just spotted a Sport 300 for sale

[stephenwhyte]

Posts appear to have been removed interestingly!

[Vanya]

The only write-off rebuild I know of was that chap who had a lime green one that had it rebuilt by Lotus and then sprayed camel yellow....

But that said, every other Esprit seems to have evidence of some kind of crash damage when you look carefully, so it's not entirely unrealistic... 

[superdavelotus]

Hi all,

 

For those who are interested, I've just done a HPi on this car. It comes up clear but do your own checks. I have no interest in this car whatsoever.

 

Regards,

 

 

David

 

 

K30OSP (1).pdf

[The Pits]

Stephen is this a wind-up? Perhaps the facebook poster was getting confused with the Krypton Green car that was extensively rebuilt by Lotus? It was resprayed yellow, used to belong to @Philsport300

It's really bad if that is a mistake because it's doing a good job of putting me off the car! But one post on Facebook is about as far away from concrete evidence as you can get!

[internets]

Do you mean this car ? http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EOwners/KrishnaKandaih_S300.html

Was rebuilt at Lotus in 2001 and cost £52k apparently, "Scandal green" with a blue interior...think it was #16

 

 

[stephenwhyte]

I can't remember the full name of the guy that posted but I do remember his first name being David. He said he remembers the car from years ago and seeing at shows where the guy that owned it never hid the secret it had been written off then rebuilt. He then went on to say it may not have been recorded for whatever reason but the fact was well known at the time and the owner wasn't bothered about people knowing. 

I'll try and see if I can suss out the name of the guy that posted the info......between appointments clearly!

[The Pits]

@internets yes that was the one. Criminal to put a V8 wing on the back. If you want to mess around with an Esprit why start with a Sport 300?! So many have been doctored.

Thanks to some very helpful people on here 004 is all yours Vanya! Imagine, BRG Turbo SE parked next to BRG Sport 300. I'd fly to Sweden just to see that!

[internets]

20 minutes ago, The Pits said:

Criminal to put a V8 wing on the back

you mean like this....

V8 lights too

 

[Bazza 907]

I think the silk red S300 in Aus has also been written off but put back on the road - maybe this is the source of the confusion? 

[Bibs]

My info on this car indicates it has been written off in the past.

[The Pits]

46 minutes ago, internets said:

you mean like this....

V8 lights too

 

Where's the dislike button?

Thank goodness Phil sorted this car out. I'm starting to think it's better to buy a car with honest accident history than one which claims to be squeaky clean!

What's a fair price for a crashed Sport 300? A nut and bolt resto is around £50k which is very reasonable compared to what Aston Martin and others charge.

[Trevsked]

You're right £50k for Resto plus a little more maybe as they get older and parts harder to find. Who gave you the resto price? I think a restored car would be £75k with that mileage perhaps? If the clock was zero'd at that time perhaps a little more? It's more common now to start the mileage from nothing if the resto has been completed as it should be but of course you would also have the previous history with the car and I think that's acceptable. That particular car assuming no accident damage is more of a refresh case and use it surely and in that context the price is somewhere near what it should be. Think a restoration car needs to be cheaper and worse condition to warrant the full expenditure at current price levels. However if you want one, and given they don't appear often, then why not set aside £100k. If you just want to use it then set aside £65k and be the coolest cat out there.

 

Trevor.

[The Pits]

I'm already the second coolest cat out there Trevor, until you sell the Sport 350 at least .

I have seen a few ballpark estimates for a full restoration from different people around the £50k mark. I should of course not talk the price up but I consider that to be reasonable. Barely viable until more recently of course but could work if someone found a basket case being given away. So this Sport 300 would need to be sold for nearer £25k for the sums to work. Can't see that happening but I just hope the buyer knows the full story with the car. I doubt Cheshire Classic Cars even knows!

 

[nello]

Of no relevance at all but I'd love a Sport300 or 350........................ I think they are the 'Supercar' bargains in the market at the moment.

[Trevsked]

Forgot to say that although they are talking it up in the advert, as Jonny says £13k over 17 years isn't enough to keep one of these in good shape by a country mile. I would have thought double that would be needed on avereage. I spent over £13k in the last 18 months alone on the 350.

 

Trevor.

[Vanya]

5 hours ago, The Pits said:

@internets yes that was the one. Criminal to put a V8 wing on the back. If you want to mess around with an Esprit why start with a Sport 300?! So many have been doctored.

Thanks to some very helpful people on here 004 is all yours Vanya! Imagine, BRG Turbo SE parked next to BRG Sport 300. I'd fly to Sweden just to see that!

I've just sent them an email. I'm not that worried about the mileage, the 910 engine is good for it, but I'm not sure I could be bothered to "start over" with another car that was just like my SE 5 years ago, certainly not for 50 000 pounds. Still, we'll see what they say. 

It's still 15 000 pounds cheaper than the mint Final Edition V8 I recently viewed here in Stockholm, so it has THAT going for it anyway.

4 hours ago, Bibs said:

My info on this car indicates it has been written off in the past.

Hmm. How bad was the damage? Cat D or Cat C? Could you provide more info in a PM? Cheers.  

[march]

10 hours ago, internets said:

 

Do you mean this car ? http://www.lotusespritworld.com/EOwners/KrishnaKandaih_S300.html

Was rebuilt at Lotus in 2001 and cost £52k apparently, "Scandal green" with a blue interior...think it was #16

 

 

 

Is'nt this the one South West Lotus returned back to it's original colour a few years back - and then sold it for the customer?

[Bibs]

It is. 

[Vanya]

Well, dunno if it's as a result of my mail, but they've updated the ad with pictures of the interior and engine bay. 

http://www.cheshireclassiccars.co.uk/classic-cars-for-sale/1993-lotus-esprit-sport-300

The engine doesn't look like its been out. And this thing has probably not been garaged throughout its entire life (note the rust on the reinforcing braces in the engine bay). Also, original swirl pots/header tanks - how some cars still have these, I'll never know. Dare one believe the tanks have been changed? 

I'm pretty sure it's fine to drive as it is and all that, but it reminds me of my Turbo SE 5 years ago. It would be like starting over. And I know roughly what its cost me thus far. My wallet shudders at the prospect of paying the asking price and then having to spend another 20-40 000 pounds straight off the bat. Might be better to wait for a low mileage, slightly better, example and pay 70 000 gbp instead... 

[Chillidoggy]

That interior makes me heave, I couldn't live with it. It looks like they had some material left over from covering some bus seats.

[pete]

don`t think you can tell from those pictures that car has never been garaged. At least interior looks reasonable condition and original. So rare to see one for sale that it is difficult to put a value on it but wouldn`t think it is far out and looks perfectly driveable to me. Why would you need to spend 20+ thousand on it,just drive it

[stephenwhyte]

Just as a side note here is the lime green one now - a tad better I'm sure you'll agree. Now fully restored and back as Lotus originally intended.

[Vanya]

4 hours ago, pete said:

Why would you need to spend 20+ thousand on it,just drive it

That's a fair point, and a healthy attitude to be sure, but with one caveat:

One buys a Lotus for the handling characteristics, and a lot of Esprits out there, while regularly serviced and driven, don't have their suspension components refreshed as required. Perhaps 20 000 GBP is a bit on the extreme end of the scale for simply a suspension refresh and engine rebuild, but it would still land at a hefty sum in addition to the initial outlay. 

For my part, I cannot leave well enough alone. When I took apart my SE suspension I couldn't live with all the caked brake dust on the components and rust - I had to have it shot blasted and electroplated, as it once was. With a Sport 300, I'd have a hard time not doing the same again. It's simply too special a car..... 

[hopo]

Ooooo I thought this was the goat green one. It's not. It's actually bloody lovely! 

 

Wonder what part exchange I could get?

 

 

 

 

for the elise ?

[rocket63]

On 5/27/2017 at 07:47, Vanya said:

Well, dunno if it's as a result of my mail, but they've updated the ad with pictures of the interior and engine bay. 

http://www.cheshireclassiccars.co.uk/classic-cars-for-sale/1993-lotus-esprit-sport-300

The engine doesn't look like its been out. And this thing has probably not been garaged throughout its entire life (note the rust on the reinforcing braces in the engine bay). Also, original swirl pots/header tanks - how some cars still have these, I'll never know. Dare one believe the tanks have been changed? 

I'm pretty sure it's fine to drive as it is and all that, but it reminds me of my Turbo SE 5 years ago. It would be like starting over. And I know roughly what its cost me thus far. My wallet shudders at the prospect of paying the asking price and then having to spend another 20-40 000 pounds straight off the bat. Might be better to wait for a low mileage, slightly better, example and pay 70 000 gbp instead... 

That interior is shocking. looks like my Nans parlour