2011 Lotus Elise

Decent 2nd or 3rd car

By 4NZix (GA) on Sunday, March 17, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 28,500

Pros: "Drive control, turning, gas mileage, looks"

Cons: "Getting in/out, cheap parts, not very comfortable"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 8

"1st, This is not really a daily driver car. If you are single, 25, average height and weight, with a girlfriend who is under 150 lbs, maybe. 2nd, most women (and I have had several in the car - relatives and the like) find this car to be BRUTAL to ride in. It attracts them like flies, no doubt, but honestly, this is a harsh car. 3rd, it is rudimentary at best. There is no adjusting the steering wheel, there is no adjusting the passenger seat, there is no adjustment of the upper torso part of the driver's own seat - just fore and aft - that's it. 4th, this car is an eye-catcher and that is no lie. Having owned corvettes, Porsche 911 and ridden in a Lamborghini Gallardo and Mercieliago (sic), nothing gets the looks like a LOTUS ELISE - not even the Evora. 5th, great gas mileage, but tiny tank. It gets 20-22 city and 26-30 on the highway. 7th, entering and exiting the car SUCKS! If you disagree you don't own this car. It is terrible to exit, a 1/10 and if you are overweight, forget this car entirely. Entering is okay, you can slide in, but this is where the ladies hate this car. 8th, cheaply made parts tend to break. The plastic inside is cheap, no storage space (save 2 bags in the trunk) and not even a glove box. 9th, music is terrible regardless if you dump $2000 into a system - the car is LOUD. The engine roars behind your head and you feel every bump, even the year of that penny you just rode over is easy to feel. 10th, driving control and turning is where this car excels, but does it outweigh everything else? Maybe. It is a go-cart sized car, literally waist high if you are 6' tall. The car needs to be really revved to make power and you will get killed by even a regular Mustang GT on a straightaway. Cornering is its best asset, bar none. So, overall, it is a terrible daily driver, period. It will get you from Dallas to Houston maybe on a tankful, but you won't like getting there if its bumpy. HARSH ride is being nice, after all, you are sitting in an aluminum tub surrounded by fiberglass. There is no comfort here. The seats are terribly uncomfortable over 75 miles and if you have a bad back, it will get worse with this car. Is it worth all this? Yes, if you buy one used around $30,000 and the ECU shows it hasn't been abused. Most of these cars are tracked, so be wary. Avoid LOW LOW mileage Elise's - lots of engine problems with seals. I'd buy one with 90,000 before one with 12,000 if it is a few years old. These cars are meant to be driven, but not beat on. I would recommend this car as a collector car, to be driven sparingly (3-5k miles a year). If you want a commuter, this is not for you. It can be embarrassing getting in and out at times. Drinking coffee or talking on the phone? Not in an Elise. No cup holders and no real room for error. Use 2 hands on this little beast."

1 person out of 2 found this review helpful

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The most enjoyable vehicle I've owned

By Robert (FL) on Tuesday, February 14, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 22,000

Pros: "Fun to drive, great styling"

Cons: "Hard to get into/out of, interior doesn't hold up"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"The car is difficult to get ina and out of, and some of the materials used in the interior have not held up well considering the age of the vehicle, but the Elise is by far the most fun of any car I've owned. If you want a car that is quiet, comfortable and easy to get around in - this is not yoe vehicle. If you want a car that has a great HP/weight ratio, handles and brakes like a $300k exotic and makes you feel like you are driving a F1 racer every day - this is your car."

7 people out of 8 found this review helpful

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Street legal race car

By Georgia dawgs (FL) on Monday, January 23, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 1,000

Pros: "Everything"

Cons: "Nothing unless you are fat and can't fit in it"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"My 2011 Elise R is the best car I have driven in my entire life. I had before porsches, BMW, audits and a mustang gt500 and those care are like driving crown Victoria's next to the Elise. The information this car send to the driver is amazing! Super fast acceleration for only 192hp, the BEST handling than any car out there including ferraris and lamborghini, and I know this because I was a test driver for this two companies when I lived in Italy. The only issue is the small cabin but that is what lotus is all about, low weight, superior handling and great acceleration. The Toyota engine is not a Celica engine, it is just the bones/shell, it is all lotus engineering. Until you drive an Elise you'll understand it, and if you are able to get those revs all the way close to the redline you will hear a sound that releases the monster that Elise is all about. It gives you the chills! It is like you are inside a race car video game."

13 people out of 14 found this review helpful

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connected

By s2000imp (FL) on Friday, December 23, 2011

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 20,000

Pros: "fun, responsive"

Cons: "hard to exit"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"This is a car that successfully connects the driver to the road while most cars insulate the driver from the road. I had a Honda s2000 and loved it. This car is less luxurious but much faster and more responsive. The price of admission for connecting is difficult entrance and exit. If you are not too heavy and in reasonably good shape this is a small price to pay. If you want fun even at low speeds, this is the car. Yes, I use it as my daily drive."

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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Super car looks, realistic price

By LGT SPD (KS) on Sunday, November 06, 2011

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 11,000

Pros: "Fun is an understatement"

Cons: "Bumby"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"The first time someone hung out the window on the highway to take a poicture of the car I thought it was weird, then I got use to it. This car stops people. They all ask about it. Nothing I have ever driven comes close to getting the looks. And it is so fun to drive. only issue is getting in and out of it. Not easy. Once in, it is comfortable."

3 people out of 4 found this review helpful

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