what to do?
 

So I've been working on a deal to trade my 370z in on a brand new old stock 2009 Lotus Elise, white base package.

Basically I wanted to trade in my 370z, with zero down, keep the payments the same but just extend the contract a year or so.

Best deal I could find was this white one, but they want an additional $3000 to cover tax and license.

While I've been waiting for a good deal to show up, I've put some wheels and tires on and lowered the Z. I really like it now, but damn I love the Elise too.

I was thinking I should just keep the Z and take the down payment money and invest in a GTM S/C kit. :happydance:

What would you do???

a white lotus sounds awesome.. but imo, i think a lotus will be choked to see a 370z.
+1 on the supercharger.. +2 twin turbo

Buy another Corolla. :D

It all depends on how badly you want that Elise. I'd personally rather have an Exige, but that's just me. The most important part is finding the right platform then building upon that. If you want the Elise REALLY badly, no matter how much you modify your Z, you're going to be thinking about that Elise.

Just curious, have you personally driven an Elise around town?

TT is out of what I want to spend on mods... the S/C is a nice deal IMO.


Yeah, my boss has one and while it is cramped for two people, it is fine for just myself.

I like the exige also, but not for the price.

This white 09 is only $37k, which is a super good deal.

This isn't a daily driver right?

Sure why not? My boss daily's his Elise.

A S/C will run you in the $8K including shipping and labor, at least the Stillen one.

BTW, if you are thinking on trading your Z you are throwing your money away on mods because you are never going to recuperated the entire cost of those mods.

Wow, I might be foolish with my money, but I'm not a complete idiot. I would never buy a stillen s/c

gtm s/c kit is ~$5k and I and more than capable of installing it myself.

as long as you are small and don't have to carry stuff, go for the lotus.

Oh wow~ now that you mention its 37k, id get the lotus.

The Lotus would be awesome.

The Z is probably easier to live with, though.

As much as I miss the sound of a 2ZZ screaming to redline, I say keep the Z and get it blown...

as a DD I hope its just small trips to and from cuz for a long ride all the time you will get uncomfortable and will be missing the little extras that most cars have as far as creature comforts go. But it would be great for a weekend car. I have seen a soldier on post with one and he was driving his GF around in it but she was hating it cuz he had no AC and the seats werent comfy for her.

what does getting blown have to do with this?

:icon18:

The Elise is a brilliant automobile, BUT as daily driver, and as others have alluded you might want to rethink keeping your 370Z. The interior of the Elise is restrictive, there is no spare, you need to be a better than average wrench if you are going to work on it, and you need to take it to shop that knows how to work on one as even lifting an Elise on car hoist, jack or any other lift, requires special considerations.

I'm 5'11, not small but fairly slim and I fit fine. It is a struggle to get in and out but I'm used to it, I've lived with small cars all my life with race seats with extremely high bolsters... even so the elise is the toughest car i've tried getting in and out of.

I've very good mechanically. Extremely good, and I've already worked extensively on an elise; changing full exhaust, jacking it up, working on electrical, etc.

Like I mentioned before, my boss has one and he dailys it with no problem.

Well, it seems like you are really rationalizing the Lotus purchase, so it must be what you truly want. Go for it. :tup:

actually, getting blown in an elise would be easier than in the Z. The Z's center console is too high! :tup:

I bet he and his wife dont go to dinner in it. Or cross country.

A cross-country trip in an Elise would be BADASS. :driving::driving::driving::driving:

only for you young grasshopper, only for you. Gotta rise to the occasion.

:icon18::icon18::icon18:

I think you meant to say "bad for your as.s"

Not if you get a butt pillow.

the OP might need that and the NYC phone book to help get him over that rise of a center console.

:bowrofl:

No worries dude, just all in good fun.

lotus is a high maintenance car. Changing brake/tire/oil etc. can be a pain. Z on the other hand, is way more reliable than the lotus. I'd say stick with the Z for your future reference.....tho i have to say lotus elise is pretty damn sexy

Lotus Elise = Track Car, if I ever got one.

Coworker had one, when they were new models (many years ago). After riding as a passenger into town in Newport, RI - I was itching to get out of it (not to mention I had a few in me).

GREAT handling cars, but for a DD, I couldn't do it.

If you TRULY can live with it's spartan, race or nothing nature - I'd go for it. It's a damn nice ride.

RE: 2009 Lotus Elise, white base package. Not the base package. If you are to trade, get the SC. Otherwise you are giving up too much, stick with the Z.

According to 2010 Lotus Elise - Specifications, Pictures, Prices
"The big change is the addition of a new entry-level model, dubbed simply the Lotus Elise. The base Elise model comes with a 1.6-liter engine developing 134 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque. Although about on par with many entry-level compact models, the Elise's lightweight design ensures overall performance is not compromised, with the two-door still able to scoot from zero-to-60 in just 6 seconds. Top speed is capped at 124mph."

:iagree:

U.S. Only gets the 1.8 n/a and 1.8 s/c. besides, 1.6 is also for the 2011 model year.

2009 is the car i'm looking at.

http://www.cars.com/lotus/elise/2009/

189-hp, 1.8-liter I-4 (N/A)
218-hp, 1.8-liter I-4 (S/C)

Here's an excellent website and forum you should join to learn more: Lotus Talk

A friend of mine used to have an Elise that he would leave with me when he was driving one of his other automobiles. It is one of the best handling automobiles in the world, and a blast to drive; you really never want to get out of it because it's that fun. It has no real trunk space. It is not very high so when you go to park other drivers do not see it when backing-up. (You think the 370Z is bad? The Elise is worse.) Other drivers constantly want to race you. People are constantly pressing their face on the windows when you park it so they are always smudged. Other jealous people will throw sh!t through the top when left off (yes, this constantly happened). There is NO front or rear protection so parallel parking is basically out. Plan on spending more time detailing it as it's a mid-engine.

I've been on there since Feb 2006 :hello:

F' it...you only live once, so go for the Elise! The Elise is an automobile that will always be picked up by another enthusiast until its wheels fall off. If you don't have children, and you're single, then just go for it.

well I took a good look at the car today at the dealership, along with my Z. Damn, the Z looks sexy as hell, maybe even better than the Elise. I need to think about this harder.

I couldn't DD an Elise, its just too impractical in every way. But, as a weekend car for going for a blast through the mountains it is the best car to own IMO.

The Z isn't terribly practical either, but its way better than the Elise. The Z is more comfortable, has more space, more creature comforts and will do 90% or so of what an Elise will do on a twist road.
IMO\\\


IMO - for DD get a Z
for pretending you are driving a race car, get an Elise.

I owned a Celica GT-S for 6 years and while I loved the car and loved the way the engine sounded rev'ing to 8000+ RPM, in the end, it is still a 1.8L that you have to push very hard to get the most out of it. I'm still not convinced on the reliability of the 2zz engine. Over my 6 years with it, I had to have the head replaced under warranty and then I spun a rod bearing at 60,500 miles that they refused warranty on so I had to replace the motor. I was religious about maintaining the car too and didn't beat on it. I don't know if Lotus has made any tweaks to the engine to make it more reliable, but if it were my money, I would stay away.

:iagree: