Forum accounts - Basic Account - Full Forum Member - Club Esprit

[Bibs]

The software should automatically downgrade your account. Once it has you can resubscribe using a the link towards the top of the page called 'subscriptions'

[Bibs]

The IP.Subscription software (which was free) is no longer supported but has been replaced with some software which you have to buy, imagine! I've just bought it and will fiddle for a day or two but expect some changes. IP.Nexus it's called

PS If you're seeing any 'Zend Guard' notices, this is what's causing it. It's encoded some I'm installing the encryption decrypter, Zend, right now

[Bibs]

Ta-da!

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/store/

[Bibs]

If anyone has any problems with this, please log a support issue in your posh new client area.

[Bibs]

Since Club Esprit has become very quiet it's no longer viable for LEW to pay TLF a monthly fee from it's revenue, it's been this way for around 18 months now. As such, Club Esprit members will no longer have access to the TLF discounts section although for now we'll retain the member benefits on the forum, eg bigger PM storage, less ads, quicker search etc.

[Grahaml]

This question arises from the "Bought an S4S...." thread

 

AS many here will know I "decided" I must have an Esprit.  I did the same about six years ago but chickened out and bought a couple of Porsches in the intervening years before coming back for an Esprit.  I've just bought one now though - collecting it a week tomorrow (27/3/15).

 

I did all the reseach, and joined LEW as it gave me access to a bit more infomation on Esprits and the buyers checklist.  I am still finding it very helpful and interesting.

 

At that point I hadn't quite recognised that TLF was different - and only when checking my own status (I thought I must be a full memeber) I realised that they are separate.

 

I've enjoyed TLF and had a lot of useful advice through it (so I should probably join too)

 

Is there any background to this?  were they ever one site?  should I join both - or just one, which one?

 

What do folk think?

[Bibs]

A chap called Kato runs LEW and I run TLF. For about 2 years some 6/7 years back we joined forces for 'Club Esprit' but it didn't last long as TLF stopped receiving any money from LEW memberships so once again the sites are entirely separate. In fact, I've not seen or heard from Kato for a few years now which is a shame. 

 

There's some info from when this happened in the 'Forum info & Help' section here and the very last post is when we ended the agreement...

 

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/20572-forum-accounts-basic-account-full-forum-member-club-esprit/

[andydclements]

 

 

...  should I join both - or just one, which one?

 

What do folk think?

The two sites are very different in purpose, one being more of a brochure of (interesting and useful) information, the other being a way to pose questions and receive interactive responses.

I think that joining LEW gives access to certain aspects including discounts, which may be useful (it's up to the individual to consider whether there is enough benefit). I think joining TLF gives other aspects including discounts and online manuals etc (again, up to the individual to weigh up benefits).

 

I'm sure Bibs doesn't object to more funding coming in to the site, and to help fund some of the activities TLF undertakes. If being a member of TLF answered just one technical question that would have equated to a 30 mins job by a dealer, I'd guess that's paid for the annual cost of membership.

[Advantage]

//Looks for the Youtube clip of Kato's kickboxing bout//

[Bibs]

[Kimbers]

I have never joined LEW though I know Kato quite well from those years where we joined forces. Never had an issue with him myself. But Bibs runs a tight ship here, he does a lot of things off his own back and pays for them, knowing he won't get enough money back in to cover his costs.

 

But he does make it worthwhile to be a member here. Just the saving on your insurance alone will pay you back and then with Oils, dealer discounts etc etc, you will make a regular saving here.

 

At the end of the day it's up to you Graham, but your savings here make the membership worthwhile and you WILL find yourself on here time and time again, whether its to chat about the weather or politics, attending an event organised by the Boss or to check on technical matters that you have issues with. Welcome to the family!!

[Bibs]

I'm not joking when I say that running TLF has cost me personally over £1m. Seriously. I also turned down an offer of several hundred thousand to sell the site late last year, that's how much I love you all. 

[Grahaml]

Thanks for the input .

I certainly have benefited from this site - amongst others and it is interesting, informative and often fun.

 

I would like to think that in time I will also contribute to the information available to others through the site.

 

I will upgrade to full membership though.  It is a relatively small sum in relation to the cost of Lotus ownership after all.

 

LEW sometimes (in some areas more than others ) looks a bit dated and some of the content is very out of date.  However I have and still do find it useful and interesting - and especially while I am full of enthusiasm and looking at potential upgrades (in due course).

[GordonMasson]

I have to say for the cost of a full membership on here, I would have thought it would be a no brainer?

[Bibs]

270 signed up of which 30 or so are 12 month freebies we now give to people via dealerships when they buy a new car. Current membership is over 14,100 so 1.7% FFM!  

[Bibs]

Yeah, mine in their shoes they've been wearing for 10 years!

[internets]

IMHO a lot of TLF users are very short sighted and tight, they own a lotus and therefor frugal but to save £20 not paying to be a FFM seems beyond belief! Their excuse they won't benefit from the various savings that FFM offers but they seem to forget the advise / enjoyment we all get from TLF. It's a very small price to pay and as Bibs says it costs him a lot, both time any money, to keep TLF going....so come on people open your wallets and stick your £20 in the jar.

[Barrykearley]

This ol sites great - a fountain of information for these cars.

You can save yourself hours of work figuring something out, save £££££s on bits, insurance etc etc etc.

For the membership sum - it's a no brainier. If you've got a lotus and aren't a full member - upgrade.....

Thanks bibs for all you efforts here - it helps folks out tremendously.

[Barrykearley]

Even if you are thinking of buying a lotus - upgrade and enjoy

[Bibs]

 

You put people who have been benefitting from this site for the best part of a decade to shame! I find it very sad that a lot of the people who do benefit do have one or more £10k-70k Lotus in the garage, 18p a day isn't a lot to ask is it. 

[Mysterae]

I always wondered what happened in the days of old. I stuck with the diehards on the yahoo groups because I wasn't so active at that time though.

 

I do think LEW needs a make-over but it would be a mammoth task with all the content that's there. Removing the horrid squared wallpaper would be a good start though!

[Barrykearley]

Not at all. Add the £20 to cost of ownership and it gets lost in the noise.

I don't care it burns £40 of fuel in 180 miles frankly - membership here is 90 miles worth on that basis!!!

The forum is full of info - the workshop manuals are a superb addition- eBay and they cost a lot more....... On top of that there's some really genuine helpful people on here

If you own a lotus - frankly you would be a fool not to join and enjoy the benefits.

See you at an event soon!

[Jacques]

Being a foreign member, I pay even less, as I cannot really take part in many of the events. But the forum shines, being in agreement or not with all you other members.

And paying a few Pounds once per year, for getting rid of all the Commercials, are surely those few Pounds worth alone; easily!

 

I cannot really offer any real info for the benefit of other members, as I am new to Lotus and Esprits in general. But I get real great benefit from reading others contributions and sometimes asks questions.

Here in Denmark, there is one (read: 1) Lotus dealer and workshop, and they have practically never seen an Esprit in real life, never mind done a service or repair on one. Before they came into existence, Lotus was run by Jaguar Denmark, and I went there to ask how to best buy an Esprit, eventually from them. Their answer: just laughing loud, and told me to find a carbrand, not a Lotus, as it is about the worst way I can spend Money. I left.

So would I trust them my car ?  No.

Would I willingly pay 250gbp per hour plus tax,  to them for screwing something up on my car? No.

Instead of the payment of a just a single service there on my car, I could get:

- one year membership here.

- a full set of factory manuals,

- full set of original spareparts for said service.

- fun & experience working on my car.

- lot's of quality tools to do it.

And I havent even begun thinking what a full coolerservice, with broken bolts, defect cooler and many other Things would cost at said dealership.

The difference is of course, that they have to make a living from this, and I have some time to play around with it instead, taking my time to look carefully at small Things as I go along, like for instance the small support washers that sit behind every pop rivet to fasten the fan support bracketry. They are rusty, and I go find some in stainless. So I make it now, and I save thetime in the future.

Not being a mechanic, I rely on experience with other cars, the service manuals and of course totally needed: this great forum.

is that worth 20 gbp every year? Of course, by far!  That equals to 4 minutes of Labour at a dealer.

I don't do alcohol, drugs or Tobacco, but I sure like my hobbies, and the Esprit including this forum is one of them

Thanks to each and everyone plus Bibs as the central figure, for making it possible. This forum makes having an Esprit so much easier.

 

An anecdote: I found a set of Futuras in the UK, but had trouble arrangeing to collect them, and what happened? Bibs collected them including the breaking Down of his own car, borrowed a friends car. Did that stop him? No. He even packed them and shipped them (cheaper than I could get) to me, here in Denmark. That is the extent of Bibs Work.

Imagine, that here in Denmark, we essentially pay for two Esprits, each time we buy one, and nearly 3 times if the car is new from factory ....... tax. That doubles the perspective of taking good care of your Lotus, and join this as a ffm.

Now, are those 20 Pounds still too much and expensive ? Thanks for your time reading this.

 

Kind regards, and hopefully see some of you at the Copenhagen Belt Fest.

 

Cheers,

Jacques.

[Grahaml]

This has been interesting - and maybe stirred a few more member of the forum to upgrade.

 

I just did 

 

Thanks

 

Graham

[Jacques]

Graham, what made you wander from a 911 to an Esprit?

Sorry for being off topic.

 

Kind regards,

Jacques.