Newbie in Falkirk - not yet a Lotus owner

[antonywelsh]

Hi all,

Just joined the forum after deciding that I'm going to upgrade my MX-5 to an Elise later this year (yes, i appear to be waiting until AFTER summer to do this - the funds wont allow for me to buy now and i'm way too impatient to wait til next March!).

Anyway, I've got one concern - on-street parking. Sadly, i don't have a garage or even a driveway (yet...). Does anybody have any experience of having their Elise parked on the street over night? Am I likely to get hit badly on insurance? Its not too bad for my MX5... but its quite a few insurance groups lower than the Elise.


Cheers much!

Tony

[Digital]

Hi Tony, I'm just up the road in Linlithgow and there are a few of us about the area, I'm sure one of the Elise owners would be happy to give you a guided tour

Unfortunately I don't have a garage either, but (touch wood!) never had any problem with the car. I would have thought Polmont should be fine?

Jamie

[s29ttc]

Welcome Tony

I signed up jsut over a month ago looking to learn about the exige to buy next year. Currently had a 206, 4 weeks later I bought my 111s elise 1999 model. I am happy to show you around mine whenever. There are many varients etc to learn about before deciding which one to go for obviously taking into account your budget. I do not have a garage and not seen as a problem as yet. It would be benifical to work on them etc but my area is pretty safe and the car is fully alarmed and imobilsed. Im sure you will know roughly how safe it would be to park the car there. Also I have the hardtop for the car, not sure if this would make it safer or cheaper to insure might be worth meantioning it to the insurance.

http://www.elises.co.uk/models/index.html

This link should give you a quick start to info about the various models.

The benefits of waiting to winter are they seem to drop in price and become a bit cheaper as they are not as desirable. I have also found travelling down south you seem to pick up better cars for your money.

I am quite a novice at this but if theres anything I can help you with or direct you towards give me a shout, I am sure there will not be a shortage of help or opporchancity to have a look round peoples cars!

[AJT]

Tony.
I am in the Saint Margarets area of Polmont, you are more than welcome to have a look arround my car.
In Polmont area there is every thing from S1's to brand new Exiges so I am sure you will be able to get a look at what you are thinking of buying.

[antonywelsh]

Cheers guys... I'll definitely be taking one of you up on the offer of a look round... just need to persuade my other half that its a good choice in car

[Lazydonkey]

My car has been parked outside since i bought it 3.5 years ago and you don't need a garage by any means......................... i also came from a 1.6 mk2 MX5

If insurance is a real concern for you Lotus did a special edition elise with a wee griffin on the bonnet which is group 16 insurance as opposed to group 19 / 20.

Welcome for a look round my car anytime you want - i work in Dunf / Livi (depending on the day) and I live in Glasgow so kinda pass Falkirk most evenings on my way home

[sja]

Hi Tony
I'm just along the road too, as Alan said theres lots of us in the area.

Stephen

[DJ]

For a wee village, Polmont is becoming a hot-spot for Lotus ownership !

Afraid I can't help in your insurance question Tony as mine is garaged, but welcome along from another Polmont Elise owner.

Plenty of stuff to read up on here and as you can see, plenty of offers of help from both locals and those further afield

[antonywelsh]

well, i've ran it by the gf and she seems ok with the idea ("mmmm, i'm not sure about its looks") so i'll probably drop one or two of you a PM to see if i can get a look and a chat... particularly any S2 Elises.

Cheers for the welcome guys!

--
Tony

[kenny]

[666]

I've had Elises and a Europa parked on my street and all I got was admiring looks from people that passed it. It hardly made a difference with the insurance companies. I prefered havng the hard top on the Elise, just for piece of mind but the soft tops were fine. Never left them with the roof off though. I wasn't that brave!!!

You'll love Loti. There's nothing like them in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[g1zmo26]

There a few lady owners on hear to help persuade your other half

Stuart & Pauline

[campbell]

Welcome Antony.

At a guess, street parking will prove slightly higher in premium but probably not prohibitively. Of more concern will be effects of regular weather and bird-poo on a soft top. But easily sorted, just invest in a shower cape that can stretch over the soft top, also means you can stow the roof in the morning for your drive even it was raining the night before (ie, never put the roof away wet, it starts to grow things!).

Indeed, if you can stretch to a hard top this will make winter use a lot more bearable but it's not mandatory and you pick a hardtop up later anyways.

Good luck in the search, as you'll already probably know, all variants of Elise are owned in this wee forum so you will generally get honest (but occasionally biased!) feedback whatever your question.

Ask away...

Campbell
(S1 owner of 9 years tomorrow, based in Linlithgow...feel free to come for a look over my car if you like!)

[ExigeKen]

Tony good luck with the search

[basil]

another local here Tony as I stay in sunny Shieldhill. I have an S1 Exige and its parked in a garage so I'm no good for answering your questions, still if you want a poke around let me know.

Scott