[Fifer]

Good evening,

This is my first post, as a soon to be new UK based owner, and here is my story.

Form more than a decade of Lotus ownership - various Elises, Exiges, Evoras, a M100 Elan and 340R, I moved to Aston Martin with a V8 Vantage for a while, then M135i, and two more V8Vs.

Back in January 2015, a few weeks after I picked up a new V8V,I was invited to an i8 drive day by my local BMW dealer. I'm friendly with the Sales Manager, so went along to support him. I had no preconception of the i8; indeed, I thought I was the daddy with my British built V8. However, after an hour with the i8 I was smitten.

This was reinforced in August last year, when I looked seriously at changing the Aston, and here I am today, saying goodbye to my lovely, 2015 Cobalt Blue V8V.

I collect my new Protonic Red i8 next week. Just in time to ensure I benefit from the current UK tax regime. A big thank you to Andy and Joe at Harry Fairbairn Kirkcaldy, and I look forward to collecting the car on Friday. When I re-kindled my interest with Andy, my criteria was simple - I wanted something different. After a bright blue Aston and couple of Kermit green Lotus, the standard suite of colours didn't inspire me. Sorry if I have now alienated most of the owners here.

I don't see this as a forever car, (re-reading this, I realise I've not kept any car for more than 2-years, so nothing is a forever car) but looking at the i8 sat next to the Aston, it's certainly the futures, against the classic looks of the Vantage.

JasH - I have followed your journey both here and on SELOC, and I can say that your updates have confirmed I've made the right decision - despite the curiosity and surprise from friends and colleague

Photos and first impression of a day to day existence to follow.

Derek

[ericsi]

Well done. I had a v12v which i thought was the daddy.

Went to test drive an i8... the rest is history!

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by ericsi

Well done. I had a v12v which i hought was the daddy.

Went to test drive an i8... the rest is history!

Your posts on Pistonheads also helped with the decision making. 👍

[JasH]

Originally Posted by Fifer

JasH - I have followed your journey both here and on SELOC, and I can say that your updates have confirmed I've made the right decision - despite the curiosity and surprise from friends and colleague

Great to hear Derek, and I hope you enjoy the i8 as much as I am doing

That's at least 4 of us Lotus drivers in i8 cars now

[Nivarox]

Congrats, may your car serve as good as others you have owned

[damian1M]

Good to see another Protonic Red Brit on here!

[ericsi]

Originally Posted by Fifer

Your posts on Pistonheads also helped with the decision making. 👍

Aha! Blimey, you dug deep! 😊

[MartinDower]

Originally Posted by JasH

Great to hear Derek, and I hope you enjoy the i8 as much as I am doing

That's at least 4 of us Lotus drivers in i8 cars now

I'm ex-Lotus and ex-SELOC too. I came to the i8 via Porsche & Aston Martin. Seems a well-trodden path.

[jcpca356]

I had a V8V. Loved that car. Just couldn't stomach the maintenance

[Fifer]

I am certainly not going to miss an £80 fill-up to travel fewer than 300 miles.

[ericsi]

Originally Posted by jcpca356

I had a V8V. Loved that car. Just couldn't stomach the maintenance

My v12v used to cost me £6k a year in maintenance and warranty renewal and small bits. Excluding insurance and petrol. Thank god it appreciated a little in the 2.5 years i had it...

[Fifer]

Not long now. Fly back to Edinburgh from Malaga in an hour, drive over to Kirkcaldy and pick up the car. Just had a pic of the car in the collection bay, with the cover on. 😁

[Mightymousemighty]

Originally Posted by Fifer

Not long now. Fly back to Edinburgh from Malaga in an hour, drive over to Kirkcaldy and pick up the car. Just had a pic of the car in the collection bay, with the cover on. 😁

Are you from Kirkcaldy? I'm from the other side of the Kingdom

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by Mightymousemighty

Are you from Kirkcaldy? I'm from the other side of the Kingdom

Yes - born and bred.

When you say other side of the Kingodm, is that further east or west?

[Mightymousemighty]

Not too far from kincardine matey

[JMHP]

Enjoy it!

A wee Scottish connection coming together it would appear... I'm in Edinburgh and pick up the i8 in three weeks (apparently it's in Port in Germany now).

Happy driving!

[Maxxsirrah]

Originally Posted by Fifer

Not long now. Fly back to Edinburgh from Malaga in an hour, drive over to Kirkcaldy and pick up the car. Just had a pic of the car in the collection bay, with the cover on. 😁

Just in time to beat the new tax regime, enjoy!

[Fifer]

Impressions after the first 24 hours or so? What a car. Nothing like the Aston, or the various Lotus which preceded it, but remarkable in so many ways.

I do like the silent wafting around town, and the sound in sports mode is pleasing enough - certainly not something which makes me think synthesised. The turn of pace is also quite astonishing; no need to wait for the revs to rise before it heads for the horizon.

I think I'm going to quite enjoy this.

The only down side thus far is I've had to have a little garage clear-out. The i8 is noticeably longer than the V8V, probably more of a DB9 size. It's a small price to pay though, and I didn't realise quite how much of a hoarder I had become.

Derek

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by JMHP

Enjoy it!

A wee Scottish connection coming together it would appear... I'm in Edinburgh and pick up the i8 in three weeks (apparently it's in Port in Germany now).

Happy driving!

We are becoming quite the community here. You'll love the car when it comes.

[Mightymousemighty]

See if launch control works fifer, I still can't get the damn thing to work. I'm wondering it it needs unlocked like my old M5 at a service

[Fifer]

Here she is...

[Fifer]

Originally Posted by Mightymousemighty

See if launch control works fifer, I still can't get the damn thing to work. I'm wondering it it needs unlocked like my old M5 at a service

Let me run it in first.