NSXGMS said:
I own an Elise. I do so because it has a Yamaha/Toyota engine and transmission. It also gives performance unlike anything else in it's class and it is an excellent value. I have found it to be quite reliable and the maintenance costs are very reasonable. I'm also very happy with Lotus North America's support for the secondary market, unlike what I suspect you'll find with Ferrari.
I could care less that it says "LOTUS". I bought the car for what it can do and nothing else. It does not break or cause problems and is quite comfortable considering it's basically a luxury go-kart.
It might be uncomfortable but that is a function of it's performance. It is what it is and I don't compare it to anything else. I love it for what it is and more Ferrari owners should feel the same way about their cars instead of simply insisting their cars are the best. The Elise is far from the best in many, many ways. But it is the best in other ways.
IMO, Lotus has an excuse for the car being so uncomfortable. Ferrari does not. And they most certainly don't overcharge for an inferior product the way Ferrari does, strictly speaking, IMO.
Let me be quite clear--I love Ferraris and I would consider owning one. I would consider owning a pre-430 for collectibility's sake and I would consider owning a 599GTB or F430 because those cars appear to be acceptably non-crap and they are not slow and uncomfortable. I'm just honest about why I would buy and own one.
Which Ferrari's are uncomfortable? I can't think of one that is less comfortable then an elise with sport suspension. If you say ANY of the early 3x8 cars, I cannot understand as they are more comfortable and roomy then an elise, with the later cars even more so.
Slow? You are talking about some cars that are in some respects over 20 years old in design! How quick they forget even the now slow Testarossa (design circa 1983/4, based in on itself on a design from 1971/2!) was for a while the fastest production car made. It shows you are still at the fast = good stage and have not developed beyond it. It's ok, each his own.
It is amazing you STILL can't understand that just because its not fast in a modern sense doesn't make it a 'crappy car'...very soon even the NA2 NSX's will be 'slow' cars. A SL55/SL600 can walk away from it all day long and match/beat it on most highpower tracks, all while having the radio blasting, seats cooling, etc. Does it make the NSX a bad car since it is relatively slow? No. The NSX has its own charm that should be what attracted you to it.
Just because it is slow does not make it crappy. Here is another example you might better understand. Would you consider a 300SL Gullwing a crappy car? That car cannot even break into the 6s in sprints to 60! Not to mention in turns it also has a nasty habit of losing its back end! So in that light why would someone want to own it?
The reason: its a classic, and nothing quite drives like it!
BTW for my nearly 20 year old car the dealer comes and picks up my car from my house (over 100 miles away) in a covered transport for anything including just an oil change....FOR FREE. Parts are generally available, if expensive, but no more then modern Mercedes parts costs...and parts are pretty much the only reason I would/do need FerrariNA or FerrariSPA...I mean what else would I need from them? It is not like I have a warranty!
Seems to me you have too much the way of hearsay which you think is truth about the cars.
BTW, Lotus does not overcharge?
...50k for a stripped down tiny car with a Toyota drivetrain? It should not cost more then a S2000...espcially not over 50% more! Also, look at lotus sourced parts and their costs...
That said, Lotus NA is very nice and are a bunch of great people to deal with. Very VERY accommodating, in a way no other manufacturer is. (Honda included)