Should I Get Rid of Our Lotuses?
Should I Get Rid of Our Lotuses?
Author
Discussion

Baldchap

Original Poster:

9,163 posts

108 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
We've got an 2019 Elise 250 Cup and a 2021 Evora GT410. Both are spectacular cars but the problem is they never get used. I think the Evora did a week away in the last year and I'm not convinced the Elise has turned a wheel at all since it's last MOT (now due).

Part of me wants to free up the garage space and remove the administrative overhead of keeping them. Our dealer isn't particularly handy location wise so servicing is a chore too.

They're awesome cars, possibly two of the cleanest around, do I sell them? Will I regret it?

Current thinking is replacing them both with a single cabriolet of some sort, possibly an LC500.

What would you do?

plfrench

3,647 posts

284 months

Monday 21st July
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They’re both examples of keepers as we move into the EV era. Their like won’t be seen again after 2030, so I would expect you’d regret it if you sell both!

If you were to choose one to keep, which would it be?

Alex_225

6,968 posts

217 months

Monday 21st July
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If you can afford to keep both then I would. As said, we'll not be seeing cars like this come around again and if they are really clean like you say, they may never be replaceable.

I have cars that I know I couldn't replace, albeit nothing as valuable as your two Loti (plural of Lotus obviously) but I wouldn't want to get rid even if they get little to no use.

HocusPocus

1,524 posts

117 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
You greedy fella having 2. smile

I suggest looking at your personal schedule and making some more Lotus time.

I get similar pangs about my cars, especially the S1 Elise and S204 C63...but when I fire them up it all makes sense as the grin appears.

samoht

6,612 posts

162 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all

If you're not driving them, sell them.

The overheads, in terms of both cost and effort, in keeping a car on the road mean for most normal people it's not worth it unless you're getting something back.

I don't believe they'll be impossible to buy another example of in future, and I don't think the likely rise in value is such as to make it a worthwhile investment to keep them parked.

Shnozz

29,092 posts

287 months

Monday 21st July
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Whenever I have a period of non-use and this sort of thought creeps in, I have to remind myself these cars are in very limited supply and not made any more. Even less so if you’re chasing a certain spec (that you already have).

It would be very hard for me to source a replacement of the same or similar if I were to regret selling. To do so at the lack of use (rather than a known replacement) is therefore something I’m unlikely to do.

Leins

9,954 posts

164 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
What I’ve done with similar thoughts in the past is to use them for a mini roadtrip somewhere, even just a weekend away. If you still feel the same when you get back then it’s time to move them on

Oilchange

9,285 posts

276 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
Why don't you drive them?


kambites

69,708 posts

237 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
samoht said:
If you're not driving them, sell them.
yes No point in having a car you're not using an can't particularly see yourself using in the near future; it's not like either is rare enough that it'll be hard to find another if your circumstances change in the more distant future.

Edited by kambites on Monday 21st July 16:19

GeniusOfLove

3,724 posts

28 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
Yes you'll regret it bitterly.

Do you think your life might change in the next couple of years to free up more time?

NDNDNDND

2,434 posts

199 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
Oilchange said:
Why don't you drive them?
This in fking spades.

Why don't you make plans about driving them rather than selling them?

I'd understand if you're getting too old, obviously, and maybe you need to move them onto someone who can still get in and out of them.

plfrench

3,647 posts

284 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
kambites said:
samoht said:
If you're not driving them, sell them.
yes No point in having a car you're not using an can't particularly see yourself using in the near future; it's not like either is rare enough that it'll be hard to find another if your circumstances change in the more distant future.

Edited by kambites on Monday 21st July 16:19
I dunno - How many left reckons about 120 of the Elise Cup 250 and 88 of the Evora GT410 Sport, so not exactly ten a penny!

Watcher of the skies

858 posts

53 months

Monday 21st July
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How about compromising and selling one?
Then the next tough question...

MGZTV8

597 posts

165 months

Monday 21st July
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Is it Lotuses or Loti?

GeniusOfLove

3,724 posts

28 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
plfrench said:
I dunno - How many left reckons about 120 of the Elise Cup 250 and 88 of the Evora GT410 Sport, so not exactly ten a penny!
It's not just about how many are out there, it's about knowing the cars and their history and how they're used.

I think regret is absolutely a given, but getting something you do use will take the edge off. Be under no illusions that you won't regret it though!

brillomaster

1,518 posts

186 months

Monday 21st July
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I'd also wonder why don't you drive them? If you physically can't get in them any more, then sell.

If it's for some other reason, then just drive them more. Say, one evening this week. Drive one to your local country pub, down a nice b road.

If you live somewhere where you wouldn't get any joy from that, then sell, and buy an automatic convertible.

But I'd agree, cars from the last 6 years will still be around in 10 years if you change your mind. Had a colleague with a mint 1980s honda prelude, that's the type of thing you might never find again, hence why he keeps holding on to it despite never driving it.

GeniusOfLove

3,724 posts

28 months

Monday 21st July
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I tend not to have "high days and holidays" cars for just this reason, everything gets used. As above surely there are journeys you can make where you take one of them just to make a drab trip more exciting?

Hoofy

78,643 posts

298 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
I'd sell one and keep whichever is completely different to your daily driver, presumably the Elise Cup, compared to some random 4x4. Then you have something to feel alive in again and have fun in. And then plan more road trips or trackdays.

gareth h

3,982 posts

246 months

Monday 21st July
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Whenever I offload a car or a bike I spend a disproportionate amount of time online researching what should replace it, even though this wasn’t the original intent.
I’ve come to the conclusion it’s more time efficient to just keep them!

Shooter McGavin

8,237 posts

160 months

Monday 21st July
quotequote all
I don't really know the market for them but the only 2021 Evora GT410 on AT is £59,750 at a dealer.

At that price point I guess there are few private buyers, so you will presumably take a bit of a hit selling it to a dealer?