New Lotus Owner

[Bannerfd3]

Hello everyone,

Iv finally decided to move from Japanese cars to owning a lotus!! Iv always loved the esprit so I’m going to look and test drive a SE turbo, V8 and a S4, all 3 are on piston heads and Iv done research on what to look for but looks like it all comes down to the history of the car. Iv attached a couple of links of the cars I’m interested in, I would really appreciate some advice on what else to look for, I know The esprit Isn’t a daily, it will Be cared for and used occasionally in my possession. The V8 is 1996 I did read to stay clear of this year but why is this?

www.pistonheads.com .. p;cId=10459995&cId=7310883

www.pistonheads.com .. p;cId=10459995&cId=7310883

[CarBuff]

The early V8s (1996 - 1997) suffered from piston liner failures. Most of those issues should have been resolved by now.

 

But, on any V8, it is wise to do a compression & leak-down test, and have the oil analyzed for coolant.

 

But IMO the early cars had the better, bigger binnacle with more instrumentation.

Edited July 30, 2020 by CarBuff

[pete]

if i was looking at a v8 i think i would prefer one from a known lotus specialist

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/10441098?cId=10560391&cId=9832146&cId=10159067&cId=10459995&cId=10441098&cId=7310883

[NeilP]

This one is down the road from me, I can walk there in a few mins.. let me know if you’d like me to take a look.

[Bannerfd3]

Thanks for your reply’s, today I viewed the esprit Pete suggested,

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/10441098?cId=10560391&cId=9832146&cId=10159067&cId=10459995&cId=10441098&cId=7310883

history was very good and is a lovely car, only thing that concerned me that there was no evidence in the history about the engine issues being resolved being a early v8, would this concern you guys? 

[Barrykearley]

Since it now has 45k on the clock - no it would not. 

[pete]

Warranty?

[Bannerfd3]

We haven’t got as far as negotiating warranty as yet but I would want at least 3 month. This is all new to me, Iv never bought a classic before, very nervous but it’s my dream, I’m trading in a Nissan 370Z nismo so I guess it all comes down to what they can offer! Fingers crossed! 

[Peteric]

Lovely looking car and i hope you find a great Esprit.

They are lovely cars and a passion of mine too!

However......regarding warranty.....

I will be very, very surprised if you get a warranty or a good one at least on a 24 year old classic super car.

Best of luck finding a good Esprit though 😀

[Bibs]

Welcome to TLF and happy Esprit hunting! 

[Bannerfd3]

thanks for the welcome.

Today I had a test drive in a SE high wing, what a car! I’m so surprised how a 30 year old car can accelerate like that! Brakes need a bit of attention though. Next stop v8 test drive!! Then devotion time...

[Barrykearley]

The V8 is a different animal entirely. You can drive it really lazily and it will pull like a monster. A 4 pot needs to be utterly thrashed to perform at its best.

A word of warning....

If a V8 engine gives way - prepare to part with £10-15k to fix it. A 4 pot - about £4-6k

you pays your money takes your choice. Been there done that - I’d opt for the 4 every day of the week.

 

the old adage - even a bad esprit will blow you away is very true.

[Bannerfd3]

12 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

The V8 is a different animal entirely. You can drive it really lazily and it will pull like a monster. A 4 pot needs to be utterly thrashed to perform at its best.

A word of warning....

If a V8 engine gives way - prepare to part with £10-15k to fix it. A 4 pot - about £4-6k

you pays your money takes your choice. Been there done that - I’d opt for the 4 every day of the week.

 

the old adage - even a bad esprit will blow you away is very true.

Thanks for the advice, I think I will go for the 4 pot it was far better than I expected, I would love the v8 but the extra cost is a big jump I will test drive just to tease myself. 

[pete]

Try to drive more than one 4 cylinder esprit if possible

[Bannerfd3]

11 minutes ago, pete said:

Try to drive more than one 4 cylinder esprit if possible

I agree, hopefully will test drive another once decided. Anyone know who to use for a professional inspection? 

[pete]

Where are you

[Bannerfd3]

5 minutes ago, pete said:

Where are you

I live near Norwich, the car I’m interested in is in Surrey 

[pete]

Hangar 111 do reports and have found them very helpful

[Bannerfd3]

10 minutes ago, pete said:

Hangar 111 do reports and have found them very helpful

Email sent thanks 

[Barrykearley]

1 hour ago, Bannerfd3 said:

Thanks for the advice, I think I will go for the 4 pot it was far better than I expected, I would love the v8 but the extra cost is a big jump I will test drive just to tease myself. 

They are utterly different cars. The drive of them is completely different.

[Dan E]

1 hour ago, Bannerfd3 said:

I live near Norwich, the car I’m interested in is in Surrey 

Although he will want to kill me @Sparky is your man as I am sure everyone will tell you. 

[Bibs]

https://max500.com is Surrey and knows Esprit inside out so is a nice, local option as is http://www.backontrackmotorsport.co.uk if the other's are busy/too far. 

[Mightymetro]

Thought I might add my thoughts to this

ive owned a n\a Stevens , used a s4s For a weekend and now own a V8.  In my opinion it all comes down to what you want the car for.  The main reason I went for the v8 is that I wanted the later dash and the wider arch trims after the 1997 update.  Petty I know but that’s what I hankered for so it was a gt3 or v8 but the gt3 didn’t have the arch trims and wider wheels.  

N/A - was a fab Stevens car in azure blue with cream leather.  Didn’t feel very fast and was pretty rough but it was a nice car, it just didn’t feel like I imagined an esprit to feel.  Might have just been a bad example etc but I didn’t keep it long

s4s - definitely felt more fun to drive hard than my V8.  Really good turbo kick that enhances the whole feel of driving it.  Whooshing everywhere, light nimble, fast.  Fabulous machine but just preferred the later facelift.  It felt like an occasion everytime the turbo spooled up.  The Purchase cost Of this car was actually more than my v8 was and it also was quite tatty cosmetically so the work mechanically on my v8 kind of balanced the cost I would have needed to spend on the s4s interior and exterior.  
 

v8 - love at first sight with the old girl but it’s taken a while to get my head around enjoying the car.  It really isn’t a rev monster and relies a lot on torque to get it going where it is going.  In my eyes it feels like a very accomplished GT car rather than a track \ back lane blaster and I didn’t gel at all.  BUT........I’m learning to drive to its strengths and I’m now completely happy with my decision to plump for the v8.  I can’t say the car feels heavier or Lardy like most reviews do because I cannot feel it and I believe the 4 pot turbo feels lighter due to the engine characteristics and delivery which is masked by the V8.  It just doesn’t feel fast until you look at the speedo.  I try to use it as much as possible and have found it excelling on both A and B roads.  A blast around the `north Yorkshire moors with a friend with a Caterham proved just how good it is at those back road blasts that I never gave the v8 credit for.  It just does it in a silent assassin style compared to the s4s.  I’m in West Yorkshire but if you want an extended run out in a v8 Your more than welcome to hop aboard.  Always happy for an excuse to have a blast 

 

a quick note though about my car 
 

I purchased a v8 2.5 years ago and drove it a couple hundred miles and then the engine let go (due to a poor rebuild by a previous owners preferred `lotus dealer).  The engine bill alone was just shy of £18,000 for the parts and labour however pretty much everything has been upgraded to make it as reliable as possible including billet crank, steel rods, Forged pistons etc etc and included the usual maintenance while it was out work like refreshed turbos.  While it was off the road I went about refreshing other things on the car like suspension, cooling system, fuel tanks, brakes and dropped another £10,000+ On these items.  This was with me doing the work too although this work is the same cost on most models.  I was heartbroken and wallet broken and questioned why I didn’t just cut and run.   However.......having got it running again in June I’ve completed 2000 miles in it and have forgiven it all it’s sins 😀.  It’s as close to having a mechanically new esprit as I can hope And I am loving driving her again.

[Barrykearley]

Bloody hell @Mightymetro don’t scare him off.

[Mightymetro]

2 hours ago, Barrykearley said:

Bloody hell @Mightymetro don’t scare him off.

You didn’t scare me off 😂😂😂😂

 

should have listened