Why is the Lotus Esprit not appreciating in value??

[Stelvio1]

TP321 said:

All other classic cars are increasing in value except the Esprit - why?

But the good examples are very much increasing in value

Why do some folk post such uninformed, generalised rubbish on here?

Some wonderful Esprit pictures on here - now where's the one of the bikini blonde standing alongside the white S3 Turbo in the centre of Norwich....

[Impasse]

Stelvio1 said:

But the good examples are very much increasing in value

Why do some folk post such uninformed, generalised rubbish on here?

Some wonderful Esprit pictures on here - now where's the one of the bikini blonde standing alongside the white S3 Turbo in the centre of Norwich....

[TP321]

Stelvio1 said:

But the good examples are very much increasing in value

Why do some folk post such uninformed, generalised rubbish on here?

Some wonderful Esprit pictures on here - now where's the one of the bikini blonde standing alongside the white S3 Turbo in the centre of Norwich....

Back up your comments.....where is your proof that prices that rising?? S3 Turbos have been around the £13k mark for the last 20 years - if they had been rising they would be £30k by now.

[Stelvio1]

Impasse said:

Stelvio1 said:

But the good examples are very much increasing in value

Why do some folk post such uninformed, generalised rubbish on here?

Some wonderful Esprit pictures on here - now where's the one of the bikini blonde standing alongside the white S3 Turbo in the centre of Norwich....

Yay - alas I wager that she has not aged as well

[Stelvio1]

TP321 said:

Stelvio1 said:

But the good examples are very much increasing in value

Why do some folk post such uninformed, generalised rubbish on here?

Some wonderful Esprit pictures on here - now where's the one of the bikini blonde standing alongside the white S3 Turbo in the centre of Norwich....

Back up your comments.....where is your proof that prices that rising?? S3 Turbos have been around the £13k mark for the last 20 years - if they had been rising they would be £30k by now.

I can only comment on my personal experience - I purchased a S3 Turbo Dry Sump for just under £6k 3 years ago (spent £2k on it whilst in my ownership)and sold it to an European buyer last year for £18k - wish my other 'investments' had returned equal return in 2 years

[Mr GrimNasty]

TP321 said:

Back up your comments.....where is your proof that prices that rising?? S3 Turbos have been around the £13k mark for the last 20 years - if they had been rising they would be £30k by now.

Only a few years back they were about the same price as Ferrari 308 GT4s. Look at the price of this bargain Ferrari now - getting really silly!

[swisstoni]

Impasse said:

Stelvio1 said:

But the good examples are very much increasing in value

Why do some folk post such uninformed, generalised rubbish on here?

Some wonderful Esprit pictures on here - now where's the one of the bikini blonde standing alongside the white S3 Turbo in the centre of Norwich....

Ah HAAA !!! On e of the many reasons they should not have pedestrianized Norwich city centre.

[TP321]

Stelvio1 said:

I can only comment on my personal experience - I purchased a S3 Turbo Dry Sump for just under £6k 3 years ago (spent £2k on it whilst in my ownership)and sold it to an European buyer last year for £18k - wish my other 'investments' had returned equal return in 2 years

You just got lucky - don't see other owners being in this position.

[Impasse]

TP321 said:

You just got lucky - don't see other owners being in this position.

Good ones are creeping up - sheds are still shed money.

Sold (1981 dry sump): £19,995 http://www.lotusforsale.com/ads/lotus-esprit-turbo...
Sold (1979 S2 JPS): £15,000 http://www.lotusforsale.com/ads/lotus-esprit-s2-jp...
For Sale (1985 Turbo) £15995 http://www.lotusforsale.com/ads/lotus-esprit-turbo...

[blade7]

J4CKO said:

Fat Albert said:

Moog72 said:

Alex said:

J4CKO said:

Same reason as Porsche 944's aren't really, because they aren't 911's

Seen the price of used 996s recently?

What's your point here? 996 IS a 911 model variant is it not?

Have you seen the value of 944 Turbos recently? Everyone assumed that the collapse in Boxster prices would crush the value of 944s, but the opposite has happened, good 944s, and especially Turbos, are climbing fast

I sold my 944 Turbo at the wrong time! (and my 968 would have been worth 50% more than I paid for it 2.5 years ago if I hadn't stacked it)

Yeah, but its still peanuts compared to the 911's of the Era.

944 turbo prices aren't climbing as fast as some owners with vested interests like to suggest. Unless the car is absolutely mint with very, very low mileage and one or two owners, or is something special like a JMG 3.2 buyers are still very picky at anything over £8k.

[Stelvio1]

TP321 said:

Stelvio1 said:

I can only comment on my personal experience - I purchased a S3 Turbo Dry Sump for just under £6k 3 years ago (spent £2k on it whilst in my ownership)and sold it to an European buyer last year for £18k - wish my other 'investments' had returned equal return in 2 years

You just got lucky - don't see other owners being in this position.

I work hard at my 'luck'

[Oilchange]

Rather more than one might think. Google Images 'racing esprit' and see, there are loads.

otolith said:

Not much race pedigree, but not zero.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Esprit_GT1

[MarshPhantom]

Cool at the time, now I'd much rather have an Alpine GTA which seems like a bargoni compared with the Espirit. Small engines and performance that didn't really match the looks doesn't help the Lotus.

[MarshPhantom]

Cool at the time, now I'd much rather have an Alpine GTA which seems like a bargoni compared with the Espirit. Small engines and performance that didn't really match the looks doesn't help the Lotus.

[Raize]

kev b said:

expensive parts

As far as I can tell, Esprit parts are actually extremely cheap.

[Impasse]

MarshPhantom said:

Cool at the time, now I'd much rather have an Alpine GTA which seems like a bargoni compared with the Espirit. Small engines and performance that didn't really match the looks doesn't help the Lotus.

1989 GTA V6 Turbo. 200bhp, 0-60 in 6.3 secs, 155mph
1989 Esprit SE 264bhp, 0-60 in 4.7 secs, 165mph.

Yep, I can understand your thoughts...

[hondansx]

For me, i love the purity of the early cars. I'll probably get chastised for saying this, but i personally love the modified car featured on Speedhunters a while back.







Back on topic, I do think the lack of an exotic engine hampers the appeal a little. Funnily enough, the above car was meant to be getting an Alfa V6 engine swap.

EDIT: Found a clip! Two years on it has the V6 in...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWubfhj49SA

Edited by hondansx on Wednesday 5th November 20:03

[HorneyMX5]

^^^^ nice use of an MX5 Nardi wheel there. I like that apart from the rather excessive camber on the rear.

I want an Esprit but for me it would need to be a late Turbo or V8 for me. Sadly out of my budget.

[kiseca]

Impasse said:

MarshPhantom said:

Cool at the time, now I'd much rather have an Alpine GTA which seems like a bargoni compared with the Espirit. Small engines and performance that didn't really match the looks doesn't help the Lotus.

1989 GTA V6 Turbo. 200bhp, 0-60 in 6.3 secs, 155mph
1989 Esprit SE 264bhp, 0-60 in 4.7 secs, 165mph.

Yep, I can understand your thoughts...

I don't really get why there are so many negative comments about the performance. The Esprits were always quicker than the contemporary Ferraris and Porsches. Then the SE came along and posted standing start and in gear acceleration times that beat the Countach QV! Never mind the V8 which one mag described as a "force of nature".

One thing the Esprit has always been is astonishingly quick for its time and for its power. Even the earliest Turbos, 34 years old now, aren't going to be embarrassed by todays best hot hatches. Unless they break down.

[MC Bodge]

J4CKO said:

Yeah, but its still peanuts compared to the 911's of the Era.

The 996 is in limbo, seems to be considered the idiot ginger stepchild of the 911 line, I have driven a couple and I thought they were great, seems a huge discrepancy where an older 911 with the right letters on the back can command quarter of a million quid and you can get a 996 for 8 grand.

I suspect now is the time to buy 996's, they wont go any lower.

As for the Esprit, it isn't like they are giving them away, they just havent gone mental like old Porsches devoid of a proper cooling system.

A couple of the more interesting used car dealers in The Cheshire Belt seem to get 996s in, and the screen prices always seen cheap. They look like 911-Boxster cut n' shuts and too big, though.

I like the 964, but it seems that others do too, unfortunately ...and the wife isn't keen on swapping her shopping car for an old 944 either, sadly.

I like the early Esprit Turbo. They were desirable to boys in the 80s.
-Maybe their time will come when rich people of my generation (late 30s) hit mid-life crises?