Tippy

The car is simply a POS.

It has a great engine (due to Toyota), awesome over built gas cap bezel, and way too overkill door hinges, but that is where it all stops. These cars rattle from the factory, the handling is not that impressive (I never felt confident like the 996), and they spin out very easy. Not to mention feedback is not that great. The center console flexes like a wet noodle, the windshield frame flexes when you climb out of the car to the point it may crack (which they mention do not pull on, but how else do you get out of the car?), and the fenders feel like you can rip them off when pulling on them.

There is one point of the car that simply kicks major @$$, the sound of the exhaust is spectacular, I love the way they sound!!!

P.S. the engines have suffered valvetrain wear issues (cam lobe wear) on some Toy motors.........

Tippy

BTW, I am 6'2" at 200lbs, this car is very hard to get in and out of. I never felt safe in it either............

exlondoner

Always good to get a diverse opinion on a specific subject, thanks everyone

blake

I have never "tracked" one, but some of the guys on the GT3 board have owned a few (talk to Mooty). Anyway, I do run into them frequently on the track. The Exige in general is one heck of a track car. It handles unbelievably well through corners, and as others have stated, it similar in many regards to a go-kart. The base Exige is not that fast on the straights, but the "S" with the 220hp and now 240hp supercharger hauls like ***! When I am driving the GT3 on the track at 7/10s, very good Exige S driver's are my shadow through both the corners and straights. The car is capable, and offers a much more affordable platform regarding wear items than the 996 GT3. I spent the past year seriously considering adding an "S" to the track garage so that the wife could get interested in DEs (she thinks they are cute), and so that I could enjoy it as well...

But at the end of the day, nothing fells like a Porsche on the track. There is no substitute. No Lotus for me.

-Blake

htny

A friend of mine in LA (who happens to be a little japanese girl, former automotive journalist) drives her exige S around town every day. crazy in my opinion, but incredible, incredible car. You can pick them up for a song used thanks to depreciation, and I believe you can make more power easily (pulleys and chips). I think a near ideal track day car (although honestly I am really into the ariel atom lately), but I'm not sure if I would fit with a helmet, not a lot of room in there above your head. It's very small, looks wonderful though almost like a little baby next to even a 911. We're going to do some PCH driving before I head back east, will send pics.

exlondoner

Yeh Atoms are fast and handle wonderful, but in all honesty a track only machine.

C DeVito

Ran against a Lotus at an autocross last Summer. The owner had real problems with power on/off oversteer and he told me the car had been in the shop 3 times for extended periods to replace the instrument cluster and entire wire harness. Even under warranty that's a PIA. I expect better QC on any car I would consider buying.

ez996

Exige S is a great car but don't buy it for every day use. It is not a Porsche and for sure not close to Ferrari (some owners think that they got a cheap Ferrari). Stage II exhaust which Exige comes with, sounds great. Car rattles and resonates but reason for that is no sound insulation. It adds weight and that is not Lotus philosophy. Drive Porsche track only car and I'm sure you will notice it is a bit noisy inside. Trunk leaks water. Side windows don't seal very well(some water ingress). Side windows make rattling noise (normal). Some engines have problem with intake cams. No one knows why? Maybe oil used is not correct? Instrument clusters for sure are a problem (2008 cars have improved clusters and hope is that problems are fixed with new design). 3rd gear syncros, camshaft rockers brake are problematic too; however, reason for that is people can't drive, abuse vehicle and over-rev engine on downshift- pure stupidity- and killing trans plus engine in the process. It is hard to get in and out of it.
In handling Exige S is more neutral than Elise (Elise understeers a lot) you can adjust front sway bar setting on sport pack equiped cars.
Buttom line is for track event you can't buy cheaper and better car than Exige S 240 (08 model with big brake kit front, 240hp engine in a little over 2000 lbs packege). It is a great little car but it is designed for very narrow purpose and lets keep it that way. It is nothing more or nothing less.

exlondoner

Excellent analysis imo, thank you!

exlondoner

Well after some extensive research and the helpful feedback from this thread the 996 stays! In terms of looks there really is no comparison. Looking forward to modding the insides of the car this year.

Tippy

The best way is to actually experience one, my friend rented one for 2 days at $140. We tore the **** out of that car, it was always at redline.

Patrick E

Not sure why people have issues with the interior room. I'm 6'2" 195 and had no problem once I was in the car with the seat all the way back. Getting in and out was another story... I drove one at the track and was incredibly impressed. However, I drove one around town and was not. Even as a weekend toy, it's incredibly impractical. I would not replace my 996 with one.

tooloud10

I've suggested that some people don't know how to adjust the seat to let themselves fit properly in some of these cars. I'm about the same size as you and am always told that I won't fit in my Miata, though the car fits me like a glove and the seat isn't even all the way back.

My seat technique: front of seat bottom all the way up, back of seat bottom all the way down, back of seat as desired, wrists resting on the steering wheel when arms are outstretched.

I have more problems fitting into a Dodge Viper than the Lotus products.

Paul 996

Thought about one of these a while back, did the extended test drive etc. Handle really nice, engine is fun at redline, pretty weak everywhere else.. rattles, buzzes, etc. Not a good DD type of car. Then started thinking about it as a pure track toy... Came to the conclusion that I can think of much better ways to spend my money for a track toy and get a whole lot more out of it as well.

The pcar is a much better dual use car with a little susp help, imho

UFO007

The Exige S seat only moves forward and backward; no other adjustments.

Besides, leg room is never the issue, it's leg width room and shoulder room that has me covered in bruises.