Yeh sounds like you need to slow down and plan your next car carefully. Hopefully you get something that suits you this time. I was surprised base on your age buying the m2 as 40k car at 22 is nuts to me. I am looking at 40k cars never spent more than 30k before.
A sad but wise choice Bex, you have to look to your goals. You've had the fun on the road with the Lotus cars but now given that you are a racing diver funds need to be directed into continuing that journey. To do that your health and wellbeing has to be paramount after all there is no point in getting the best car to can progress if you are not able to make the most of it given that every tenth lost can make a difference in starting grid position. As always best wishes Bex. Difficult decisions have to be made in the journey to your goal. Take care.
17 year S1 Elise driver here. Though I'm 43, I understand the financials as I bought my then 5 year old Elise age 25 at the same time as owning a new one of the original SEAT Leon Cupra R's. I sold the SEAT soon after getting the Elise because the SEAT was no longer an "event" once I had a Lotus - plus I was spending a lot on car repayments, so I bought a Mondeo daily and kept the Elise forever. Have been through 4, or 5 daily's since then. What I would say is that you are spending a LOT of money on modern Lotuses for "weekends" and then finding it expensive to have a decent daily too. Why don't you simply buy an older Elise? A decent S1 like mine, or early S2 can be had for around the £20k mark and seriously, you WON'T feel that much difference vs a new Elise. In fact, if rawness and feeling is what you are after, you won't beat an S1, they are loud, firm and light. I know plenty of owners who have gone back to S1's after owning newer Elises. Then you have some spare cash to get a half decent daily. You will also have a Lotus that is appreciating in value. Don't always chase the flashy new stuff, you CAN have both worlds, you just have to be smart about how you do it. Owning my S1 (and also doing a lot of the servicing and maintenance myself) has allowed the Elise to survive three house moves and the birth of my son without me having to sell it to raise funds.
Got an IS220D and an Elise. Chalk and cheese but makes it easy to choose which for when. You used to be able to get a high mileage IS220D for sub £1000. Not sure of latest rates but an option that may tick your boxes.
Are you going for a Caterham (170 perhaps)? Your daily, I used to get really uncomfortable in the company Passat and Mondeo which were built around the same period of time as your Passat. One car I found the most comfortable to do long distances that are quite good value now was a bog spec Insignia exclusiv. Cruise, no sport seats and standard wheels. Only used to have to stop when I needed something. Or, an Avensis of the same period but leg support was a bit lacking. Perhaps have a look at them?
Must be frustrating not being able to know whether a car will trigger the nerve pain or not. My XJR sometimes gives me crippling back pain if I can’t get the seating position just right(I’m always letting other people drive it) but I’ve never had that with any other car including my 996. Makes no logical sense.
Sad to see the lotus go. It’s a semi twin with mine 😔 I don’t see anything wrong in selling it, sometimes if you don’t bond well with a car, it’s ok to move on and try another car :)
Very sad that you sold your Lotus. Big mistake on your part. Then, you go out and buy Audi TT. WTH!!! I came to your channel because of your Lotus. Now, I won't have a reason to subscribe. Your reviews of other cars. I don't care and I'm not crazy about EV either. So, guess I will take off.
Yeh sounds like you need to slow down and plan your next car carefully. Hopefully you get something that suits you this time. I was surprised base on your age buying the m2 as 40k car at 22 is nuts to me. I am looking at 40k cars never spent more than 30k before.
A sad but wise choice Bex, you have to look to your goals. You've had the fun on the road with the Lotus cars but now given that you are a racing diver funds need to be directed into continuing that journey. To do that your health and wellbeing has to be paramount after all there is no point in getting the best car to can progress if you are not able to make the most of it given that every tenth lost can make a difference in starting grid position. As always best wishes Bex. Difficult decisions have to be made in the journey to your goal. Take care.
17 year S1 Elise driver here. Though I'm 43, I understand the financials as I bought my then 5 year old Elise age 25 at the same time as owning a new one of the original SEAT Leon Cupra R's. I sold the SEAT soon after getting the Elise because the SEAT was no longer an "event" once I had a Lotus - plus I was spending a lot on car repayments, so I bought a Mondeo daily and kept the Elise forever. Have been through 4, or 5 daily's since then.
What I would say is that you are spending a LOT of money on modern Lotuses for "weekends" and then finding it expensive to have a decent daily too. Why don't you simply buy an older Elise? A decent S1 like mine, or early S2 can be had for around the £20k mark and seriously, you WON'T feel that much difference vs a new Elise. In fact, if rawness and feeling is what you are after, you won't beat an S1, they are loud, firm and light. I know plenty of owners who have gone back to S1's after owning newer Elises. Then you have some spare cash to get a half decent daily. You will also have a Lotus that is appreciating in value.
Don't always chase the flashy new stuff, you CAN have both worlds, you just have to be smart about how you do it. Owning my S1 (and also doing a lot of the servicing and maintenance myself) has allowed the Elise to survive three house moves and the birth of my son without me having to sell it to raise funds.
Do you an 01 elise or exige for sale
Got an IS220D and an Elise. Chalk and cheese but makes it easy to choose which for when.
You used to be able to get a high mileage IS220D for sub £1000. Not sure of latest rates but an option that may tick your boxes.
I had an 06 passat estate, 200 thousand miles, full vwsh and it sold for a smidge under 1500. I was pleasantly surprised.
Are you going for a Caterham (170 perhaps)?
Your daily, I used to get really uncomfortable in the company Passat and Mondeo which were built around the same period of time as your Passat. One car I found the most comfortable to do long distances that are quite good value now was a bog spec Insignia exclusiv. Cruise, no sport seats and standard wheels. Only used to have to stop when I needed something. Or, an Avensis of the same period but leg support was a bit lacking. Perhaps have a look at them?
I had a B6 Passat and agree the seats are awful! I ended up with a mk7 Golf 👍
That’s a shame but you have to do what’s best for you x
Must be frustrating not being able to know whether a car will trigger the nerve pain or not. My XJR sometimes gives me crippling back pain if I can’t get the seating position just right(I’m always letting other people drive it) but I’ve never had that with any other car including my 996. Makes no logical sense.
What about Evos do u like them?
It's the road that makes driving the car is only the tool, stick to the back roads and get the Lotus back lol. Pleeeeze do not go practical 😆.
Youve goto do whot you goto do bex 👍🏼
So you sold your lotus because you're getting back pain while dailying your passat and can't afford to replace it with something with better seats?
That’s right! Sadly I haven’t got the budget to upgrade only the passat, so selling both and going for one car like I used to have!
Sad to see the lotus go. It’s a semi twin with mine 😔
I don’t see anything wrong in selling it, sometimes if you don’t bond well with a car, it’s ok to move on and try another car :)
Yeah well, I am sold by your beauty! (sorry, I just can't resist saying that!)😁
So, you should buy an Evora...
why ?
I test drove a Elise, at 60 with back problems not a good idea, I settled for a Audi rs3, much nicer but less interesting drive than a lotus
Madness. Save up.
You could buy my s2 elise and c class estate for less than £40k. Just saying....😉
Very sad that you sold your Lotus. Big mistake on your part. Then, you go out and buy Audi TT. WTH!!! I came to your channel because of your Lotus. Now, I won't have a reason to subscribe. Your reviews of other cars. I don't care and I'm not crazy about EV either. So, guess I will take off.
you should just rent cars fora couple of months for creating contents.
Thought about it but would lose too much money!