than I did for my Lotus. I had wanted a Lotus since I was 20 years old after watching Richard Gere pick up Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. It just got to me. So I made it happen. Best to all of you Lotus fans.
There will always be haters if you drive a sports car, especially if you live in a lower middle class area, people tend to get jealous as fuck and generally just don't like you. They think you're showing off or something but really you just enjoy cars and driving...
I'm an old guy and have a 2005 Arctic Silver Elise with red interior. Everything this young man said is 100% accurate. I live in a dry climate and am able to drive mine every day. Such a blast. I will never sell mine. Rather, It will be handed down to my son when I'm gone.
I am an old guy too that had a horrible battle with cancer. My 111R was a little gem that brought some life back into my misery. My daughter will be getting mine when I pass as she still helps me change oil, brakes, etc.😊
YaboyKy I was the kid who wanted an Elise at 18 but could never find my way into a Miata and ended up getting an Exige at 28! Gotta keep those dreams!!
I'm not materialistic, and I'm not the jaelous type, but I lust after the Elise 1.8 so much that I envy all Elise owners. But at the same time I'm happy for you, hope you enjoy it for many many years.
Well I've had the good fortune of driving an Elise S2 for work, though this was converted to electric motor + battery. Mind you, this was before the Tesla Roadster came to market. We were supposed to sell them, but the Tesla Roadster was already announced and the financial crisis had just started, so we sold none and the company owner pulled the plug. But I digress. The converted car was heavier of course, but it was at least as quick as the petrol engines and of course the steering feedback remained the same. So having driven the Elise in the past makes me want it more, and I even fit it as a glove with 6"2, but I doubt I would spend that kind of money on a toy. Bang for buck I'd buy a motorcycle again for a couple of grand, though I quit riding after an accident (that ended OK for me, but totalled the bike). The roads in The Netherlands are not exciting at all, and driving for hours to Germany or France to find some cool routes takes the fun out of it for me. However, if I lived in a country where ordinary people can afford a house with a garage (not here) and where there are actually fun roads (not here) and where you could enjoy it more than 6 months a year because of the weather (not here) I would be all over it! In short, I envy those who live in (sunny parts of) the USA! I should have married an American lol
You're making excuses! I'm joking, however I live in a similar climate in Scotland, have my Elise parked on the public road outside my house between my neighbours cars, and I use it as often as I can which is about 3 or 4 times a week. I use it for proper driving, going to the supermarket, and even took it to work on Tuesday (I'm a self employed cameraman, my equipment was split between the boot and my passenger seat), however with all this being said I do have a cheap Vauxhall/Opel Astra GTC 1.4 turbo which is my sensible car which I really use for work and stuff. It is doable, my two cars combined are worth less than a basic BMW 3 series, and the running costs are crazy cheap with a Lotus fixed price service at Lotus Edinburgh costing the same as the Vauxhall. The Lotus also sips petrol at 47mpg, the astra does 60mpg. In real world conditions I now run two cars that combined are cheaper than running my previous 323bhp Audi S3. If you love it that much then just try and find a way. At the end of the day if you don't use it or its simply too impractical then you can just sell it, and assuming you buy a used one then you may well not even lose any money on it.
Well pretty soon I could in theory buy an Elise, but that would mean spending all of my savings and having no financial reserves for me and my family. Even then, I don't have a place to park it indoors, which is a bad idea. Plus, there aren't any fun roads around here to drive it, so I'd have to travel half a day over boring highways to get to some fun curves in other European countries. So I'm afraid it's never going to happen, even if I can afford it financially. So it's not just the car I lust after, it is a place to park it and the roads to drive it too!
I had a yellow '05 S2k for three years and I loved it. Lotus Elise has been on my list of cars to own since it came out. It's good to hear the comparisons between the two.
You summed it up perfectly bud! I have had my 05 Elise for 3 years now and EVERY rev and twist puts a grin on my face just like your vlog. Great job! And for those of you who have the means and are sitting on the fence, just go get one! The most practical exotic in the world.
Hahaha I recently had my Exige at a carshow and can’t tell you how many people called it a McLaren... I was the only exotic in a British car section (the rest were minis and MG), so naturally everyone was thinking it was a McLaren Lotus Exige S 😂🤣😅
The best review i've seen yet. I bought my Elise as a bridge between an expensive to run Integrale Evo2 and a daily German family hack. We love the car, use it for long distance road trips, I diy'd a luggage rack using a second-hand engine cover, they are cheap and you can drill holes to your pleasure without damaging the car, (we can easily do a huge road trip and buy stuff along the way), upgraded the radiator, exhaust, induction. Its just a fantastic car. Kinda hope they don't become popular as the looks and attention you get are incredible. Its a keeper. My friend has the SC and to be honest after swapping I felt the NA car much better to drive and not much quicker at all. I was tempted by an Exige but the little car is just too good.
We have a lot of these in the UK (obviously, they are made here) and the main thing you have to watch with them is ANY damage to them is insanely expensive to repair and get right. The body is fiberglass, the chassis is bonded and riveted aluminium, all hand built. If you get one for track days etc you have to be so careful. It's also one of the reasons people don't use them every day.
As far as daily driving is concerned a big reason what people don't do it is alt on the roads isn't it? I heard that the salt really chews at the aluminium and the glue
It won't, but it will rust the wishbones as they are steel. I put rust blocker all over mine and so far it hasn't got any worse. But it always looks worse than it is. Mine is 14 years old and the alu chassis still looks new under the dirt. Some people here have been dailing S1s for years and they are still going fine. Some over 200k miles now.
@@BlatentlyFakeName Really? That's good to hear! Because people are talking about the salt corroding the aluminium and causing pitting and sturcurual failure over time and whatnot. Also the old (red?) Glue appearantly separates from exposure to road salt...
@@tolga1cool That can happen if someone has taken the suspension apart and not put it back together properly. Leaving steel in direct contact with aluminium. There should be a layer of epoxy between all steel parts and the chassis where they are bolted together
I have only one problem. I already own a second car, in addition to the daily driver. I have a 05, STI blobeye and I have a hard time finding the strength to convince the rest of my family that I would need an Elise. I think I'll have to mimic some sort of raffle, where I'll win such a Lotus. I prefer to live the rest of my life with this little lie, but with a huge smile behind the steering wheel. Thanks for the video and all the feelings that you share with us. All the best!
Im 24, I got a 2004 corvette c5 for 11k with 64k miles, stick. Owner needed an emergrncy money. I get same thing. 'I like your dads car' all the time. it gets annoying
Same in a Jag XK8. It’s a 6k car and people think it’s a 60k car. It’s just derpy people who would go out and get a new ford KA for the same price and think you were a millionaire.
people hate on people when they're jealous. What a nice deal you got though. The elise is my goal to grab. I find many under 30k miles around 30-35k 1 or 2 owners max in this area.
@@joshuapacheco6040 thats nice I got a 2015 Alfa Romeo 4c for 35k with 12k miles. Looks like a baby Ferrari and the amount of attention it gets plus the the performance, its a steal deal. Cheapeat baby ferraru exotic to own. You cant go wrong either the elise ot the alfa romeo 4c.
Awesome review young man! Awesome automobile! Japanese dependability, British driving dynamics, could it get any better. As a kid I’d of killed for a MGB, when they were right, they were so good! Enjoy that lil jewel, it sounds so good! You should do reviews full time, great job!
AWESOME Brother, I can see how much fun it is to drive and how much you enjoy this Lotus. I see it on your smile every time you shift as you speed up, thank you.
My MK1 Rover Engined Elise is now 18yrs old I part exchanged CRX VETEC for it in the UK. After 8 years CRX ownership I was bored of having to thrash a car to make it go. I test drove an S2000 at the time and didn't like it, at 5ft 11 i was looking at the top of the windscreen, not through the middle. The S2000 Engine is boring till the vetec cuts in and then its' a missile and you're just a passenger and no longer the driver. With a flat torque curve from quite low revs the Rover VVC engined Elise is unique in being very quick without the need for high revs. It feels like a much bigger engine. Weighing only 760kg no air bags, no power anything, not even a servo on the brakes and even harder to get into The MK1 Elise is more hardcore than the newer Elises but there aren't many cars that will put such a big smile on your face. Its worth heaps more than S2000's and Porsche Boxters of the same age. I emigrated to NZ with the car. No regrets and I receive nothing but compliments now she's an older lady.
Hey, I just bought a S1 from 1999 for 20k€. I used to ride a BMW K1300S (250 Kg / 180 HP) even if the Elise has not that ratio, it gives me more smiles than ever....
Nice vid! Just an observation, you said that the 2zz from the Celica was tuned by Yamaha before it got into the hands of Lotus. That's true... but A lot of people don't know that even the Celica gts was made part by Yamaha. Actually the entire engine platform was co-developed with Yamaha; I own a Celica and you can see Yamaha labeled on some parts of the engine. Lotus engineers were the ones to tune the motor and gave it a better head & internals which thus made it into this beast. Just making sure truth be told!
Great video - I am sitting on the fence in looking seriously at one of these and your comments and grin when the cams open up are tilting me towards a solid yes on this. Thanks for posting this!
When I bought mine I thought I would keep it for a year, get it out of my system and move on. Five years later I still get the same buzz driving it as the day I bought it! Running costs are very reasonable fuel cost good, 100%reliability and only very small depreciation. GO AND GET ONE!
Enjoyed your video. I used to have a 2005 Elise with this same color combo. I bought it new from Lotus of Palm Beach, which no longer is a Lotus dealer (they sell Jag, Aston Martin and McLaren). I had both the hard and soft tops. I live in Florida so I am wondering if you might have bought my old car. I traded it in around the spring or summer of 2010 and it had around 19K on the odometer at the time. I've had a number of fun cars since then, like an Audi S5 and a Golf R, but that car was the funnest car I've ever owned, even if it wasn't practical as a daily driver. I totally regret selling it and I have been considering getting another one or possibly an Exige. Anyhow, thanks for posting the video -- it brought back great memories.
had an elise as a daily driver for 5 years, amazing cars. Currently have a Cayman S but i do miss the Elise. Planning to buy an Evora S in the future. Once you own a Lotus you are smitten by the brand.
My cousin in Scotland has had 2 or 3 Elise's. That inspired my sister in Australia to get one. She drives it everywhere and she's small so getting in and out is not a problem for her. It is for me, though.
Awesome car man! I'm currently 21 and this is definitely one of my dream cars! I currently own a Toyota Matrix XRS that has the same Yamaha built 1.8 2ZZ motor and it's a lot of fun. I personally call it the hatchback lotus Lol. Not quite as fast because it's heavier and front wheel drive, but still gets up and goes and handles well!
WHAT!!! Okay, this may sound very coincident, but I am also 21, own a red Toyota Matrix XR 2003 (not the XRS, wish I'd have that one), and this is also one of my dream cars! What a small world. That Matrix sure is a lot of fun to drive. If we both had the XRS, I would flip out. We both shall fight our way towards the Lotus Elise!
Ohh yes! The XRS is such a blast to drive because of the 6 speed manual and the 2zz motor! When you hit that cam-timing changeover at around 6,200 rpm, it's a burst of fun for sure and feels really quick. Even though I have quite a few dream cars (as with any petrolhead), this is definitely one of the higher up ones on my list that I've always wanted. Hope to come back soon and talk when we both own ours! ;)
I had a 2005 from 2006 to 2011, I put 68,000 miles on it and it was my daily driver. I miss to this day. Two suggestions... 1 - remove the shims on the front wheels, improves turn-in dramatically. 2 - get a heavier shift knob, smoothes out shifts.
The shims were put in to dial in a bit of understeer for for the U.S. market. Taking out the shims give you about 0.5 degrees of negative camber. Flick your wrist and you are in the next county. Also, Sector 111 used to offer a break pedal extender that positioned the break pedal perfectly for heel toeing. You don't so much get into an Elise as you put it on.
I would be keen to see this, including servicing cost I have a BMW M, and it's pricey to service. The Toyota running gear should keep the servicing price down
I just bought a 2005 elise with 31k miles. I had never even driven one but I knew I would love it. My first car was a 1st gen Toyota MR2 and ever since then I have loved lightweight, high revving sports cars. I have driven thousands of cars over the years being a used car dealer and I can honestly say nothing out there is like this car. You will be grinning ear to ear ripping off shifts at 8500 rpm over and over. I will put it up for sale for way too much money and maybe even get it with the way prices are rising on these cars. For the longest time, my attainable dream car was a Honda S2000 but the Lotus is just on another level. . If you can get your hands one, buy it and watch the price rise. The best part is all of them still have super low miles (5k-40k miles is common).
Bought an '06 Lotus Elise awhile ago. Upon purchasing, I pulled into a plaza for a bite to eat. I parked next to an older Ferrari (I think 2001 360 Spider) because it was parked in a good, strategic location in the parking lot and felt safer next to it. When I came out from my lunch, a couple of people were gathered around the Lotus taking pictures. Also, you really hit all the points of Lotus ownership in this video.
Here we are 7 years later. Do you still own the Elise? My financial situation improved last year, I could have finally bought an Elise, but in the end I opted for the ND1 MX-5/Miata. It might not be as pure as the Elise, but I really liked the full option interior and Recaro seats, and as I stated 7 years ago, the Dutch roads do not allow me to enjoy the Elise to the fullest, so the MX-5 does just fine and at a lower price point. I'd love to rent an Elise for a day though if such a thing existed!
I used to beat a racing game on my GameBoy Color when I was a kid with this thing. A little pink pixelated Lotus Elise. The Ford GT50 always came in second. Lotus Elise ftw
What is really scary about the Elise is if the rubber gets a bit old or hard, the handling and trust you have in high speed turns is severely affected.
Just before you said, that it was tuned by Yamaha, I thought, that Lotus' kind of have aspects of a bike. They sound a bit like one, they are really light, they accelerate quickly and they are fun!
You like the engine, it would be good to mention what engine the car has. Nice video! How much are these in the US? They are fairly accessible in Europe and not very expensive.
You should team up with BoostedBoiz Channel and have them up the HP on that Lotus to 800 or more. That would beast it out to the max. Probably hurt its resale value, but still.
Exotic? But they build these like only 10 miles away from me, lol. BTW, the full Elise experience is not having the top off... but pushing it at the red line on roads that are so twisty that you can't even get out of 3rd gear, so tight that the trees you are passing are only a few inches away from the mirrors and enough elevation change to be leaving getting air every 10mins. Oh and my personal favourite, for it to be slippery and wet. These are the best cars for people who truly love to drive, bouncing the needle through the rev range and working the wheel like you're trying to rip it off the steering column. If you can get the car into 4th gear, you're on the wrong road.
Thanks for sharing.. I too am very interested in perhaps getting one of these as a my 3rd back up car. Ive driven another very similar fun drivers car, the Alfa Romeo 4C. I'd like to have both in my garage some day. ANyways can you help me getting proper car mount for my dslr. Can you tell me the brand of the mount you're using? Also the mic on your shirt...do you have recommendations? thanks bro.
Regarding the people talking to you at the pump: I have a BMW R Nine T, with a bunch of mods, and I get the same thing. My friend says it's a real dude-magnet and I can only laugh!
my goal is to own one of these cars by time i’m 25. i’m 17 now and for how much these are going for right now i think i can meet that goal without a doubt if i keep working on it
1.8 LITRE TOYOTA COROLLA MOTOR. Yeah in Australia the corolla sportivo came with this engine from 2000 to 2005.This engine tech is 17 years old. And toyota decides to put a fucking 2.0 boxer motor in the gt 86 , instead of re-engineering the 1.8 2zz and in turn giving the corolla hatch a rebirth.I traded my sportivo for my gt 86. And I can tell you this. I'm gonna get another 2zz corolla sportivo by the years end . Because the 2zz just feels like a race engine.The boxer 2.0 is awesome for a na engine .But the gt 86 is a better car than its engine.And the 2zz engine is better than the cars it sits in.
Beautiful exotic looking car, reliable drivetrain, relatively inexpensive the trifecta of car enthusiasts. But at 6' and 230 lbs I think It would e a tad small until I hit the cardio workout.
Great, just loved your chat sequence about the negative comments thing. I live in Wales, UK and drive a white 2008 S, and can so relate to your comments. But I really get positive stuff too, not everyone’s a fuckwit. But do know a young guy who has a nice sports car that he can only drive early in the morning or a night to avoid insults from mainly his own peer group. Sad. Cos he worked four jobs to buy it. The Lotus is magic. Every time. Whatever.
“Look what daddy’s money can buy” these cars are like 30grand lol... not unrealistic for someone over 25 to buy at all... most 30 year olds are dumping 20k into a 3 series lease in 30 years. This car has a high residual for ownership it’s a win win
Absolutely right, but most people don't know that. It *looks* expensive, and that's all they know. They don't know how relatively affordable they are. I've never had more random strangers come up to me at a gas station than I did with this car. I've had people tell me they thought it was a $200k car...
great video! I'm in the market for one also however what is it like working on these. are they easy and basic to work on them? I am a diy kinda guy and love the basicness of the interior and the body lines are deff unique and not a common car in pa.
There isn't a ton you have to do to them so that's nice. Oil changes are sort of annoying because you have to take off a lot of under body parts but otherwise it's not too much of a pain to work on.
A work mate had one, too low down for me I couldn't get into it & pointless as well as I live in West London with mini roundabouts, traffic lights & speed bumps every 50 yards..
I got a Saturn sky roadster. I've gotten daddy remarks from jealous people. I want a grey lotus. This car is nice. Porches are dated. Cheaper is better. Chicks love nice cars. This is proof to not have kids
I'm 6'1 and I'm getting very close to the limit of being able to fit in the car. Surprisingly there is more room than you might expect given how small the car is overall but getting in and out is the hardest part. That said, I can't imagine anyone over 6'2-6'3 having an enjoyable time fitting in the car.
I once drove a 2grfe swapped spyder. It was a car I wired for a shop and this 21 year old. He was going to daily drive it. It would get sideways at 60. I was thinking 2zzge since that is a common and very easy swap for the mr2 spyder. Kindof a budget Elise that gives you some portion of the same experience.
Sideways at 60 in a MR2 sounds terrifying, and awesome. 2zzge MR2 would be really interesting since they are pretty close in weight to an Elise. Sounds like you need to swap one and I'll come and review it..
What part of Ohio are you in? I could try to find somebody with that swap in your area. It's a pretty common swap. One of the easiest you can do, so they are out there.
My roof lives in the boot. You will NEVER see my Elise with the roof on. My engine is a bit special, mild cam from Lotus. Definetly more towy than my original elise.
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I agree with all you say here. Nice video. I bought a new 2009 Elise and sold it in 2015 for $4K more than I paid for it new. I loved it, but financially I had other obligations. I was 47 when I bought mine and I can't tell you the number of times the haters would say, "What's that for, you having a mid-life crisis?" Everyone thought it was a $90K car. I'd just tell them that they probably paid more for their new full-sized truck than I did for my Lotus. I had wanted a Lotus since I was 20 years old after watching Richard Gere pick up Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. It just got to me. So I made it happen. Best to all of you Lotus fans.
It's funny you mention haters. I've never driven such a polarizing car. People either love it or are jealous of it.
I just bought a '14 Boxster S ... same thing, I'm 47 and I get the "mid-life crisis" comments. I tell them to f-off and drive my Porsche away. :D
I hear same thing when driving my 92 Saturn SL1....lol.....
In Luxembourg everyone know Lotus is for poor people lol. I'm getting one next year probably.
There will always be haters if you drive a sports car, especially if you live in a lower middle class area, people tend to get jealous as fuck and generally just don't like you. They think you're showing off or something but really you just enjoy cars and driving...
I'm an old guy and have a 2005 Arctic Silver Elise with red interior. Everything this young man said is 100% accurate. I live in a dry climate and am able to drive mine every day. Such a blast. I will never sell mine. Rather, It will be handed down to my son when I'm gone.
I am an old guy too that had a horrible battle with cancer. My 111R was a little gem that brought some life back into my misery. My daughter will be getting mine when I pass as she still helps me change oil, brakes, etc.😊
@@patrickvanrinsvelt4466 That's awesome and hang in there!
A kid that gets a miata when he's 18 will get a lotus elise when he's 28
YaboyKy I was the kid who wanted an Elise at 18 but could never find my way into a Miata and ended up getting an Exige at 28! Gotta keep those dreams!!
that is literally gonna be me except i got my miata at 16
I actually bought a miata when I was 40 .Lol May sell my 996 and buy a more reliable Toyota engine lotus
Bought my miata at 28
I had an MX5 at 27, Elise at 38 :(
Annoyingly I had the chance to buy one years ago when they were as cheap as 6k (in the UK), but passed it up.
I love how he says it turns many heads and then at 2:33 two motorcyclist were staring at the car while he talked.
Well... you didn't have the full experience you had a hat on :D
Lmaooooo
I'm not materialistic, and I'm not the jaelous type, but I lust after the Elise 1.8 so much that I envy all Elise owners. But at the same time I'm happy for you, hope you enjoy it for many many years.
Thanks! I hope you find one that makes you happy someday.
Well I've had the good fortune of driving an Elise S2 for work, though this was converted to electric motor + battery. Mind you, this was before the Tesla Roadster came to market. We were supposed to sell them, but the Tesla Roadster was already announced and the financial crisis had just started, so we sold none and the company owner pulled the plug. But I digress. The converted car was heavier of course, but it was at least as quick as the petrol engines and of course the steering feedback remained the same.
So having driven the Elise in the past makes me want it more, and I even fit it as a glove with 6"2, but I doubt I would spend that kind of money on a toy. Bang for buck I'd buy a motorcycle again for a couple of grand, though I quit riding after an accident (that ended OK for me, but totalled the bike). The roads in The Netherlands are not exciting at all, and driving for hours to Germany or France to find some cool routes takes the fun out of it for me. However, if I lived in a country where ordinary people can afford a house with a garage (not here) and where there are actually fun roads (not here) and where you could enjoy it more than 6 months a year because of the weather (not here) I would be all over it!
In short, I envy those who live in (sunny parts of) the USA! I should have married an American lol
You're making excuses! I'm joking, however I live in a similar climate in Scotland, have my Elise parked on the public road outside my house between my neighbours cars, and I use it as often as I can which is about 3 or 4 times a week. I use it for proper driving, going to the supermarket, and even took it to work on Tuesday (I'm a self employed cameraman, my equipment was split between the boot and my passenger seat), however with all this being said I do have a cheap Vauxhall/Opel Astra GTC 1.4 turbo which is my sensible car which I really use for work and stuff.
It is doable, my two cars combined are worth less than a basic BMW 3 series, and the running costs are crazy cheap with a Lotus fixed price service at Lotus Edinburgh costing the same as the Vauxhall. The Lotus also sips petrol at 47mpg, the astra does 60mpg. In real world conditions I now run two cars that combined are cheaper than running my previous 323bhp Audi S3.
If you love it that much then just try and find a way. At the end of the day if you don't use it or its simply too impractical then you can just sell it, and assuming you buy a used one then you may well not even lose any money on it.
HighOnThunder saaaame. I want an elise or really any lotus so bad. It seems so out of reach. At least for now.
Well pretty soon I could in theory buy an Elise, but that would mean spending all of my savings and having no financial reserves for me and my family. Even then, I don't have a place to park it indoors, which is a bad idea. Plus, there aren't any fun roads around here to drive it, so I'd have to travel half a day over boring highways to get to some fun curves in other European countries. So I'm afraid it's never going to happen, even if I can afford it financially. So it's not just the car I lust after, it is a place to park it and the roads to drive it too!
I had a yellow '05 S2k for three years and I loved it. Lotus Elise has been on my list of cars to own since it came out. It's good to hear the comparisons between the two.
You summed it up perfectly bud! I have had my 05 Elise for 3 years now and EVERY rev and twist puts a grin on my face just like your vlog. Great job! And for those of you who have the means and are sitting on the fence, just go get one! The most practical exotic in the world.
Well said!
Have had mine for about 4 months and, just like you say, it puts a grin on my face every time I start it up.
"Is that a Ferarri?" more like "I think that's a Lambo dude.".
At least it starts with an L.
Hahaha I recently had my Exige at a carshow and can’t tell you how many people called it a McLaren... I was the only exotic in a British car section (the rest were minis and MG), so naturally everyone was thinking it was a McLaren Lotus Exige S 😂🤣😅
You need the bill for a bodywork repair to get that full experience.
Bonus points if it's parking damage from someone running into you
The best review i've seen yet. I bought my Elise as a bridge between an expensive to run Integrale Evo2 and a daily German family hack.
We love the car, use it for long distance road trips, I diy'd a luggage rack using a second-hand engine cover, they are cheap and you can drill holes to your pleasure without damaging the car, (we can easily do a huge road trip and buy stuff along the way), upgraded the radiator, exhaust, induction. Its just a fantastic car. Kinda hope they don't become popular as the looks and attention you get are incredible.
Its a keeper.
My friend has the SC and to be honest after swapping I felt the NA car much better to drive and not much quicker at all. I was tempted by an Exige but the little car is just too good.
Ok I gotta see pictures of this luggage rack on an Elise!
We have a lot of these in the UK (obviously, they are made here) and the main thing you have to watch with them is ANY damage to them is insanely expensive to repair and get right. The body is fiberglass, the chassis is bonded and riveted aluminium, all hand built. If you get one for track days etc you have to be so careful. It's also one of the reasons people don't use them every day.
As far as daily driving is concerned a big reason what people don't do it is alt on the roads isn't it? I heard that the salt really chews at the aluminium and the glue
It won't, but it will rust the wishbones as they are steel. I put rust blocker all over mine and so far it hasn't got any worse. But it always looks worse than it is. Mine is 14 years old and the alu chassis still looks new under the dirt.
Some people here have been dailing S1s for years and they are still going fine. Some over 200k miles now.
@@BlatentlyFakeName Really? That's good to hear! Because people are talking about the salt corroding the aluminium and causing pitting and sturcurual failure over time and whatnot. Also the old (red?) Glue appearantly separates from exposure to road salt...
@@tolga1cool That can happen if someone has taken the suspension apart and not put it back together properly. Leaving steel in direct contact with aluminium. There should be a layer of epoxy between all steel parts and the chassis where they are bolted together
I have only one problem. I already own a second car, in addition to the daily driver. I have a 05, STI blobeye and I have a hard time finding the strength to convince the rest of my family that I would need an Elise. I think I'll have to mimic some sort of raffle, where I'll win such a Lotus. I prefer to live the rest of my life with this little lie, but with a huge smile behind the steering wheel. Thanks for the video and all the feelings that you share with us. All the best!
I just bought one .. and holy shit this car is something else !
SuperAk47007 How much???????
Dammm bro 30,000 is a lot in Scotland I can buy it second hand for 12,000
You can get a 111s (Elise turbo) in the UK for 16k
Mister Nobody in usd or pounds?
Haters are gonna Hate. Keep doing what you're doing. Cool vid.
Thanks man!
+EatSleepDrive how tall are you?
Let them talk they're just putting more money in your pocket
Im 24, I got a 2004 corvette c5 for 11k with 64k miles, stick. Owner needed an emergrncy money. I get same thing. 'I like your dads car' all the time. it gets annoying
Haters gonna hate. You do you man.
Same in a Jag XK8. It’s a 6k car and people think it’s a 60k car. It’s just derpy people who would go out and get a new ford KA for the same price and think you were a millionaire.
You get it with any sports car. Clueless people see it and assume its expensive.
people hate on people when they're jealous. What a nice deal you got though. The elise is my goal to grab. I find many under 30k miles around 30-35k 1 or 2 owners max in this area.
@@joshuapacheco6040 thats nice I got a 2015 Alfa Romeo 4c for 35k with 12k miles. Looks like a baby Ferrari and the amount of attention it gets plus the the performance, its a steal deal. Cheapeat baby ferraru exotic to own. You cant go wrong either the elise ot the alfa romeo 4c.
Awesome review young man! Awesome automobile! Japanese dependability, British driving dynamics, could it get any better. As a kid I’d of killed for a MGB, when they were right, they were so good! Enjoy that lil jewel, it sounds so good! You should do reviews full time, great job!
Thanks for the kind words!
AWESOME Brother, I can see how much fun it is to drive and how much you enjoy this Lotus. I see it on your smile every time you shift as you speed up, thank you.
My MK1 Rover Engined Elise is now 18yrs old I part exchanged CRX VETEC for it in the UK. After 8 years CRX ownership I was bored of having to thrash a car to make it go. I test drove an S2000 at the time and didn't like it, at 5ft 11 i was looking at the top of the windscreen, not through the middle. The S2000 Engine is boring till the vetec cuts in and then its' a missile and you're just a passenger and no longer the driver. With a flat torque curve from quite low revs the Rover VVC engined Elise is unique in being very quick without the need for high revs. It feels like a much bigger engine. Weighing only 760kg no air bags, no power anything, not even a servo on the brakes and even harder to get into The MK1 Elise is more hardcore than the newer Elises but there aren't many cars that will put such a big smile on your face. Its worth heaps more than S2000's and Porsche Boxters of the same age. I emigrated to NZ with the car. No regrets and I receive nothing but compliments now she's an older lady.
I love an early Elise. Enjoy it sir!
Hey, I just bought a S1 from 1999 for 20k€. I used to ride a BMW K1300S (250 Kg / 180 HP) even if the Elise has not that ratio, it gives me more smiles than ever....
i like the way that it doesn't have too much power, so you can use full throttle and not violate every speed limit in the country
Great, now take the doors off.
You're not getting the full experience, mate.
Nice vid! Just an observation, you said that the 2zz from the Celica was tuned by Yamaha before it got into the hands of Lotus. That's true... but A lot of people don't know that even the Celica gts was made part by Yamaha. Actually the entire engine platform was co-developed with Yamaha; I own a Celica and you can see Yamaha labeled on some parts of the engine. Lotus engineers were the ones to tune the motor and gave it a better head & internals which thus made it into this beast. Just making sure truth be told!
Excellent clarification. Well said.
Actually, its Yamaha acoustics not Yamaha motors, they do all great toyota motors, 3sge beams, 2jz, 1jz
I am 15
I love this car
And I will still be buying a elise 5 years from now
That was the best channel intro I've every seen
Great video - I am sitting on the fence in looking seriously at one of these and your comments and grin when the cams open up are tilting me towards a solid yes on this. Thanks for posting this!
Glad you enjoyed it. These cars are a blast and I hope you find the right one for you!
When I bought mine I thought I would keep it for a year, get it out of my system and move on. Five years later I still get the same buzz driving it as the day I bought it! Running costs are very reasonable fuel cost good, 100%reliability and only very small depreciation. GO AND GET ONE!
Brought mine in 07, I'm a very happy long term owner.
0-60 in 4-5 seconds(depending on year) for around 28,000$ and it looks insane. Where do i sign for it?
Political Concept plus its mid engined and track focused!
Enjoyed your video. I used to have a 2005 Elise with this same color combo. I bought it new from Lotus of Palm Beach, which no longer is a Lotus dealer (they sell Jag, Aston Martin and McLaren). I had both the hard and soft tops. I live in Florida so I am wondering if you might have bought my old car. I traded it in around the spring or summer of 2010 and it had around 19K on the odometer at the time. I've had a number of fun cars since then, like an Audi S5 and a Golf R, but that car was the funnest car I've ever owned, even if it wasn't practical as a daily driver. I totally regret selling it and I have been considering getting another one or possibly an Exige. Anyhow, thanks for posting the video -- it brought back great memories.
had an elise as a daily driver for 5 years, amazing cars. Currently have a Cayman S but i do miss the Elise. Planning to buy an Evora S in the future. Once you own a Lotus you are smitten by the brand.
My cousin in Scotland has had 2 or 3 Elise's. That inspired my sister in Australia to get one. She drives it everywhere and she's small so getting in and out is not a problem for her. It is for me, though.
Cam wipe, dropping valves, getting the clams off, an lack of a good ac. Are my only gripes. Nothing boe can't fix with more power too boot.
When in doubt, add power.
It’s got a Toyota engine! Mainly free more than most!
I got an 06 crossfire and people say the same thing. "Look what dads money can buy"
Haters gonna hate.
And that car is so cheap. I bought one for that reason. It had weird issues though and needed Mercedes mechanics, so I got rid of it.
yeah, I drive a garbage-truck and people always say the same thing
Awesome car man! I'm currently 21 and this is definitely one of my dream cars! I currently own a Toyota Matrix XRS that has the same Yamaha built 1.8 2ZZ motor and it's a lot of fun. I personally call it the hatchback lotus Lol. Not quite as fast because it's heavier and front wheel drive, but still gets up and goes and handles well!
WHAT!!! Okay, this may sound very coincident, but I am also 21, own a red Toyota Matrix XR 2003 (not the XRS, wish I'd have that one), and this is also one of my dream cars! What a small world. That Matrix sure is a lot of fun to drive. If we both had the XRS, I would flip out. We both shall fight our way towards the Lotus Elise!
Glad to hear you guys are enjoying your Matrixes, or is it Matrixi? Either way, I definitely hope one day you get your dream car. It's worth the wait!
Yes absolutely! Always have loved the Elise because its more unique and not talked about as much. Definitely a budget exotic! And it's Matrices! ;)
Ohh yes! The XRS is such a blast to drive because of the 6 speed manual and the 2zz motor! When you hit that cam-timing changeover at around 6,200 rpm, it's a burst of fun for sure and feels really quick. Even though I have quite a few dream cars (as with any petrolhead), this is definitely one of the higher up ones on my list that I've always wanted. Hope to come back soon and talk when we both own ours! ;)
How's the goal going?
I had a 2005 from 2006 to 2011, I put 68,000 miles on it and it was my daily driver. I miss to this day. Two suggestions...
1 - remove the shims on the front wheels, improves turn-in dramatically.
2 - get a heavier shift knob, smoothes out shifts.
First I've heard of the front wheel shims. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for the input!
The shims were put in to dial in a bit of understeer for for the U.S. market. Taking out the shims give you about 0.5 degrees of negative camber. Flick your wrist and you are in the next county. Also, Sector 111 used to offer a break pedal extender that positioned the break pedal perfectly for heel toeing. You don't so much get into an Elise as you put it on.
Good info. Thanks for sharing!
@Eatsleepdrive, could you do a breakdown of the cost to maintain this car per year, gas,insurance,etc?
That's a good idea for a video. I think at one year of ownership I'll do a video with all the cost I've incurred so far.
I would be keen to see this, including servicing cost
I have a BMW M, and it's pricey to service. The Toyota running gear should keep the servicing price down
EatSleepDrive great!Looking forward to watch this!
I just bought a 2005 elise with 31k miles. I had never even driven one but I knew I would love it. My first car was a 1st gen Toyota MR2 and ever since then I have loved lightweight, high revving sports cars. I have driven thousands of cars over the years being a used car dealer and I can honestly say nothing out there is like this car. You will be grinning ear to ear ripping off shifts at 8500 rpm over and over. I will put it up for sale for way too much money and maybe even get it with the way prices are rising on these cars. For the longest time, my attainable dream car was a Honda S2000 but the Lotus is just on another level. . If you can get your hands one, buy it and watch the price rise. The best part is all of them still have super low miles (5k-40k miles is common).
Love mine. Not the fastest thing on the road, but I love all the looks. The handling and cornering is unbelievable. Excellent video.
Bought an '06 Lotus Elise awhile ago. Upon purchasing, I pulled into a plaza for a bite to eat. I parked next to an older Ferrari (I think 2001 360 Spider) because it was parked in a good, strategic location in the parking lot and felt safer next to it. When I came out from my lunch, a couple of people were gathered around the Lotus taking pictures. Also, you really hit all the points of Lotus ownership in this video.
Here we are 7 years later. Do you still own the Elise? My financial situation improved last year, I could have finally bought an Elise, but in the end I opted for the ND1 MX-5/Miata. It might not be as pure as the Elise, but I really liked the full option interior and Recaro seats, and as I stated 7 years ago, the Dutch roads do not allow me to enjoy the Elise to the fullest, so the MX-5 does just fine and at a lower price point. I'd love to rent an Elise for a day though if such a thing existed!
Love the dark grey exterior with maroon interior. Very sharp!
All 2zz cylinder heads developed by yamaha, confirmed by the YAMAHA embossing on the side of the cylinder head of my gts ;)
I used to beat a racing game on my GameBoy Color when I was a kid with this thing. A little pink pixelated Lotus Elise. The Ford GT50 always came in second. Lotus Elise ftw
Thanks, debating over s2000 or the lotus Elise. I’ve made my choice
I just think s2000 will rise more
Bro your smile when you accelerate is the best lmao
i believe the engine wasn't "tuned" by yamaha, yamaha did the head and made it rev to 11.500 rpm.
i really enjoy your channel i hope it grows !!!
Thanks!
Great video. Thanks for sharing. In an ideal world I can daily drive my S2000 and have one of these too. Keep the videos coming.
Both amazing cars. Each will be a future classic.
Michael Cohen very true I've owned a 2005 s2000 and now have a 2005 Elise . now I'm working on a getting a s2000 again as a 2nd car and daily driver
What is really scary about the Elise is if the rubber gets a bit old or hard, the handling and trust you have in high speed turns is severely affected.
Your smile speaks volumes... :-)
The worst thing about driving a lotus is turning it off
Just before you said, that it was tuned by Yamaha, I thought, that Lotus' kind of have aspects of a bike. They sound a bit like one, they are really light, they accelerate quickly and they are fun!
Great video! helped persuade me to get one ( not that I needed much) pick my 2006 1.8 r elise up on Saturday.
Thanks! Enjoy your Elise!
Just began looking. Perfect Florida car
its a cute car .. nothing much just cuteness overload
You like the engine, it would be good to mention what engine the car has. Nice video! How much are these in the US? They are fairly accessible in Europe and not very expensive.
They have a history of holding their value here. A nice one is around $30k all day long.
So are you planning on getting a new exhaust?????
how tall are you and how comfortable is it
I'm about 6'1. The headroom really isn't a problem in this car once you're in it. The getting in and out part is the hardest part.
You should team up with BoostedBoiz Channel and have them up the HP on that Lotus to 800 or more. That would beast it out to the max. Probably hurt its resale value, but still.
Just subscribed let's get you to 100k man
If you think you get lots of attention from the Lotus, just try driving an Ariel Atom. It will make the Lotus look like a Honda Civic.
Exotic? But they build these like only 10 miles away from me, lol.
BTW, the full Elise experience is not having the top off... but pushing it at the red line on roads that are so twisty that you can't even get out of 3rd gear, so tight that the trees you are passing are only a few inches away from the mirrors and enough elevation change to be leaving getting air every 10mins. Oh and my personal favourite, for it to be slippery and wet. These are the best cars for people who truly love to drive, bouncing the needle through the rev range and working the wheel like you're trying to rip it off the steering column.
If you can get the car into 4th gear, you're on the wrong road.
I remember two things from the Monterey car shows as a kid.. Seeing Jay Leno and the Lotus Elise
Thanks for sharing.. I too am very interested in perhaps getting one of these as a my 3rd back up car. Ive driven another very similar fun drivers car, the Alfa Romeo 4C. I'd like to have both in my garage some day. ANyways can you help me getting proper car mount for my dslr. Can you tell me the brand of the mount you're using? Also the mic on your shirt...do you have recommendations? thanks bro.
Excellent review, in looking for a future toy to buy down the road this is definitely a consideration.
Regarding the people talking to you at the pump: I have a BMW R Nine T, with a bunch of mods, and I get the same thing. My friend says it's a real dude-magnet and I can only laugh!
Engineering studies then, at 24yo I'll get one of these, for sure ! Without daddy's money
Debating buying an Elise to wean myself off of sport bikes as I age. After hearing it, I'm even more sold - it sounds like a CBR.
Lotus Elise is still the best drive for the cheapest money 💰 I love mine👍🔧🙏👌
Yep. Me too. My 2005 111R is a treat here in NZ.
my goal is to own one of these cars by time i’m 25. i’m 17 now and for how much these are going for right now i think i can meet that goal without a doubt if i keep working on it
Keep at it and you'll get one!
Thanks for making the video. The car looks and sounds awesome!
Little known fact the lotus sports car brand is actually made in Norfolk where I live a few miles away from Norwich city
Welp. Goals now. Thanks, mate.
Good luck!
1.8 LITRE TOYOTA COROLLA MOTOR. Yeah in Australia the corolla sportivo came with this engine from 2000 to 2005.This engine tech is 17 years old. And toyota decides to put a fucking 2.0 boxer motor in the gt 86 , instead of re-engineering the 1.8 2zz and in turn giving the corolla hatch a rebirth.I traded my sportivo for my gt 86. And I can tell you this. I'm gonna get another 2zz corolla sportivo by the years end . Because the 2zz just feels like a race engine.The boxer 2.0 is awesome for a na engine .But the gt 86 is a better car than its engine.And the 2zz engine is better than the cars it sits in.
I agree. The engine choice for the gt86 was poor but I blame Subaru more than I blame Toyota.
Beautiful exotic looking car, reliable drivetrain, relatively inexpensive the trifecta of car enthusiasts.
But at 6' and 230 lbs I think It would e a tad small until I hit the cardio workout.
Look up lotus Elise with a hyabusa motor , now we're rocking !
Even though the California Editions are N/A and hard top, I absolutely love the look and feel more than the others.
Great, just loved your chat sequence about the negative comments thing. I live in Wales, UK and drive a white 2008 S, and can so relate to your comments. But I really get positive stuff too, not everyone’s a fuckwit. But do know a young guy who has a nice sports car that he can only drive early in the morning or a night to avoid insults from mainly his own peer group. Sad. Cos he worked four jobs to buy it. The Lotus is magic. Every time. Whatever.
Ok we know how a lotus looks like right? *who else wonders why Hennessy venom GT looks similar to lotus?*
This might be a stupid question, and it probably is, is this car a manual drive?
“Look what daddy’s money can buy” these cars are like 30grand lol... not unrealistic for someone over 25 to buy at all... most 30 year olds are dumping 20k into a 3 series lease in 30 years. This car has a high residual for ownership it’s a win win
Absolutely right, but most people don't know that. It *looks* expensive, and that's all they know. They don't know how relatively affordable they are. I've never had more random strangers come up to me at a gas station than I did with this car. I've had people tell me they thought it was a $200k car...
They just look great
The modern day Fiero.
Love it!
Wtf that’s utter rubbish compared
Once I make the means, I may spoil myself with one of these. It looks lovely, and seems to drive well.
Apropos thumbs up: I recently threw a kiss at a new, beautiful and white Camaro. :D (They are not common in Switzerland, and I'm a muscle fan)
Would be good to know what engine it is? 136hp?
My bad, I should have specified. In the states we only have one option, the 2ZZ(180hp).
great video! I'm in the market for one also however what is it like working on these. are they easy and basic to work on them? I am a diy kinda guy and love the basicness of the interior and the body lines are deff unique and not a common car in pa.
There isn't a ton you have to do to them so that's nice. Oil changes are sort of annoying because you have to take off a lot of under body parts but otherwise it's not too much of a pain to work on.
Dude i saw ur car in Elyria in aby road i was screaming lotus elise! Love that car! I got the Celica gts red and black. You probaly seen me in Elyria
A work mate had one, too low down for me I couldn't get into it & pointless as well as I live in West London with mini roundabouts, traffic lights & speed bumps every 50 yards..
Yep, this car is better on two lane twisty roads. Get a Mini instead for London
I got a Saturn sky roadster. I've gotten daddy remarks from jealous people. I want a grey lotus. This car is nice. Porches are dated. Cheaper is better. Chicks love nice cars. This is proof to not have kids
Hi dude, great car. How tall are you? Working out if I could ever fit in one of these!
I'm 6'1 and I'm getting very close to the limit of being able to fit in
the car. Surprisingly there is more room than you might expect given
how small the car is overall but getting in and out is the hardest part.
That said, I can't imagine anyone over 6'2-6'3 having an enjoyable
time fitting in the car.
I'd like to see a comparison of this vs a 2zzge swapped mr2 spyder.
I'm thinking k20 swap... :)
I once drove a 2grfe swapped spyder. It was a car I wired for a shop and this 21 year old. He was going to daily drive it. It would get sideways at 60.
I was thinking 2zzge since that is a common and very easy swap for the mr2 spyder. Kindof a budget Elise that gives you some portion of the same experience.
Sideways at 60 in a MR2 sounds terrifying, and awesome. 2zzge MR2 would be really interesting since they are pretty close in weight to an Elise. Sounds like you need to swap one and I'll come and review it..
What part of Ohio are you in? I could try to find somebody with that swap in your area. It's a pretty common swap. One of the easiest you can do, so they are out there.
sounds like u should make a trip back out to the DC area and make a comparison vid :)
elise = budget porsche
toyota mrs/mr2 sypder = budget elise.. 😂😂😂
i owned a toyota mrs..
Pussy magnet
If Elise=Budge Porsche and MRS/MR2=Budget Else, then MRS/MR2=Budget Porsche
Got 2 mr2s in red here in the UK. Mk2 and a mk3
Elise might be a budget Porsche, but I'd take the Elise over any Porsche.
Are they expensive to fix when they go wrong and can you get the parts ok please !
I own a 4c it’s jus ike this but more power and 50:50 weight and great hp to weight ratio
Yeah but dct auto and weighs more
Always was a big fan of Lotus Elise’s
for the price this is probabaly best car you can get also fuel consumption is very good
I think you helped me make up my mind. Thank you.
I assume demand has skyrocketed for these cars? Cuz they’re going for ~60k now :(
My roof lives in the boot. You will NEVER see my Elise with the roof on. My engine is a bit special, mild cam from Lotus. Definetly more towy than my original elise.
Yamaha have been involved in loads of Toyota engine like the 1jz/2jz.
As well as the legendary 4AGE