How long have you owned your Esprit?

[GordonMasson]

Just something that occurred to me the other day when someone asked me when I bought my car

[Mark Blanchard]

I'm afraid I'm a new comer in comparision to you. 23 years for an Esprit Owner must be a record.

Bought mine in April 2002 and enjoyed every minute.

[GordonMasson]

I'm afraid I'm a new comer in comparision to you. 23 years for an Esprit Owner must be a record.

Bought mine in April 2002 and enjoyed every minute.

I would be very surprised if that was the case Mark, surely there would be a few people who still have their S1's from new???

[esprit22]

Bought mine back in 92, I think, had to wait a year for the guy to sell it to me. At that time there seemed to be a lot of "crap" for sale, was very hard to find a cared for car. Dont regret buying my car one bit, and it's NOT true that I love it more than my wife!!!

[Kato]

Feb 2001 for LEW's Esprit! And LEW for that matter!

[Bibs]

I got mine in Sept 2001 after 6 years waiting for my pal to sell it to me

[Tentenths]

A mere beginner compared to you lot - Jan 2006

[mwmackenzie]

I've had mine since 1999 so over 7 years now.. Bought when I was 23 and bought a 1999 v8 in 2000 but sold that when I got a ban for speeding, Kept my original one and spent most of the money from the v8 on it.. now owes me in excess of

[WayneB]

July 2000

It had had 5 previous owners (all leasing companies)

I have a few other cars, but the Esprit seems to combine all the things I wanted and liked in an exotic car.

1. Styling I never tire of by the worlds best car designer, Giugiaro

2. Great performance and handling (that can actually be used on the road)

3. Hand built and engineered by good English blokes I admire greatly

4. Colin Chapman, Lotus grand prix pedigree

5. Very rare over here.

6. Reminds me of the 80s! (when I had brown hair)

[chandrab]

For me it's been:

exactly 2 years owning an Esprit

but:

4 years looking around

10 years owning a service manual

23 years waiting to own one

-Chandra

91 Esprit SE

[Jussi]

It was 11.9.2004 when I made a deal from my car First time I saw it for sell was 29.8.2004.

Why I bought it? Cause Jussi2 and Heli told me to do it Have I regret it? Never

First picture in my garage:

[leighton]

I have owned my present V8 for 18 months , but have been driving Esprit since 1982 .

I have owned 4 in total since then - S2 , S3 , S3 Turbo

and now my V8

[RichardN]

I've had mine over 10 years now. When I went to pick it up from the dealer I took my new lady friend on her first date with me (aren't I the old romantic?).

She must have been impressed because one marriage and two kids later and they are still both with me. As my wife now tells me...

"You were lucky. You got a high maintenance car but a low maintenance wife".

That's why I married her!!!

Richard

[Splashout]

I think it was 1999/2000 anyway I was fresh out of uni no ties as had managed to do uni single (the only sensible way ). I decided that I wanted a fun car so started looking.

I didn't have any make or model in mind looked at many things and ruled them all out including an M100 elan.

Went to see an esprit and when the garage opened I was sold

Anyway this was before LEW was around and it ended up biting me in the arse (and wallet) but that's another story and some on here will know how close I have come to giving up on it on more than one occasion, but whats more is that I have just had my first complete break down free and probably best year so far.

Edited December 20, 2006 by Splashout

[snuffy]

1st : S3 - 4 years

2nd : Turbo - 2 years

3rd : GT3 - 6 years

4th : Sport 350 - 2 years

14 years in total from 23. And now a Noble.

[Guy W Johnson]

I have had mine for about 16 years, that does include my dad owning the car.

Guy

[slade]

...almost four years to the day. (bought it new years eve of '02 I recall)

When I was 17 actually. Which only just sounds really bad now Call it a midlife crisis. Saved up over a few years by taking advantage of McDonald's penchant for violating child labor laws.

Come to think of it though, it's taken me THIS long to really get the thing sorted and finally get all its issues fixed It's a worthwhile pursuit though, these cars...

(now I just have to get it cosmetically a bit better...)

[GordonMasson]

I've had mine over 10 years now. When I went to pick it up from the dealer I took my new lady friend on her first date with me (aren't I the old romantic?).

She must have been impressed because one marriage and two kids later and they are still both with me. As my wife now tells me...

"You were lucky. You got a high maintenance car but a low maintenance wife".

That's why I married her!!!

Richard

I had my car long before i met my wife but when we went out for the first time i thought long and hard about taking the Esprit because i didnt want to look like i was showing off.

In the end i took the Esprit and in true Esprit form, i had trouble getting it into reverse once ........or twice

Neither she or i mentioned the car at all for the whole evening.

The result....... she enjoyed the date but thought since i had a job getting the car into reverse that i had borrowed the car to try to impress her

"High maintenance"... well after 23 years with an S1 anything else is low maintenance!!... BUT "she" still looks fantastic today... to expand on that would be simply foolish

Edited December 20, 2006 by GordonMasson

[Paul C]

Jan 1999 i bought the S3 N/A, spent six months between esprits

chasing dogs while looking for an SE, but have had an Esprit since

1999 apart from that.

Am gald i bought a house first, or i'd still be with folks, as the first

Esprit's bills deffo stopped me being able to move for a few years...

[GordonMasson]

Jan 1999 i bought the S3 N/A, spent six months between esprits

chasing dogs while looking for an SE, but have had an Esprit since

1999 apart from that.

Am gald i bought a house first, or i'd still be with folks, as the first

Esprit's bills deffo stopped me being able to move for a few years...

I bought my car when i was a young lad with no house, no wife and no kids but i worked offshore and had money to burn.... which was just as well

Never have counted the cost but i know for sure it would buy a nice house.

However... would i do the same again YES YES YES YES YES !!!!!!!

[williamives]

I've nearly had mine for 3 years (will be 3 years in January...)

Luckily I've been driving a Lotus as my everyday car since 1999. Had a S1 and S2 elise before the esprit.

Will

[esprits4de]

Was actually trying to buy a SE, when I saw the S4 with 7000 Km on the clock in the papers.

After convincing the guy to sell it at a reasonable price ( he was something like 65 at the time ) for about 4 months, I finally bought her on the 5th of April 1998. A little pre-bitrthday present to myself ! I love treating myself.....

So 8 1/2 years and about 17000 Km later we are still in love. And many years to come.

[shadeone]

wow, 23 seems to be a popular number on here!

i got mine april of this year and im currently 23 years old

shade

[lince]

13 months of ownership in this time it had made me happier than any other car and has already used the $$$$$$ of at least 5 year of ownership than any other car but I LOVE MY CAR

[arbell9]

I got mine November 2006, still a fresh faced newbie (well still a newbie!). I have done just over 1200 miles since then and its been my main car to and from work (~30 mile day).

Its top banana

A.