last week, i went to check out the new audi tt with the v6 and smg transmission...i drove the convertible, and it was a pretty nice car...similar performance to my e36 m3, thiough i think the m3 was a bit quicker...anyway, the smg was pretty fun, but it seemed to be slower than the e46 M3 version...it would blip the throttle on downshifts, but it didnt seem like it blipped it enough...i also didnt like that to use the gearshift, moving the lever towards the front of the car makes it upshift and towards the rear the downshift...bmw did it the opposite way, which i like better- so when you accelerate, you pull the lever back to upshift, so it's a much more natural motion...this is pretty moot though, as i found myself using the paddles more often...and not having a roof was pretty sweet...

anyway, the saleman was asking which cars i was looking at...i told him my extensive list of what i already test drove...i also mentioned i kinda wanted to check out the lotus elsie, but i didnt wanna have to go back to JN on nimitz, as the people there are jackassess (yes, i know jn owns the audi dealer here)...he said we could check out any car from the nimitz dealership at audi, and they'd even bring the car to the audi dealer for me so i wouldnt need to step foot in that place...

so yesterday, i give the salesman a call, and he said to come down, and he'll get the person familiar with the lotus to talk with me...there are no demo cars here yet, but one is expected at the end of the month...there will also be a euro spec model at the exotic car show at blaisdell, which is in 2 weeks...i kinda wanted the orange color, but that would have to be special ordered, as none of their inventory shows an orange one...they said they may be able to change one if i let them know early enough, or try to get another dealer to do a trade...they are asking 5k OVER msrp...the first cars come in around september...

i told them i'd want to drive one first, and the new vette also comes around at that time, so i'lll want to check that out also...i did give them my contact info, so when the first ones are available for test drives, i can try them out...

looks like i have to do research on which lotus dealers on the mainland can arrange to have a car shipped to hawaii...

cliff notes: test drove audi tt with smg, no elise here yet, asking 5k over msrp...

 

oh


So what are the Elise's going for on the mainland?

 

GET THE C6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

45,810 with the touring package and sport package..it'll come out to 47,285 if i get the hard top too...

i'm guessing tack on 1k to cover the cost of shipping...

JN wants 52,300 for a elise with everything...which is pretty good, considering the markup on the rest of their cars...the z06 i made an offer on last year was 8k over sticker... :/


and dan, believe me i want the C6 also, but i'd forever kick myself in the **** if i get the regular model instead of the Z06 version, which is due out in 2006...and i can get me a C6, z06 or not, for MSRP here...Servco rocks!!!

hmmmmmm...i guess i'll have to wait for the test drives...