Gentleman, sorry this is probably a little too long, but Ive waited several weeks to respond to your assination of the Lotus collection in the forums chats, so hopefully my response is more measured than it would have been a few weeks ago..!
I did say Gentleman, which is something of an assumption... from what has been written here, perhaps it would be fair to say that most of you appear to write like juvenile internet trolls..!
The Lotus forum is generally regarded and respected as the 'go to' place for the marque enthusiasts for help and mutual support for members and their specialist cars. Yet, this particular post exhibits a number of well-established (Gold too) members, in a very poor light indeed.
Whilst not all of us can or choose to spend our hard earned cash on several very special examples of the marque, its been very dissapointing even distressing, to see the extent of vitriol and hate levelled towards the owner of this particular and unique collection of Lotus cars.
It would appear that many so-called enthusiasts have taken delight in 'willy waving' with a consistent barrage of 'mine is bigger than yours' pathetic attitude...
In fact it seems that most of the posts on this topic have been specifically designed to put any prospective interested parties off the cars, we are all supposed to love,
and for reasons I cant fathom.
Back in 2014, on this very same site, many members of the forum were very positive about the rare Sport 300 rebuild. Yet now, the keyboard warriors could not contain themselves about bringing up the history of what was a well documented Lotus factory rebuild costing something in the region of £50k almost 20 years ago.
One particular vocal troll (well done Mike) took almost childish delight in speaking out about telling the auction company the cars history and damage. As if it wouldnt have known or made mention of such facts..? Did you not read everything and look at the at all the invoices shown for the factory repair? Or, would that slow down your trip to don your cape and mask and get to the keyboard and save Lotus buyers everywhere from a fate worse than death ? Dont remember that happening when Rowan Atkinsons F1 was marketed... (Maybe a different mentality of enthusiast..?)
People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, when making what could be considered litgious accusations, one should perhaps make sure that ones own past is really beyond reproach..? One person says on his own website 'he's dealt with some of the most prestigous people in the world' his company was struck off by companies house. i.e. You reap what you sow...
The Commemorative GT Edition is slated whimsically perhaps as the John Deere Edition with no regard to Lotus' incredible heritage and racing success for the Esprit in 1994. But was a chance to slag off another car from the collection..?
Where, pray tell me can you find an almost original, unrestored John Player Special Championship car today with 13,000 miles from new..? So, find me another and probably tell me all the clips underneath are the correct way round...?
Maybe if the car had been covered by an old mattress, dust from a Dyson and pulled from a barn backwards, it would no doubt have been regarded as one of the greatest barn finds, an unmolested ultra low-mileage example, rescued from obscurity. As it was, a good honest example presented as genuine and original it just became the target for the Lotus Forums trols, more abuse yet again... Pathetic.
Regarded as the pinnacle of the Esprit road car development and driveability is the S4s. This truly superb car was the feature vehicle in the Lotus magazine and was shown as a meticulously executed rebuild, BUT was again slated within this post... This really does beggar belief. One wants to say 'Get a life'. Pathetic.
You couldnt even leave the sublime V8 350 alone, heaping negtaivity on to what was clearly a lovely example of a supreme GT350. Someone did notice and comment on what good value it represented as the sale concluded. Thank you, your copious neagtive input certainly helped the buyer. Hammonds car with double the mileage made nearer £70k. Pathetic.
And then, the jewel of the crown (well we thought so) the Essex, lovingly and painstakingly brought back to its sparkling former life again, from an abandoned 15 years on a house drive, albeit a family treasured car, and NOT bought from Ebay as stated (yet another of the many incorrect statements made on the forum) Was anything positive said,hardley one positive thing said. What about the gorgeous interior, the panosonic stereo working so well, the meticulous detailing, or the 15 coats of paint removed manualy before a superb paint job? Absolutley nothing, you couldnt bring yourselves to be positive, even about a car most would all die for, but only if you couldnt find a hundred grand...? Pathetic.
Not only were so many comments supposition not correct, you just had to keep repeating them over 8 pages... Pathetic.
You really should be ashamed of yourselves, egging each other on, you really should. Maybe as you all like to bring it all back to your own personal collection of £20/£30k Esprits (not a fact, i know, but thats OK on here) you should organise a self fullfiling competition of whos got the shiniest suspension components, and a prize for the most highly polished exhaust, then at least some of you would be happy...!?
If you read all the 8 pages the whole thing reads as if written by jealous, or envious at best, folk who just wanted to 'show-off how much they knew' about these lovely cars.
The shame of it is, the trolls made up or guessed the bits they didnt know and then put it on the forum, then repeated it over again...
The Market had a unique and amazing task to undertake, I believe they did a great job and their PR was excellent. I would have thought many of you would have supported the opportunity and their initiative and approach. As it was, 'you could have all done better'...?!?! But, you didnt have the cars, or probably the ability to to aquire one, so you slagged them all off instead..! Sorry, I'm guessing when making that comment, but it doesnt seem to matter on here... Really annoying isnt it..?
'Senior' comments towards the end, maybe page 8 of your diatribe, an expensive sale for a 'ropey' example, they never mentioned the fire. What utter tosh ! The fire was mentioned, also show on invoice details, end-of. Is he blind, or does he not want to see it, as it spoils his condemnation of what is a lovely car. Pathetic.
You 'collectively castigated and criticised' at every possible opportunity, like a group of school bullies in the playground. But, missing the point your Lotus cars could have benifited from some great publicity for the Lotus Esprit executed by The Market. Hence you were peeing on your own bonfires all the time you ridiculed these cars, far from a sensible thing to do really..!
In fact, that just about sums most (not all) of you up. You should really consider more carefully your use in public forums the use of malicious, defamatory and incorrect writings and be very aware of the reach of Libel nowadays, especially by self-rightous, holier-than-thou, know-it-all, smart-arse trolls....!!!
Now that feels better....
