MHKflyer52 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I am going to look at the Boxster S and a Honda s2000 too; at this rate I will probably end up with a Rav4. I think you will find the Boxster the car you are looking for from reading your posts. The Porsche Boxster is a very well rounded auto and should fit you better for your needs. Just my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparecr Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Went out one day to drive an Elise. Wife wanted one, I wanted one. Found one at a price I was willing to pay. Drove the car and when I got out I made the statement to my wife that if I am spending this amount of money I am buying a Caterham. 2 weeks later I had my Caterham. My thinking (I had an Europa and an Elan M100 at the time) the M100 would do everything road/travel wise the the Elise would do and have more luggage space, easy in easy out not to mention being rarer. A Caterham would give me the other half of the puzzle. Performance and handling. The Elise is a nice car but does forget that one true Lotus element. Ride quality. Yes it is light and handles great but Chapman always made sure his cars did not beat you to death. I drive orginal Chapman designed Lotus cars everyday for my job now and they are restored to orginal and all of them (including my personal Caterham and Europa) have nice ride quality not Lexus smooth but not as hard as an Elise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemk1 Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Went out one day to drive an Elise. Wife wanted one, I wanted one. Found one at a price I was willing to pay. Drove the car and when I got out I made the statement to my wife that if I am spending this amount of money I am buying a Caterham. 2 weeks later I had my Caterham. My thinking (I had an Europa and an Elan M100 at the time) the M100 would do everything road/travel wise the the Elise would do and have more luggage space, easy in easy out not to mention being rarer. A Caterham would give me the other half of the puzzle. Performance and handling. The Elise is a nice car but does forget that one true Lotus element. Ride quality. Yes it is light and handles great but Chapman always made sure his cars did not beat you to death. I drive orginal Chapman designed Lotus cars everyday for my job now and they are restored to orginal and all of them (including my personal Caterham and Europa) have nice ride quality not Lexus smooth but not as hard as an Elise. I agree...... hard is the new fast. dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I know your not in the market for a new Lotus but I went to the LA Car Show and Lotus is coming out with the Evora. I think it's a slightly larger and more civilized to address the issues you guys have been bringing up. http://www.likecool.com/2009_Lotus_Evora--SportsCars--Car.html http://www.seriouswheels.com/cars/2009/top-2009-Lotus-Evora.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I had had it w/my Caterham after last summer after using it pretty much as my daily driver for 5 months. Final straw was it rained on a track day I had been looking forward to for months. So I wasn't able to drive the Seven there & do the event, after all those months of sacrifice. So I announced to my wife the Seven was going, I was buying a more civilized daily driver/track toy. And I bought a '08 BMW M coupe. But then.... All winter I remembered the many amazing Seven-only moments and entered a period of severe "Lotus-Loss". So now I use the BMW as my daily driver and use the Seven for those special times when the elements and the car's capacity are in total harmony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB6 Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 Sold the Caterham, she will have a new home in Preoria, IL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparecr Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Can you have the new owner get in touch with me? I will give me more of a reason to tow the my car up there (provided I ever get off my a** and fix the thing). I grew up in Peoria and just was up over the weekend visiting family. I was in downtown Peoria when I saw my first Caterham and we all know what happened from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB6 Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 Can you have the new owner get in touch with me? I will give me more of a reason to tow the my car up there (provided I ever get off my a** and fix the thing). I grew up in Peoria and just was up over the weekend visiting family. I was in downtown Peoria when I saw my first Caterham and we all know what happened from there. Not a problem John, his name is Chris,he is a Brit. Must say I have mixed emotions about seeing the 7 go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Must say I have mixed emotions about seeing the 7 go. So what have you decided to get to replace the 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB6 Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 (edited) Honestly Martin, I have no idea. I am going thru my Goldilocks phase, process of elimination. Edited April 8, 2009 by DB6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNlotus Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 so has the elise been eliminated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB6 Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 so has the elise been eliminated? Yup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scannon Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 David, I know it's not considered a "manly car" but may I suggest a Miata? It is a very good driver's car from the factory and when modified can hang with an Elise at the track. A very satisfying car to drive and it has all the conveniences and is much easier to enter and exit than a Se7en or an Elise. It won't give you a sore butt either. If you ever get out Denver way, look me up and we'll go carve a few canyons and you can see what a well modified Miata with 270 hp drives like. I know many consider them a girlie car but like the inscription on my dash air vent says "AT 15psi THIS AIN'T NO CHICK CAR". The other vent has the usual "SIT DOWN, STRAP IN, HANG ON AND SHUT UP". The car has made many believers at the track and in the canyons. Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB6 Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 Skip, A very good friend of mine has owned many sports cars over the years, including right now a big Healey,a Frogeye and 3 Miatas, one of which he races . He loves the Mazdas, and mentioned that I should drive one of his modded street cars, as you said it has the gay or girly image which is odd in a way considering that they used the Lotus Elan as the prime model for the original. I am also going to try the S2000. Thanks for the offer too ! PS, there are a lot of cars out there right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbanker Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Like Skip, I have both a Se7en and a Miata and I would not part with either one of them. The Se7en has no top, radio or heater. The Miata has all that plus A/C and a reasonable trunk for longer trips. The best part is they both handle great..!!! The Se7en fulfills my need for raw fun and the Miata fulfills the need for comfortable fun, especially when it is really cold and rainy. I drive both 12 months out of the year. Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11Budlite Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 David - sorry to see the Seven go. Good luck in your new search. How about a modern version of a classic inline-6 powered, RWD roadster...in BRG no less! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB6 Posted April 9, 2009 Author Share Posted April 9, 2009 Yeah, cheers. I am sorry to see it go, very wierd feeling to sell a car then feel like someone died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davemk1 Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Yeah, cheers. I am sorry to see it go, very wierd feeling to sell a car then feel like someone died. I owned a very nice 1966 Lotus Cortina a number of years back and sold it when I got deeper into autocross and the LoCort no longer fit my needs. I couldn't afford two cars so the Cortina had to go. As childish as it sounds watching it go onto the truck to be shipped to it's new home brought a tear to my eye. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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