How does everyone feel about the VIPER? (long)
Discussion
As the Lotus Esprit is my favorite and most desired car, my cousins favorite and most desired is the Viper. GTS or RT/10, anyone will do of course.
We both sort of fell in love with our dream cars at around the same time years ago. So since then, and especially since we were kids we would always compare them, and talk about where we would go when we had them, you know how it is when your 14 years old.
Now that we are more mature and delve more into the cars of our future posession, we tend to learn TONS more than ever imagined, and thus as a result the 'dream' becomes more of what it is, a 'car' as oppose to an entity through a childs eye.
Lets see, where am i getting at here, I almost forgot. I tend to ramble.
I guess what im saying is, if I ever had to choose a second car to chase, it would be a Viper no doubt. Ferraris and Porsche 911 Turbos, Lambos and other such high exotics though are beautiful, just dont phase me as much as any variant Lotus or Viper for some reason. Being on this board and frequenting through all the posts about the problems of the Esprit and just reading the stuff that happens to these cars scares me alot. I feel that when the time comes, though I will be apt to seeking my dream Esprit, I cant get the thought out of my head that perhaps $30 grand may be better spent on a car such as the Viper RT/10 that can give tons more reliability, gobs of power, and that open roadster cruising feeling to it. Because my cousin is into the Viper, he naturally is on Viper boards such and I frequent them as well as I am an enthusiast of all exotics. One MAJOR difference, and it does make a huge difference, is that everyday on this board someones Esprit after being reworked is broken again, but on the Viper boards you'd be hardpressed to find one post in the last 3 weeks that states a major defect.
I dont know where im going with this post, but I guess im just trying to get a feel on your thoughts about the Viper. Not necessarily in comparison to the Esprit, but moreso, if anyone has driven one, owned one, then what is the comparison.
Thing is, an Esprit will not be far out of my reach by next summer, but the reason being is because I will be working my butt off in my new professions, and have always been a very busy person. My fear is getting an Esprit, and not findind the time to worry about when it breaks getting it towed to the 'local' NJ (an hour away) shop, or spending a weekend wrenching the car, or hell, even having to worry about dropping a grand or 3 every 6 months to keep it happy. Wrenching on it would be fun to me, but I dont have weekends to spend, a job that would take say 10 hrs would end have to be broken up between 2 weekends. And neglecting an Esprit is something I would never want to do.
A Z06 is always a rational possibility, but there are far too many, though a yellow or black one would be nice, I saw 2 within matters of seconds literally the other day, no thank you. An Elise is always a possibility on the second hand market as Im sure prices will drop dramatically 2 years from now as they always do with Loti, and a warranty would more than likely still be imposed.
Or when the time comes just find a more expensive but very well sorted Esprit?
I dont know why I am writing this at all since I am about a year away from anything, but hey it gets me through the day to talk cars you know. When I was 13 years old, I talked about and planned every move up to purchasing my teen dream car, an 89 Mustang 5.0. I like to do this sort of thing.
Humor me.
Paul
We both sort of fell in love with our dream cars at around the same time years ago. So since then, and especially since we were kids we would always compare them, and talk about where we would go when we had them, you know how it is when your 14 years old.
Now that we are more mature and delve more into the cars of our future posession, we tend to learn TONS more than ever imagined, and thus as a result the 'dream' becomes more of what it is, a 'car' as oppose to an entity through a childs eye.
Lets see, where am i getting at here, I almost forgot. I tend to ramble.
I guess what im saying is, if I ever had to choose a second car to chase, it would be a Viper no doubt. Ferraris and Porsche 911 Turbos, Lambos and other such high exotics though are beautiful, just dont phase me as much as any variant Lotus or Viper for some reason. Being on this board and frequenting through all the posts about the problems of the Esprit and just reading the stuff that happens to these cars scares me alot. I feel that when the time comes, though I will be apt to seeking my dream Esprit, I cant get the thought out of my head that perhaps $30 grand may be better spent on a car such as the Viper RT/10 that can give tons more reliability, gobs of power, and that open roadster cruising feeling to it. Because my cousin is into the Viper, he naturally is on Viper boards such and I frequent them as well as I am an enthusiast of all exotics. One MAJOR difference, and it does make a huge difference, is that everyday on this board someones Esprit after being reworked is broken again, but on the Viper boards you'd be hardpressed to find one post in the last 3 weeks that states a major defect.
I dont know where im going with this post, but I guess im just trying to get a feel on your thoughts about the Viper. Not necessarily in comparison to the Esprit, but moreso, if anyone has driven one, owned one, then what is the comparison.
Thing is, an Esprit will not be far out of my reach by next summer, but the reason being is because I will be working my butt off in my new professions, and have always been a very busy person. My fear is getting an Esprit, and not findind the time to worry about when it breaks getting it towed to the 'local' NJ (an hour away) shop, or spending a weekend wrenching the car, or hell, even having to worry about dropping a grand or 3 every 6 months to keep it happy. Wrenching on it would be fun to me, but I dont have weekends to spend, a job that would take say 10 hrs would end have to be broken up between 2 weekends. And neglecting an Esprit is something I would never want to do.
A Z06 is always a rational possibility, but there are far too many, though a yellow or black one would be nice, I saw 2 within matters of seconds literally the other day, no thank you. An Elise is always a possibility on the second hand market as Im sure prices will drop dramatically 2 years from now as they always do with Loti, and a warranty would more than likely still be imposed.
Or when the time comes just find a more expensive but very well sorted Esprit?
I dont know why I am writing this at all since I am about a year away from anything, but hey it gets me through the day to talk cars you know. When I was 13 years old, I talked about and planned every move up to purchasing my teen dream car, an 89 Mustang 5.0. I like to do this sort of thing.
Humor me. Paul
How about an already built Factory Five Cobra replica? 
All the wind-in-the-hair you can stand. My buddy bought a very nicely done one in a traditional blue/white for $19500 the winter before last. Someone offered him $26500 the following summer!
Most of the cars are built with basic Mustang 5.0 power, T5 transmissions, and 8.8 rears and you know how cheap parts are for them. At 2300lbs or so, they are plenty quick, even with stock engines.
You have to decide what you want, of course, but it's easy to believe that a Viper will be much less expensive to own than an Esprit. My S4s was cheap until this year, which is going to be a $4000 one.
All the wind-in-the-hair you can stand. My buddy bought a very nicely done one in a traditional blue/white for $19500 the winter before last. Someone offered him $26500 the following summer! Most of the cars are built with basic Mustang 5.0 power, T5 transmissions, and 8.8 rears and you know how cheap parts are for them. At 2300lbs or so, they are plenty quick, even with stock engines.
You have to decide what you want, of course, but it's easy to believe that a Viper will be much less expensive to own than an Esprit. My S4s was cheap until this year, which is going to be a $4000 one.
I think I can give you a pretty unbiased observation. I never had given any thought to having a Lotus. I knew nothing of the history and never had a desire to have one. Very strange circumstances presented me with the opportunity to buy my 99 in pristine condition and for much less than it was worth. I am thrilled that I did. I haven't had a bit of problems with it. It turns heads like you wouldn't believe. I was so happy with it that I sold my Ferrari a week after buying the Lotus. (For pics of the Ferrari and a story from the guy who bought it look at tennlee.com)
The Lotus has been very reliable, gets great mileage and is comfortable even for long trips. I haven't had any of the seemingly common problems I hear about on here, other than a small transaxle oil leak.
The down side is that I have a fear that something major will go wrong and cost me a fortune. I also have no Lotus facility within 6 hours of my home. Maintenance and service is left to myself or a mechanic who has only worked on 1 Lotus...ever.
As for the Viper, a very good friend buys wrecked Vipers, fixes them and then sells them. He has had dozens of them. I always liked the raw power and exotic look that can be had at a good price. I've driven them and don't think they handle very well. They squeak, rattle and run hot. Because I've seen so many of them wrecked, often when the driver is killed or seriously injured, I would not be comfortable driving one at anywhere near its capacity. As with the Lotus, there seems to be a few shortcuts with interior build quality. However, basically anyone can work on a Viper. Anything that breaks can be fixed relatively cheaply and parts are easy to come by.
I still like the Viper, but if I wanted anything more than a toy, the Lotus would be my choice.
Dirk
The Lotus has been very reliable, gets great mileage and is comfortable even for long trips. I haven't had any of the seemingly common problems I hear about on here, other than a small transaxle oil leak.
The down side is that I have a fear that something major will go wrong and cost me a fortune. I also have no Lotus facility within 6 hours of my home. Maintenance and service is left to myself or a mechanic who has only worked on 1 Lotus...ever.
As for the Viper, a very good friend buys wrecked Vipers, fixes them and then sells them. He has had dozens of them. I always liked the raw power and exotic look that can be had at a good price. I've driven them and don't think they handle very well. They squeak, rattle and run hot. Because I've seen so many of them wrecked, often when the driver is killed or seriously injured, I would not be comfortable driving one at anywhere near its capacity. As with the Lotus, there seems to be a few shortcuts with interior build quality. However, basically anyone can work on a Viper. Anything that breaks can be fixed relatively cheaply and parts are easy to come by.
I still like the Viper, but if I wanted anything more than a toy, the Lotus would be my choice.
Dirk
Hi,
There is nothing subtle about the Viper. It is simply the biggest Punch in the Nose which MOPAR could come up with. It is a Corvette Eater, nothing more.
The center of attention is that big 6Ltr. V10 and everything else, styling, ergonomics, balance, handling, braking and cooling are afterthoughts. It is not a thoroughly designed car in the least.
Because it is the biggest, it has attracted a loyal following, at least until the next Mutton Magnet comes along. Just my humble $0.02
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
There is nothing subtle about the Viper. It is simply the biggest Punch in the Nose which MOPAR could come up with. It is a Corvette Eater, nothing more.
The center of attention is that big 6Ltr. V10 and everything else, styling, ergonomics, balance, handling, braking and cooling are afterthoughts. It is not a thoroughly designed car in the least.
Because it is the biggest, it has attracted a loyal following, at least until the next Mutton Magnet comes along. Just my humble $0.02
Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE 
That would be an 8.0L V10. And, I disagree on the analysis of the chassis, brakes, etc. While I don't own one these things do go around tracks suprisingly well, don't overheat, and take a lot of abuse. They are capable cars, not my cup of tea, but nonetheless capable machines that can be successfully raced and driven on the street.
Being a 'mopar' man for decades one can't help the allure of a car that does 0-60 in under 4 seconds. But here's true story. Took my 91 esprit to a forth of july event show that was hosted by my town last year and was sponsored by a locad dodge dealer. Among all the cars there was of course 6 vipers and my SE. GUESS which car got ALL the attention. So much so the the dealer was p+ssed off, and wanted me to move away from the vipers, since he donated serious coin to defer the cost of the celebration. My Lotus never looked better that that day, and I forgot all about ever aspiring to own one.
I agree with that - the Lotus is a much rarer car to see on the road than the Viper, at least where I live. Definite cool factor. But those Vipers do well on the track and street even if driven by a bunch of he-man mulletheads. Sorry, had to let out an opinion there, no offense intended! ;-)
rlearp said:
That would be an 8.0L V10. And, I disagree on the analysis of the chassis, brakes, etc. While I don't own one these things do go around tracks suprisingly well, don't overheat, and take a lot of abuse. They are capable cars, not my cup of tea, but nonetheless capable machines that can be successfully raced and driven on the street.
Ron,
You're correct, 8.0L, soory for the typo. Don't get me wrong, the Viper is capable, but no more so than any other except in the forward acceleration department.
I have an acquaintance with one and during a Fox & Hounds rally last year, he was all over the road and couldn't bring his 5.8L advantage over me to bear until the road straightened, which it didn't very much. Otherwise, he had his hands full handling and braking. Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE
I don't think that this should be a discussion about Viper's persay as it should be about whether or not to own a Lotus.
Owning a Lotus is really like buying into a dream. Some buy into it because of the marques history and achievements; others buy into it because it is a really cool little car to drive around that generally gives it's owner incredible amounts of pleasure. Mine mostly gives pleasure, but occasionally pain too.
I bought my 1989 Lotus Esprit because I love Lotus'. I knew that they were difficult and somewhat costly to repair when held against the Corvette and the Viper. If I would have been concerned about ongoing maintenance costs I would have bought Detroit without a doubt. If I would have been concerned about resale I would have bought Detroit as these American icons hold value well. I wasn't concerned about those factors. When you buy an exotic you should know the market valuation-wise and you need to know the condition of the toy you are planning to buy. History, history, history and get it checked by someone knowledgeable with the manufacturer.
Lotus' and Ferraris and Lambs aren't really that practical to provide guaranteed daily service to the office and back. Should something mechanical crop up or the weather is less than best you need to keep it safe at home. It's like jewelry, keep it in the safe when you're going to the gym. That's a Lotus; jewelry. Wear it proudly on nice occasions and make sure you have something else to take to the gym.
Truthfully Lotusacbc; if you are concerned about reliability and depreciation issues, you probably should look for a car produced in larger numbers. I think that the Esprit is a well engineered and reliable car. Like all cars, components fail through stress and age. Unfortunately because of the small production numbers parts cost and availability will keep you grounded longer.
On a nice sunny Sunday though, I have that silly little grin like a 16 year old boy on a first drive. No american car has done that to me for 27 years now. Yah, they are worth it.
Hopefully you find exactly what suits your needs,
Steve
1989 non SE (2506)
Black/Silver
Owning a Lotus is really like buying into a dream. Some buy into it because of the marques history and achievements; others buy into it because it is a really cool little car to drive around that generally gives it's owner incredible amounts of pleasure. Mine mostly gives pleasure, but occasionally pain too.
I bought my 1989 Lotus Esprit because I love Lotus'. I knew that they were difficult and somewhat costly to repair when held against the Corvette and the Viper. If I would have been concerned about ongoing maintenance costs I would have bought Detroit without a doubt. If I would have been concerned about resale I would have bought Detroit as these American icons hold value well. I wasn't concerned about those factors. When you buy an exotic you should know the market valuation-wise and you need to know the condition of the toy you are planning to buy. History, history, history and get it checked by someone knowledgeable with the manufacturer.
Lotus' and Ferraris and Lambs aren't really that practical to provide guaranteed daily service to the office and back. Should something mechanical crop up or the weather is less than best you need to keep it safe at home. It's like jewelry, keep it in the safe when you're going to the gym. That's a Lotus; jewelry. Wear it proudly on nice occasions and make sure you have something else to take to the gym.
Truthfully Lotusacbc; if you are concerned about reliability and depreciation issues, you probably should look for a car produced in larger numbers. I think that the Esprit is a well engineered and reliable car. Like all cars, components fail through stress and age. Unfortunately because of the small production numbers parts cost and availability will keep you grounded longer.
On a nice sunny Sunday though, I have that silly little grin like a 16 year old boy on a first drive. No american car has done that to me for 27 years now. Yah, they are worth it.
Hopefully you find exactly what suits your needs,
Steve
1989 non SE (2506)
Black/Silver
"Of course they break, that's all part of Lotus ownership" - Colin Chapman
There's a lot to that quote.
I have an '84 Turbo Esprit; I'm the second owner. For the first few years I had quite a lot of problems, owing mostly to maintenance by people who didn't know what they were doing. I would have no worries or reservations about buying an Esprit from the early 1990's onwards if records show decent maintenance has been done. The newer cars are so much better in build quality than those of the mid-1980's and earlier.
No, it will never have that Honda-like sense of carefree and easy maintenance, but it isn't a nightmare either.
Seeing an Esprit out on the road is something of a rare sight in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. When I'm driving mine, I have the sense of being in something truly exotic and with a sense of history. I don't mind that it's not the fastest car on the road. In a way, it's like being in a MiG-21 -- definitely unusual, historic, great in its time, but still a lot of fun today.
-Dave
>> Edited by mr50bmg on Friday 28th May 03:02
There's a lot to that quote.
I have an '84 Turbo Esprit; I'm the second owner. For the first few years I had quite a lot of problems, owing mostly to maintenance by people who didn't know what they were doing. I would have no worries or reservations about buying an Esprit from the early 1990's onwards if records show decent maintenance has been done. The newer cars are so much better in build quality than those of the mid-1980's and earlier.
No, it will never have that Honda-like sense of carefree and easy maintenance, but it isn't a nightmare either.
Seeing an Esprit out on the road is something of a rare sight in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. When I'm driving mine, I have the sense of being in something truly exotic and with a sense of history. I don't mind that it's not the fastest car on the road. In a way, it's like being in a MiG-21 -- definitely unusual, historic, great in its time, but still a lot of fun today.
-Dave
>> Edited by mr50bmg on Friday 28th May 03:02
Hey Dave,
I agree. Also, any vehicle will have certain issues, regardless of the maintenance. Just one of those things. "If it has tits or wheels, it will give you trouble." You just have to love it enough to put up with the BS.
A classmate of mine has a MIG-21, I think. It is a MIG something, and I think it is a 21. Also a trainer. Don't know the name, but it was a Soviet 50's or early 60's vintage jet trainer. They fly them at air shows. You into 50BMG's?
Dr.Hess
I agree. Also, any vehicle will have certain issues, regardless of the maintenance. Just one of those things. "If it has tits or wheels, it will give you trouble." You just have to love it enough to put up with the BS.
A classmate of mine has a MIG-21, I think. It is a MIG something, and I think it is a 21. Also a trainer. Don't know the name, but it was a Soviet 50's or early 60's vintage jet trainer. They fly them at air shows. You into 50BMG's?
Dr.Hess
Whoa Jim -- I admire your technical expertise and hope that this reply won't prevent you from answer my stupid Esprit questions again..lol.
Have to totally disagree with you about the Viper, especially its latest iteration. When these cars first came out, they were crude beasts, good for only straight line acceleration.
They've matured. Dodge has developed them into a true supercar of American flavor. The 98s on, and especially the GTS Coupes (and more especially, if that is a word, the new 03s) are excellent brakers, and very good handlers. They will eat a Z06 ALIVE on the track in the hands of equal drivers, and in fact will eat most anything alive on track in the hands of a good driver -- and it is not all motor.
The coupe is a fairly balanced car weight wise. Turn in is a bit odd because of the long snout, and nothing like a Lotus.
And the Viper guys are, or a lot of them anyway, pretty serious trackheads. Viper Days are popular track events, and the car is a decent SCCA T1 race car.
That said, I've seen a mullet driven Viper do stupid things on the street, but I'm sure the same is true of most performance cars.
All of that said, I have no desire to own one. Not my kind of car.
Jeff
Have to totally disagree with you about the Viper, especially its latest iteration. When these cars first came out, they were crude beasts, good for only straight line acceleration.
They've matured. Dodge has developed them into a true supercar of American flavor. The 98s on, and especially the GTS Coupes (and more especially, if that is a word, the new 03s) are excellent brakers, and very good handlers. They will eat a Z06 ALIVE on the track in the hands of equal drivers, and in fact will eat most anything alive on track in the hands of a good driver -- and it is not all motor.
The coupe is a fairly balanced car weight wise. Turn in is a bit odd because of the long snout, and nothing like a Lotus.
And the Viper guys are, or a lot of them anyway, pretty serious trackheads. Viper Days are popular track events, and the car is a decent SCCA T1 race car.
That said, I've seen a mullet driven Viper do stupid things on the street, but I'm sure the same is true of most performance cars.
All of that said, I have no desire to own one. Not my kind of car.
Jeff
>Yep. M82A1. Have been for about 14 years.
Saw one of those at the SOF convention in Vegas back in '86, before it became the m82A1. A bit on the heavy side. The guy from Barrett said it would shoot 12" at 1.5 miles with AP on a calm cool day. Very impressive. At over a buck a pop, a little rich for me. Also don't have a mile and a half of clear space anywhere around here. I can barely see 75M. Have phun.
Dr.Hess
(Oh, I think Vipers are cool, but would rather have my Esprit. And I saw that Viper motored motorcylce thing at Sturgis last year. Totally crazy.)
Saw one of those at the SOF convention in Vegas back in '86, before it became the m82A1. A bit on the heavy side. The guy from Barrett said it would shoot 12" at 1.5 miles with AP on a calm cool day. Very impressive. At over a buck a pop, a little rich for me. Also don't have a mile and a half of clear space anywhere around here. I can barely see 75M. Have phun.
Dr.Hess
(Oh, I think Vipers are cool, but would rather have my Esprit. And I saw that Viper motored motorcylce thing at Sturgis last year. Totally crazy.)
This is turning into a very nice thread, and I appreciate all the input. I like to get other's opinions.
Rather than reply to each of you, I will write it up in one lump paragraph. (or 3 )
Naturally when I have the money, an Esprit will be the first car sought after. Mainly because I seem to have a loyalty to it since it is in fact my dream car for many years now. To go to something else would be a true opposition of my real persona. I have acquired TONS AND TONS of magazines, posters, videos, thousands of pictures, talked hours upon hours much to my parents and friends distress (God help them when I got started talking Lotus LOL). When I was 14, my father used to take me to the local dealership that always had the same Esprit on display for about 2 years, a white S4. The people at the dealer knew me, and didnt mind me coming to see the Esprit. Though they were total snobs, but thats a different story.
What im getting at is this, Lotus cars have always been a huge part of my leisure life, and I dont even own one yet!! I love cars, and I can appreciate most anything that shows beauty, performance, and history wrapped in an exotic package. Ive owned 3 Mustang 5.0's in my time, totally obsessed with them. So thats where my incling for american muscle comes from. Nothing can top the sound of an American car hitting the perfect RPM's and just literally humming and booming through its massive exhaust pipes. Its intoxicating to say the least!! The power as well, so much power, so much torque!! And you can just ROMP on them all day long, and nothing breaks!! I BEAT THE LIVING HELL out of my Stangs and they never gave me trouble! Thats fun to me. But i feel I desire something more prestigious and grown-up.
But when it comes down to American muscle supercars like the Viper, or European prestige like the Lotus Esprit, I think there are levels to determine what an owner wants as they are two different machines. First would be to figure out whether or not you want something to romp on like you stole it, or want something where you must drive it with a delicate touch which somehow envokes a classier, more stylish air to it all.
Then of course theres what u can afford. While a decent Esprit SE can be picked up for the mid 20K range, an entry level RT/10 starts at around $30-$35 for a 94-95.
And lastly, there is of course the dream factor. Lotus has always been my dream car, and I always said when im in the position to be able to get one, I would jump on the bandwagon before the money went elsewhere as it always does when you wait too long.
Im sure my decision will come down to an Esprit, and I owe it to myself to try Lotus ownership for a while anyways. But if it gets to the point where the car is being repaired substantially more than its being driven, or if it cost me more money repairing it than I would gather for an exotic car, there is always the Viper to turn to for untainted fun.
Paul
>> Edited by Lotusacbc on Friday 28th May 15:00
Rather than reply to each of you, I will write it up in one lump paragraph. (or 3
) Naturally when I have the money, an Esprit will be the first car sought after. Mainly because I seem to have a loyalty to it since it is in fact my dream car for many years now. To go to something else would be a true opposition of my real persona. I have acquired TONS AND TONS of magazines, posters, videos, thousands of pictures, talked hours upon hours much to my parents and friends distress
(God help them when I got started talking Lotus LOL). When I was 14, my father used to take me to the local dealership that always had the same Esprit on display for about 2 years, a white S4. The people at the dealer knew me, and didnt mind me coming to see the Esprit. Though they were total snobs, but thats a different story. What im getting at is this, Lotus cars have always been a huge part of my leisure life, and I dont even own one yet!! I love cars, and I can appreciate most anything that shows beauty, performance, and history wrapped in an exotic package. Ive owned 3 Mustang 5.0's in my time, totally obsessed with them. So thats where my incling for american muscle comes from. Nothing can top the sound of an American car hitting the perfect RPM's and just literally humming and booming through its massive exhaust pipes. Its intoxicating to say the least!! The power as well, so much power, so much torque!! And you can just ROMP on them all day long, and nothing breaks!! I BEAT THE LIVING HELL out of my Stangs and they never gave me trouble! Thats fun to me. But i feel I desire something more prestigious and grown-up.
But when it comes down to American muscle supercars like the Viper, or European prestige like the Lotus Esprit, I think there are levels to determine what an owner wants as they are two different machines. First would be to figure out whether or not you want something to romp on like you stole it, or want something where you must drive it with a delicate touch which somehow envokes a classier, more stylish air to it all.
Then of course theres what u can afford. While a decent Esprit SE can be picked up for the mid 20K range, an entry level RT/10 starts at around $30-$35 for a 94-95.
And lastly, there is of course the dream factor. Lotus has always been my dream car, and I always said when im in the position to be able to get one, I would jump on the bandwagon before the money went elsewhere as it always does when you wait too long.
Im sure my decision will come down to an Esprit, and I owe it to myself to try Lotus ownership for a while anyways. But if it gets to the point where the car is being repaired substantially more than its being driven, or if it cost me more money repairing it than I would gather for an exotic car, there is always the Viper to turn to for untainted fun.
Paul
>> Edited by Lotusacbc on Friday 28th May 15:00
Lotusacbc, it's interesting that you were only 14 when you were attracted to the S4. It seems that it was only last week when the S4's came out (and the V8's came out yesterday).
For many of us, I think our attraction for Lotus came from Formula 1, although in my case I only saw the tail end of their participation, long after Colin Chapman had died. Still, in our local club, the stories and history of Lotus' glory days were very much alive when I joined and got my Esprit, so I felt a part of that heritage.
For young people these days, Lotus is seen as just another exotic since there is no longer any racing that the company participates in. I think the last venue for Lotus was the World Supercar Challenge in the mid 1990's with Doc Bundy driving the Esprits. I seem to recall they had to add a few hundred pounds of dead weight to the Esprits because they were winning too often and the competitors complained.
Dr. Hess: we have regional competitions in many different states; it's a growing sport.
-Dave
For many of us, I think our attraction for Lotus came from Formula 1, although in my case I only saw the tail end of their participation, long after Colin Chapman had died. Still, in our local club, the stories and history of Lotus' glory days were very much alive when I joined and got my Esprit, so I felt a part of that heritage.
For young people these days, Lotus is seen as just another exotic since there is no longer any racing that the company participates in. I think the last venue for Lotus was the World Supercar Challenge in the mid 1990's with Doc Bundy driving the Esprits. I seem to recall they had to add a few hundred pounds of dead weight to the Esprits because they were winning too often and the competitors complained.
Dr. Hess: we have regional competitions in many different states; it's a growing sport.
-Dave
Hey Dave,
Yeah, I know about the 50's competition. Guess I don't have to mention to you to keep on the congress critters so the Commies won't take your 50 away, as that is the next target for them.
I just recently got back into NRA Hunter's Pistol small-bore metallic silhouette (AA and AAA). Used to shoot prone High Power too with a 30-06 Mauser I built myself, but can't find any competition around here (NW Arkansas) for it. Closest is in Little Rock, about 3 hours drive and I don't have the range to practice. Don't think the Mauser would fit in the Esprit anyway.
Dr.Hess
(I've wanted a Lotus since about 1975. Bought my first in 1982. Was Loti-Deficient from 1990-2003.)
Yeah, I know about the 50's competition. Guess I don't have to mention to you to keep on the congress critters so the Commies won't take your 50 away, as that is the next target for them.
I just recently got back into NRA Hunter's Pistol small-bore metallic silhouette (AA and AAA). Used to shoot prone High Power too with a 30-06 Mauser I built myself, but can't find any competition around here (NW Arkansas) for it. Closest is in Little Rock, about 3 hours drive and I don't have the range to practice. Don't think the Mauser would fit in the Esprit anyway.
Dr.Hess
(I've wanted a Lotus since about 1975. Bought my first in 1982. Was Loti-Deficient from 1990-2003.)
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