UK Lotus Centre - Seems too cheap?

[Pulse]

This seems ridiculously cheap: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1700495.htm

Anyone know much about them?

[Grinnders]

Possibly.

I phoned up about an Exige advertised for under 20k about a month ago.

There were a few anomolies about it. It wasn't advertised as an S but had colour coding as if it were and signs that there was a supercharger under the cover. However the rear clam shell was from an NA (central lotus badge gave it away) but wuth a central "S" exhaust.

To be fair when I enquired he did admit it had been "subject to some previous damage" without adding anything more.

Because as "it's collars didn't match it's cuffs" I steered clear, but I am now supposing it may have been a CAT D ir something.

[S Works]

Do some research on SELOC about that place. Not recommended as far as I know. They had a 135R up there which a mate of mine used to own that got written off but they weren't revealing it's history on the PH ad.

[thegreenhell]

They also trade as Hillside Repairs, who deal in scrap. Some of it gets reconstituted and appears at UK Lotus Centre.

[deany]

I would also say to avoid them due to what has been said/reported on them over on SELOC.

[Pulse]

Thought as much. That is surely way too cheap for an S.

I love the look of this one. Seems a sizeable chunk off list too.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

[The Bandit]

Its because its an ex track demo car so the Lotus warranty will be void.
I seem to remember a guy buying one last year and the gearbox went bang two months later and he had to pay out of his own pocket for a new one?
Things are only ever cheap for a reason but you pays your money etc etc

[claypole 7]

you only get what you pay for - within reason. I phoned up about a car 6months ago and within 20secs of the conversion I had worked out they are bad news and did cosider reporting them to Pistonheads as some unexpecting chap may get truly stitched up by them

[Pulse]

Well, it's a 58 so I guess warranty wouldn't matter. But yes, you have a good point that something could go bang!

That company definitely looks fishy. May be worth a mention to the powers that be.

[Fidgits]

The Bandit said:

Its because its an ex track demo car so the Lotus warranty will be void.
I seem to remember a guy buying one last year and the gearbox went bang two months later and he had to pay out of his own pocket for a new one?
Things are only ever cheap for a reason but you pays your money etc etc

what makes you say that? my elise warranty expilicity said that using it on track didnt void the warranty?

[The Bandit]

Fidgits said:

The Bandit said:

Its because its an ex track demo car so the Lotus warranty will be void.
I seem to remember a guy buying one last year and the gearbox went bang two months later and he had to pay out of his own pocket for a new one?
Things are only ever cheap for a reason but you pays your money etc etc

what makes you say that? my elise warranty expilicity said that using it on track didnt void the warranty?

No,you're misunderstanding me,occasional track use is fine but these particular cars have been used for hire solely on track.
Look at the amount of things that have been replaced on it.
Would you be happy to let anyone and everyone rag your car on track all day every day from cold?No,nor would I
But as i said,you pays your money so someone might be happy to own that car knowing its history.Seeing as you can get an 08 plate S for another grand or so though...

[Bebee]

http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showcar.asp?car...
Is it possible?

[Boggy]

Golden rule,

Cheap, cheap for a reason

Already posted on this subject before, I’ve sold many car’s 2nd hand and I never move much on sale price and the reason for this is because I pay good money for the car in the 1st place,

1. Make all necessary checks before buying the car HPI etc
2. Service the car on time correcting anything that needs to be fixed
3. Spend time cleaning/looking after it etc

so why would I sell it cheap?

I’d rather pay more money myself and get it from an official Lotus Dealer with warranty etc unless I knew the seller personally and how they’d treated it, I know of so many people who say “I just brought a bargain” only to end up paying a fortune out fixing all the crap that they could have avoided in the 1st place

Boggy

[mac4089]

I would not bother with them, like people on here and seloc have said stay away, most of their cars have some history thats not good.

[The Bandit]

Bebee said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showcar.asp?car...
Is it possible?

Hmm you have a point there,could be CFs old one rising from the dead

[Mr Darcy]

Pulse said:

Thought as much. That is surely way too cheap for an S.

I love the look of this one. Seems a sizeable chunk off list too.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

Its an EX Lotus Car as in it belonged to Lotus. JCT get them in all the time when stock is low. It will be fine and comes with a warranty. A mate of mine bought a car Ex lotus demo car (track use only) a few years ago and it has never missed a beat.