Fred Basset

Thanks Ramjet, I did intend to put them up for sale but was after any ideas of how much these were likely to be worth. Regards Fred

Guys, I sold the last of 4 Esprit's this time last year, a beautiful 02 model. I have various parts here but two of possible interest, I hope I'm not breaking any rules but advice on where I should pitch them would be good. The first is a new Nova rear wheel and the second is one of the Race Logic traction control systems we had the group buy for a few years ago. This has the dash display and is complete with all manuals as its never been fitted. It has been back to Race Logic for the modification that Swiss V8 found was necessary to stop the ABS light triggering. Any advice appreciated. Thanks Fred

It does, but its not a V8!

Well I got pulled over at the factory gates in the Esprit when we all went up there a couple of years ago on one of the Sunday events. Apparentlythey had a report of a car "similar" to mine with a "similar" index number "racing" but I handled that one well and the Officer told me what a nice car I has and shook my hand as he left. I then got pulled the next year when we had another Sunday event at the factory. Fair enough my plates weren't completely legal but not sure it required a U turn across oncoming traffic on a major road and the blues and twos. I do think he was a bit miffed when I was only doing the speed limit. I've always been very calm and polite when I've been stopped and this has generally worked well. About a year ago though I was stopped in my Evo VI in the early hours of the morning in a city centre, this traffic car had followed me for a mile and although I was abiding by the 30mph limit he did not stop the car in front of me that must have gone off at about 50-60. He was incredibly obnoxious and started telling me that I needed to have rectangular plates on the Evo, not square, both front and back. When I pointed out he was incorrect as the car was subject to Single Vehicle Type approval he radioed in and I ended up with 3 officers and two patrol cars. They all then started included an equally obnoxious WPC who shoved a piece of photocopied paper in my hand telling me the "law" - shame it was wrong. I got away from them eventually and confirmed the requirements for vehicles with SVA as opposed to EC Whole Community Approval and rang in and complained. The inspector who rang me said, "Hello Mr xxx, Inspector xxx here at xxx Police Station. When I got your complaint I thought I was going to be ringing you to tell you that you're wrong, but you're not wrong are you...." This left me with a very bad taste, not only were the officers obnoxious, they had no idea of the law they were trying to enfore and had let someone speed through city streets but picked on the "fast" car doing 30. As one of the posts above says, I don't think they expected a 40 year old in a suit to be driving an Evo VI. They did not cover their force in glory and I insisted on knowing how the Inspector was going to make sure I was not going to be stopped again when his officers did not understand the law. I'll still go for the calm and polite route in future but it did not work that day. I did have one funny moment in the Evo a few years ago, I booted it out of a roundabout but saw the blue lights come on in the grill of a Nissan Primera and stopped very quickly. The office clearly did not know what speed I got to as he kept trying to get me to admit it, which I didn't. He then said, well you left us like we were standing still. "Well yes officer" :-) Regards Fred

I'm not too amused with Norfolk's plod, had a great day at the factory but got pulled yesterday on the way out of Norwich, copper was going in opposite direction to me, he did a fast U turn on main A road, raced past a number of cars and trucks without his blue lights. Caught me and followed me for half a mile before the blues and two's came on. I've got to put the defects on my vehicle right in 14 days, number plates too small although accepted that they were perfectly legible. I got a lecture on how people have italic fonts and playboy logo's on their numberplates, not sure why as I don't have either but I think he was annoyed that I was not speeding. Last year I got pulled on the way in to the factory because a vehicle similar to mine had been reported speeding (how many Esprits in Norfolk that day). Crime must be really really low in Norfolk if they have time for this. I just bet a Ferrari driver taking his car "home" does not get treated like this! Regards Fred

As always in life with a Lotus don't do as you would in the rest of your life - I occasionally have a code that my car throws that even Lotus can't explain, then its a case of clearing the code... That's not the one I mentioned above, there is a misconception that cutting the battery supply will "always" clear the CEL, it won't with some codes. Regards Fred

I've had one code that would not reset with a battery disconnect, do you have a reader? Regards Fred

Others can probably give more information but my UK V8 has the federal pipes which exit in the centre. These do indeed sound "nicer" than the normal pipes or the sport box which exits either side of the rear valence without being too noisy. I like them. Regards Fred

I'm ashamed to say mine's still not fitted. Still we've finished our house now and no longer living in the caravan so I hope to get around to it soon. I know SwissV8 fitted his and had some problems with ABS, racelogic identified this and worked out a fix. I sent mine off to be modded and got it back in a matter of days. Not much help I know but an update from one of the group buyers! Regards Fred

Mine does it sometimes, my old one did not. I've started to be able to "feel" it as I change out of 4th. I'll try Neal's 6th gear trick next time I drive her. Generally I've slowed down the change but it is hard, I drive the Evo more than the Esprit and that has quite the best gearchange I've ever tried. Regards Gay

Near Yaxley, Peterborough earlier this evening. Anyone on here? Regards Fred

My 02 did not have the S350 code when I got it - does now though and its noticeably quicker. Regards Fred

If its hot I always reduce the pressue by 3-4psi in each wheel, pressure increases with heat so if you put them up they go up much more when you drive on track because they get hotter than on the road. I was first alerted to this by the guy who looks after my Evo, he used to be a mechanic for Dave Brodie in the Run baby run days and after that Tony Pond. Theory is that if the pressure is too high then you end up driving on the centres and have little grip. That said I remember Matthew Becker and Gavan Kershaw's advice when I did a lotus experience day in a V8 GT and SE at Silverstone back in 98. They told me to keep the standard pressure for track work. I don't track the Esprit much as it's too precious to me, the Evo does get used quite a bit and is very easy on its tyres with this pressure drop. Regards Fred

This has been going on for years, my father had a greengrocers shop. Built it up over 30 years, won the greengrocer of the year award for the eastern region one year. Rates kept getting larger and larger, far outstripping the revenue increases in his business. Eventually mum and dad worked 7 days a week 52 weeks a year to pay rates to the local council, in fact they were losing money each year for the last three years. Despite all the evidence the scum bags still expected him to keep paying it for the remaining years on the lease even though he would be well past retirement age. We eventually got that worked out but two things left me very bitter about it, firstly he should have a business to sell on but because of the greedy rent demands it became a loss making business and as such was worthless. Secondly some of the money was used from the rates to lay on free transport for his customers to the local Sainsbury's. These people are shameless and don't care whether the amounts demanded are reasonable, they just want the maximum amount regardless. Where's the petition, I'll sign. Regards Fred No I'd keep that to yourself, especially in the coming months.

Very carefully, badly fitted harnesses can cause incredible damage to the human body in an accident. The shoulder straps are particularly important from what I've read as they can compress the spine if fitted at the wrong angle behind the seat. Regards Fred

I agree entirely Graham. The disagreements amongst 'experts' is amazing, makes me recall the 'experts' who during my childhood in the 70's were telling the world that we would have a new ice age in the early 21st century - what happened to those guys. I firmly believe that we should do what we can, I've recently installed a ground source heat pump in our new home as it seems a very sensible, economical and ecological way of providing heating and hot water for the home. My esprit does about 1500 miles a year and having the tax over doubled on it for it not being 'green' is a disgrace. I bet its actually one of greenest vehicles in the country with that mileage. It is purely about this government extracting the maximum amount of money from the public. Actually though this government are very clever, where they can they extract it from the members of the public that are least likely to vote for them. Regards Fred Owen, you've got that wrong mate, they will want all our money but the pocket money allowance will be handed to some scumbag who has a string of convictions and has never done a decent days work in his life so he can go out and have a well deserved night out on the lash to make him feel better about things. Regards Fred

Guys, re the VED you might like to sign up to this. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/UNFAIR-VED/ I can only agree with the many comments here, my take on it is that this government is buying votes. It is Scotland and Wales which largely keep them in power so more and more things are free there and cost money in England. The immigration problem is caused because it is in Labours interest to have many people in the country on or near the breadline. There is a healthy benefits system to ensure there are plenty of needy people willing to vote them in. So many things are going on which are not acceptable in this country but how about this, one of our neighbours is a nurse, as we know they are poorly paid. She is forced though to pay

Lisa I know just what its like, we bought an old barn to convert to a home and to put a sandschool and stables on the field that came with it, just for personal use. Despite having full planning it did not stop us having an 18 month battle with the local planners costing us about 40k. At one point it looked like they would make the property worthless but land us with a duty to prevent any further decay to it which was probably the worse time in my wife and I's lives. We got there in the end. Best of luck in your new endevours. Keep the faith Fred

Yes its Combe Neal. Sounds like it might be better to take the Excel! Cheers Fred

I'm just about to book a track day with a 100db limit. My 02 has a Federal Exhaust, just wondering if anyone has been through noise tests at UK circuits and passed with one of these exhausts. Cheers Fred

It was well known at launch time that the V8's only got max boost in fifth gear, the sport350 removed that and you only have the boost limit in first. My 02 with sport 350 ecu is a much better car than the 96 car I ran back in 1998 because of it. Even without max boost you will still be able to do max revs, the two are unrelated. If you use scanning software through the obdii port you see the gear that you are in so the ecu does know. Cheers Fred

Must have been very late, my 02 needed a replacement relay:-) Regards Fred

Shampoo and water on mine only from new, the paint on these is easily marked so be careful. I use a wax called wheel wax on all my wheels and it helps to keep them clean. Regards Fred

Yep I had a good time too, as did my friend Andy a prospective Elise owner. Shame I got pulled as I drove up to the factory gate but the copper was a nice chap, had a little word with me, shook hands, told me I had a lovely car and let me get on with my business:-) Regards Fred

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