S3 lotus esprit off eBay. What could go wrong. Read on.

S3 lotus esprit off eBay. What could go wrong. Read on.

Author
Discussion

Byker28i

60,056 posts

218 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Welshbeef said:
He’s going to lose what £5-9k on this Experiance maybe it’s better to put it in the garage and wait some years and then try selling it then when Esprit Turbos are rarer ?
Funk said:
Welshbeef said:
OP must have realised that at Sub £10k that was 1/3rd of the market price of the cheapest (going by autocars for sale currently) surely that in itself would ring bells of deal of the decade here or clearly it’s in need of a fair amount of work.

Similar to say being able to buy an M140i for £6-7k all up clearly something is unusual about that either a pricing error or it’s a major lemon
You're barking. The car's a basket case and the OP was ripped off by the seller who clearly lied to get shot of it.
Nevermind the rust, which is worrying enough, the roof damage and lack of sunroof means it been crashed and the roofs deformed at some point, hence the glass stcuk in with bathroom sealant to keep the weather out.

Sure it can be restored, but it'll cost so much money it won't be worth it. Seller says he'll take it back and refund, I'd be doing that and take a hit on the transportation costs only. At the same time I'd be booking an Irish long weekend for me and the missus so we can collect the money in person.

InitialDave

11,924 posts

120 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Byker28i said:
Sure it can be restored, but it'll cost so much money it won't be worth it. Seller says he'll take it back and refund, I'd be doing that and take a hit on the transportation costs only. At the same time I'd be booking an Irish long weekend for me and the missus so we can collect the money in person.
I think most of us are working on the principle that everything said by the seller is blatant lies.

Really hope for the OP that's not the case, but this entire story has followed the script of the archetypical dodgy deal to the letter.

Andy OH

1,906 posts

251 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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OP, any update on the seller contacting you or you contacting him?

KevinCamaroSS

11,641 posts

281 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Welshbeef said:
But a 66%+ discount off the next cheapest £20k saving and outright spend of Sub £10k seems either no knowledge or even basic 2 min check of for sale prices in the market place.
But it is not a 66% saving. The £29K cars are limited edition S4s, not a common S3. Did you not do your homework? An S3 is worth less than a limited edition S4 by a considerable margin. I used to work for a Lotus dealer back in the day, the OP's car, inmho, is beyond economic recovery with a starting price like that. To me it needs a new bodyshell and probably chassis. I agree with the other posters on the damage, it is beyond anything caused by normal circumstances.

EazyDuz

2,013 posts

109 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Would there be any money in the OP breaking the car for parts on ebay?

Hammer67

5,737 posts

185 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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It's also a Cat C so will always be devalued and worth less than the going rate for something straight.

It will also limit it's market to buyers who are prepared to engage with rebuilt write offs.

Many people, and I'm one, who, regardless of any other consideration, simply will not.

Good luck OP, brave of you to come on here with such a tale of self destruct, hope it works out.

Jasandjules

69,922 posts

230 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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This is a car really for someone who

1. Loves the Lotus Esprit
2. Fancies restoring one
3. Has the time and money to do so....

BertBert

19,063 posts

212 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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I know it's in the spirit of PH to have a go at the OP. But I still can't find it in me to believe that OP really did this. The Esprit is an egregious money pit at the best of times even when they were new. And the OP didn't even HPI it?

Are you having us on OP? biggrin

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

199 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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BertBert said:
I know it's in the spirit of PH to have a go at the OP. But I still can't find it in me to believe that OP really did this. The Esprit is an egregious money pit at the best of times even when they were new. And the OP didn't even HPI it?

Are you having us on OP? biggrin
If he is then 1 month ban is the position but I doubt it.

Then again throwing ten bags of sand on an unseen car which is known to be lots of trouble usually serious is either filthy rich or ...

mbcx4jrh

122 posts

121 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Given the trader is at a funeral he's spending a lot of time trying to get in touch with the buyer of cortina he had for sale...

sc0tt

18,054 posts

202 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Welshbeef said:
BertBert said:
I know it's in the spirit of PH to have a go at the OP. But I still can't find it in me to believe that OP really did this. The Esprit is an egregious money pit at the best of times even when they were new. And the OP didn't even HPI it?

Are you having us on OP? biggrin
If he is then 1 month ban is the position but I doubt it.

Then again throwing ten bags of sand on an unseen car which is known to be lots of trouble usually serious is either filthy rich or ...
Did you get a 1 month ban for your pretend porsche or a ban for the non existent s2000?

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

199 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
quotequote all
sc0tt said:
Welshbeef said:
BertBert said:
I know it's in the spirit of PH to have a go at the OP. But I still can't find it in me to believe that OP really did this. The Esprit is an egregious money pit at the best of times even when they were new. And the OP didn't even HPI it?

Are you having us on OP? biggrin
If he is then 1 month ban is the position but I doubt it.

Then again throwing ten bags of sand on an unseen car which is known to be lots of trouble usually serious is either filthy rich or ...
Did you get a 1 month ban for your pretend porsche or a ban for the non existent s2000?
Yes.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

199 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
quotequote all
Welshbeef said:
sc0tt said:
Welshbeef said:
BertBert said:
I know it's in the spirit of PH to have a go at the OP. But I still can't find it in me to believe that OP really did this. The Esprit is an egregious money pit at the best of times even when they were new. And the OP didn't even HPI it?

Are you having us on OP? biggrin
If he is then 1 month ban is the position but I doubt it.

Then again throwing ten bags of sand on an unseen car which is known to be lots of trouble usually serious is either filthy rich or ...
Did you get a 1 month ban for your pretend porsche or a ban for the non existent s2000?
Yes.
I’m not sure who the MOD was but Garlik has his RS2 at the time and he commented at the end of the thread and shut it so it’s likely him.

Nincompoop

212 posts

186 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Re Welshbeef's rosy notion that chucking a few grand into it will realise the OP a magnificent profit. (OP, if you happen to read this please accept my condolences)

La Liga said:
it’s ‘wrong’ because you are in no position to judge how much it’ll actually cost to restore, and whether that cost will ever be covered by what it subsequently will then be worth.
Happy to oblige, if not for your sake, LL, then at least advise our "ffrind cig eidion Cymreig"

If we're examining a full restoration...

I send a dozen or so such estimates out each week, and my nose sniffs out an easy 6-800 hours in labour - assuming that that A post hasn't rendered the game unplayable anyway.

Taking the lower figure, a reputable restorer costing, say, £75/hr will relieve you of the thick end of forty-five grand for that work. If at the upper end... Well, do the maths. Parts, materials & consumables, outsourced processes & engineering, and so on; another twenty to twenty-five thousand. Then add VAT!

At the end of all that painful wallet bashing you'd have a perfect - but still Cat 'C' registered (iirc) - not especially sought-after Esprit.

OP, I have bought cars unseen and on trust, and have had highs and lows. Don't give yourself too hard a time, if it had come off as planned we'd all be applauding you right now!

All best.

Nincompoop.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

199 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
quotequote all
Nincompoop said:
Happy to oblige, if not for your sake, LL, then at least advise our "ffrind cig eidion Cymreig"

If we're examining a full restoration...

I send a dozen or so such estimates out each week, and my nose sniffs out an easy 6-800 hours in labour - assuming that that A post hasn't rendered the game unplayable anyway.

Taking the lower figure, a reputable restorer costing, say, £75/hr will relieve you of the thick end of forty-five grand for that work. If at the upper end... Well, do the maths. Parts, materials & consumables, outsourced processes & engineering, and so on; another twenty to twenty-five thousand. Then add VAT!

At the end of all that painful wallet bashing you'd have a perfect - but still Cat 'C' registered (iirc) - not especially sought-after Esprit.

OP, I have bought cars unseen and on trust, and have had highs and lows. Don't give yourself too hard a time, if it had come off as planned we'd all be applauding you right now!

All best.

Nincompoop.
As in possibly 5months solid full time work for a restorer?

Eddieslofart

1,328 posts

84 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Cold said:
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?
Certainly not this Welshbeef fella, not a clue about anything, and even less about everything outside that. But he’s well known for it.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

199 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
quotequote all
Eddieslofart said:
Certainly not this Welshbeef fella, not a clue about anything, and even less about everything outside that. But he’s well known for it.
Sweet smelling cheeks why not address Colds request.

Eddieslofart

1,328 posts

84 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Welshbeef said:
Sweet smelling cheeks why not address Colds request.
Quit while your behind, because you can’t get much further backwards.

Go and look at the pictures of the subject car, OP has about 45p worth of Lotus, so he’s 9 bar out of pocket, as said prior, one born every minute....

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

199 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
quotequote all
Eddieslofart said:
Welshbeef said:
Sweet smelling cheeks why not address Colds request.
Quit while your behind, because you can’t get much further backwards.

Go and look at the pictures of the subject car, OP has about 45p worth of Lotus, so he’s 9 bar out of pocket, as said prior, one born every minute....
3 posters have raised the challenge is this whole thread a wind up? It’s really unclear / would seem an epic brain fart to buy a £10k unseen lots of trouble usually serious 30 year old car.



Sebring440

2,017 posts

97 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2018
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Welshbeef said:
3 posters have raised the challenge is this whole thread a wind up?
Well you're the expert on this sort of thing.

If you were thinking of starting another of your completely fabricated fantasy threads about purchasing a car, fully expecting people to believe you, would you do it the way the OP of this thread has?

Come on now, you are the resident PH fantasy thread / wind up master, so what is you opinion?