The cars and bikes thread!

[geoffbot]

Your car is a pig but should have nice driving dynamics. BMW, driving the proper wheels, manual trans.

My E93 is the same, it's a porker, but drives great. And that V8 singing at 8000+rpm with the top down is glorious.

I need to try a porsche.

[mlcor]

I need to try a porsche.

I've done a little bit of autocross in a Cayman; it's superb, but still can't hold a candle to an Elise on the same course, where power isn't the most important thing. I used to say that if I ran over your credit card in my Elise, I could tell you the account number.

[Raza]

There's much more to 0-60 times driving a Lotus... I can't speak for the Emira, but Lotus in general seem to be tops for a visceral driving experience, and superb handling. If one can be modified for some extra quickness, all the better (if you're into that).

This car is 16 years old and still looks cool and exotic (in my opinion, anyway):

Quite possibly the best car ever made and certainly the best driving experience I’ve ever had. That Ferrari 430 I drove paled in comparison.

[Raza]

Your car is a pig but should have nice driving dynamics. BMW, driving the proper wheels, manual trans.

My E93 is the same, it's a porker, but drives great. And that V8 singing at 8000+rpm with the top down is glorious.

You make me want an E90 M3 so badly.

[Raza]

I need to try a porsche.

I had a 987 Boxster S. It was absolutely fantastic. Z4 is a little rawer, but the Boxster was way more capable (it was also a higher level; at the time, its direct competitor would have been the Z4 3.0si or the Z4M Roadster, not the 3.0i I have).

[chuckmiller]

...I used to say that if I ran over your credit card in my Elise, I could tell you the account number.

Tha manufacturer would call that great feedback and feel of the road. I would call that a HARSH and sour ride.

[happyscrappyheropup]

You make me want an E90 M3 so badly.

They're nice cars, the drop tops aren't the most stiff when the top down, but there is minimal cowl flexing. With the base 18" wheels, the ride is good. My friend has a 2011 with the 19" wheels, I think that's too stiff for the car.





If you find a car that hasn't had rod bearings replaced already, you want a clean Blackstone Labs oil analysis report. Throttle actuators are another common problem, but that's a lot cheaper and easier to sort out than rod bearings.

[mlcor]

Tha manufacturer would call that great feedback and feel of the road. I would call that a HARSH and sour ride.

You would think that, but actually, the Elise rode just as comfortably as any sports car I've ever had, and better than many.

[gnuyork]

You would think that, but actually, the Elise rode just as comfortably as any sports car I've ever had, and better than many.

Yes, this is true. The suspension on mine is stiff yet compliant. I can't really explain it. It feels tight and fast, you feel every bump, but it's not jarring. On my car I have adjustable Ohlins as part of the Sport Elise package. They are set up for aggressive track use, and they are still much better than my bone stock Miata (Bilsteins, I think), by far. Though I love bombing around in the Miata too.

[geoffbot]

Lotus said they had to do non adjustable to make it ride properly in the emira which is why you select touring or sport or whatever when you spec it, and live with it.