Colleagues
Having ridden motorcycles for 40 years I am finally thinking about giving them up and buying one of the above. Given the history of Lotus I am really tempted to buy an Elise but the common sense side of me says for reliability buy a VX220 Turbo. I have plenty of time to consider buying either one as I will need to sell the bike and then still get a loan. That is of cause unless I win the big lottery this week end.
I would be interested in learning of your views on this matter.
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Blimey - nice choice!
Think for badge snobbery, it'd be Lotus every time, but I've heard some very good words of the VX220.
I like the "what the hell is that" factor you get with the VX220 - you dont see as many about, and from what I understand, the basics are very similar to the Elise. There's an elecric blue one around the corner from my parents place, with lots of de-chroming on the grille - looks evil!
If you get the win at the weekend, have both, and let me drive the "other" one for you??!
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Chances are that you may end up doing some of the development work for Lotus buying this early on in a new model's life. Buy the Vauxhall, I know someone (he's a very fussy ex-Royal Marine) who has one and he loves it to bits..
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I have driven a couple if Elise's though not a VX however they are basically the same chassis, the VX is supposed to be good with either the 2.2. or 2.0 turbo though IIRC it is now obsolete, I would go for an Elise bases on the Lotus heritage and on going support.
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Id take a Vauxhall everytime on this one. Far more dealers to look after the car and having sampled both, id say the build quality on the Vauxhall is superior. I would think it will be cheaper to look after aswell.
Vauxhall have far better support than the Lotus and Vauxhall have plenty of heritage in fast cars and motorsport, so its really not a factor.
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Yup everyone has heard of Vauxhall in Formula 1, I bet they've beaten Lotus regularly. Funnily enough everyone I know with Elises has had no problems. Every Vauxhall dealer I've dealt with has been pants, so that & the fact the VX220 is discontinued would decide me.
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I don't know about the S2, but the build quality of the S1 Elise was utter pants. I'm not talking weight saving measures here, but just naff quality. My mate sold his 1998 S1 last year. The K-series engine (the bit everyone said would give him grief) racked up 60,000 utterly troublefree miles. The rest of the car was falling apart around it.
Original dampers lasted just 20,000 miles and their replacements 40,000 miles.
Gear linkage failed twice
Cable to open the luggage/engine cover snapped.
Persistent problems with the breather system on the fuel tank making the car stink of fuel.
Hood leaked like a sieve from about 2 months old.
Headlight fell into the inner wing due to brackets corroding to nothing.
Window regulator bolts fell out and the glass dropped into the door.
Great to drive, but the build is atrocious.
Cheers
DP
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If you want a *few* creature comforts, then get the VX220. IIRC the Elise has no carpets whatsover, nor a stereo. At least with the VX220 you'll get a carpet, albeit probably thin to cut down on weight. You may well prefer to listen to the engine note than a stereo (as per all those so called expert motoring critics views) but listening to the same tune day in, day out will become monotonous over a period of time.
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If you want a *few* creature comforts, then get the VX220. IIRC the Elise has no carpets whatsover, nor a stereo. At least with the VX220 you'll get a carpet, albeit probably thin to cut down on weight. You may well prefer to listen to the engine note than a stereo (as per all those so called expert motoring critics views) but listening to the same tune day in, day out will become monotonous over a period of time.
They are options on the Elise, but thats the whole point, Chapman said add simplicity & lightness if you want to tart it up with bits like this & you've lost the point of buying a minimalist car. The only K series I enjoyed was one at a rolling road session a few years ago 298BHP @ 9,200 RPM. Even the most avid petrolhead was in pain!
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Just to say thank you to everyone for their comments. Definitely food for thought there.
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