Welcome and thanks for visiting!
SPECIFICATIONS:
2005 LOTUS ELISE
SPORT PACKAGE (stiffer suspension, dual oil coolers, Lotus Stage II Sport Exhaust, sport rims, etc.)
HARDTOP
STAR SHIELD
PURCHASED ON 3/26/08 WITH 1,610 MILES!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
PAGE 1 : Introduction and Purchase Information.
PAGE 2: Maintenance Schedule
PAGE 3: Modification List
PAGE 4: Tesla Spotting! :-)
The following pictures by Phuong Tao. Visit him at asianguywithacamera.com
Elise Diary—3/28/09: I had the opportunity two days ago (March 26th, 2009) to purchase one of the lowest mileage 2005 Elises available anywhere in the country. With 1,610 miles, this 2005 Elise wasn't even broken in yet! The car was bought at Sports and Specialist Cars in Hopewell, NJ (www.princetonlotus.com). This low-volume Lotus dealer specializes in exotic foreign makes and prides itself on its excellent customer service. The shop and sales manager, Ed Sanson, are class acts all the way!
HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES OF SPORTS AND SPECIALIST CARS FROM A LATER VISIT
I found the car through lotustalk.com. Here is the ad that led me to my new ride: http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f94/2005-lotus-elise-1-600-miles-nj-70198/ NOTE: I didn't pay that price for it! ;-)
The best thing about this buy is the low mileage. Prior to the sale, an ECU dump was completed. The data shows the total engine life, at the time of purchase, to be 28 hours, 58 minutes, and 38 seconds. The car was never redlined. No "standing starts" were ever enjoyed by the previous owner.
The only difficulty we experienced during the sale was the fact that it was raining out. However, this car was such a deal that we couldn't pass it up by allowing it to sit on the lot another day out of the fear that it would be gone! So, for the first time in its life, we popped the hardtop on and drove it home in the rain!
I had been seriously looking for an Elise during the entire month before. I had already secured a loan with my credit union (I didn't want to waste anyone's time), but one can't just go around the block looking for an Elise. Calls to sellers in St. Louis and Indiana didn't pan out. Emails exchanged with individuals in Boston and Virginia were going places, but luckily I found this one—just 40 minutes away!
Now I need to admit that I am not the most proficient driver in the world when it comes to cars with manual transmissions. Honestly, I hadn't even touched a stick in four years! However, I am getting better with each shift, and the car is starting to run smooth just like it should. Luckily I haven't grinded any gears yet, but embarassingly there have been some stalls on the road! After a day of driving; however, I think that is all behind me!
Finally, without my wife this wouldn't have been possible! I know some wives are closed-minded when it comes to their husbands purchasing cars that aren't "practical" (but remember—practical is BORING! )—especially when one considers that I have a Miata (www.cardomain.com/ride/769698) and am never getting rid of it ! However, she is always open-minded and willing to listen to my goals. We discussed the Elise a long while before I began looking. My wife is the BEST!
----------END OF 3/28/09 ENTRY----------
Here are some pics from the first weekend that I had the car. The weather sure was crappy that weekend! The hardtop has been in storage since then -- haha! Notice the dealer license plate on the front fascia? YUCK! :-P
