Advice Required
Discussion
Hi All
As a recently ex Esprit S4s Owner after 4 very happy but sometimes painful years, mainly due to the constant bills and off the road status of the car, I'm now in a quandry and wanted to get an unbias opinion as possible from the noble community.
I have 2 young children, no spare time for mechanical work even if I was competent to do it, which I'm not.... by a country mile. I rely on dealers to service and maintain the car. Therefore my question is really regarding reliability. I subscribe whole heartedly to the labour of love principle with these kind of cars (esprit especially) but I just can't cope with having things break all the time and driving around worrying if somethings about to break and how many thousands will it be this time... etc etc.. The esprit owned ME for the last 6 months wwe were together in the sense I wasn't enjoying it much as I was always listening out for the next pop, squeal, bang etc..
I've read a few stories on the noble forums with regard people who've had a bit of nightmare time with the car being of the road several weeks out of a year although I appreciated you find these stories with every marque. However, as the next car purchase will be my daily commute car (80 miles per day), I need reassurance that these stories are the exception rather than the rule. Most Esprit owners I met over the years didn't RELY on their cars being availbable daily even though they may have driven them daily.. until they broke. I need to RELY on the car. (may have answered my own question there - hope not). If I honest, I'm unlikely to see any/many track days as I simply don't have the time.
My other option is an Exige S2. I have a very close friend who's been working at a well known lotus dealer for the last few years now and starts a new job with Ariel (as in atom) on monday who has said that the S2 Exiges have been very mechanically reliable as has the S2 elise and whilst I'm sure its not as fast as a noble in mid range to top end, will come reasonably close in the fun area of 0-80.
So does anyone with the noble forum drive their cars circa 80 miles per day and objectively, can it be done without mechanical reliability worries... Any comments greatly appreciated. I've been smitten with the M12 ever since I sat in one at the Motorshow so am
jealous of you all 
. After lurking for several months it seems the noble community is very similar to the Esprit community, lots of enthusiastic, happy people.
.
Regards
Dan
As a recently ex Esprit S4s Owner after 4 very happy but sometimes painful years, mainly due to the constant bills and off the road status of the car, I'm now in a quandry and wanted to get an unbias opinion as possible from the noble community.
I have 2 young children, no spare time for mechanical work even if I was competent to do it, which I'm not.... by a country mile. I rely on dealers to service and maintain the car. Therefore my question is really regarding reliability. I subscribe whole heartedly to the labour of love principle with these kind of cars (esprit especially) but I just can't cope with having things break all the time and driving around worrying if somethings about to break and how many thousands will it be this time... etc etc.. The esprit owned ME for the last 6 months wwe were together in the sense I wasn't enjoying it much as I was always listening out for the next pop, squeal, bang etc..
I've read a few stories on the noble forums with regard people who've had a bit of nightmare time with the car being of the road several weeks out of a year although I appreciated you find these stories with every marque. However, as the next car purchase will be my daily commute car (80 miles per day), I need reassurance that these stories are the exception rather than the rule. Most Esprit owners I met over the years didn't RELY on their cars being availbable daily even though they may have driven them daily.. until they broke. I need to RELY on the car. (may have answered my own question there - hope not). If I honest, I'm unlikely to see any/many track days as I simply don't have the time.
My other option is an Exige S2. I have a very close friend who's been working at a well known lotus dealer for the last few years now and starts a new job with Ariel (as in atom) on monday who has said that the S2 Exiges have been very mechanically reliable as has the S2 elise and whilst I'm sure its not as fast as a noble in mid range to top end, will come reasonably close in the fun area of 0-80.
So does anyone with the noble forum drive their cars circa 80 miles per day and objectively, can it be done without mechanical reliability worries... Any comments greatly appreciated. I've been smitten with the M12 ever since I sat in one at the Motorshow so am
jealous of you all . After lurking for several months it seems the noble community is very similar to the Esprit community, lots of enthusiastic, happy people. .
Regards
Dan
Edited by redesprits4s on Wednesday 27th September 17:17
LOTUS - Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious
NOBLE - pronounced No Bill
Had both Lotus & Noble (loved the Lotus and still have the M400) and the above about sums it up.
As you say there are horror stories with every marque, but the balance expressed on this forum is that Nobles are pretty damn reliable (I'm tempting fate here I know!)
NOBLE - pronounced No Bill
Had both Lotus & Noble (loved the Lotus and still have the M400) and the above about sums it up.
As you say there are horror stories with every marque, but the balance expressed on this forum is that Nobles are pretty damn reliable (I'm tempting fate here I know!)
I have done over 70K miles in my M12 over the last 7 years.
For most of that time I used it for my daily drive, which although was not quite the 80 miles you state was closer to 40.
The only time it was kept in the garage was when the salt lorries were out.
It was usually used to drive to France where I worked on a weekly basis as it was faster to drive my M12 than catch a plane. And also a great deal more fun :-)
However I have had a few problems along the way, but all have been resolved and the car is running better than ever.
Despite it's age, people are still learning new things about the M12, and they will for some time to come.
Best advice I can give it to get a test drive, or if you are still undecided come the the next owners day.
Look forward to seeing you !
--Jools
For most of that time I used it for my daily drive, which although was not quite the 80 miles you state was closer to 40.
The only time it was kept in the garage was when the salt lorries were out.
It was usually used to drive to France where I worked on a weekly basis as it was faster to drive my M12 than catch a plane. And also a great deal more fun :-)
However I have had a few problems along the way, but all have been resolved and the car is running better than ever.
Despite it's age, people are still learning new things about the M12, and they will for some time to come.
Best advice I can give it to get a test drive, or if you are still undecided come the the next owners day.
Look forward to seeing you !
--Jools
Gassing Station | Noble | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff