Potentially coming back to the fold..

[Frimley111R 28]

I've been out of the Lotus fold for a couple of years after 7 with a 111R (S/C) and 2 with an Evora S IPS. I've already done the Elise thing and so its the V6 I am looking at as its different enough to feel like a car I haven't owned before ,if you see what I mean.

Budget is about £45k which is near the lower end of the market but still a lot and not much less than my Evora cost. However, this is less of an issue if depreciation is low and from what I can see the lowest V6s are sticking at about £40k, with little movement. Do you see them dropping slowly or holding? The Evora seemed to stick at £30k for years (not checked if they are lower than that now - edit, no they are about the same)

I'm not keen on the fixed roof but prefer the coupe look to the roadster which is a little too 'Elise' for me.

Also, I loved the IPS. It has mixed reviews on here but on my 2012 Evora, in Sport mode it was bloody awesome with flat shifts on full throttle and fantastic throttle blips on the way down. I need to try an Exige with this box but based on my experience its what I want. However it heavily limits the cars available to me. That said it could also mean lower depreciation too.

I don't want anything stripped out so a std one will do and ideally an LF1 but they are out of my price range sadly.

Anyway, lets see what Santa says  

[RedViper 80]

Out of interest what did you go to for those 2 years away from fold? 

[Bibs 9,256 4 Vehicles]

@Kalli has gone from his Evora to an Exige, I'm sure he can offer some insight Ross. 

[Kalli 253]

Indeed I have. 
 

I will say this to begin with - you will miss the Evora. The Evora is like a pair of pyjama bottoms - super comfy, easy to wear, and slouchy. The exige however is like a pair of latex trousers. Uncomfortable, less likely to wear every-day, but f*** me, do you feel special when you do wear them. Also, can get sweaty when you find some curves. 

On a serious note, I really do miss the Evora - it has comforts that the Exige does not - can not - have. The exige will obviously feel more basic, more difficult to use, and you will find yourself buying shopping that would fit in the Evora, but can't in the Exige (Curtains are my most recent conundrum). I found myself looking at 400s the other day, after a year of the Exige. 

With my infidelity publicised, it might be worth now mentioning my revitalised love for the Exige. I drove 100 miles back home after test driving a 400 and whilst the 400 (even the series 1 Evora/Evora S) was a fantastic car, the Exige just gave me a stupid playfulness I never truly did in my Evora. It wasn't a case of the Exige's power gains over the Evora - but how the car made me feel when I drove it. The Exige spoke so clearly through the steering, with such a visceral exhaust (albeit I have a 2bular), and such instantaneous power. 

Now, as for value - personally, it's a big question mark. With the release of the newer Exige models, i'm unsure as to the prices in the future. They've all been going up in base cost and Lotus aren't doing any dealer incentives etc - so price wise, what you see is what you get. I could imagine the used prices will lower slightly, but then it might also solidify them. Theres certainly a market out there for Exige S glass-engine bays. I certainly hear you in regards to a coupe over a roadster however - thats the whole reason I went for an S over a Roadster. For what it's worth, I feel it's much better going for a coupe, and getting the conversion. You pay less, get a hardtop, spoiler, AND the more aggressive S geo (The roadster is slightly softer).

I personally would question getting IPS on an Exige, but thats my own personal taste. Definitely get out there, and let us know how you get on

[LF1 561]

£45k would get you an LF1 privately but none were IPS. I sold mine trade for £43 and I believe it was sold on for £48. Mine was immaculate with recent paint correction and XPEL fitted. It was higher mileage (22k) which countered that I believe (it was also #81 - if that made a difference?)  

I suspect there will be a few more around soon as most were bought exactly 2 years ago and the 50/50 will be coming to an end. I sold mine in anticipation of this and the arrival of the much rumoured 380 hitting residuals. I've yet to see if this happened. They also had the 3/3/3 deal so you'll have a year left of servicing and warranty on them.

That said I never really care about this - life's too short, get an Exige V6 brilliant car. 

[Neal H 708 1 Vehicles]

I went Evora NA - Exige S Roadster - Evora 400, all brilliant, brilliant cars. I completely agree that the Exige S is the most exciting, but the Evora 400 just fits my lifestyle better.

My crystal ball says that V6 Exige will settle at about £40k and maybe creep down from there, just look at how S2 Exige prices are holding up.

Just buy one, they're awesome, and life's too short...

[swanny71 53]

Kept an eye on prices since I first started looking for one in April. Asking/selling prices are obviously two different things but they haven't moved at all in that time.

Mine was the cheapest I've seen from a Lotus dealer at just under £40k - 2013, Nightfall Blue, 4.8k miles, Premium & Convenience packs, full leather but no Race pack which I don't miss. 

Negotiated £1k off advertised price in July. It only had a month of Lotus warranty remaining and blue leather which might explain the low asking price. Came with an aftermarket warranty and I'm not sure how useful it would be but I knew that when buying.

Most of the 'cheap' ones now seem to be around £43k, I've spent those virtual 'savings' on a 2bular, a soft top and some alcantara re-trimming. Very, very happy with it.

[Frimley111R 28]

15 hours ago, RedViper said:

Out of interest what did you go to for those 2 years away from fold? 

RenaultSport Megane RS265 (300bhp). Ultimately I didn't like the size/weight of it and on track it really did give the suspension/tyres a hard time. I guess I was used to the Elise which never seemed to wear out anything! I'd done the Elise and the Evora and there wasn't anything left to buy as the Exige V6 just seemed to be £££ for a car that wasn't hugely different to my supercharged Elise/

4 hours ago, LF1 said:

£45k would get you an LF1 privately but none were IPS. I sold mine trade for £43 and I believe it was sold on for £48. Mine was immaculate with recent paint correction and XPEL fitted. It was higher mileage (22k) which countered that I believe (it was also #81 - if that made a difference?)  

I suspect there will be a few more around soon as most were bought exactly 2 years ago and the 50/50 will be coming to an end. I sold mine in anticipation of this and the arrival of the much rumoured 380 hitting residuals. I've yet to see if this happened. They also had the 3/3/3 deal so you'll have a year left of servicing and warranty on them.

 

Thanks, that's interesting info about the 50:50. I'd sacrifice the IPS for an LF1 (assuming I still like it once I try one)

Edited December 22, 2016 by Frimley111R

[Frimley111R 28]

13 hours ago, Kalli said:

Indeed I have. 
 

I will say this to begin with - you will miss the Evora. The Evora is like a pair of pyjama bottoms - super comfy, easy to wear, and slouchy. The exige however is like a pair of latex trousers. Uncomfortable, less likely to wear every-day, but f*** me, do you feel special when you do wear them. Also, can get sweaty when you find some curves...... 

Agree, I just went the other way to you. The Evora was lovely but almost seemed too nice to track and too nice to use daily! I work in London now so don't drive in the week really so can make this my weekend whore 

[Hangar 111 255]

23 minutes ago, Frimley111R said:

Thanks, that's interesting info about the 50:50. I'd sacrifice the IPS for an LF1 (assuming I still like it once I try one)

How about an LF1 with a 430?

Dave

[Bravo73 1,076]

15 hours ago, Kalli said:

The Evora is like a pair of pyjama bottoms - super comfy, easy to wear, and slouchy. The exige however is like a pair of latex trousers. Uncomfortable, less likely to wear every-day, but f*** me, do you feel special when you do wear them. Also, can get sweaty when you find some curves. 

TLF Quote of the Year. 

[Frimley111R 28]

1 hour ago, Hangar 111 said:

How about an LF1 with a 430?

Dave

Bit slow 

i did see that but its out of budget. Plus after blowing up my supercharged Elise twice I'm a bit wary of modified engines.

[Gashead1105 281]

I love my V6. It's a wonderful thing, proper event to drive even going to the shops, bloody quick on track and a far better car than I have the talent to extract! Completely moves the game on compared to an S2, it feels like a mini supercar basically and gets similar reactions from people that see it.

However, if I weren't wanting to do trackdays, I'd buy a 400. Once the finance on the V6 is paid in April, I shall begin saving for a 400 for my practical everyday family car....   

[Frimley111R 28]

22 hours ago, Frimley111R said:

Bit slow 

I saw that but its out of budget. Plus after blowing up my supercharged Elise twice I'm a bit wary of modified engines.

EDIT Just to add, I am sure this one is spot on but when a shit tuner causes you two engine blow ups it takes a long time to trust a modded engine, no matter how good.

[JG220 257]

I also went from Evora to exige v6. Best thing I ever did. I like the exige so much more. 

[DJW 651 9 Vehicles]

Have gone Evora S to Exige V6S Coupe to Evora 400 auto 

Loved them all.  Personally if I had to have just one of them, if I was more into track days it would be the Exige, but for mainly road use I prefer the creature comforts of the Evora , and especially the noise from the exhaust in the 400 .  That said I did do the Swiss Alps in the Exige and found it pretty comfortable for the type of car it is.  

I have test driven an IPS Exige and would say it is faster "from paddle pull to gear change" than the S1 Evora , but still quite a way of the 400 Auto.   Most people want a manual Exige, so should in theory let you get a decent discount on an IPS version, but that said it is always going to be harder to sell on  

All great cars, so not a wrong choice to be had really  

 

Edited December 30, 2016 by DJW