An Elise for two old Elans

[1964 S1]

I was at an auction yesterday and watched a pristine 2006 Elise with 25,000 miles sell for $31,800 plus about $400 in buy fees. As it was leaving the building I thought, hhhmmmm,,, I could sell my little Elan and the +2 and have nearly enough to pay for it... after a bit more thought came the nahhh, I'd miss the Elans too much, both of them.
The whole experience showed me how strong the spark is within me for Elans.
The Elise looked perfect, small, futuristicfast, and I know how it'll handle, but then,,,,, Elanitis set in, due to the same small, fast, handle great features.
I said Thank You Lotus for the Elise, and began wondering how to pay for one.

[mopho]

Someone on the Elise forum just sold his Elan for $32k, so perhaps you can have one of each

[Frank Howard]

Every year, Elise prices fall while Elan prices rise. It's just a matter of time before they intersect.

Elise values will continue to fall until they stop making them. That's what is beginning to happen to the Esprit.

[1964 S1]

I totally agree.

[MintSprint]

Every year, Elise prices fall while Elan prices rise. It's just a matter of time before they intersect.

That happened a long time ago over here in the UK!

The UK Elise market is now close to saturation, though I guess that might take a while to happen in the US?

You can buy an excellent S1 Elise for about ?9K at one end of the scale, and an excellent Toyota engined S2 for about ?16K. Good Elans will match the price of the Toyota engined S2 easily, and you could probably buy a couple of superb S1's for the value of a really good Sprint!

I've owned a couple of Elises myself - they are truly excellent little sports cars (though the latest models are losing focus as a result of big weight increases necessary to meet wider customer appeal and global market legislation). The Elan is nowhere near as quick, point to point, but it's much the nicer car to drive - better gearchange, more balanced, progressive handling and a torquier, more characterful engine.

I've been from Elan to Elise and back to the Elan... and I can't see me getting another Elise except as an addition to the older car.

[bcmc33]

I'm with MintSprint, I would expect two S1s for my Elan. Prices vary, but it would have to be a straight swap for a 2006 Elise.

I only have room for one toy, and it gives me great pleasure to know that my Elan increases in value each year compared to an Elise which drops in value each year.

Also, I have great pleasure in not having to pay for road tax.

[dougweall]

I guess I am the lucky one to have an Elise and an Elan.

People here on the road think you are boy racer in the Elise.

Nothing gets people talking to you better than the Elan though.

A lot of older folk who talk to you either had an Elan or nearly did. Mostly I guess the same people are not interested in the Elise, only us Lotus nuts.

[ianf]

Interesting how things move on. My school friends Dad who sparked my interest in Elans swopped his Elite plus a Land Crab for a 5 year old Elan in '71 - value of the Elite alone would be at least 2-3 times that of the S3 FHC now.

Ian

[1964 S1]

You're right, and there I am mentally swapping the Elans for the Elise.
I'm envious of you guys in Europe. We're strangled over here in the Federalized USA (GM won't even give us an Opel convertible) and that Elise coming through an auction was truly a rare sight.
I'd love to be able to buy an old Elise, but, our government makes sure that won't (legally) happen until it's twenty five years old.
I can legally drive a P O S unsafe 1966 Rambler American over here as long as it has brake lights but a seven year old Elise? No Way.

[mopho]

that Elise coming through an auction was truly a rare sight.

They're a dime a dozen on Ebay

Lots of Elises running around here in LA, we often have Lotus Sunday drives and there has been as many as 30+ Elises that show up.

Few S1's around too

[1964 S1]

...a dime a dozen on eBay? Whcih innrnet r u on?

[mopho]

...a dime a dozen on eBay? Whcih innrnet r u on?

Meaning they are quite common

There is always a lot of them for sale on Ebay

[1964 S1]

Common? How many have sold on eBay worldwide in the last six months? Do you think it's more than 17 ?

[mopho]

Huh? Are you messing with me?
There's 26 Elise's on Ebay right now, just in the US. And every time I've checked over the past year or so there is at least that many for sale.
And that is just ebay, I just counted about 28 for sale on lotustalk.com

[1964 S1]

No, I'm not meaning to mess with you, the confusion may lie in the word sold. There may be a hundred for sale but only six sell, in a given cycle. Of course the numbers go up as more are built, but still, it's what I'd call a rare car. How many have been built, total, (I have no idea) and then how many are in the states? I should research this instead of just chattering... I know Miata production is at or near the million mark, unbelievable.