Katie

Thanks for the welcomes, this is such a friendly forum. Okay, this is where any credibility I might have had takes a serious nose dive! JBF and me live in a rural area of Berkshire. We have had some white knuckle/hair raising/adrenalin inducing experiences driving the Esprit around the area when the roads are not dry. Our beautiful S4 ended up embedded into a Scott's Pine.....total write off.....JBF...Not so much as a scratch or mark on him, which certainly convinces us of the safety records of Esprits when push really comes to shove. So, the V8 is saved for Summer months and we really don't drive when the roads are wet. Last weekend at Heythrop was exceptional to be out in wet weather. But, I do think there is a difference with summer wet roads and winter wet roads with the tyre temperature being critically more favourable.....did not fish-tail once! A few months ago the time came to renew my 'day to day/queueing on the slip road to get on the M4' car. I have test driven an Elise and of course found it thrilling. But on a day to day basis, covering some long journeys, spending upto an hour in traffic morning and night, I decided it was not functional or comfortable; it's stripped down inside for a reason and queueing is certainly not one of them! THis is where things get decidedly female.......there is no mirror for applying make-up, and the 'boot', a term I use to describe this 'space' decidedly loosely, would not cope with a shopping trip. Added to that, despite having a well padded rear end (me, not the Elise) the seats are like sitting on hardbacked books. So, I opted for the '06 model of the MazdaMX5.....wondering if there is a filter on here to remove such words!!! Soft top version, and has absolutely exceeded all expectations. It's a cracking drive; sure, it will never have the thrilling pull of the Elise or its distinctive body curves, but I love it. JBF has also been very surprised by its performance. I am wondering what other people like to drive when not in the Lotus, particularly female forum members.

Great piece of editing there, absolutely love it!

Hello, I guess I'm doing this all the wrong way around....as I have made numerous postings before getting around to introducing myself as a Newbie. But I usually do do things the wrong way around and friends describe me as being incapable of running a bath without all hell breaking loose....... Anyway, Katie here. I attended my first LEF event last weekend at Heythrop. Absolutely brilliant experience and wonderful fun to be part of an Esprit convoy. I have posted in the events forum on Heythrop too. My partner posts on here occasionally, he's been a member for awhile.....screen name JBF. We have an EspritV8 and love it to bits. Had an EspritS4 prior to that.......it met a grim end and we don't mention it......that was a bad evening I know nothing of the workings of Esprit's, just a keen admirer/enthusiast/driver, and keen to attend many more events. You're a great crowd; friendly, fun and welcoming.

Thank you Bibs, that's a nice friendly offer. I am wondering how we will recognise the LEF parking area......will your backside be on display again? What time are LEF folks genrally aiming to arrive? We got held up last year by friends in a poncey Elise that had one flaming problem after another en route.

We are both now definitely attending, with Esprit. Please say hi if you recognise us from last weekend.

Happy Birthday!!

Oh absolutely it does Actually you know what, this may well be my next and latest excuse when stopped for not wearing a seat belt.....

I failed to understand the introduction of it being illegal to drive whilst holding a mobile 'phone; to so specifically single it out and charge fines and penalty points. Surely, like smoking, eating, drinking, changing CD, tuning radio, laughing hysterically and etc. it should all come under one big umbrella......driving without due care and attention. Theoretically, you can have a 'phone meeting on a hands free, and have a cigarette on the go at the same time. How distracting it would be to have a 'phone/conference meeting whilst driving, yet, if hands free, you can. I find it all contradictory. What next......3 points for readjusting an uncomfortable knicker line on a long journey?

PMSL There are numerous caption shots I could come up with for that.......

Thank you Bibs. We have both very much enjoyed viewing those. I wish we had been able to take a shot of you whilst the car you were in overtook ours.....it made for an hilarious site......man hanging out of Esprit window with hair flapping in the wind! P.S. Both of us much hoping to be at Castle Combe, purely in a spectating capacity!

Many thanks for the weclome:-) I think my other half, Jason, although I have no idea what he calls himself on here, has been around on here for quite some time. I started posting yesterday after returning from Heythrop, great crowd, super day. We were in the azure blue EspritV8, magnolia leather interior/blue piping/glass roof.....and the dodgy gear stick!!!

I would just like to add what a brilliant day yesterday was. Despite foul weather it was great fun and wonderful to be part of an Esprit convoy. Many thanks to all the organisers for doing such a great job, have also much enjoyed the pictures too. Was a wonderful opportunity to be able to chat to Brian Morgan regarding our now almost infamous gear stick!! He offered numerous thoughts and advice; hopefully there will finally be an end to me attempting to pull away in third whilst Jason screams hysterically, and I will no longer require the services of an osteopath each time I do manage to get it into first. It's not a female thing.....it's officially buggered!!!

One more sighting of your ass today and I would have cried!!!!

I too am sick of seeing smokers chucking their fag ends (which is a form of littering) anywhere they choose to. It 's disgusting. Strikes me smokers have lowered standards, and lower standards of hygeine too......they chuck their litter and seem to be impervious of the fact that they stink