Esprit Market Watch

[Escape]

I've been suggesting a Belgian exit for some time now, and my feelings about it only get stronger. As I'm on a government payroll, this is not appreciated at all. 😈 I do wonder what the effect will be for private buyers exporting cars from UK. At the moment it's very easy. Getting something from the US on the other hand can be a nightmare. Maybe I should stock up, just in case.

[superdavelotus]

One Off Example!

So guys, what do you think of this standard 99 V8 with 11K on the clock from new for £69995!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-LOTUS-ESPRIT-V8-GT-ONE-OFF-IMMACULATE-EXAMPLE/183453654593?hash=item2ab6b09e41:g:Zv0AAOSw~U5bq62z

Also on Autotrader

Lotus ESPRIT V8 GT ONE OFF IMMACULATE EXAMPLE 3.5 2dr
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201809260872666?model=ESPRIT&advertising-location=at_cars&sort=sponsored&make=LOTUS&radius=1500&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&postcode=ch459jf&page=1

[Steve V8]

Lovely, not sure about the price, maybe it could be worth that to a collector, but you'd never be able to drive it, every mile would would reduce its value until eventually it's  worth no more than any other V8.

[Fridge]

29 minutes ago, Steve V8 said:

Lovely, not sure about the price, maybe it could be worth that to a collector, but you'd never be able to drive it, every mile would would reduce its value until eventually it's  worth no more than any other V8.

I agree. It's value is in its originality and low mileage. There is/was an RS Escort mkIII for sale in absolute stunning original condition, with just 2,000 miles on it I believe. However, unless it's virtually never ever driven, it's £64,000 asking price just reduced by the mile.

[Barrykearley]

Very pretty piece of art though.

i certainly know folks whom will spend more than that on wine or a piano - so it’ll be perfect for someone

[swindon_alan]

Are those the two options available? Wine or a piano? No Esprit?

[Fridge]

10 minutes ago, swindon_alan said:

Are those the two options available? Wine or a piano? No Esprit?

I've all three. Does that put me into the rarest of elite? (Being from North Yorkshire I may have substituted the wine for beer)

[Barrykearley]

And a piano for a whippet ?

[Fridge]

52 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

And a piano for a whippet ?

The Esprit currently.

[Mark Blanchard]

Or a Piano for a Wino?

[rudolphwolven]

1984 Esprit S3 Type 85 LHD 40.500 mls for sale at Dutch Lotus Importer..........€ 38.500,- / GBP 34.500,-

http://vanderkooisportscars.nl/voorraad/item/?voorraad=18549024:lotus-esprit-s3%20type%2085

[jonwat]

Lotus's Wild Wedge of a Car Could Be Your Next Best Investment 

Edited December 11, 2018 by jonwat

[Escape]

Not the best article, but at least it agrees buying an Esprit is a good thing to do.

[Jeanvm]

This make a difference: “The secret to keeping any exotic for a long time is in finding a good mechanic, following the service intervals, avoiding potholes—and steering clear of a divorce.”

[GTK]

The divorce thing is fun, probably less ball ache to avoid marriage in the first place.

Speaking of hookups, the article's writer Hannah Elliot is Magnus Walker's other half, he who recently bought the red S2 heavily featured. Positive ripples. Would be all the sweeter if there were no ulterior motivation. 

[jonwat]

10 hours ago, Escape said:

Not the best article, but at least it agrees buying an Esprit is a good thing to do.

I thought the best bit was "Lotus added a bigger engine and a turbocharger; later models had V-8s with 500 horsepower." 

[skiing]

Being a geek, there are lot of factual inaccuracies... and also what are these tubes which crack?

[hedgerley]

That's a new one, tubes that crack. No idea what that's all about. The sub-frames that the engine/suspensions hangs off perhaps?

Buying the best you can afford and keeping up with the maintenance (good mechanic essential) is always the best advice. But that's true of any classic car surely? Of course achieving the first sometimes precludes the second and therein lies the Esprit problem; over the years there have been too many examples that simply haven't been looked after.

Mine is ready to be picked up from Leven Lotus (nee Murray) after the annual A service and MOT. All that was needed to pass the MOT was some handbrake and emissions fettling. Only new part required during the service - sump plug and temperature sensor. Total cost £430 incl VAT. Not bad for a 17 year old, 90k mile (7k in the past year) V8 supercar. My mates 20015 Freelander is in for its minor service today and that's well over £400. Big thumbs up to Ian at Leven who has looked after my car for over 10 years now.

So, as far as I am concerned (and I know I am tempting fate here) , that tired old definition of Lotus simply doesn't apply. And at a valuation of around £18k more than I bought it for, its been a sound investment, not that I bought if for that reason of course.....

[Giniw]

22 minutes ago, hedgerley said:

sump plug and temperature sensor. Total cost £430 incl VAT.

FYI I can supply you a sump plug for only £249 if you are interested!

 

[canamfan]

Hmm, like the article, but old news to me, if anyone cares....talk to me 😜, I've owned & DRIVEN several Esprit's in my lifetime  an '88 Esprit & put 18,000kms did nothing except oil changes not even brake pads  (a 1989 Esprit Turbo non SE bought with 48,000kms & drove to 76,000kms even in winter once - NO issues, just oil changes & new tires @ my discretion) a 1990 Esprit Turbo SE - bought with 19,000miles & drove to 32,000miles - re-upholstered interior due to Miami heat shrinking the real leather, rear bumper repair from an unknown fool late night hit & run while parked on street, new brake pads all four corners & that's about it again pretty reliable & no let down) a 1991 SE & put approx. 33,000kms with only front pad replacement & oil changes & nothing else, a 1994 Esprit S4 non S4's put 11,000 trouble free kms I mean NADA, Zilch almost boring to tinker with, just put gas in & drove the snot out of it with oil changes in between,  & currently an '84 Esprit Turbo so far a cross gate cable update to better shifting (previously was OK but now better) new  headlight switch after putting approx. 2800miles & will accumulate more - as far as I'm concerned the Lotus Esprit has been one of the most reliable exotic - my Ferrari 308 was a pile of sugar & fragile as as a butterfly, the 328's were a little better but that timing belt wasn't fun after snapping one @ 58,000miles, the 400i was the best out of them, needed nothing but was not exciting. I apologize for babbling but I'm passionate about Esprit's as much as I am about older Porsche 911's, I used to care what people remarked about Esprit's before, now I don't care, I know better & am still enamored by them 😍 Tho the divorce thing I couldn't avoid 😂

[hedgerley]

1 hour ago, Giniw said:

FYI I can supply you a sump plug for only £249 if you are interested!

 

Ah, don't you just love English grammar.

Actually the car has been sat at the garage for a week and half while they tried to source the sump plug and sensor. Not sure where it came from (can't pick the car up until early next week) but it was £30 delivered. Which is of course a bit steep for a threaded bolt with a threaded hole drilled down the middle. Until I looked at a well known Esprit parts supplier website. £72.91 plus £14.58 VAT plus £5.94 delivery = £93.43. 😖😖😖 

How can that be justified. And that's without the sensor!!!

[Giniw]

38 minutes ago, hedgerley said:

£93.43.

Wow, I was almost at the right price after all :D

[C8RKH]

18 hours ago, hedgerley said:

Ah, don't you just love English grammar.

Actually the car has been sat at the garage for a week and half while they tried to source the sump plug and sensor. Not sure where it came from (can't pick the car up until early next week) but it was £30 delivered. Which is of course a bit steep for a threaded bolt with a threaded hole drilled down the middle. Until I looked at a well known Esprit parts supplier website. £72.91 plus £14.58 VAT plus £5.94 delivery = £93.43. 😖😖😖 

How can that be justified. And that's without the sensor!!!

People will charge what they can get away with. It's all just about the money these days for most suppliers. Of course, driven by customers who search all over the net to save themselves a pound or two when they used the suppliers time and effort to understand the part they needed.  So, in short, we can't and mustn't complain as actually it's our own fault!

[pete]

thought it was the fault of brexit😩

[CharlieC]

Is this a typo or are Elan +2 prices really reaching this high? 

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/lotus/seven/1973-lotus-elan-2-s130-coupe/8389940