S3 lotus esprit off eBay. What could go wrong. Read on.
Discussion
lost in espace said:
The lack of interior pictures put me off the advert straight away. I did the same with a Landy I owned 20 years ago, bought it unseen and had it delivered. Never been so disappointed when I saw it, sold it for what I paid luckily and an USAF guy exported it to the USA fully restored. Probably worth 40 grand over there, I sold it for a grand.
Your not from the lincoln area are you. We have just had our US exchange pilot return to the USA about 3 months ago with a fully restored series Landy and a TVR. There is very nice Lotus Esprit 2.2 S4 GT Championship Ltd Edition on Auto Trader for £28,500 with similar mileage. It looks pretty mint and has had £10k spent over the past 5 years.
Would this be worth £25k fully restored? Could you do it for £15k?
What would Mike Brewer do?
Would this be worth £25k fully restored? Could you do it for £15k?
What would Mike Brewer do?
Edited by Helicopter123 on Sunday 20th May 16:57
Helicopter123 said:
Their is very nice Lotus Esprit 2.2 S4 GT Championship Ltd Edition on Auto Trader for £28,500 with similar mileage. It looks pretty mint and has had £10k spent over the past 5 years.
Would this be worth £25k fully restored? Could you do it for £15k?
Op and everyone else isn’t responding to these questions. Would this be worth £25k fully restored? Could you do it for £15k?
It’s an epic car that can be saved. Sure he’s been done on the buy though given a glance at used prices if it was a great one for £9.8k he’s getting it for 1/3rd the price of the next cheapest so unless OP has no idea of used prices he must have known it was fubar or the deal of the centuary.
Welshbeef said:
Op and everyone else isn’t responding to these questions.
It’s an epic car that can be saved. Sure he’s been done on the buy though given a glance at used prices if it was a great one for £9.8k he’s getting it for 1/3rd the price of the next cheapest so unless OP has no idea of used prices he must have known it was fubar or the deal of the centuary.
It would certainly worth drawing up a detailed list of what is needed, then part prices (donor car?). Can the OP wield a spanner, maybe for part of the work?It’s an epic car that can be saved. Sure he’s been done on the buy though given a glance at used prices if it was a great one for £9.8k he’s getting it for 1/3rd the price of the next cheapest so unless OP has no idea of used prices he must have known it was fubar or the deal of the centuary.
I have to say, when you look at how many cars have appreciated, I can only see a good Esprit heading north. There is an S1 on Auto-trader for £70k. It look stunning, but the later cars are far better machines.
Helicopter123 said:
It would certainly worth drawing up a detailed list of what is needed, then part prices (donor car?). Can the OP wield a spanner, maybe for part of the work?
I have to say, when you look at how many cars have appreciated, I can only see a good Esprit heading north. There is an S1 on Auto-trader for £70k. It look stunning, but the later cars are far better machines.
I’m guessing a full professional respray is what £6k? I have to say, when you look at how many cars have appreciated, I can only see a good Esprit heading north. There is an S1 on Auto-trader for £70k. It look stunning, but the later cars are far better machines.
Engine work ???
Interior that could be £ but frankly you could do that bit over years as long as it was functional inside kick the £ down the road.
Brakes fuel tank brake pipes fuel line tyres discs are all consumables so might be what? £1.5_2k
OEM enhausr might be £1k?
Suspension all components again must be considered consumables so £2k all done.
The welding and making good of natal Work has to be the big unknown.
OP come on light that petrol head in you save this lovely car. Heck piston head crowd fund if you like
Welshbeef said:
I’m guessing a full professional respray is what £6k?
Engine work ???
Interior that could be £ but frankly you could do that bit over years as long as it was functional inside kick the £ down the road.
Brakes fuel tank brake pipes fuel line tyres discs are all consumables so might be what? £1.5_2k
OEM enhausr might be £1k?
Suspension all components again must be considered consumables so £2k all done.
The welding and making good of natal Work has to be the big unknown.
OP come on light that petrol head in you save this lovely car. Heck piston head crowd fund if you like
All Lotus parts are ruinously expensive. Plus Lotus were notorious for using whatever was to hand, Gearboxes out of the Renault 19, there are very very few left. Plus for reasons of weight they used odd components and shapes, they are NOT easy to restore.Engine work ???
Interior that could be £ but frankly you could do that bit over years as long as it was functional inside kick the £ down the road.
Brakes fuel tank brake pipes fuel line tyres discs are all consumables so might be what? £1.5_2k
OEM enhausr might be £1k?
Suspension all components again must be considered consumables so £2k all done.
The welding and making good of natal Work has to be the big unknown.
OP come on light that petrol head in you save this lovely car. Heck piston head crowd fund if you like
On the other hand, they are lovely, and some nice brown velour on the interior will make it full of awesome.
Gargamel said:
Plus Lotus were notorious for using whatever was to hand, Gearboxes out of the Renault 19, there are very very few left. Plus for reasons of weight they used odd components and shapes
No different from TVR then. Or, indeed, any low volume manufacturer. Assuming the OP wants to press ahead with the restoration, then the various Lotus forums (both here on PH, and also their own websites) would be the place to go for advice.
Either that or sell it on "as is" as a restoration project and take the hit on the price.
Or do a halfway house - fix the most horrendous things like the abomination that is the sunroof, and then sell it on as an honest restoration project.
Gargamel said:
All Lotus parts are ruinously expensive. Plus Lotus were notorious for using whatever was to hand, Gearboxes out of the Renault 19, there are very very few left. Plus for reasons of weight they used odd components and shapes, they are NOT easy to restore.
On the other hand, they are lovely, and some nice brown velour on the interior will make it full of awesome.
You’d think a Lotus member would buy up all be factory stock of Renault 19 boxes plus as many solid ones as possible in scrap R19’s. On the other hand, they are lovely, and some nice brown velour on the interior will make it full of awesome.
But even so a gearbox is repairable - I guess currently it’s a case of replacement is simply eye wateringly cheaper than repair but a time will come when that’s not he case.
Do Lotus themselves do full but and bolt restorations? Might be a consideration.
As with any classic or rare car, there are very few problems that have not been encountered before. There will be well-documented solutions, such as suitable alternative gearboxes or common known faults and how to repair them.
Or if originality is not a concern, there was a guy featured in Practical Performance Car who took a similarly dilapidated Esprit and replaced the entire engine and drivetrain with an Audi 4.2 V8 and gearbox.
Or if originality is not a concern, there was a guy featured in Practical Performance Car who took a similarly dilapidated Esprit and replaced the entire engine and drivetrain with an Audi 4.2 V8 and gearbox.
t when it comes to Lotus? If you don't know much about the marque why not just keep quiet instead showing the world that you're a bit of a doofus? Vaud said:
EazyDuz said:
Not sure why so much love for it, quite an ugly car IMO and in a dreadful colour.
It is a bit of a marmite car. I never used to like it but then got to drive one in ~1993 and was quite taken by it.The V8 (GTS?) very very nice but nothing wrong with the Turbo. Le Mans entry car too... what is not to like? Possibly if your too tall you’d not be able to drive it
No offence to Welshbeef but can anyone else back up what he is saying about how it's basically a diamond in the rough?
To the untrained eye it looks like a disaster zone, and the OP sounds like the sort of person who just wants a functional car, and isn't really looking for (or skilled to handle) a serious project such as this.
There is also the issue of how you feel about it too. The OP didn't buy this car knowing it would be a project, he bought it with expectations that it was something other than what it is based on the sellers (fraudulent) description of it. In that context he's probably looking at it with a degree of resignation, and isn't mentally prepared for what is going to be involved in getting it even up to the spec that he thought he was getting.
To the untrained eye it looks like a disaster zone, and the OP sounds like the sort of person who just wants a functional car, and isn't really looking for (or skilled to handle) a serious project such as this.
There is also the issue of how you feel about it too. The OP didn't buy this car knowing it would be a project, he bought it with expectations that it was something other than what it is based on the sellers (fraudulent) description of it. In that context he's probably looking at it with a degree of resignation, and isn't mentally prepared for what is going to be involved in getting it even up to the spec that he thought he was getting.
Durzel said:
No offence to Welshbeef but can anyone else back up what he is saying about how it's basically a diamond in the rough?
Has anyone on here displayed any knowledge of Esprits?The situation is unfortunate but the discussion is being compounded by misinformed nonsense of the marque and this model.
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