Elise prices. What's going on?

[fridaypassion]

T_S_M said:

From what you've seen of the market, would you say a manual S3 Exige S for £35k-ish is doable? More than likely a private sale I know rather than dealer.

A roadster definitely would be. I think there are a couple of dealers would be glad to do a deal one the ones sat around. The V6's are recovering I would say now I would possibly be brave and say the price correction is now done with those cars. The V6 has a bit broader appeal in todays market which is really odd given that the Elise is such and "everyman" type car. The V6 attracts a lot more "new" Lotus owners than the Elises do these days. Its a great alternative to a GT4 for 2/3 of the money.

I would really love for the S2 Exiges to stage a bit of a comeback these are in a dip at the moment and again just so few people looking for them which is kind of annoying as thats my personal favourite!

[highway]

I thought Jons green car looked good. But if he was struggling to sell a late S3, imagine what it’s like privately. I avoid the trade normally but getting out of my FE via that route was a good option.

[Puzzles]

I forget just how old these cars are now, the S2 variants are what between 14 and 24(!) years old. And they were niche when they came out.

[johnraiders]

I bought my 111S about 9-10 months ago from Jon, I'd been looking for approx 3 months, prices were highest in March to May then they started to dip.
Lots of Elises for sale today at totally unrealistic prices, lots of them are still there from last year

[John D.]

Puzzles said:

I forget just how old these cars are now, the S2 variants are what between 14 and 24(!) years old. And they were niche when they came out.

They age like a fine wine though.

[otolith]

John D. said:

Puzzles said:

I forget just how old these cars are now, the S2 variants are what between 14 and 24(!) years old. And they were niche when they came out.

They age like a fine wine though.

Nah, you're thinking of an MX-5 there.

(Colour fades, and there's a brown crust all over the bottom)

[573]

fridaypassion said:

A roadster definitely would be. I think there are a couple of dealers would be glad to do a deal one the ones sat around. The V6's are recovering I would say now I would possibly be brave and say the price correction is now done with those cars. The V6 has a bit broader appeal in todays market which is really odd given that the Elise is such and "everyman" type car. The V6 attracts a lot more "new" Lotus owners than the Elises do these days. Its a great alternative to a GT4 for 2/3 of the money.

I would really love for the S2 Exiges to stage a bit of a comeback these are in a dip at the moment and again just so few people looking for them which is kind of annoying as thats my personal favourite!

Thanks for all the honest feedback in this thread, I've just discovered it. Feel free to tell me to get lost asking about a specific car, but I've watched your silver V6 Cup for ages and noted it's rollercoaster price fluctuations. I saw it fail to sell at auction and then how much you offered it for, briefly, afterwards. I'm in the market for one and honestly it's just the colour that stopped me contacting you at the low price it sat at for a while. Why hasn't it sold? Why didn't it sell then? Have you found Cups are more sticky stock generally as the appeal is narrower than a normal car?


As a general point, I find the comparison between 'normal' 911 and GT3 desirability and reflected price such an interesting contrast V Lotus products. Everyone wants the stripped back, focused Porsche and will pay handsomely for it. With Lotus the opposite seems to be the case.

[wildbean]

johnraiders said:

I bought my 111S about 9-10 months ago from Jon, I'd been looking for approx 3 months, prices were highest in March to May then they started to dip.
Lots of Elises for sale today at totally unrealistic prices, lots of them are still there from last year

Id echo this, I've been eyeing the market whilst I sold my Mazda and most of what I see now was for sale in August (long time selling even a well sorted BBR MX5 in this market)

Its definitely favouring buyers at present which suits me, just need the right car to pop up preferably an SC. Although I do see some US owners complaining the heatsoak negates the supercharger bonus over the naturally aspirated 2zz's anyway especially on track so I'm open to be "schooled" on this.

There was a black SC at M&T Motors before Christmas that I missed out on - they tell me it went to Europe to be 3D scanned and cut up for some Porsche project, what a waste of an Elise!

Edited by wildbean on Wednesday 12th March 15:11

[fridaypassion]

573 said:

Thanks for all the honest feedback in this thread, I've just discovered it. Feel free to tell me to get lost asking about a specific car, but I've watched your silver V6 Cup for ages and noted it's rollercoaster price fluctuations. I saw it fail to sell at auction and then how much you offered it for, briefly, afterwards. I'm in the market for one and honestly it's just the colour that stopped me contacting you at the low price it sat at for a while. Why hasn't it sold? Why didn't it sell then? Have you found Cups are more sticky stock generally as the appeal is narrower than a normal car?


As a general point, I find the comparison between 'normal' 911 and GT3 desirability and reflected price such an interesting contrast V Lotus products. Everyone wants the stripped back, focused Porsche and will pay handsomely for it. With Lotus the opposite seems to be the case.

So the cups are an odd one that car is sold now and could have sold it 3 times this week! I think with the V6 cars as per my previous post they attract more new Lotus owners these days than the Elises do and new Lotus people just arent aware of the Lotus Motorsport connection it just doesn't mean anything to a lot of people so they just see it as the Exige without a radio and I want a radio. The V6 Cup should be the same price as a 410 really but they are just underappreciated.

[Shnozz]

fridaypassion said:

So the cups are an odd one that car is sold now and could have sold it 3 times this week! I think with the V6 cars as per my previous post they attract more new Lotus owners these days than the Elises do and new Lotus people just arent aware of the Lotus Motorsport connection it just doesn't mean anything to a lot of people so they just see it as the Exige without a radio and I want a radio. The V6 Cup should be the same price as a 410 really but they are just underappreciated.

Some longstanding Lotus owners also want a radio...

For me, the Exige in its standard form is a hardcore car compared to 99% of cars on the road. There is just about enough practicality to use it for the odd euro trip etc, but delete the radio, plonk a massive fire extinguisher on my Mrs' feet etc and its just too far.

In contrast to Porsche I feel that the GT editions are more noticeably "hardcore" versions of what is otherwise a more refined car in its non-GT form.

[fridaypassion]

Yeah the cups always going to be a stretch too far for many but they should be the RS of the Lotus world the origins of the Motorsport department have just faded away with Lotus's new direction. What company hasn't benefited from having a skunkworks department? Madness that they scrapped it. Maybe one day it will come back.

One slight criticism with the V6 cup is there's little mechanical difference over the regular car where previous Motorsport cars had engine or drivetrain improvements and a bit more to set them apart.

I still think it's the best and coolest V6 it's the only V6 I've personally owned one of.

[giveitfish]

I’m about to enter the fray and put my lovely S3 1.6 CR up for sale. Pricing it is a nightmare though!

[CABC]

giveitfish said:

I’m about to enter the fray and put my lovely S3 1.6 CR up for sale. Pricing it is a nightmare though!

1.6, that'll be a tough sell!! I have one too, and I actually think it's a great driver's car on the public road with TRD box and exhaust. Market wants a 220 though. Luckily, mines a keeper.

[fridaypassion]

giveitfish said:

I’m about to enter the fray and put my lovely S3 1.6 CR up for sale. Pricing it is a nightmare though!

Keep it below 25k you should have a bite or two assuming its low mileage. Seeing these advertised at 30k is just madness but does happen.

[Matty_]

I've always found the Lotus market to be incredibly odd in terms of demand and pricing across the board. The Evora 400 market especially is nuts - prices are all over the shop, and colour is a massive factor - Red and Orange seemingly fetch thousands more.

Jon, that Exige 350 you've got is an absolute bargain in my eyes, I thought it'd be gone this weekend - I'd be interested myself but Red is by far my least favourite Lotus colour....

[Shnozz]

Matty_ said:

I've always found the Lotus market to be incredibly odd in terms of demand and pricing across the board. The Evora 400 market especially is nuts - prices are all over the shop, and colour is a massive factor - Red and Orange seemingly fetch thousands more.

Jon, that Exige 350 you've got is an absolute bargain in my eyes, I thought it'd be gone this weekend - I'd be interested myself but Red is by far my least favourite Lotus colour....

For as long as I can remember with Lotus, the lairy greens and oranges have always commanded a fairly chunky premium over any other colours. The former perhaps pipping the latter but ironically down to scarcity which then suggests as a specced colour they were less popular! Funny old world but then I say that and would have only really wanted those two colours myself and paid the premium for it.....pewter grey was the only other one I would have considered and that didn't seem to give rise to an inflated premium for colour.

[fridaypassion]

Matty_ said:

I've always found the Lotus market to be incredibly odd in terms of demand and pricing across the board. The Evora 400 market especially is nuts - prices are all over the shop, and colour is a massive factor - Red and Orange seemingly fetch thousands more.

Jon, that Exige 350 you've got is an absolute bargain in my eyes, I thought it'd be gone this weekend - I'd be interested myself but Red is by far my least favourite Lotus colour....

It's going Saturday with about 5 people in the queue if it doesn't!

[giveitfish]

CABC said:

1.6, that'll be a tough sell!! I have one too, and I actually think it's a great driver's car on the public road with TRD box and exhaust. Market wants a 220 though. Luckily, mines a keeper.

You're not wrong, it's the ginger step-child of the Lotus world! When you first drive it the engine feels flat, but once you get it out in the countryside above 5000rpm then it all makes sense. I've ended up owning it for 5 years, same as I did my S1.

Full 2ubular so it sounds great, great gearbox and engine response is perfect for heel and toe. It really rewards flat out driving without being anti social or losing your license and to cap it all it can do 50mpg if you really want to.

I've owned an Evora and I've driven an Exige 410 and 380 on roads I know well and I honestly much prefer any Elise as a drivers car.

Right now I fancy a change but I know full well I'll end up back in another Elise eventually. I think it'll be the perfect second car in the post-2030 world.

[giveitfish]

fridaypassion said:

Keep it below 25k you should have a bite or two assuming its low mileage. Seeing these advertised at 30k is just madness but does happen.

Thanks Jon, really appreciate your input - that chimes with what I was thinking which is a relief

[braddo]

Matty_ said:

... I'd be interested myself but Red is by far my least favourite Lotus colour....

It's funny how subjective colour is. I really like red Lotuses but couldn't own a red Porsche or Ferrari. And I wouldn't want any of them in bright green or orange!