It's time to go...

[whatarehughlike]

Hopefully this is the right place for me to post this topic.

The time has come for me to let go. After 12 years I think I need to look for a new home for the Esprit 😢

Since I got it, I've got married and had two kids... I tried to cling on by selling it to my dad but he's 68 now and can't even get in it anymore... I live too far away to make any use of it and it just sits in his garage not getting used and as we know the more you don't use them, the more that breaks

My car is a 1992 Esprit SE hi-wing.  When I bought it 10 years ago, it was shed. I did everything to it, including an engine rebuild and respray (maintaining the original colour).  The list is too extensive to go through everything

I don't want to go through the hassle of selling it online and dealing with the tyre kickers and dealers who will no doubt criticise my beloved car, so I was thinking about putting it in for an auction.  With that in mind I am seeking a bit of advice; have any of you had experience with Anglia Car Auctions or any classic car auctions and if so is there anything I need to be mindful of? 

Thanks. A very depressed and miserable soon to be ex Lotus Esprit owner 😢 😔 😪 😞 

 

 

[Bibs]

www.lotusforsale.com

[Rudi K]

Perhaps speak to Paul Clugston at UK Sportscars. He has a reputation for being able to sell Lotus cars at good prices to good homes. I believe he sometimes works on a commission basis as an alternative to buying/selling as a dealer.

[Peter H.]

I do follow the auctions and have sold an Austin Healey through Silverstone's....very pleased with the result.

If you feel the car has a good history and presents well, then I would suggest either Silverstone's or Historic's. I do follow Anglia Car Auctions... there offerings tend to be more modest and perhaps don't have the 'buyer reach' that the other two have.

[DaKa]

Aside from being interested in the car myself (and I will take a close look if you advertise here) I've bid and check almost daily the Market auction - their charges seem reasonable.

https://themarket.co.uk/listings/auctions

 

 

[lotuseaters]

Is this the one we painted some time ago Hugh ?  Sent you a PM...

[whatarehughlike]

11 hours ago, lotuseaters said:

Is this the one we painted some time ago Hugh ?  Sent you a PM...

Yep. I've messaged you back.

[whatarehughlike]

Thanks for your advice guys. 

Its getting a bit real now and I've been having a touch of the seconds.

I'll make my decision over the next couple weeks.

I feel like I'm in a therapy session..

 

 

 

[jep]

Unless you need the dosh, don't sell.

It seems you have a lot invested in your Esprit, not just £'s. It is effectively irreplaceable. The car you owned when you married, had children, the first Lotus they rode in.....

There are always ways to use your car more. It just takes a bit of planning and inspiration.

Justin 

 

[Guest]

I have used:

On the market

Anglia car auctions

Coys

 

On the market were a bit vague and didn't sell my car. It did end up with the highest bidder oddly enough, when I sold it through a dealer.

 

Anglia are a bit "cash deal mate" and whenever I have been there the stock seems a bit tired but priced accordingly, some good deals can be had there.

Never ever ever ever using Coys again.

Edited March 11, 2021 by Laika

[jep]

Coys should be avoided at all costs.

Justin 

 

[Mark Blanchard]

I’d keep it and start using it again.  You might find you enjoy driving it.

[PAR]

In this market, I am not sure an auction gets you anything decent as not enough people will go and see the car ahead (unless it is a lemon and then you could get a some fools in an auction). Most buyers are likely dealers.

What about asking a dealer to sell it for you with a commission? Won5 be worst than auctions fees.

[Kimbers]

Don't sell at present. The market has been down and values dropped significantly from March 2020 to about January this year. However the shortage of good used stock of "normal Cars" and lack of availability of used Lotus's has meant that classic car (and even original Evora) prices have started rising again. 

Monitoring the market is part of my job and I have sidetracked recently into used Lotus Pricing and because people haven't been listing their cars (its really difficult to sell at present as people can't test drive the car etc) there is a huge shortage of used classics on the market. Cars like my Evora NA have been selling at dealers for £26-8 but recently dealers like Silverstone have been pricing them up and I just saw a 2010 sell there which was re-advertised at £32 up from under £30k. The reason? In January last year there were 27 2009-2012 Evoras for sale on Autotrader. Today there are 2.

Swapping that across to Esprit Pricing, Esprits had been increasing at a steady 7-10% per annum, especially the older stuff. However the blip of Lockdown 1 and 2 has meant people can't go out in their cars and as such anyone selling them has taken a hit. This is a false economy and we know no more will ever be built and they will only get rarer. 10-12 years ago I saw High wings selling at £10-12k. Today its almost "Ask your price" time. 

So the upshot of this whole Essay........... Your Esprit, if properly maintained, is THE BEST investment you can have right now. However if you have to sell it wait for the market to pick up again, say June/July to get best value!

As a Professional, if I had the money and the Space I would be buying Classic Cars and especially Lotus's. I just wish I had kept my Esprit and bought the S1 I was offered 12 years ago, for £10k. It was rough but today the price........oh lordy!

[Kimbers]

I have been asked recently about the above and I want to stress that my comments revolve around "retail" cars from a dealer. An early NA from a Private seller doesn't come in at £32000. 

For those in the know, dealer standards are pretty high and many dealers will have an 8 month Service policy (If the Car requires a service in 8 months or less they have to do it before sale), a 3mm tyre depth Policy, a full MOT policy (very few sell a car with less than 9 months) and other such things as 12 months warranty etc.

I have often seen people slate dealers for being too expensive but if you want a protected and peace of Mind Purchase then a dealer is best IMHO. I ALWAYS buy from a dealer even if it's a "Trade" deal, they will have done full checks on the car and know everything about it.

So I would expect to pay from £27-30k from a private seller depending on condition, mileage etc. A Lotus dealer I would expect to want £5k in the car as they don't sell large numbers like mass produced cars AND they have at least a couple of grand to make older Lotus's up to their standard.