I currently have a 2006 MCS w/factory JCW, Chilli Red w/Black roof. It's got a few suspension mods (JCW springs + Koni FSDs, Ireland fixed camber plates, and H&R 19mm rear sway). It also has a the 18" JCW R105 wheels in matte black, and the Aero grill installed. Needless to say, I really like my car. Fun in the turns, has a nice red/black look going, etc. I had planned to keep it until the wheels fell off, but...

When I first ordered the MINI back in '06, I really liked the Lotus Elise and Exige. Getting one would have cost ~$10K more than my MINI however, so I put them into the realm of unobtainable. However, looking at some recent used Lotuses (Lotii?) on lotustalk.com, it looks like an '05 or '06 Elise can be picked up for as low as mid-high $20K, with some Exiges in the low $30K region. KBB on my MINI is listed as ~$27K (~17k miles, "good" condition / private party - not sure how realistic this is). This has really got me thinking about possibly trading the JCW for a Lotus...

Now I've read some stuff on the Lotus (there's a nice comparison with an MCS on Motoringfile here), so I realize it's a much rougher race car vs. the MINI. Looking at this as a daily driver, I think I'd be fine with that (there are times I wish my JCW was a little more hardcore...). As for family, I have two little ones, but my wife has a Forester, and never rides in the MINI anyway ("too rough"), so... Am I crazy here? Love to hear if anyone has had similar thoughts, or already has done the switch from MINI -> Lotus or reverse...

(And for those that wonder about my being in DC and having a Lotus daily driver, there's a possibility I might be moving back to LA later this year, and the swap would be contingent on that.)

 

Contact CarNutsGarage.com here in Fairfax; he owns multiple MINI and Loti and can help you think this through.

 

I'd check the going price for a similar MCS in your area, as KBB tends to read a bit high, if your main concern is the cost delta. Otherwise, it's definitely more hardcore (and more aerodynamic. )

 

Have you tried getting in and out of a Lotus, it can be difficult depending on your size. Also, the seats can be very tight, again depending on your size.
I was thinking the same thing when a got my GP. I decided on the GP for a daily driver. Also, I frequently use the rear space for luggage, boxes, groceries, etc... and the Lotus has no storage space which I decided I did not want to deal with day to day. The lack of storage space makes the Lotus a pain for running errands around town which I frequently do on the weekends. I have a Suburban but prefer to drive it as little as possible due to gas prices. I live in So. Cal so the weather was not an issue.

If you can live without any storage space and you fit inside fine, the Lotus would be great. Also remember, that service and parts can be expensive even more than a Mini.

 

As I drive by a Lotus dealer every day on my way to work, the thought of an Elise as a daily driver enters my mind often... heck, I'd even throw a set of snow tires on it and use it year-round... mostly... I'd still plan on having a 2nd or 3rd car as a back-up for truely crappy-weather days...

Ask me again in a couple of years when I turn 40 and mid-life crisis really smacks me and driving a TDI every day starts to wear on me (my g/f has the MINI's)...

But seriously, to me, an Elise is the ultimate "raw sports car" and pretty much like nothing else out there (short of a 7 or LoCost). I would not want one as my sole daily driver and would want to have at least something to drive when I didn't feel like folding myself into the driver's seat on the occassional morning... plus, having a tow-vehicle to take the car to VIR would be nice...

So in a nutshell - no, I don't think it's crazy...

 

I think the first question to ask is; Can I really get that price for the MINI?
If the answer is yes, and you can live with the few shortcomings of the Lotus (lack of any kind of storage space, parts price and availability, etc.), then.....GO FOR IT!!!!!
Life's short, you're a long time dead.
When you're an old man, it'll be nice to look back and say "That Lotus was awesome. I'm glad I listened to those nitwits on North American Motoring......".

 

The Lotus is a purpose built car. That is a car made for the track. They make for lousy daily drivers. Hard to get in and out of, virtually zero storage space. It is a car built for speed and handling with comfort and convenience dead last.

Expect to pay "exotic" prices for parts and service even though they have Toyota sourced engines. The Lotus is not the most crash worthy car on the road. I remember seeing an Elise after a "fender bender" that nearly destroyed the car with a final $18K repair bill.

But the Lotus for what it is is an amazing car. If you are willing to live with the shortcomings of what essentially is a street legal race car, then go for it.

 

If I did not have to occasionally haul kids and regularly haul windsurf gear, I would be all over one. Have test driven a couple of Elise(s), one extensively, and absolutely love the car. The most engaging driving experience out there.

 

Great as a second car. Almost no utility for a everyday use.
If it was my only car, I would not. If I had access to another - yes.
maybe you can use you wifes car or an hourly car share (zipcars) if needed.

 

I agree with their use as a great secondary or weekend car. Not so much for a daily driver due to their extreme impracticality. If you can get by with your Mini with only the storage space in the boot, and not having anything ever in the back seat, for example, then you may be able to deal with the storage/utility issues of the Lotus. Also, as previously recommended, see how well you fit in the car and take one for a drive over some sort of driving surface that doesn't resemble a pool table. Good luck with your decision!

 

Can't tell you how many times I've thought the same thing about a Lotus but I just can't justify it as a daily driver..... Bit dang I'd love to own one!!!

 

Can you put a hitch on it to bring your gear along, or your track tires to the track? If the money's right, why the heck not?

Check Craigslist for an interesting winter beater for around $3k and get the darn Lotus.

Driving experience wise, what's the opposite of a "dilemma" - isn't this a choice you can't go wrong with, provided you're considering all the variables, including repair/maintenance and associated costs & tradeoffs?

 

I didn't read any of the post above, but I know if had the money...I would definitely buy a Lotus Exige S 240. Not near as practical as a Mini, but a truly amazing performer.

 

Unless you derive a lot of utility from driving...

 

The only lotus worth getting is an Exige S, it has more than just the look of the lotus, it also has some big power. It also looks meaner than an elise. The other thing is you can only get what someone gives you for your car, so if ur budget is tight for the new car id put at least a 3 to 5 grad fluctuation in waht u can get for your car. So in summation, if u get what u want for ur car, and the lotus in question is an exige s, i wouldnt consider any other factor, such as weather, storage, passengers, because that car is sexy, mean, fast, handles, and turns heads, and you can tune it, to make it even more of all of the above. DO IT! its one of my dream cars.

 

Glad to hear most folks think I'm not crazy...

Of course, I will do things like take a test drive first, make sure I fit, etc. I've had the MINI for about 3 years now, and my wife as rode in it maybe once since our second kid was born... we have another car for family driving, so not an issue if I get a 2-seater. As for $ for my JCW, I think those who mentioned the KBB is probably high are right -- trade-in value looks more like $24K or so. Still within a few $K of an Elise... so I'll figure out how much extra I may need to spend when the time comes.

Still probably 6 months or more before I potentially make the move to LA, so I'll have to sit tight here a while... (must not check lotus forums... must not check lotus forums...)

 

I'll never own an exotic due to money but if I did have the buckage, I would get that new Lotus Evora. It appears more practical than both the Elise and Exige and it has a 6. I've watched many Top Gear and have read many car magazines featuring exotics but I still like Lotus due to many reasons, 1 being their small size. My buddy in my New Mexico MINI club has had experience racing Lotus on the track there with his slightly modified MCS. He says he gives the Lotus drivers a run for their money and tears the Porsches up.

 

I sold my Elise this Monday - great weekend car. I hope you have a daily driver, though. I'm sure you know all the good things about the Lotus, so I'll go right to the cons.

Yoko Advans and rain do not mix. Great tires, but if there is a drop of rain on the ground you are stuck doing 45mph on the highway constantly catching the rear end. Did I mention that they cost $1K+ to replace and you have to do it every 5K miles (and no, that's not a dealer price)?

Property tax - depends on your location, but in rural friggin GA I was paying close to $600 every year.

Insurance - not as bad as you might think, but it should be your second car, so it still doubles your insurance costs.

Repairs - while parts are reasonably priced if you buy them online, working on the car can be difficult. I'm a big DIY guy, but for a simple thing like a AC/Heater fan control module (a glorified resistor array that costs $50 new) it took 2 days to replace and involved taking off the front clam, most of the AC piping, heater core and some other things. Dealer estimate was in the $2K range for labor.

Gremlins - as with any car there will be gremlins, except you'll have to live with them in the Lotus, since fixing them will cost you more than your firstborn.

Lighting - break the law and buy an aftermarket HID kit if you want to see anything at night.

Cop magnet - I'm very careful on public roads, I haven't had a ticket since 2001, but I did get pulled over repeatedly in the Lotus by cops claiming that I was going 100mph. Some were very hard to persuade that my GPS unit with max speed recorded of 82mph wasn't rigged.

2nd car - yes, you have to have a daily driver if you commute to work.

If all that is not a big deal - the damn thing looks beatiful on the road and is a blast to drive.

PM me if you have any specific questions on buying / owning the beast.

P.S. I'm selling both my "daily driver" and the Lotus to get a Clubbie S - which I hope will be a good compromise, but I see that there are people moving in the opposite direction.

 

You would be crazy if you didnt. The lotus is a blast to drive, and the looks are like no other.

 

DO IT!!! Seriously, if your wife doesn't ride in your car now - then that concern is not relevant. If your kids don't ride in the car - then that concern is not relevant.

But, keep in mind, until they're old enough to ride in front seat (which in California it's age 12 or older) you won't be able to share the fun! In 05 I bought a Porsche 987 and added the airbag delete kit (not sure you can do that on Lotus) so that my kids could ride (obviously only 1 at a time) to enjoy the experience at times. At the time, the two other cars on my radar were the Honda s2000 and the Lotus Elise - but neither allowed for airbag deactivation in the passenger seat (I believe the current Honda's are weight sensitive now). The Honda would've saved me $ and the Elise (with the deal I got on the Porsche) would have been same price. When I traded Porsche I ended up going with an 05 330 ci zph to retain performance and kid-ability. I actually had my heart set on a well maintained Porsche 993 but non-Porsche booster seats didn't fit in the rears and Porsche was in the process of updating their kid seats so no dealer had any avail. My kids love driving in the MINI now that I have it (although I really need to tint the windows as my daughter's pink princess booster seat kinda undermines the aggressive performance stance of my lil race car!)

Blammo - if the car fits you and passenger and cargo issues aren't a concern, you should be all over it. Now, whether or not you'd actually get $27k for your MINI?????????? Good luck whatever you decide!

 

The Lotus is hands down one of the best handling cars in the world and on a track will run circles around almost anything out there. They also look killer if your just cruising through town or up at highway speeds.
But.....
As everybody has said.....there is that little fact about practicality. It just isn't there with the Lotus. It's meant to be driven hard and put away wet, not really good for stop and go driving or cruises to the grocery store. And as previously mentioned....have you ever tried getting in and out of one? I don't know how big/small you are, but I'm a bigger guy and it just doesn't work. I have broad shoulders too....my brother and I tried to sit in one and our shoulders were cramped together in the middle as well as against the doors!!! So if your broad, muscular, and tall.....you might want to think twice about getting in and out of that kind of a car every day! If your jockey size though I'd say it's going to feel great! There is the lacking of quite a few creature comforts that we have in the Mini though....so buyer beware....

 

Well, I'm an "average" sized guy (<200 lb, 5'10"), and am in my mid-thirties, so still agile enough to deal with contortions as necessary to get in/out. As for storage... I have a 13" subwoofer taking up 90% of the boot in my MCS, so I'm already conditioned to not using it.

For perspective -- my last daily driver was our family Forester for about 2 years... I hated it. Automatic, minimal power... I felt like I was driving asleep every day. Getting the MINI was a night vs. day difference -- I started to really enjoy my drive to work every day. Even if I have to sit in traffic most of the drive, there are still typically spurts here and there that make the MINI worthwhile.

My main concern on the Lotus is $... i.e. finding one that's close enough in price to what I might get for my MINI, and also the maintenance/repair costs... finding an independent shop that could work on it would probably be a good step here (in LA, I remember Steve's Auto Clinic and Central Coast Coopers as great for MINIs... wonder if they work on Lotuses?). But to be honest, the MINI isn't cheap to work on either (compared to a Japanese car like the Forester)...

It comes down to this... I have this urge to keep upgrading my MINI with new wheels, CF bits, etc., to boost performance and style. But rather than spending several $K on that, why not just save that and spend it to get a Lotus? I think I can live with the practicality cons, and the pluses (performance and styling/uniqueness beyond what's typically possible in a MINI) are really attractive... so in short, I think I'll still plan to go this route, assuming my move to LA works out.

Thanks everyone for the great comments!

 

You may step out of the oven now, your done!

 

Blamo, as far as trading the car in, for some reason I'm positive that you'll be much better off selling it private party. Even with the sales tax perk on trade-in, it's still not worth the loss. Plus you are much more likely to find a good deal from a private party seller on the Elise than from a dealer. When selling my Elise to prep for buying the Clubbie, the spread between the trade-in and actual sale price that I got for the lotus was close to $5K. Sales tax perk would've saved me about $1700.

KBB trade-in values right now are about 10-20% off from what dealers actually offer, so if KBB lists $23K for '06 JCW trade-in, then a good dealer will lowball you into the high teens.

List your JCW on eBay - it's free for "best offer" type listing, set a really high reserve and see what kind of offers you get.

 

You're not crazy but this car definitely is a second vehicle IMHO and that of Edmonds http://www.edmunds.com/lotus/exige/2006/review.html

I wouldn't discourage you because i think everyone should live their lives as happily as possible (especially when it comes to the car one drives and the companionship one keeps).

I say go for it --just go into the idea fully informed; exotic cars like exotic women make the men who desire them responsible for their upkeep and frequently unhappy with costs they don't anticipate