Best time to buy new?

[townski]

I plan on buying a brand new 111S (Aubergine) before the year's out or in January at the latest. Never had anything like this before (although I've driven a 450bhp Skyline R34 for a couple of weeks) and it's a weird feeling thinking 'I'm getting a bloody Lotus!' Hope that feeling never goes away and after the test drive at Gordon Lamb in Sheffield last week I want one even more. BTW, Gordon Lamb were waaaaay nicer to talk to than JCT in Leeds who seemed to discard my combats and t-shirt appaearance and label me as a 'timewaster'. Never even got offered a test drive or to talk numbers....mental sales techniques.

The thing is, I don't wanna miss out on any deals that Lotus might do, apparently this free hard top offer hasn't started yet but I wondered how long they tend to run wintertime offers and what form they usually take?

I can get the finance elsewhere at a slightly better rate than the 5.9%APR on offer from Lotus Finance so I'm not really tied into their timescales other than base rates altering and they look set to actually fall.

I've been lurking for the past few days in forums and so this is my first step out of the shadows so to speak and I'm intrigued as to what anyone's thoughts are when purchasing a 28k skateboard! (I like skateboards so that's not derogatory language!). Has anyone gone through it recently, would you do it any differently? How much off the list price do you reckon a dealer will drop? When talking figures (as y'do) I got a 4% drop without much hassle at all so I just wondered how much further anyone might have pushed a deal? Free hardtop definately appeals (well it would!) as I'll be using this as my main transport (and my missus gets a lovely new Fiesta.. hahahah!).

I've rambled... I'll see if anyone's listening now

[bogie]

go for it ...winter definately better - Lotus have been known to do free hardtops, 135 conversions , etc in the winter months.

Got 7% off list and sports exhaust at cost when I got mine in June 2002 so worth pushing for extras in the winter months

drive it 25K miles a year and love every minute

[lotusnobles]

townski.... you have mail

[townski]

bogie: Good to hear it's good as a high mileage car (I reckon I'll be on 10 - 12k a year). It worries me that there's this big 'downer' on the K series ... well that's how it seems from what I've read. Is it unreliable or is it just a general lack of finesse?

7% sounds like a cracking deal, rest assured I'll push for the best deal possible!

As for sports exhaust - I'm on very good terms with a fairly well known independant exhaust manufacturer and shall be looking to go for manifold and all the way back. They've only built about 10 cat-back units to press for S1 and S2 but the reports are that it gives a lovely noise and delivers the bhp. Obviously I'll be posting my findings with pictures!

lotusnobles: cheers for the mail, being self employed means there's a chat with the accountant on the cards before deciding on company car / private and how best to suit my tax commitment (I'm doing awfully well not to mention the tax man here.... damn..). It's not clear as yet as to when's the best time to buy from that side of the fence but it's gonna happen!

How ridiculous an idea is it to even *think* about asking for the Honda powerplant to be dropped into the 111s? Lotus Engineering seem to take on oddball jobs... or would that be beyond the Exige2's pricing do you think?

I got a feeling that last section might be a can full of squiggly worms....

[bogie]

I wouldnt say the K is unreliable - the most common occurring problem seems to be head gasket failure.

A number of improvements were made and with the S2 Elise reports of HGF were down to single figures for around 3000 cars built ...until they had a spate with the 135R (dunno exact cause - lots of rumours abound)

With the VVC engine in a 111S you should be fine...to be honest I dont think the K does bad considering the abuse it takes in an Elise

[townski]

My worldly understanding of making a purchase thus far:

[DanH]

Well the only question mark is over what engine future elises will be running. Most think the k will persist as least for a while.

Dunno if I'd buy a new one though as you will lose a lot in the first year. I got the EliseS2 1 year on and save about 5k. Having said that, got my name down for an Exige S2 but by no means certain I'll want it once it arrives. It will be in second hand noble territory price wise...

[Gfun]

Advice as an ex car salesman (sacked after stuffing a audi quatro into a golf gti then telling the boss to ***** my excuse is I was 19) never take less than 1k off any screen price even a fiesta they are working at 150% break even just keep sounding interested prove to them you are ready to deal and hold on no matter what.

Let them smell a victory and they will come to you - honest its like making love to a ....... :-)

[townski]

I've gone through this new / 2nd hand routine and there's a few reasons why I'd like new. I'd prefer to buy from a dealer so that's making the price difference less than 5k - getting on for just 3k for a not-so-old car which isn't a whopping saving (ok, I'm not made of money but I figure £23k versus £26k .. I might as well choose my colour and options). The other reason is the new colour Aubergine... how shallow! I'm usually driven by aesthetics anyway...

I've got to get down to the Ford dealer soon to see about a new Fiesta so that'll give me a bit of practice on screwing a deal out of em. With Ford, it's easy to trip from one dealer to another to get a good price. Not quite so easy with Lotus dealers being so well spaced