1989 Lotus Excel SA

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<table border='0' cellpadding='8'> <tr><td> <a href= 'http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&toolid=10039&campid=5335817684&item=231052677390&vectorid=229508&lgeo=1' target='_blank'><img src='http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/m/mLCc03B-iIC2CZ82dMazyrA/140.jpg' border='0'/></a></td><td><strong>£1,900.00</strong> (0 Bids)<br>End Date: Saturday Sep-21-2013 21:41:37 BST<br><a href='http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=2&toolid=10039&campid=5335817684&item=231052677390&vectorid=229508&lgeo=1' target='_blank'>Bid now</a> | <a href='http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-53481-19255-0/1?ff3=4&toolid=10039&campid=5335817684&vectorid=229508&lgeo=1&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi1.ebay.com%2Fws%2FeBayISAPI.dll%3FMfcISAPICommand%3DMakeTrack%26item%3D231052677390%26ssPageName%3DRSS%3AB%3ASRCH%3AUS%3A104' target='_blank'>Add to watch list</a></td></tr> </table>

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[eliteman]

What do you think of this one guys? Anyone know this car. Slightly off putting is the 13 owners and Auto box, but it must be fairly rare in this colour? Anyone know anything about this car? I've always quite fancied that later excel with the S1 style bonnet grill.

[andydclements]

It's the car that was in Wheeler Dealers, it wasn't chose as the project car on the basis it was an auto they mistakenly thought an auto was less desirable than a manual Excel. May owners will point out the auto 'box in the Excel is equal to the manual.

 

http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5565

 

http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_500680-Lotus-Excel-Type-89-1989.html

[Loose Cannon]

Looks like it's a respray away from being a very nice car indeed. Go for it Liam!

[eliteman]

That's the car. Didn't think it needed that much work to merit being on the show. Interesting, thanks for the info. Going to have a look tomorrow as its in my kind of price range. Cheers.

[eliteman]

Cat C recorded (extensive damage). Worth the £29 AA data check. Mileage discrepancy too. Worth a lot less now.

[eliteman]

Description has been amended....

[Loose Cannon]

The little fibber

[andydclements]

As it's a private sale I don't think the owner is obliged to state whether it's been subject to a total loss, unlike a trader, however it would be wrong to deliberately lie. The seller may not even have been aware it was subject to a total loss, so perhaps the original description was fine, just not complete.

[eliteman]

He did forget to mention about the cracked shell. I can't see how that would slip your mind..... Best to be upfront. If I won it then noticed the damaged shell I wouldn't be happy. Honesty is the best policy.

[Dunc]

It's a different ball game with older glassfibre cars, the most innocuous bump seems to render them as Cat C.

 

I wouldn't be that worried about it being a C or a D. Many cars of this age will have taken a slight hit at some point in their life and the cost of repairing a glassfibre body as opposed to bolting a wing and door onto a steel car, renders many Lotus and TVR's as Cat C's.

 

If the repair was years ago and the car has been on the road for umpteen years since, I'd still take it on.

 

My eclat S1 has a historic crack in the body near the front suspension turret (presumably where the original non galv chassis failed - prompting the galv chassis being fitted). Doesn't worry me in the slightest - yeah, I'd prefer if the crack wasn't there, but I know what it effects on the car - nothing.

 

We shouldn't apply the same rules for glassfibre bodied backbone chassis cars as we do to steel monocoques that have gone on a jig to be repaired.

[eliteman]

Personally I don't think the Excel is that sought after a model to warrant buying a damaged car. I would hate to think that I was driving about in a car that someone may have been seriously hurt in. It would also play on my mind if I was to have an accident in this car it may well not hold up to that of a car that was accident free. I would say this explains the high amount of owners (14) I would guess after a closer inspection of the car and noticing this body damage owners decide to sell it on, before the cracks appear! I would value this Excel at £1000-£1500 and would be mindful that it may be near impossible to sell on. I've had a lot of decent ones and even they have been hard to sell.

[Loose Cannon]

If it was a grand I'd use the chassis for my Elite auto!

[eliteman]

Good idea. Might be worth keeping an eye on it. I'm out further to the cat C damage.