HELP! Boxster S vs Elise
09-15-2004, 04:24 AM
#31
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Just trying to avoid a public spanking from commenting on a car that I, truth be told, have never driven. But then again, you can't drive all the cars in the world before deciding which one to get, so some will have to be filtered based on biased, subjective and unqualified opinion, I guess in my world the Elise fell prey to that
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10-19-2004, 10:34 PM
#32
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I"m on the list for the elise and went by the dealer today to check it out as my slot is coming up soon. The driver's door wouldn't open (not an electric problem but a mechanical one). Pretty easy decision. It may have a sweet toyota engine, but you still have to be able to get into the thing to drive it. Plus, it is UNBELIEVABLY little.
Great car, but I don't want something that is a constant source of dealer trips.
-dc
Great car, but I don't want something that is a constant source of dealer trips.
-dc
10-20-2004, 02:19 AM
#33
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Buy the Boxster S.
The British have been driving the Elise for years. Fifth Gear just choosed the Boxster S as the best sport car available on UK. They compared the Boxster S to the Elise, VX220 (An Elise with a 2.2 Turbo), Radical SR3 (Street legal in UK), Catherman, Z4, etc.
The Elise will depreciate as hell (as all Lotus in USA). By that time, around 2 years from now, I will pick up one in the used market for around $25k.
The British have been driving the Elise for years. Fifth Gear just choosed the Boxster S as the best sport car available on UK. They compared the Boxster S to the Elise, VX220 (An Elise with a 2.2 Turbo), Radical SR3 (Street legal in UK), Catherman, Z4, etc.
The Elise will depreciate as hell (as all Lotus in USA). By that time, around 2 years from now, I will pick up one in the used market for around $25k.
10-20-2004, 12:48 PM
#34
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NJ-GT is right Palting. As I told you over on the EliseTalk.com website, the better choice is the Boxster S, especially for what your needs seem to be.
I almost pulled the trigger on an Elise but then I drove one. I owned an MR2 Spyder the first year they came out and while those cars were fun if you lived in the sun they didn't make a lot of sense elsewhere. The Elise makes even less so. If I wanted a dedicated track car I would probably go with the Exige instead, but if I want something to do double duty as for track and street, the Boxster wins hands down. The ride in the Elise is too rough, too loud and too lacking to make it a serious street car. Yes I know there are people claiming to be driving their Elises to work every day but let's see how long it is before they get tired of that. The Elise also suffers from the S2000 syndrome of no power and no torque down low, so forget about lane changes in traffic, that is unless you like keeping your engine wound up to over 6K all the time.
Last, but not least, what I can't understand is that the vast majority of current Elise owners in the US have never taken their car on the track. A few have run around some cones in a parking lot, but only a couple have taken them to the track despite opportunities for Elise owners to do so. If you aren't going to take this car to the track regularly, why did you buy it? Trunk space? I think not!
Lease rates are poor on the Elise if you can find one, insurance is high, and as was mentioned above resale value will tank and you can probably pick one up at 25K in a year. I'm not a huge Corvette fan, but I'd rather buy a new C6 than the Elise. As someone else mentioned, wait for the Boxster Coupe as well, that might be an even better fit for you if you don't want top down driving.
For those who say you already have a C4S and the Boxster will be the same I can FIRMLY discount that argument since I've owned both and can tell you the existing generations differ quite a bit, and the new 987 generation is going to differ even more.
If I were you I'd start worrying about what color and what options you want on the Boxster....
I almost pulled the trigger on an Elise but then I drove one. I owned an MR2 Spyder the first year they came out and while those cars were fun if you lived in the sun they didn't make a lot of sense elsewhere. The Elise makes even less so. If I wanted a dedicated track car I would probably go with the Exige instead, but if I want something to do double duty as for track and street, the Boxster wins hands down. The ride in the Elise is too rough, too loud and too lacking to make it a serious street car. Yes I know there are people claiming to be driving their Elises to work every day but let's see how long it is before they get tired of that. The Elise also suffers from the S2000 syndrome of no power and no torque down low, so forget about lane changes in traffic, that is unless you like keeping your engine wound up to over 6K all the time.
Last, but not least, what I can't understand is that the vast majority of current Elise owners in the US have never taken their car on the track. A few have run around some cones in a parking lot, but only a couple have taken them to the track despite opportunities for Elise owners to do so. If you aren't going to take this car to the track regularly, why did you buy it? Trunk space? I think not!
Lease rates are poor on the Elise if you can find one, insurance is high, and as was mentioned above resale value will tank and you can probably pick one up at 25K in a year. I'm not a huge Corvette fan, but I'd rather buy a new C6 than the Elise. As someone else mentioned, wait for the Boxster Coupe as well, that might be an even better fit for you if you don't want top down driving.
For those who say you already have a C4S and the Boxster will be the same I can FIRMLY discount that argument since I've owned both and can tell you the existing generations differ quite a bit, and the new 987 generation is going to differ even more.
If I were you I'd start worrying about what color and what options you want on the Boxster....
10-20-2004, 02:01 PM
#35
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I dont know if this matters for you but I recently saw an episode of Fifth Gear on the speed channel that feature all sorts of roadsters. They talked about the Elise, Boxster S, BMW Z4, Honda S2000 and many other much more expensive cars. The Boxster S beat all of these cars in practicality and track use. Its a great car. I didnt like the idea that you have to be contorsionist to get in and out of the Elise. My dad just got a S2000 and its a great car, and very easy to drive. You should consider it.
10-20-2004, 03:51 PM
#36
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Ohhh!
I forgot something very important.
The guy I sold my Celica GTS had a blown engine after 25,000 miles. I know guys running their 4th engine in the GTS Celicas. The engine is weak, no torque.
Lotus is using the same engine on the Federal Elise
My Celica was down in weight to around 2400lbs (no sunroof, lighweight 15" wheels and lighweight exhaust). The Elise is just 400 lbs lighter than my old Celica.
I forgot something very important.
The guy I sold my Celica GTS had a blown engine after 25,000 miles. I know guys running their 4th engine in the GTS Celicas. The engine is weak, no torque.
Lotus is using the same engine on the Federal Elise
My Celica was down in weight to around 2400lbs (no sunroof, lighweight 15" wheels and lighweight exhaust). The Elise is just 400 lbs lighter than my old Celica.
10-20-2004, 03:57 PM
#37
Race Car
Boxter S.
The european Elise from the late 90's (I think), was quite aesthetically pleasing. What I have seen in the car magazines this year.... I really hate to say "yuck", so how about "I don't like the direction that they took this vehicle." The Boxter S has the Elise hands-down from this standpoint.
I can't speak to performance, but I have pretty much disqualified the current US version of the Elise as a next vehicle on looks alone. Tastes vary so please don't think that I believe any of you have bad taste...
Good luck!
The european Elise from the late 90's (I think), was quite aesthetically pleasing. What I have seen in the car magazines this year.... I really hate to say "yuck", so how about "I don't like the direction that they took this vehicle." The Boxter S has the Elise hands-down from this standpoint.
I can't speak to performance, but I have pretty much disqualified the current US version of the Elise as a next vehicle on looks alone. Tastes vary so please don't think that I believe any of you have bad taste...
Good luck!
10-21-2004, 02:33 AM
#40
the elise is too hardcore for many people, if someone drove both, the cross-shopping would end right there,
these cars are hardly comparable, the elise is VERY bare bones and requires gymnastic flexibility to get in and out... whereas the boxster is a usable everyday car
these cars are hardly comparable, the elise is VERY bare bones and requires gymnastic flexibility to get in and out... whereas the boxster is a usable everyday car
10-21-2004, 03:41 AM
#41
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True Moogle. I am 5'10" and I had a lot of trouble getting in and out of the elise. There is no carpeting inside the car anywhere. Really a track car but some people like it that way on the street.
10-21-2004, 03:42 PM
#42
i test drove the elise, and there were so many 'point deductions' before i even got the engine started.
this car is even more bare bones than the GT3, and feels as such, the bare metal everywhere transmits ever single stone hitting the chassis, the engine isnt that great either, and the sound gets annoying after awhile.
lets not even get into how wide the door sills are, you need to do a split just to get in.
the seats were not that supporttive and were not cooperative in helping oen get in with the side sills, and as such, made the entire experience a pain in the ***, literally.
don't listen to the people on elise tlak, they are just covering up the fact that some of them made a 40k mistake because what they wanted was a boxster beater , and what they got was a suped up go cart with a roof.
this car is even more bare bones than the GT3, and feels as such, the bare metal everywhere transmits ever single stone hitting the chassis, the engine isnt that great either, and the sound gets annoying after awhile.
lets not even get into how wide the door sills are, you need to do a split just to get in.
the seats were not that supporttive and were not cooperative in helping oen get in with the side sills, and as such, made the entire experience a pain in the ***, literally.
don't listen to the people on elise tlak, they are just covering up the fact that some of them made a 40k mistake because what they wanted was a boxster beater , and what they got was a suped up go cart with a roof.
10-21-2004, 04:13 PM
#43
I have the 5th Gear episode about the Boxster. Tiff Needell and crew pretty much champion the Boxster as the world's best overall sports car. Plus you get to see Tiff driving a Boxster S on the track. Pretty cool stuff!
10-21-2004, 05:24 PM
#44
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Hey Moogle, tell us how you really feel, man. Don't hold back. I'm sensing you are trying to say something, but I'm not quite sure what...
Funny, I think that's the same sort of stuff 5th Gear was saying about the Elise (and TVR) last Monday. Personally, I like the aesthetics of the Vauxhall Elise (or whatever it's called) better than the Lotus version. But maybe that's because this new Bimmer styling is wearing off on me...
Funny, I think that's the same sort of stuff 5th Gear was saying about the Elise (and TVR) last Monday. Personally, I like the aesthetics of the Vauxhall Elise (or whatever it's called) better than the Lotus version. But maybe that's because this new Bimmer styling is wearing off on me...
10-21-2004, 05:26 PM
#45
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Originally Posted by Sean
I have the 5th Gear episode about the Boxster. Tiff Needell and crew pretty much champion the Boxster as the world's best overall sports car. Plus you get to see Tiff driving a Boxster S on the track. Pretty cool stuff!
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