WOW! cheers badapple, will make enquiries on this later today - Estimate TBA !!

£19k too much Well what I mean is, for me financially.
I cna get insurance cover though, so thats good - and can use a classic car policy - £250 isnt that bad

Hello, well I will say around £12 - £15k. But this maybe a little bit under and if it means I have to wait for the right one, then I will have to wait.

At the end of the day, its been a dream, but it may become reality at some point. And I am not in an immediate rush, because I think it is probably important to take my time over this.

There is also a club I discovered that helps out. Looks like i have to pay, but it could well be money well spent, if it contains LC owners who can offer guidance, support or even some free advice.

So I will keep the options open.

I really think £14000 is all you should have to pay to own a good Lotus Carlton with reasonable mileage. Anymore than that and I'd want something that was concours.

Remember a car's real value is what someone is willing to pay.

Also I'd rather have one that's done 70,000 miles than one that has done 10,000.

Got mine out today after its winter hibernation.

I'd travelled about 2 miles before someone nodded, smiled and took a pic on his phone....owning an LC is like driving a celebrity...

And all this talk of values....mines insured for 27k - the 40 grand one in the trader helped me with that....

Ian - long time no speak, saw RB today :-)

As a celebrity hero, the LC status is undoubted - and as for running costs - get a good one and its reliable. Had mine 5 years and its broken down once (broken clutch pin, probably the commonest problem with them) - and given me many miles of awesome motoring.

Will probably never sell it.



As a guide to people here thinking about buying one heres a list of the commonest problems (mileages at which done on my car taken from the history)

Clutch Pivot pin (12k, 50k, 77k (uprated pin fitted at 77k wont break again)
Head Gasket - (55k, previous owner noted coolant loss)
Turbos - (75k, one had got slightly noisy)
Clutch replacement - (60k)
Bellhousing replacement (30k, 60k)
Timing chain/guides/sprockets replacement (64k, uprated items, important this is done as standard items prone to failure causing major damage to engine)
Electric Water Pump Vacuum circuit repaired - (79k, today!) Important for post blat cooling of engine and turbos.
Serviced every year - costs about £100 in parts.

I bought it at 63k in Jan 2003, with almost everything done....be aware low mileage examples will probably not have had many of the common problems sorted out - parts are tricky, but being part of the ABS club helps alot..theyre remanfacuring alot of previously unavailable items now.

Paul

The ol' bangers not bad is she....

Ok, lets put the car in perspective as the reason I never went for one was running costs.

Using genuine parts and doing a regular 15K a year, what would you expect the car to cost you?

The failures on the car above put me off as they are just not what I class as reliable enough imo, but, I know if I drove one I would be driving it home.

Dave!

Hi Paul - nice to see you still have the LC - still looks as good as ever

Good summary of typical faults too

I don't think I could consider using one now for 15K a year motoring - the biggest cost would be fuel and tyres.

But head gaskets are a 60-80 replacement so you would need to factor that into the costings

I think one of the ABS cars had 193K miles 93 car and the servicing costs came to £35K for that mileage and time the previous owner had the car

My dream is over for now - cannot get funds and needed elsewhere.

Never mind