Saying bye to Boxster :(
 

I have made a deal on a new Lotus Elise.


For as long as I can remember, the Elise has been my dream car. It's everything I want and has nothing I don't want.


This means I will be trading in my Boxster.



The deal is done and now we're just finishing the lousy paperwork.




I will post pics when I pick up the car in a day or two.






Everyone here has been phenomenal and great people to be around. The Boxster is an awesome car and it is the best car in this price segment for most people, but for me, the Elise is the best car, and if there was no Elise, it would be the Boxster.



Ok, thanks guys :D

Congrats, I was just lusting after an Exige that was on Motorweek this weekend.
What color did you git?

Well if you plan to drive this Elise every day I think you will be back in Boxster!

"For as long as I can remember, the Elise has been my dream car."

For as long as you can remember?! The car's not even five years old--how old are you? ;)

Congrats. I cross-shopped the Elise against the Boxster back in 2005. I chose the Boxster only for the following reasons:

1. Daily driver
2. Cost of repairs, to both its body and, well, mine. :)

yeah, i test drove the elise too. handles well but it's very difficult to get in and out of that car and i am not a big guy. i find the boxster more practical. best wishes to you!

I drive for fun, so any drive for me is a true joy :) I suppose I'm just different.


I need to lose more weight to fit better, but that's no problem as I've already lost 70 lbs.


It's a yellow one.



It's not technically official yet until the paperwork is completed but it's going to get done. Just a matter of a few days.






The Elise hasn't been out that long, but I've been thinking about it ever since so it seems longer than it has been :D

Congrats on the new toy! What did she set ya back if you dont mind me asking?

If anyone is interested in new '06 Elise for cheap, Lotus of Durham in NC was going to sell me one for a FIRST OFFER at 41.5k. They offered to go lower.


They also valued my Boxster at $37-38K with 20k miles on the clock. They said Boxsters sell well there and I assume the market there isn't as strong, thus raising the value. (meaning less Boxsters in circulation)


Great guys to work with and give awesome deals.




The Elise is being sold to me for around $44k. The value of my Boxster is being valued at $35k and the payoff was $41,438.09.


Total will be approximately $50k


It's a new '06 Elise.

Are you buying or leasing this time?

It seems like a cool little car, I would go with krypton green....but then you might not be infatuated with superman like me and shaq

Well, here are my options...



Wait until Feb. to custom order an '08. Then I will still have my Boxster, but my dad will keep it for the time being.



I don't really wanna wait, so I am settling for a yellow one and for an '06. I think the car looks good in any color so I am not picky. First choices would be Chrome Orange, Laser blue, Krypton Green or Chilli red (all $1200 options)



First things I am doing is getting forged wheels (-20 lbs from unsprung weight) and powder-coating them black. Then I will just enjoy it for a while.



There is a decent aftermarket for this car, to my surprise. Actually a bigger one than the 987 has...who would've thought?



I'm leasing this car as well because, buying an '06 will cause me to lose more $$ than I want to by owning it. It will soon be 2 years old.

http://www.lotusofgreenwich.com/cars.php?cat=lotus&carid=630&subcat=elise




That's what it would look like...minus the stripes. I don't think I want stripes.

Congrats on your new purchase. Just make sure folks are careful when you need to change tires:

Lotus falls off lift at tire store:
http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?p=28081255

More pics here:
http://www.my914-6.com/crap/

Seems the whole exterior shell of the car is fiberglass.

congrats man! I am thinking of getting rid of my SC'd Box but every time I get in and drive I just smile. The other day I was driving home right after telling the GF that i was selling the car when I said " I really love this car" , she things I am crazy.

I remember when Qball posted that topic about his car getting owned.


It sure made me aware of how delicate and rare these cars are.


You are right in that both clam shells are made of fiberglass. No removable bumpers. If you damage a clam, the whole clam goes.


So at the end of the day, being a Lotus owner is probably a pain in the ass, but a worthwhile pain in the ass I hope.





JP: I believe there is a Lotus dealer in Missouri. You thinking about one? :)

Great choice on the car.. I love the elise :) One thing I'd be wary of is powder coating rims, though... I've read on a couple of forums about the extreme temperatures that are required for powdercoating causing alloy rims to lose a lot of their strength and shear under hard cornering (racing apps). May want to look into that before you get it done :)

It looks like a heck of a fun car though. Enjoy it.

@ Bavarian,

I will be right behind you man. I'm buying a Elise as my next car(keeping the Box)....though that's years away.

Does anyone have any websites for the aftermarket goodies available for it?

If you are looking at some nice black rims for that Lotus, you may want to check out this web site. http://www.forcedfed.com/elise/wheels.html
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15.../elise5big.jpg
These are the best looking wheels for that car in my opinion. They also have allot of performance mods on this site for the Lotus. I did some research on the Lotus and I am also considering it for my next car if I ever sell my Boxster. The front bumber is removable from the rest of the body. They make a complete Carbon Fiber front end as an option for racing, not street legal, but who really would know if it was painted.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y15...lash/lotus.jpg
Aslo, there aren't many types of rims availible for the Lotus because it uses only 4 lug nuts. I did not like the stock rims and that's how I found these. Good luck and beware of speed bumps and pot holes. :cheers:

Thanks for the support guys!!! I was half expecting to be talked out of it. That's what everyone else has tried to do.



I strongly recommend testing one of these babies. To get in, it takes a little technique. Sit your butt on the door sill and slide one leg in and then the other. You can't step in like a normal car.



Thanks for the tips on forged wheels, but remember that the Exige and Exige S come standard with forged wheels and powder coated black wheels.




SOME AFTERMARKET SITES: Sector111.com is great. There are tons of exhausts including 2bular, arqray, larini, quiksilver, forcedfed, etc.



Also plenty of superchargers (tripoint) and forcedfed turbo kits.

How do you "trade in" a leased car for another leased car? Sounds like losing money twice.

What about the mods you did?

yeah, i dont think ill ever lease a car, BUT
in about a year or so im getting the same car, in orange ;)

Not thinkiing about a Elise maybe a GT3 is more in line of what I am thinking. I need the space for my dog. They are very hot cars!

Oh yea and I live in Seattle now but a trip back home would be nice! :cheers:

Just when I thought exhaust don't get much more expensive then Boxsters.

Bravarian,

Good for you. Great choice in car. IMO it is better than the boxster. Yea the boxster is a better everyday car but if you wanted an everyday car then neither is a good choice go look at a camry. lol

Who cares if a car is hard to get into! Its the thrill of driving, the lotus is a rare car that people will oooh and awww about, and a great choice. I wouldnt get rid of my lamborghini cause its hard to get into and has a hard suspension and takes bumps real hard, thats not what its made for ;)

That's because Daddy is helping him get it. Ask him how old he is and what he does for a living. Sorry, no offence Bavarian. ;)

I'm sorry, but... how do you know this?


I have my own web development company that is a partnership with my two friends. It is a registered partnership in Nassau county. www.activtecsolutions.com

What do you do?


Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we all mind our personal business instead of caring about others' so as to not look like an ass wipe? Oh, how well that works...


----------------------------------------------



Bmussatti:

When you get rid of a lease, you are liable for the entire lease. So if I have 30months left and pay 500 a month, I am liable for $15k to get rid of the lease.


That would mean I'm losing $15k if I did that...but those are example #s.



So in this instance, I decided to buy the entire car. That means remaining lease payments plus remaining value of vehicle, and trade it in. That would be substantially less than what is left on the lease.. In this case, around $4k difference, which is likely what I would have to pay anyhow due to high mileage.


The bad part is you have to pay sales tax again. The GOOD news is that I don't have to pay sales tax on the car I am trading it for.


However, I'm not dealing with that part. I give it to the dealer with the pay-off amount and tell them to have fun. That's the great thing about dealers. They do the annoying stuff.




They only valued my car at around $35k. In NC they valued it at $38k.

Nice choice. If I could fit in one, I'd do the same.

I saw one at the body shop where I got my conversion done...
http://www.kryzak.com/storage/986-elise.jpg
Those tires look mean.

Traded my Elise for a Box.

A couple of tips:

1) Wash the car with the nose pointing DOWN the driveway! Or lots of water will pool in the rear trunk.

2) Make sure you get some kind of paint protection like the 3M clear stuff. After ten minutes of driving the car will be specked with paint chips especially on the rear quarters from rocks from the front wheels.

3) The heat and AC suck so top off motoring on some of the cooler days will be out. Get handy with putting on the top quickly as it can be a pain in the ass in an unexpected downpour.

4) Be prepared to ALWAYS keep the car above 6500 rpm as the car seems to go nowhere under this. But once over 6500...watch out!!!!

5) Because it is a true track car you will hear EVERYTHING rattling and snapping and shaking, and you will FEEL everything. No...the car is not falling apart...it just sounds/feels like it.

Thats all I can think of now since having mine for just over a year. I had expected to use it as a car for the street and never on the track. Unfortunately I was dissapointed since I could never fully use the car as intended. Although the COOL factor was definitely there! Good luck and congrats! :cheers:

I have my own web development company that is a partnership with my two friends. It is a registered partnership in Nassau county. www.activtecsolutions.com

lol, it looks like someone needs to help you out with your own website :D

Thanks for the tips. This example does have the starshield.



I have to be extra careful about how I drive it, how I park it, how I go over bumps, etc. I realize this and accept it fully.

Quote:

"That's because Daddy is helping him get it. Ask him how old he is and what he does for a living. Sorry, no offence Bavarian. "

Originally Posted by porsche986spyder




I'm sorry, but... how do you know this?


I have my own web development company that is a partnership with my two friends. It is a registered partnership in Nassau county. www.activtecsolutions.com

What do you do?


Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we all mind our personal business instead of caring about others' so as to not look like an ass wipe? Oh, how well that works...
End Quote:

There is no need for name calling. Your right, but I was only making an observation. your profile says you are under 21 and you did not list any type of occupation. I'm a Senoir Art Director for a well known Nascar sponsor. Let me know if you want some help with that web site. ;) You also mentioned that your dad was going to take the car off your hands until next year if you opted for an 08 Lotus, which led me to believe he was taking over your payments since you said that you were leasing the Boxster. I could only guess that the lease agreement does not end until some time next year. :rolleyes:

1) I appreciate being asked as opposed to being accused


2) If you must know, my parents do help. That doesn't mean I don't do anything at all, which is what got me.


3) Why would I need help with my website? My programming expertise are far and beyond any of the lousy web-dev companies I've seen.

Guys, there is NO need for name calling.

Congrats on the new car, looks very very cool.

Enjoy! :)

Well I just changed my age from the category "21-26" to "27-37". I will be 27 in a few months and I don't want people to think I'm 21 or 22 and have daddy pay for my stuff. I've made every dollar I have and my dad worked a Heinens grocery store for 28 years and is retired now. :)

The funny thing is when I was 21 or 22 I had a Lamborghini Diablo Roadster and I look young for my age, so does my brother, and everywhere I went with that thing sadly people would ask me if it was my daddys car.

I saw a couple of elise at Limerock park ALMS last Saturday..its a nice street legal go kart...no offense but its no match against a mini... :D

3) Why would I need help with my website? My programming expertise are far and beyond any of the lousy web-dev companies I've seen.[/QUOTE]


cuz, it looks like crap, LOL JK

good for you man. Wish I had half the knowledge/ambition that I have now back 10 years ago. but i'm on my way. Just received my social security statement. Says if I became disabled at the age of 33 I'd still get a nice $4K a month check! That means I've paid ALLOT of capital gains taxes!!

congrads on the car man, i love the Elise, its a really cool rare car. my uncle owns one and ive driven it but i wouldnt consider buying one cuz im 6'4 and its a tight ride for me haha ( the boxters not that much better) but i gotta have a conv't :-)

and dont worry about people being asses to u because ur young and u drive a nice car and might have money. theyre just jelaous. I'm 23 and i get the same thing all the time even though even tho i have a grad degree and i went to school and busted my ass for yrs to do the job i do and make the money i make. My gf is 21 and owns two business and she gets even more crap because people dont believe her that she could be so young and run two operations.
on the other hand even if ur parents help out who cares, they're family and when i have kids they wont be driving around in geo metros. (u give ur kids the best u can give them)

good luck with the car and enjoy it

ditto on this Pteam....no need to apologize for your success...

Hey i didn't want to seem like a **************************** :mad: sorry, i have the same issues ,my self im 22 :D