Lotus Elise 111R

[Burt2000]

Signed up to TLF there now, hope to meet up with some more NI members

 

[Eamo_vxr]

Absolutely stunning. Health to drive and enjoy buddy.

 

[Rigger]

Just seen this. Looks stunning, health to drive!!!

 

[Burt2000]

With the crappy weather gone for now I got it out for a good few miles tonight just to get to grips with it a bit more, on a flowing B road it really is brilliant and that engine is a screamer. There’s no doubt I t’s the best thing I’ve owned in the last 20 odd years and pretty much a dream car (for me anyway) I can definitely see this car being with me for a very long time.

A few of my own pics of it.

 

[big_pete]

Looks so good in that colour and wheel combo!

 

[Burt2000]

It definitely makes it look a bit more aggressive I think. I love the ardent red.

I also gave the interior a much needed deep clean and de bobbled the alcantara seats (with sandpaper!…it really works)

 

[FM155]

Dream car for me too, looks brilliant!

 

[mike150]

Definitely the best second car I've ever owned and I've had lots, I sold my Porsche 997 manual gen 2 S last year but kept the Elise. I actually can't think of a better second car.

Fun to drive, doesn't do irrelevant big speeds, simple, just about practical, looses no value and cheap to keep

 

[Burt2000]

That’s it in a nutshell @mike150. The guy I bought it off said he has driven numerous supercars but he said as good as they are they are too fast for the road, too expensive to buy and run, you are afraid of wrecking them on a track and they aren’t practical and that’s why he has 3 lotuses lol. I’d say the same boy could have whatever he wanted in his garages too.

 

[EF Ian]

Thats gorgeous and pretty much perfect. Hope you get loads of enjoyment from it. Surely these have to be great as a drivers car.


Always fancied having one of the older Lotus cars, the newer ones not so much for me, I'm too oldschool, but I figure these are exactly my type of car. Just wish my build would be finished soon so I can see if there may be a chance of another car in the future. I'm leaning towards an Ultima, but also considered an older Elise or Exige to which I'd love to K20 SC or K24 NA HC. Thats if I don't forget about how stupid expensive a full on build is and do something like V8 swap a FD3S.

I took it round a few twisties last night but I think to really push it hard on the road it would end in tears. I like to be able to see what’s around the next corner and not be piling into a tractor, a load of mud or a bunch of cyclists. Still great fun to be had with it though on a nice flowing B road and even straight roads with the VVT induction noise. I’ll probably try it on track where it’s safe to push it.

Thats the issue, my EF Civic can really fly on the twisty roads, but you can never go that hard on the road for this very reason, you don't know what is around the corner, can feel good pushing a bit, but to be responsible you just can't go all out.

 

[Burt2000]

A K20 S1 Elise I’d supposed to be a complete weapon. The S1 are the rawest of them all from what I read, the S2 slightly more refined although I wouldn’t call mine refined lol, tracks tyres and suspension make it stiffer too though.

I turned the Nitrons to full hard setting the other night for a laugh, undriveable on our crap potholed roads but on a track it would be excellent, there was no body roll and such sharp turn in.

It attracts attention though which isn’t always good, I’ve never had so many people want to race and I can’t be arsed lol. Had a run with an m2 competition, in the bends it was able to keep up without pushing it too much but in the straights he started to get up to silly speeds on a road with blind corners, no thanks! Way too risky.

 

[svensktoppen]

the S2 slightly more refined although I wouldn’t call mine refined lol

Pure luxury the S2, so it is! It has padded seats for crying out loud. And an almost water proof roof, lol. What are you complaining about?

The Toyota is nice and all but you haven't lived until 8k+ rpm with a screaming Vtec a few inches behind your neck, lol

I turned the Nitrons to full hard setting the other night for a laugh,

Never do that. It closes the valves, turning them into solid suspension. Not just pointless, but can wreck valves and seals too.

As a starting point, about 8-10 from closed for dry track, 10-12 on wet track, 15-20 on the road.

 

[Burt2000]

Didn’t know that about the suspension! It Was only for about 5 min on them.

Have you heard the Toyota with the TRD air box at the VVT crossover? There’s some rip off it, just like a b series vtec only louder or Mk2 escort on throttle bodies, the great thing is it’s right behind your head too lol.

 

[svensktoppen]

You'll be ok, just be careful. It's not specific to Nitron either, goes for any adjustable suspension.

The Elise benefits from a bit of compliance any way. It's light (even the overweight luxury barge S2 ), low, and ultra stiff chassis, so doesn't need rock hard suspension. Get it riding bumps and curbs instead of bouncing off them.

 

[Burt2000]

Got my new plates on and I think they set it off. I trimmed the front one down a little as it was a bit silly looking in full size.

 

[Burt2000]

You'll be ok, just be careful. It's not specific to Nitron either, goes for any adjustable suspension.

The Elise benefits from a bit of compliance any way. It's light (even the overweight luxury barge S2 ), low, and ultra stiff chassis, so doesn't need rock hard suspension. Get it riding bumps and curbs instead of bouncing off them.

I’m finding the steering takes a bit of getting used to. Need to have both hands on the wheel at all times, It seems a bit wooly at low speeds but then weights up with some speed and in bends it turns in nice and tight. The car also tramlines quite a bit and the steering seems to feel every bump or pull you into every rutt in the road, are they all like that? I’m going to book it in with Ricks Garage for a full check over anyway, I see in the receipts it had a few suspension bits (see pic) so there can’t be too much wrong, the seller wouldn’t be one for cutting corners.

It might need the geometry done again though as I don’t know if it’s been done again since the Nitrons were fitted (that was about 20k miles ago)

 

[mk2driver]

I would suggest taking the image out or at least blocking the name and address mate

 

[Burt2000]

I was trying to but can’t edit the post, why does it not let you edit after a certain amount of time? can a moderator remove the image for me. Thanks

 

[svensktoppen]

The car also tramlines quite a bit and the steering seems to feel every bump or pull you into every rutt in the road, are they all like that?

That's all normal. It's a direct rack and pinion, no dampers or anything else in the way. You feel every pebble, and everything going on at the wheels. It's kind of the point of them, nothing else steers like an Elise. It does take a bit of getting used to if you come from a modern car with electric steering and zero feel in comparison.

Don't fight it, just let it do it's thing and go with it.

What size front tyres do you have? Lotus used bicycle tyres up front on the S2 Elise. Most people changed those to wider tyres. That does mean a bit of tramlining but it improves front end grip no end.

 

[svensktoppen]

I was trying to but can’t edit the post, why does it not let you edit after a certain amount of time? can a moderator remove the image for me. Thanks

@Cooper

 

[Burt2000]

That’s good to know then that’s the way they are. I find it’s a bit bouncy or floaty if the dampers are set to soft, about half way seems to be a nice compromise for the road.

Tyres wise It has 195/50/16 on the front, they are Avon ZZR though and have a very stiff side wall. I might swap them out for next year as they seem to be more track focused than fast road, they still have decent tread but they are quite old in terms of DOT code so maybe going a bit hard now aswell.

I’ve read they can be a bit hairy in the wet and they need plenty of heat to get the best from them but you’re never going to get them to proper temp on the road.

 

[EF Ian]

This thing really does look great.

I think you will get used to the steering, you become accustomed to the feedback. Both my fun cars are direct rack and pinion with no assist and I love the way they feel, I actually find it much harder to drive modern cars because they lack any feel of connection to the road.

It would definitely take a while for someone who has only driven modern cars to get used to driving with them.

 

[Burt2000]

The last car I drove without power steering was my series 2 escort about 15 years ago, my daily you can spin the wheel with your baby finger, it feels great jumping from it to the Elise though.

 

[mike150]

That’s good to know then that’s the way they are. I find it’s a bit bouncy or floaty if the dampers are set to soft, about half way seems to be a nice compromise for the road.

Tyres wise It has 195/50/16 on the front, they are Avon ZZR though and have a very stiff side wall. I might swap them out for next year as they seem to be more track focused than fast road, they still have decent tread but they are quite old in terms of DOT code so maybe going a bit hard now aswell.

I’ve read they can be a bit hairy in the wet and they need plenty of heat to get the best from them but you’re never going to get them to proper temp on the road.

Yokohama V105 are the last tyres fitted as standard to the Elise, I find it an ok tyre that copes with everything.

Unfortunately there aren't many manufacturers that make tyres in Elise sizes so your choice is limited.

 

[EF Ian]

Different things for very different purposes. I don't like the idea of having to navigate my EF with no power steering and semi slick tyres around parking lots or really around busy narrow city streets. But it feels amazing to jump into after only driving my daily for a week and take it a spin along the coast road.

Grateful I am able to own fun cars as well as a daily, means I don't have to compromise.