USED Lotus Elise Open (99 - )

My car

Reports can be confusing: Don't expect a £100,000 car for £20-30,000. If you want extras, buy them - they can add panache! I bought a good (reliable) one with every extra, so I feel satisfied.

The brakes do lock after water/washing, though they do free fairly easily (back and forth).

The car has better road holding than any other convertible, and it looks legendary, too. There's very little steel, which is a major advantage.

It's best in the dry for maximum fun, and in the sun for a quick tan.

Also, even the minimum modifications make it quicker than any £60,000 BMW.

It's a car that won't let you blink in a hurry and still keeps going! Finally, it's too rare to be common.

My car

We bought this car because it was built in England and we wanted to support our automotive sector. What a mistake to make. The vehicle is now just under six months old.

The day after we bought the car, the brakes were locked and we could not get it out of the garage (the AA man got it out in the end). Due to this, it had new pads and disks fitted, as they were warped. They were still binding when we drove it and caused the disk to get hot and warp. They still bind today.

The hand brake cannot be put on this vehicle, as the brakes still stick and sometimes again cannot get it out of the garage - only 12 hours after being parked there!

We then had an ABS failure (well, the little light came on); we were told the speed sensor had to be replaced. Yesterday, while driving down the motorway, the front near side indicator jumped out and ended up bouncing over the bonnet. We had to remove it on the hard shoulder and again we went back to the dealer, who said there was nothing they could do on a Sunday and tried to send us on our way driving a vehicle without indicators - is that legal? We did not think so! They did repair it in the end.

Why do the British car manufacturers force us to buy cars made overseas due to their poor quality? If anyone has any advice on how to get rid of this car without costing us lots of money, please advice.

My car

Everytime I get in the 111R it makes me smile, you just can't put a value on that. The fact that it has such amazing acceleration, cornering to rival any other and looks that draw a grin from even the most cautious passer-by is just an added bonus!

I've found it to have fair fuel economy (for the performance!), the upgraded stereo is excellent, driving position is perfect and barring the fact the horn didn't work to start with (fixed by the garage) the only issue i've had is with passengers getting in and out (its quite entertaining for girls wearing shorts skirts...).

Sure its doesn't have much room in the boot, couple of soft bags, a week's shopping or if you need to carry your golf clubs....meet your mate there!

Buy one - I couldn't recommend it highly enough.

My car

Whoever said that money couldn't buy happiness evidently never owned one of these.

I absolutely adore it. If I'm not driving it, I'm gazing out of the window at it.

The VVT-i is like nothing else on earth: supercar performance for a fifth of the price.

Love it, love it, love it.