Are the later cars as bad as these?

[matk]

To make a realistic comparison both cars need to be in good serviceable condition. I'm sure your TVR and Corvette are, but that Esprit sounds like it needs some work doing. As is always the case after it's fettled, I think you'd be surprised.

[esprithk]

hey man,

I wear size 9.5

remember, driving an Esprit, you must buy a racing shoe from Puma first.

(well there are many other brands, but they all look like copies from Puma style)

anyway, yes, 2000+ lotus esprit V8s are excellent!!! much better

[rens914]

hey bluethunder

don't change from a TVR to a lotus

change from the cerbera to a tuscan or sagaris

the cornering in a tuscan is much better and the car is more brutal (espescially when you know to use the right foot) and the extra treat is that you can drive open

have driven esprits before buying my tuscan but wont change back

the SE turbo was better than the turbo (like your brothers)and the pedalbox on the SE is wider.

although i'm still in love ith the looks it's still a small car (inside) with a bad working airco and to many electrical (sensors)problems. 190cm lenght is really the max (that's even to big in my opinion)

i favourize a normally aspirated power car. full power all the way

my next car will be a sagaris.

have owned a c6 vette and they drive nice but everytime i passed someone i had to duck (in my country vette owners are linked to trailertrash)

rens

[Rick Edwards]

hey man,

I wear size 9.5

remember, driving an Esprit, you must buy a racing shoe from Puma first.

(well there are many other brands, but they all look like copies from Puma style)

anyway, yes, 2000+ lotus esprit V8s are excellent!!! much better

Is this going to turn into a "mine are bigger than yours" thread...?

mine are size 14 (no kidding) and I still manage to drive OK. I am 6' 2" tall and have an S4s

Its much more comfy than the X180 I used to have but if you are wanting all the comforts and space of a "normal car" I suggest getting a normal car

[Bibs]

Can you walk on water?

[Rick Edwards]

Can you walk on water?

Not the last time I tried. But now you mention it I may try again...

[Bibs]

Youtube?

[Rick Edwards]

Youtube?

I was talking about my feet not mytube...

oh sorry .... I know what you mean now.

Edited October 15, 2009 by Rick Edwards

[mayevora]

mine are size 14 (no kidding) and I still manage to drive OK.

'Big Boys only', allowed in Devon! Must be something in the water Rick.

Size 13 here - Definately need the appropriate footware when driving the Esprit. I must admit I struggled a bit two weeks ago driving your S4s in my Caterpiller Boots.

[BLUETHUNDER]

Just don't waste your money on the Corvette, biggest pile of crap I ever owned.

All i can say to that is you must have had a crap one. The Vette has been one of the best cars ive owned. Not as much driver focused as the Cerbera or Esprit. But i have covered some big mileage in this. With trips out to the Nurbergring and Spa. And never faltered or failed to impress. Running costs are extremely low. Only needing a service yearly at

[fmxa]

There were more low quality parts in that car than on a Bosnia stripper. Mine was so bad I ended up returning it to the dealer under the California lemon law (which basically means the car is so atrocious Chevy have to buy it back)

[Jonathan]

Nice Turbo, lovely car.

1) Getting in out - getting hard for me, I used to be a flexible 30 year old, now I'm pushing 32 I'm finding it harder and harder to get in and out comfortably (esp with the bucket seats. There is a technique you have to adapt, a lot of people slide the seats fully back to allow better access.

2) Pedals, no different I'm affraid, the pedal box across the cars is very similar and you're having a lot of probs a lot of people have - only thing that really changes is the pedal feel and the height of the brake pedal. Narrow sole shoes helps a lot, you have to roll your feet around the pedals too - they are very very close. When I brake I have to roll my clutch foot away - you get used to it. Last time I drove the car I had to do an emergency stop, I missed the brake slightly and couldn't put the power into the pedal and nearly ended up pranging it so be very very careful esp with braking - I've hit the accelerator a few times as well. That said it's by far the easiest car to heel and toe I have ever driven. There is the "never had a problem" crowd but I do have big feet, and you know what big feet means....bigger shoes...

3) Yup the gearbox is knotchy, if you look at the gearchange mechanism it's no real wonder, by design there is not a lot they could have done with it, however during the Esprits life it did have 2-3 gearchange updates. My V8 was alright, my GT3 sometimes struggles with 1st (but only 1st, the rest are fine) and my GT2 is not too shabby.

A lot of them simply need re-adjusting and re-conditioning. I looked at this intensivly and the knotchiness is actually to do with the gearbox - when you select gears there is a sprung ball bearing that keeps the selector in place (or the prung loading of the gearstick etc would pull it out of gear) this is rough - I know a few people have just taken the edge off these knotches and the gearchange becomes silky smooth so it isn't a major issue.......not unless you dont plan on taking the gearbox apart.

All the clunks transmit up the gearchange mechanism rather well, it can be refined but not eliminated unless you disassemble the gearbox.

As for the V8, no the pedal box is the same, seriously buy some driving shoes, or narrow soled shoes and you'll have masses of space. A lot of trainers are wide soled and you will clip the pedals.

Nice daily drive, personally I find the Esprit much less of a chore than the Cerbie, but a lot of people dont like these niche cars. It's something you have to live with, when you string mad corners together and stuff you forgive it's downfalls - however in the rain, or when the car cannot perform the Esprit can be a dog to live with - compared to modern cars it's noisy, harsh and can sometimes be a chore - but I still wouldn't change mine.

Edited October 16, 2009 by Jonathan

[BLUETHUNDER]

Thanks for a detailed answer

Edited October 16, 2009 by Bibs
Mark - Reply stop quoting the previous post, use the 'Add reply' button, not the 'reply with quote' button.

[Kimbers]

Why do you want a nice quiet smooth gearchange from a sports car? Surely you want a notchy clunk short shift like a racing car?

Mine is superb...not quiet at all but it's liek driving a racing car ...of course it is an Exige....

TBH I had

[Laura]

Yes because if you find it difficult to get in and out of an Esprit an Exige is the way to go!

[Bibs]

1) Getting in out - getting hard for me, I used to be a flexible 30 year old, now I'm pushing 32 I'm finding it harder and harder to get in and out comfortably

Serious, even after all your training for the Marines? I'm no waif but I find getting in and out of an Esprit very easy, I can even get in and out of Elise/Exige without a problem. It's all about technique which you adapt to your body. Make sure you use the a-pillar for support and swing yourself in an out, it's tres easy. Go to the doctors too, there's something wrong if you find it a struggle at 32!

[BLUETHUNDER]

A standard setup on a TVR is no match for a Lotus. But many who own TVR,s go for upgrades. A lot go for Nitron adjustables or Ohlins. I on the other hand whet down the Gaz route.A properly speced car will be more than a match for most.

The point was proved at Spa. When some of the German lotus owners were putting their cars in to the tyre wall. The TVR contingent all remained on track. Even managed to get near 160mph down the Kemmel straight in the wet,without any concern. I would love to take an Esprit next year.

Edited October 16, 2009 by BLUETHUNDER

[Bibs]

Mark - Your on an Esprit forum and every single person is going to disagree with you. We own Esprits as we believe that they are the most fun you can have with your pants on and TVRs on the whole don't do it for us, or we'd have TVRs. I tested both my Esprit and a Chimeara when I bought my first Esprit, there was no contest.

Some German Lotus owners may be talentless drivers with poorly setup cars, a million comparisons like this won't make a TVR better than an Esprit in our eyes and such comparisons mean nothing as there are too many variables. To be honest, I've driven some very high performance cars in extreme conditions and still prefer an Esprit. It works for me, it works for all of us which is why we have Esprits in the garage.

Lotus are world reknown for their ride and handling, last year there was a point where every single other large manufacturer in the world (yes, every single one) were using Lotus to help develop their cars. The new GT-R spent 8 months at Lotus being made to go round corners, the new Evora just won Drivers car of the year. Lotus know there stuff when it comes to handling and nothing TVR ever did comes even close.

Lotus have recently developed a Bilstein/Eibach spring and damper solution for your car. I'd recommend it, I'm fitting it myself shortly. This is cutting edge technology and materials, the very latest from the very best manufacturers in the world developed by the best engineers in the world. Put this on your car and I'm sure it will be an improvement on the 17 year old current setup and you can use pistonheads to sell your TVR.

[Kimbers]

SO THERE!! NYAHHHHHHHH

[BLUETHUNDER]

I would like a V8 Esprit. But i will never part with the TVR. I do know how well Lotus is percieved regarding suspension and Chassis set-up. They even had a hand in developing the damper system on the CVRT range of recce vehicles for Alvis.

B.t.w. another thing ive noticed. From time to time there is a strong smell of petrol coming in to the cabin. Do they all do this. Or should i be looking for a fault somewhere???.

[Bibs]

Do a search in the technical areas, it's not uncommon and you need to replace

[BLUETHUNDER]

Thanks

[Guest surferphil]

They do if the fuel lines are broken or fuel tank has a hole in it! serously! Get that one fixed before you end up in a fireball! Nothing to do with Esprit or Lotus this is basic stuff you should not need to be asking about. It's an old car and like any car needs to be looked after (which is different to having money thrown at it). Don't even drive it.

[red vtec]

As an owner of one of the old things i'd love to try a newer one, to see how they compare

But mine is great to drive, yes the pedals are close but I find them ok and I'm a size 10.

getting in and out is fine, I'm about 6ft and 38.

The gear change is not the best but a lot of that is adjustment and lubrication, my bearings were shot, far better now.

It's an old car and most of the issues are from bodged jobs over the past 22 years, wrong bolts, screws etc. I'm going round mine at the mo ment tighting bits up, lubricating bolts etc.

They are great cars for the money. I have full leather, A/C, Electric windows, stunning looks and more than enough performance all for

[Jonathan]

TVRs are not dogs in the handling dept but they are different cars - before Mark gets an earful from you lot remember TVRs are front engine rwd, widely accepted as the easiest car to get to handle right - mid rwds are on paper always going to be better but they are not the easiest cars to get right generally becuase of the physics - if someone makes a 'handling car' they go for mid engine rwd - ende, but when you're used to front engines it can be tricky.

You can't drive a front eng rwd and expect a mid to handle the same without changing your driving style to suit, the main thing people get caught on is the lower grip on the front wheels with a mid engine, you just have to use the breaks more (and conversly watch the rear end more). RW grip and corner exit speeds are higher in a mid engine car, but turn in without breaking is comparitivly bad which can lead to people thinking "oh this is a bit sheet".

I'd always recomend jumping in an S1 Elise, that car tells you all you need to know about mid engines becuase you can feel everything happen - best teacher I ever had.

Bibo - wrt getting in and out, a lot of people who get in and out comment on how hard it is, remember I have the bucket seats, not just affects the actual sliding in and out but your posture, buckets are much more upright, in the GT2 the seat is sloped back quite a bit and it much easier. Parking and not being able to open the door wide open is a pain as well.