Two Car Owners

[RICHARD]

It's getting near to that time of year when the Elise has to be put to bed for the winter. I do keep it taxed and insured for use on dry weekends, but when does anybody in a similar position to myself stop using their Elise as an everyday car?

[malbon]

What a ludicrous idea

[steve]

I take each day as it comes.

 

If its dry - elise. If its wet - mini.

 

[SOUPS]

a hard top on it will make it an all the year car :-)

[Scott_Mac]

Hard Top

 

I take each day as it comes too.... Dry - Elise, Wet - Elise, Snow - Elise... i find it easier that way

[chris_h]

Does anyone run A048 tyres all year yound ??

 

They don't seem to be that bad in the wet so far, just not looking forward to deep standing water.

 

I'm considering putting some more winter friendly tyres on from november - march.

 

Any thoughts ??

[halfpenny]

Chris - given my experience last winter in the snow in the Elise with Bridgestones, I'll swap the Exige and A048's with the V1.

 

Thats the bus from my village to Derby.......

[Bramble111s]

Halfpenny, you can borrow my Micra over winter, if I can borrow your exige....

[Scott_Mac]

I know of people that have used them.... MarkA has just bought some T1-R's for his S1 Exige... haven't read anything back from him yet, but he was enjoying scrubbing them in

[halfpenny]

Cheers for the offer Bramble - Can I come back to you.........?

[shortname]

Top?

If its dry - take it. If it rains on the way home, just keep moving and you still stay dry.

Not so sure about the 38s in the snow!

[Mark A]

I know of people that have used them.... MarkA has just bought some T1-R's for his S1 Exige... haven't read anything back from him yet, but he was enjoying scrubbing them in

Yes but I do have a Nissan X-Trail or a MG ZR I can use if the weather gets bad!!

 

When it snows the Exige will stay at home. The T1-R's are for wet use as the AO48's were getting low, and I got an extra set of wheels.

[chris_h]

I've got a AWD x-type for going out in the snow etc.

 

My concern is that if I go out and its blue sky then before I get home (typical england) theres thunder storms etc, it then turns into perfect aquaplaning conditions.

 

Even in modest amounts of rain i've found pulling away in second gear a good idea.

 

The thought was to get another set of wheels with some winter tyres on.

 

I emailed lotus to ask there opinion and got this reply :

 

By strange coincidence I have just been watching a new Exige lapping our test track at some speed in the wet, and thought how well it apeared to grip the slippery surface. Are your tyres worn to a degree where the wet grip is poor? We do list winter tyres (Pirelli Snowsport, 195/50 R16 and 215/45 R17) for the Elise 111R, but these are for conditions more severe than found in the UK, and intended to be used with tyre chains on occasions.

 

We do not offer any other tyre for the Exige, and would have though that a new set of Yokohamas would suffice for the mild winters that seem to be the norm in the UK now.

 

We only type approve tyre sizes now, so you are free to select a more 'regular' tyre in the correct size and speed rating if you feel the need, it is just that we do cannot advise on tyres which we have not tested.

[jez_s]

'mild winters being the norm' So this will be Lotus predicting the weather then! Best break out the thermals then.

[dazb]

One car all year round, who needs more? Although snow and ice driving is interesting to say least!