Interested in getting an Excel SE

[Colin.Bull]

Hi I am looking to get an excel prefer an SE.  However seen this on on Ebay as a trade in anyone know this car?  Otherwise anyone got one for sale.  Not scared is a little restoration but as long as the electricals are ok and mechanicals are good i can handle chassis, suspension and interior work.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254685525569

 

[rjwooll]

Hi Colin,

Good luck hunting!

That car's not an SE. It is the crossover model between the early narrowbody Excel and the SE - with the early mechanicals (LC engine) and interior, and the later blister arch body. It's a lot of money for something that's been sitting for 15 years and not recommissioned, as there will be many unknowns.

Cheers, Richard

[andydclements]

Wow, that would be quite a project, an expensive one. At that price you could go an buy a tidy example (not perfect, but running with an MOT etc) at  £7k-£8k (perhaps more) and still be a long way ahead. There's a lot of money on parts and materials on that project.

Worth calling Mike at Lotusbits just to see whether he has anything, or knows of anybody looking to sell.  I just scanned through the Club Lotus magazine and was shocked that there weren't a couple for sale.

 

Chassis (well, technically a subframe), if that needs metalwork, then I'd suggest walking away. They're galvanised and so should not rot. If one has crash damage them it's not really worth trying to straighten, it's un-bolt and put another on. They're just not worth the hassle, it's not like an old box-frame chassis where sections can be added / replaced easily.

Electrics, well, it's not uncommon for some connections to have corroded but generally a task of un-plugging and re-plugging and that often gets rid of the corrosion.

Interior, expect the leather to have cracked or rotted if it hasn't been cared for.

The engines, are good but they are pretty much the same from the early Excels through to the last of the non-turbo Esprit, and since the latter is a more expensive car, you can probably guess which gets used for  source of parts to keen the other running.

[jep]

I agree with Andy, that car in E Bay looks like a money-pit.  Even doing the work yourself, you could spend £10K on that car and it would still not be perfect.

Of course, many owners have limited financial resources and so will buy at a low price and work on the car themselves or do jobs as and when resources allow. Long may that continue but if you can, buy the best car you can at the start. For £5K, you can find a runner. For £7K you will get a nice car, for £10K a very good car and for £15K one of the best.

My Excel SE has done 63,000 miles. I don't do any work myself and in 8 years of ownership, I have spent £20K+ on repairs and maintenance (mainly routine but had a few head gaskets due to water pump issues. And I bought the expensive LotusBits exhaust which transforms the car). The car was a 34,000 mile, low owner car when I bought it in 2012 with MOT, full service history. When I advertised it recently, no interest, as I wanted £14K for it. I don't mind, I will keep it and enjoy it but I just don't use it so much these days now I have Evora. I don't see the point in selling it for say £10K, it is too nice for that.

Good luck with your search, Excel are wonderful cars.

Justin

[Colin.Bull]

Thanks for all the advice I'll keep searching but if any come up I'd be interested

 

[rjwooll]

Colin, there is a very nice one for sale on lotusexcel.net with good history: https://www.lotusexcel.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=11707

[jep]

Sounds like value to me and a whole lot better option than the basket case on Fleabay.

If LotusBits have been through the car, it will be sound.

Justin

[ZXRRDave]

Looking for an Excel here too, and just tried to register on the Excel forum but can't get it to register me. Think I may have registered there before a few years ago and the email shows as in use, but the email account reset didn't work for me