mkiv808

As well as a C6? Or before your C6?

I'm going to test drive one soon and want to get some insight from C6 owners.

CQRT

Neighbor has one and I expected old-style Lotus quality, firm feel, etc and was simply let down. . . .although reasonably quick, overall it felt like an inexpensive kit car.

Interesting color choices . . .reminiscent of the early 70's Porsches, but otherwise a completely different animal from the Vette - - - not my choice.

I'll be interested in your assessment after a test drive.

cthusker

Buddy has one... Great track car and lots of fun there! Horrible DD or even just cruising around car. It's strictly a track toy IMO and not something most people could ever live with on the street! At least not something I could live with on the street. Far as I know he hasn't had any majorl quality issues! The car is so damn simple there really isn't much to go wrong with it....

User 020720

Great at the track, lots of spunk. But like the other post said, horrible as a daily driver. Saw one in the parking lot at work two days ago and I pointed it out to my coworker. He said "yeah like you need another chick magnet".

Sven

Ibtm :d

07 Lemans Z51 Coupe

I traded my 2006 Lotus Elise in on my 2007 Vette because my wife refused to ride in the Elise. I think the Elise is a fabulous car, and if I was the only person who was going to be in it, I would have kept it.
Toyota four cylinder engine in a 1975 pound go-kart, makes for more grins than should be legal. Unbelievable handling, and acceleration to match my Z51 Corvette. Seats don't look comfortable but they are.
Take the top off, and you have the most fun on wheels that you can have. Great stick shift, great suspension, great car.

The downside is that the monoque aluminum frame (which weighs 150 pounds) becomes your arm rest when you are sitting in the car. That's not a problem until it is time to get out. If your top is on the car, and you try to get out, you need to manuever over the side frame without hitting your head on the top. That takes putting one leg out, bending sideways, and lifting yourself up and out. Put your wife/girlfriend/date into a dress, and that is impossible to do. So you come around and grab a hand and haul our date, wife, etc out of the car. No fun for them. Inside, it is very close. If you have your oversized buddy in the passenger seat, you will hit his knee shifting gears, and his shoulder on hard cornering. Also, the air conditioning is a joke, as is the radio. No traction control, etc.

This is a SERIOUS driver's car, and I miss mine. If you have a daily driver, and you don't mind never having a passenger, this is the best car money can buy. If you need to make a concession to daily use, including passengers, you won't last long in it. I didn't, although I wish I had it back.

mkiv808

This is the thing, I recently changed job situations. I do a lot of driving now. I need a car that's good on gas and practical for that. I don't want to put tons of miles on the C6. I can't put miles on my Pathfinder as it's already got nearly 120k. So that means I'll probably wind up getting something like a TSX to daily drive and sell the Pathfinder.

I originally wanted the C6 to be my daily driver. That's why I went from the C5Z to it. With this change, the C6 is becoming my weekend car. I feel like the C6 is an amazing car that fits on the cusp of fun and practical. However, as a dedicated weekend/fun car, I'm wondering if the Elise will fit the bill better.

I am non-married and don't give a (%#% about passengers and their comfort. I'm also 24, 180 pounds and 5'11", so maybe I can make entry and exit work. I'll see soon after the test drive.

07 Lemans: what were the differences in insurance for the two cars for you?

silversport

I had a similar tale as you...I just bought a new Pontiac GTO...it is no Elise but a fun car to drive, excellent daily driver...LS2 motor you know about...pluses and minuses...I have a C5 for the weekend car but haven't driven it since picking up the new toy three weeks ago...enjoy!
Bill

07 Lemans Z51 Coupe

Put them on a 3000 mile per year limited use insurance policy and it's not much money either way. If it were just me, and I had a daily driver I would do the Lotus. It is an amazingly different driving sensation, plus if you leave the top off, it's easy to get into and out of. Since there's nothing inside the car to steal, leaving the top off doesn't create a problem. Do put a car cover over it though, as the aluminum (real aluminum, not plastic colored aluminum) gets hot in the sun. Just go test drive both in the same day. There will be no mistaking which car you like driving the best. They are entirely different experiences. I may yet go back to one someday. But for me, for now, the Vette is far more practical. In fact the Chevy sales guy busted out laughing and said "you're the first customer I've ever had who bought a Vette because it was more practical than what they're driving now" : - )