2005 Lotus Elise - Talk me into it or out of it...
 

I'm looking at a 2005 Lotus Elise as a 40th birthday present to myself. Color is chrome orange, my favorite color in this car. I've been casually looking for one for awhile, but finding a nice one in the color I want has put my purchase into high gear. One owner car, no accidents, 14,500mi on the odometer. Only on the track one day in 2011.

I know all the typical Elise stuff, hard to get in and out of, stiff, etc. This will be an extra/fun car for me.

For some reason I have some reservations, but not sure why.

I don't think anyone here will talk you out of that....

You must have mistaken this place for a suburban mom website, if you're looking for anyone to talk you out of this.

I wish I could get an else or a Chatham 7.

Yeah, we definitely approve of those cars here. How much does one have to pay these days for an Elise?

In particular, that orange one. ;)

Guy wants $31,500 for it. I've been shopping for awhile, they seem to be hovering around the $33-35,000 mark. This one does not have the Touring package, so it has no A/C and no power windows, my guess is why the price is a bit less. For me the A/C and power window delete is a desirable option, Seller says most people pass when they hear no A/C. Seller is a private owner, original owner, selling for he says financial reasons.

That pretty well sums it up. Do it!

Anyone smart on how I can get a temp registration to fly out and drive the car back from NY? I have looked on the CO and NY websites and am just confused....

Some states issue temp tags for private sales and some don't on the East coast. If NY does not, ask the seller if you can borrow the plates for the drive home and mail them back to him. :cool:

In most states you can visit the local DMV with your proof of insurance and title and purchase a temporary tag for the drive home. In KS it is a whopping $3. Call the local DMV and ask, I think that's a pretty universal thing.

It varies from state to state. Maryland, for instance, does not issue temp tags--period. VA. Sells them for $5.00 or something. This is just from recent personal experience. :cool:

Some states also offer "in transit" temporary tags, which technically are only for you to drive the car to your home location.

Edit: looks like NY does in transit for $12.50.

http://dmv.ny.gov/registration/transit-vehicle-permit-temporary-registration

Most states do the temp tags online. Better option then sitting in a dmv for hours...

Ok here's where I get confused. It looks like the owner can get an in-transit permit, but that would be in his name. So he gets an in-transit permit in his name and I just carry a bill of sale to show I bought it from him if I get pulled over along the way?

Or he signs the title over to me and we go to the DMV together and I get the in-transit permit?

I would but that would make me a hippocrit


I had an Elise before the exige as well. The elige is a car Porsche should have built. It is suited to trying to clip the apex by the mm not the ft

The man windows are lighter than the electronic. The touring pack ads 12 lbs I believe so no big deal.

Ac delete is damn near unsellable in my experience, just make sure its one you will keep for a while

Caterham CSR's are the bomb!! Also, Leno had a killer Lotus 26R built that would be worth looking at--if Lotus is a fella's thing!

F me. That looks awesome!