Who or what first inspired u to get the Lotus...?

Scotty C · Post by **Scotty C** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:00 pm

Where is Steve these days? I've not seen or heard from him since the TT 05.

Mac

He's still alive and doing well.

He still has the elise. we got it started about a year ago after it had been sitting outside for about 4 months. He then drove it to Ricky's and its still there????

He and a few friends started a IT company about 2 years ago (they look after our IT) Think he works a fair bit?

Scotty C

Mr Momo · Post by **Mr Momo** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:09 pm

I only bought one for the banter

All the cars I've really enjoyed have been selected for their go-kart-like handling, strong engines (prefer torque to top end power) and some 'rightness' in the way they appear (wheel at each corner).

So, when the Elise 111R came out and was given a bit thumbs up by Autocar, I was hooked. Mate then bought a Ferrari 360 which blew my mind, so this was all I could do to get the buzz back.

Went to test drive one at T&C in Aberdeen on the day they sold the franchise and drove all the cars away

But followed this up with a 111S test at MMC - didn't like the no-servo brakes initially, so Graeme took me out in a 111R - sold !

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:19 pm

Mr Momo wrote: Went to test drive one at T&C in Aberdeen on the day they sold the franchise and drove all the cars away
!

Yeah, sorry about that

I was hooked when I was a kid and saw a Exige S1 in The Village Garage in Cults, Abz. That garage is now a block of flats.

Abz needs a Lotus dealership!

Mr Momo · Post by **Mr Momo** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:24 pm

Just remembered that I once went into Village in Cults and saw an S2 sitting sadly in the corner amongst some Mitsubushies - I remember it looking good

m400kay · Post by **m400kay** » Thu Nov 30, 2006 10:29 pm

i had wanted one since first came out but was dubious of build quality and ability to last course as i had alway owned honda s and toyotas , fell into some money bought an mr2 met d stanley discussed went to chris niels in chesire was taken out by a boy who gave test drives as hobby there and never looked back . now after 1 s2 sports tourer an elise s and 2 111s in daft colours now have red s1, now where was i oh yes dubious build quality and ability to last i rest my case 6 years of pleasant elise owner ship
mark

tut · Post by **tut** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:57 am

Still slightly embarassed that when Scotty came out with us for his first road run, I gave him the talk about going at his own pace and not trying to keep up with us. Think it was at Kirriemuir.

He either took no notice, or was already bloody quick.

tut

Post by **campbell** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 1:24 am

tut wrote:He either took no notice, or was already bloody quick.

tut

My money is on both!

mac · Post by **mac** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:17 am

m400kay wrote: .... dubious build quality and ability to last i rest my case 6 years of pleasant elise owner ship
mark

Mark - I never thought ability to last would have been a high priority for you - It's not like they survive for long with you behind the wheel <BG>

Mac

ExigeKen · Post by **ExigeKen** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:38 am

Firstly watching Lotus Formula1 cars on the TV in the 60s and 70s with some of the courageous and best ever drivers and then the James Bond Esprit made me want one. Test drove one in 82 cant remember the model it broke down so did not buy it hoped i looked cool stood by it with the bonnet open probably not no one I knew saw me. But the deciding point was watching the Exige on Top Gear with the Apache real quality and the fact that I lived half a mile from Murrays in Glasgow which meant I had to drive past every day without stopping to drool didn't work hence my car love it to bits. Oh yeah and a teenage son saying every night have you bought it yet Dad?

alicrozier · Post by **alicrozier** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:27 am

Well I was on the verge of buying a TVR

before I saw the light! Looking at Tuscans, which incidentally is why my number plate is S6 (speed 6).
I thought I'd better just try an Elise before buying the TVR and went to see the chap at Village Garage in Aberdeen (I can't remember his name but he was an ex-racer with John Clark). It was a summer evening and he allowed me to take a std elise for a test drive myself. I went along South Deeside and was smitten.

I ordered a new S2 111S in Silver with Black leather and picked it up 18th October 2001, the day I came back from honeymoon. I found SE after looking for driving instruction with Walshy (also a Yahoo group at the time) and my first run was following Scotty over the Cairn! We then met up with Scott F, Lawrence and Fergus and headed for Tut Towers.

I started doing trackdays in 2002 after some Walshy instruction (sharing a day with Mac)...I was a bit of a wuss in hindsight...but never looked back.

Chopped the Elise in for the Exige Last October but still not sure which I prefer. The Elise did well, covering 45K miles in 3 years, innumerable trackdays and Scottish Road Car Sprint champion in 2005.

For me I was aware of the heritage but it was all about the driving experience...

mac · Post by **mac** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:34 am

alicrozier wrote: I started doing trackdays in 2002 after some Walshy instruction (sharing a day with Mac)...I was a bit of a wuss in hindsight...but never looked back.

Made up for it since though

Mac

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:19 am

Seen a couple in Edinburgh a couple of years back when i worked there. Had a test drive in one and loved it and then i bought my 135

Cheers
Craig

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:48 am

sh*t! Totally forgot what actually properly made me want a Lotus.

Michael · Post by **Michael** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 7:11 pm

I actually attended rehab for addiction to Esprit Turbo Challenge. Remember rambling on to my mum about the game and in retrospect she only ever said "Yes, son....uh huh...wow....oooo".....thinking "Right cool it about that dumb game!"

It was Ace! ...especially when a Joypad came out that was comptible with my Atari STE 1040, replacing the Joy stick!

Do you reckon these old comps are worth anything....think it belongs in a museum with my commodore 128. Open to suggestions....

Blaque · Post by **Blaque** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:17 pm

Michael wrote:Do you reckon these old comps are worth anything....think it belongs in a museum with my commodore 128. Open to suggestions....

I'm sure a ZX Spectrum is worth around £300 boxed. More than twice what they were new. I worked 12hour days all summer to save up the £125 needed to buy one of the first ones.

\Old Barsteward faction