Expected depreciation on an Exige 20th anniversary edition

[DaveW72]

Hello folks.  I've been a Porsche customer for over a decade now, driving a range of their GT3 products.  However, I got a drive in a Lotus on track last week and it literally blew my mind - to the point where I'm now considering purchasing a Lotus and selling my GT3!  The vehicle I'm currently considering is a 2020 Lotus Exige 20th Anniversary model.  

One thing that's great about Porsche GT3s is that they hold their value really well.  Just wondering what owners of Lotus cars typically expect in terms of residual value over say a three to four year window.  I'm based in Australia and used Lotus vehicles like the Exige are fairly over priced at the moment and I'm just doing the maths on whether to expect a hit on the purchase over time.

It would be great to hear back on what people think I could expect on the Exige 20th anniversary model.   Cheers!  Dave

[Inversed]

I own an FE Exige, I still think 20th Anniversary model were best specced ones.

As far as prices go, who really knows. Porsche tends to upgrade their models a lot and they still keep the good price.  Exige on the other part will probably remain to be the pinnacle of pure Lotuses, along with Elises. I think the price should hold decently 3-5 years down the line, probably appreciate as it gets older.

[Bibs]

^ That! In the UK used market, Lotus are the slowest of all depreciating cars. My Evora is worth more than 50% of it's cost new at 12 years old and is slightly appreciating if anything. With the end of Exige production and new money pouring into Lotus and raising the company profile, I think you're Exige purchase will be safe.

PS I bet you thought the Porsche's handled well didn't you! Welcome to the Lotus gang finally

 

[jep]

The sweet spot for buying a used Lotus is 6 to 10 years old. Basically zero depreciation, even perhaps uplift. 

This may change for the better now Evora Exige Elise out of production but most Lotus are still likely to depreciate slowly from 2 to 6 years. 

Reliability really not an issue on any recent Lotus in terms of mega bills. Just the usual niggles of older cars. I've owned multiple Lotus since Elise S1 in 1998 and bills are comparatively low. 

Justin

 

[jmcvaughn]

On 13/02/2023 at 09:56, Inversed said:

I own an FE Exige, I still think 20th Anniversary model were best specced ones.

All a matter of preference (as I prefer the "old" wheel and analogue dash) but I think objectively the FEs are the best specced! 390 gives you the 400-series engine, and AIM dash and tiny bit more power are nice perks for the 420  I'm not a fan of the painted wing/endplates and body coloured seats in the Anniversary cars.

Just to address the 20th Anniversary Exige point directly: I wouldn't necessarily expect the 20th Anniversary cars to be necessarily worth notably more nor hold their value notably better or worse than a standard 410. Same goes for a FE car also; 410+ are mechanically identical cars.

In comparison to GT3s, I wouldn't expect the same potential for appreciation personally. At the same time, I would not expect the same potential for turbulence in values, and in the UK at least there seems to be a definite floor for values of a particular Exige model: take a look at PistonHeads and see the small difference between a lower mileage 410 (e.g. ~8k miles) and a higher mileage car (e.g. ~14k miles).

A 410+ car is probably the most sensible place to put your money if you choose to modify, assuming that Komo-Tec have a distributor/installer in Australia and/or there are other parties that with similar offerings. Baffled sump, gearbox cooler, chargecooler on a 1720cc supercharger, 3-way Nitrons, uprated clutch etc. are a load of bits that on a 3xx series car you'd likely want to get done but you wouldn't see a return on.

Edited February 14, 2023 by jmcvaughn
Remove incorrect statement about 390 not including gearbox oil cooler and uprated clutch.

[Inversed]

8 minutes ago, jmcvaughn said:

390 gives you the 400-series engine (but no gearbox oil cooler and uprated clutch)

Can someone confirm this. I thought that 390 has same drivetrain as 420 and 430. I'm an 390 owner.

[jmcvaughn]

5 minutes ago, Inversed said:

Can someone confirm this. I thought that 390 has same drivetrain as 420 and 430. I'm an 390 owner.

My mistake, it seems: 

Apologies. If that's the case, 390 is even better value!

Edited February 14, 2023 by jmcvaughn

[tactical lizard]

4 hours ago, jmcvaughn said:

Just to address the 20th Anniversary Exige point directly: I wouldn't necessarily expect the 20th Anniversary cars to be necessarily worth notably more nor hold their value notably better or worse than a standard 410. Same goes for a FE car also; 410+ are mechanically identical cars.

One thing to be careful of is that there are several 410s out there without carbon seats and rumoured potentially without nitrons, They are missing out on multiple £1000s worth of equipment. You are correct that the 20th should not be worth anymore than the same specced standard 410, however you are getting a guranteed high spec car whereas other 410s could be missing spec.

[DaveW72]

 

 

On 13/02/2023 at 21:00, Bibs said:

 

^ That! In the UK used market, Lotus are the slowest of all depreciating cars. My Evora is worth more than 50% of it's cost new at 12 years old and is slightly appreciating if anything. With the end of Exige production and new money pouring into Lotus and raising the company profile, I think you're Exige purchase will be safe.

 

 

 

PS I bet you thought the Porsche's handled well didn't you! Welcome to the Lotus gang finally 

 

 

You are spot on about the handling.  Just quietly the Lotus drivers seem to be a much better bunch of blokes too!  Genuine car people and not just badge chasers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jmcvaughn]

21 hours ago, tactical lizard said:

One thing to be careful of is that there are several 410s out there without carbon seats and rumoured potentially without nitrons, They are missing out on multiple £1000s worth of equipment. You are correct that the 20th should not be worth anymore than the same specced standard 410, however you are getting a guranteed high spec car whereas other 410s could be missing spec.

Ah, good point; Australian 410s got GRP seats, front splitter, etc. as standard rather than carbon like we did in the UK. Does the same apply to Australian 20th Anniversary cars as well or were they "full" carbon?

R.e. Nitrons, the service notes state a "Track Pack" was required for these but I don't think I've ever seen a 410 without Nitrons in the UK; would be good to hear otherwise (other markets perhaps)?

Edited February 15, 2023 by jmcvaughn
Nitrons

[tactical lizard]

45 minutes ago, jmcvaughn said:

Ah, good point; Australian 410s got GRP seats, front splitter, etc. as standard rather than carbon like we did in the UK. Does the same apply to Australian 20th Anniversary cars as well or were they "full" carbon?

I'm not sure about the Austrailian 20th cars.

 

46 minutes ago, jmcvaughn said:

R.e. Nitrons, the service notes state a "Track Pack" was required for these but I don't think I've ever seen a 410 without Nitrons in the UK; would be good to hear otherwise (other markets perhaps)?

I'd just heard a rumour a couple years back when I was looking, Might have been someone from a dealership who mentioned the seats and suspension, sure enough I viewed a 410 with the standard seats (did'nt get a chance to look at the suspension). In the end it did'nt make financial sense to be missing out on 5Ks worth of seats when it was not reflected in the asking price versus a fully equipped car. I ended up using man maths to get a 20th in the end.