Anyone know this car? V8 GT Target Cars, Netherlands

[Vanya]

To take my mind off the fact it's at least a good month left until my Esprit will hit tarmac again, I do a daily trawl through all sites Esprit keeping a lookout for interesting cars...

 

Among these is of course a V8. Now after my SE I promised myself my next Lotus would either be a garage queen or a ridiculously well taken care of regular driver (the latter of which is the hardest to find). Despite this, the wheeler-dealer bargain hunter in me can't quite resist the temptation of a cheap Esprit. One which I keep coming back to in my searches is this:

 

http://www.targetcars.eu/cars/lotus-esprit-v8-3-5l-gt-05-99-blue-54239miles.html

 

I've read about Target Cars - a lot of their vehicles are crash damaged and then repaired prior to resale but that seems to apply mostly to the Elises. This Esprit, I have no clue about. They are supposedly forthcoming with regard to vehicle provenance and will tell you if it's a CAT write-off if asked outright.

 

So before I go and book a weekend trip to Eindhoven, has anyone else seen this car up close? At that price (and it's been up there for a few years, I'm guessing standing and rusting in their warehouse) I could be tempted into taking a closer look...

 

Cheers in advance for any insights!

 

 

 

 

[hopo]

"can't quite resist the temptation of a cheap Esprit"

No such thing mate!

[lotus-62]

Vanya maybe some dutch member can have a look?

I'm in Germany at the moment but when I drive home friday AND I can make it on time I am willing to have a look just tell me the questions I need to ask....

[Vanya]

"can't quite resist the temptation of a cheap Esprit"

No such thing mate!

 

- This is so true it's not even funny. One way or another, you end up paying.

 

 

Vanya maybe some dutch member can have a look?

I'm in Germany at the moment but when I drive home friday AND I can make it on time I am willing to have a look just tell me the questions I need to ask....

 

- That's really nice of you Rick! I think I'll mail them first though! If they say "we don't have any service history/previous owner information" then I suppose I will just run from it as I would the plague. OR take a road trip hehehe.

[rudolphwolven]

Ref: Target Cars Holland

 

This company is closed every Saturday and Sunday.

All prices are fixed, no discounts, no guarantee, test drives not possible.

On the Dutch and Belgian internet potential customers that visited this company generally give (strong) warnings (as "stay away" and "beware for scams") about the difference in published (and by tel. contact confirmed) condition of the cars and the reality they found in the shop of his company. (tel: "excellent", in reality "mess")

TCH generally buys their cars from several UK damaged car collectors.

 

http://www.lotusforum.be/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=1057

 

http://www.driving-fun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=11413&start=25

Edited February 10, 2014 by Ruud

[plumdeplakmuis]

I have visited target once for a Elise,

Vehicles are all imported, and in stock without a Dutch numberplate. Therefore you can't testdrive them on the road. 

But they let you take a "very" small drive on their premises.

 

My feeling is that their not to dishonest, all cars seem to be as-is bought from the UK or other countires. And 

don't seen to be fiddled with by Target. Most of them look like they have just being abandonned by their owner.

Their business model looks like buy from overseas, ship, put on stock. Thats it. They don't even bother to make a sales pitch to you.

 

It can be ok, I think what you see is what you get. The real risk seems in the party who have sold the car to Target.

[Vanya]

Thanks for a the info guys! I've also received a PM confirming much of the above and it was as I suspected.

I think I will leave the GT as a last resort: however I still migh make the journey with an Esprit expert if need be and let him be the judge of how risky it is.

However a V8 with no service history sounds dodgy. I should probably just wait out a good one.

[malford]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but this V8 is still for sale in Eindhoven.

I contacted the seller over the weekend and asked about the CAT D classification and if he had details of the repair that were carried out and all he could say was the car was repaired many years ago in the UK and they were told right front wing and right door were damaged and had no structural damage.

They forwarded me a scan of the V5 which shows the last owner to be "international limo sales" in Gravesend who acquired the vehicle on 19/07/2010.

The car hasn't been Taxed or MOT'd since February 2009..

Has anyone got any other info on this car?

[redshift]

I think words like 'touching' and 'bargepole' spring to mind. That car has been there for donkeys years.

TCH seem to have acquired a reputation on many car forums that is less than positive.

 

50 euro more and you can have this:

 

http://www.autoscout24.com/offers/lotus-esprit-sport-350-rhd-gasoline-silver-240336869

[malford]

Thanks for the link Redshift

[malford]

Recieved some feedback from the V8 350 in Berlin.

Its a CAT D registered in 2009 and has been in 2 serious accidents one of which involved rear suspension damage and a new engine 14k miles ago.

The rear wing needs respraying and a few minor scuffs.Its currently on its 9th owner... might give that one a miss to be honest... the search goes on

 

 

[Vanya]

For that price it might be worth having an expert inspect the chassis for damage and give it a good going over. Number of owners means nothing if they've all been ambitious during their ownership and kept up with maintenance. 350's really don't grow on trees and the wheels alone will net you a tidy profit if you want to claw back some money and put AWI Monoblocs on it (or Saturns = cheapy cheapy).

 

But I do understand your trepidation... 

[steve930]

With that 350 I'd be thinking along the lines of trying to negotiate the asking price down a bit more. Buy the brand new chassis lotus have listed in their parts sale for £2000.00 and do a chassis swop!

You mention the car's had a new engine not so long ago, so that's one big ( unknown) taken care of

[redshift]

 

Its a CAT D registered in 2009 and has been in 2 serious accidents one of which involved rear suspension damage and a new engine 14k miles ago.

 

 

Funny that people don't mention little details like that in adverts

[LotuStuart]

I do like the silver 350....

Funny how the advert has a closeup of the binnacle, but not of the rear wing.

[malford]

Pictures of the rear