Merrits open day

[Jonathan]

Umm just opened a letter I had on the side for a week or so

Last year a few of us went to Merrits open day just for a meet more than enything but turned out to be a good really laugh - the letter is an invite to the next open day, this time they're laying on an Exige S to play with (the mental 0-60 in 4.1 sec one).

We drank the Jaguar garage dry of coffee and filled our faces at the Lotus BBQ and hooned their cars

1st April 9am till 5pm.

Merrits is in Amersham, buckinghamshirrrrrre (NW londony)

Front and centre chaps + chapesses

[lrg_machine]

YA beat me to it !

I was going to mention this today, got a letter as well, and a play in a SUPERCHARGED Exige sounds like a splendid plan.

Might not be there until midday"ish" though

[Jonathan]

tbh it's not worth getting there early unless you wanna book the test drive - mid day was about the time we all got there last year iirc.

[Paul C]

We both got these letters too

Note if you want to be guaranteed a test drive you need to phone

the guy before the day itself. Also note it's on april fools day, so it

might turn out to be a matchbox Exige or something.

[jase7678]

I'll be there

[Guest Chelsea Martyn]

Count me in.

[Jonathan]

Slight downer on last year, except the weather was great - same excellent hospitality though. Very light on the Esprit front, only Jase, myself and another chap who went early in a yellow V8 (thought it was you Martyn).

Sorry about the poor quality of the images, some numpty left the camera on ISO 1600 so they're all grainy and Nikon messed the metering up when it was repaired (new camera on order).

The Exige is a wonderful looking car imo, the S just looks incredible and my co-pilot wasn't too bad either !

Much more comfy than my S1 although I am not sure on all the add ons, definatly taken the raw edge off the car but in the meantime it'd appeal much more to everyone - handling wise, I thought the Exige was a lot heavier to steer, felt more capable and planted but couldn't corner much quicker than the lighter car.....have to have another drive I think....

It's a much better place to be sat in, revs all the way up (incredible engine...VVT is exactly the same as a end push turbo...brilliant fun) - it is an exceptional car, something not there though...probably size....couldn't swap it for the Esprit.

The 'Expose' was the Elise/exige chassis circuit car...not unlike a 340r but really, it's as bare as you want. They had the soap box racer and the Lotus racing bike there too.

Great hoon afterwards 2 Lotus' + 2 TVRs....noise was brilliant...

Oh the pictures....

Merrits 2006

[lrg_machine]

Yep

Sorry I couldn't make it either today, didn't wake up till gone midday. ( bit of a late one last night, but all in a good cause )

[Paul C]

Glad you had a good day, and the rain held off B)

I was thinking of going but decided not in the end, I drove the Honda

engined Exige last year and although it was very nice, i was not up for

heading out that way to drive another one today, albeit Supercharged.

(Be there like a rat up a drainpipe for a test drive in the new esprit mind!).

Went for a spin in the Esprit instead, until the rain started that is.

TBH i felt guilty not going as we have so many overseas members

who would have loved to have had a go if given the chance...

[Jonathan]

Yeah there were no 'usual suspects' there....the people at Merrits were great and very pleasent as per usual and overall they did a great job.

It's great to see the dealers doing their bit, it's been suggested that was mainly to do with Heath, who was also there and jolly nice chap.

Like to think we done our bit too....we ate their food, drank Jaguar's coffee and hooned their cars....hehe, no, the Esprits were certainly attracting some attention which is good to see - I heard they sold a few cars that morning too B)

Best news of the day is that Lotus are opening a new dealership in Maidstone where I live...could be an ideal place to find an open door, could use the Esprit as a daily then, how cool is that !

[Paul C]

Best news of the day is that Lotus are opening a new dealership in Maidstone where I live...could be an ideal place to find an open door, could use the Esprit as a daily then, how cool is that !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey thats great news Jon, hope there's summink there for you.

I wonder how Maidstone sportscars will cope with the competition?

[Jonathan]

Same problem, the new dealership probably won't be able to do Esprits (if I'm right in thinking Lotus don't train people on them anymore ?) with any sort of expertees as say the place you take yours, Lakeside, Esprit engineering, PNM or other Esprit specialists - we'll have to see.

I get the impression most dealers I talk to want to wash their hands of the 'old' cars now possibly due to build, and the Elise is getting them so much more business, or to simply move on.

Happily the positive message I get from people I talked to today was maintaining and improving service to the customer (dunno why this is such a revelation...surely the customer is gold to any business) - you only have to look into the opinion surveys to find Lotus up there (top 10 wasn't it ?).

Time will tell.

[Jussi]

Thanks Jonathan for sharing the photos

Looks like you had a nice day.

Here's a photo I liked the best:

[Paul C]

Same problem, the new dealership probably won't be able to do Esprits (if I'm right in thinking Lotus don't train people on them anymore ?) with any sort of expertees as say the place you take yours, Lakeside, Esprit engineering, PNM or other Esprit specialists - we'll have to see.

I get the impression most dealers I talk to want to wash their hands of the 'old' cars now possibly due to build, and the Elise is getting them so much more business, or to simply move on.

True,

Unless new dealers import experienced staff, i would not use them.

Steve Williams has been working on Esprits since before mine was

made. No training course, no matter how good, can supply that kind

of knowledge. And as you know too well mate, you don't wanna PAY

someone to read the manuals and have a go, while you pay them...

[Jonathan]

totally agree on both accounts.

My only prob is when I want the book stamped I have a long journey to make, I'm only going to take mine now where there is the experience (probably Lakeside is closest) rather than convenience.

Thanks Jussi - if I got another Elise it'd have to be like this, black with black wheels and black everything (not the silly white indicators) - looks like a stealth fighter B)