How practical for everyday use?

General General Lotus Talk
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Hi,I’m keen on the Exige. Who isn’t ?! ;o)While an 111s Elise is clearly OK for everyday use, how pracical is the Exige?I read of it being rather “lumpy” and sometimes not easy to drive conservatively.I will be doing quite a lot of short trips in slow traffic as well as motor way.Comments would be appreciated.Thanks,Al

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Done 35000miles in 18 months - always with a lump - just buy one!

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Done 35000miles in 18 months - always with a lump - just buy one!

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Done 35000miles in 18 months - always with a lump - just buy one!

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3 lumps - in your tea too? [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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Obviously got way to excited there!!!

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You are obviously keen on the Exige!!!But how lumpy are they?A new owner has written on these boards of diffulty driving slowly.Any comment?thanks al

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AlIt’s very subjective, you’ll have to try one on a test drive.Exige is mega brill on track, but can be hard work on the road.As has been said many, many times here, you either love 'em (warts & all), or you don’t. All the owners on this bbs are of course in the former category.As a certain Miss Black says " The choice is yours".Neither “short trips in slow traffic” or “motorway use” are the Exige’s natural habitat.

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Thanks Pesky,That’s what I thought really, iut’s just to much of a wild car for my purposes.i was attracted because of problems of rain water leaks with the soft tops. But I guess I wil go the Elise 111s way…and hope the hard top doesn’t leak. I’m an ex TVR drowned owner!!Cheers.Al

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Al,There is an alternative route. Do as I’ve done, and install a Honda K20A Type R into the Exige. It purrs like a kitten at 900 RPM, produces more torque than any Rover K-series, as well as 250+ HP in stock trim. It has a very well spaced 6 speed LSD equipped gearbox that will take you to the far side of 160 MPH, and still be perfectly civilised around town. Take a look at my website, www.prototyperacing.com for more info.

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Its more than capable of being used everyday, you just need to get used to it, the lumpyness is similar to a Sport 160.

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You have to be quite committed to using the Exige as every day transport. If you are a bit of a lard meister like me, they do **** you off trying to get in and out, however this is an art that you get used to quite quickly.Long journeys with a non-standard exhaust are noisey to say the least, but bearable for an hour or so.I had an Elise as an every day car, and it ended up as a weekend toy, just too many leaks when it rained. I think the Exige is actually more civilised to drive, but not at low revs or in traffic. Add to the fact you can’t see a thing out of the back window when it rains or if it is dark does mean you are paranoid about who is behind you and if they have a blue light on top of the car (not that you may be breaking the law of course as no-one with an Exige is that irresponsible!)

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erm…I don’t know about yours but mine is leaking…as the Elise was by the way… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]this seems to be a Lotus problem…like they do that all Sir… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]not that I really care…

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ADL - if you have trouble getting out, then stop near a bus stop and ask people in the queue to give you a hand!

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quote:Originally posted by Ken Pegg:ADL - if you have trouble getting out, then stop near a bus stop and ask people in the queue to give you a hand!I am suprised Lotus hasn’t invented a hoist of some sort?Thats the problem with the car. It looks great, sounds fantastic, but the undignified way you have to get out of it kills off the whole aura of the car. Worse when there is a crowd looking around it and you are scrambling on the sill trying not to fall on the floor [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]That’s why James Bond would never have one. He would be shot a number of times during the 2 minutes trying to get in or out of it. Not to mention the baddies would soon catch up after it had broken down on the side of the road. hehe

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quote:Originally posted by Bruno:erm…I don’t know about yours but mine is leaking…as the Elise was by the way… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]this seems to be a Lotus problem…like they do that all Sir… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]not that I really care…The Elise leaked like a sieve compared to the Exige. EVO magazine put it quite well about the Exige -‘Lotus, the only manufacturer who could make a hardtop that leaked as much as a convertible’

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For me, the difficulty of getting in all adds to the drama of taking the car out for a drive.Admittedly I don’t have to get in and out twice every day though, and a bit of a shortarse!Cheers

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AlHow’s about this for a compromise? If you live in the North West (i’m in cheshire) buy your Exige, and you can swap it for my 111s when you need to make longer journeys - we’d both be happy!Nick

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You know, you never seem to hear anyone moaning about how undignified or difficult it is to crawl into a McLaren F-1. I’m over 6 ft. and have absolutely no trouble getting into or out of my Exige, and I’m 55.

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Hi,Thanks for the comments, all of you.going to go for an 111s after all…even if it leaks in the rain. Though on a day like today???I’m even older than you Joe!How do these kids [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/blush.gif[/image]) afford such cars???I had to wait till I was 40 before I could…Will be looking again just after Xmas…anyone got a decent 111s 99T, non mod, non tracked, near London? Preferance given to one that hasn’t leaked (yet!)cheers,Al