Esprit ride quality

[TSD]

My current car is a 2002 Elise s2. Handling is sublime, wonderful grip, but ride quality on bad b-roads is tiring - crashing and banging, feels like the car is going to fall to bits. Unfortunately lots of bad roads and high-rise sleeping policemen everywhere around where I live.

I'm looking at buying a guigario turbo esprit as a project. How would an esprit compare in terms of handling, grip and ride quality?

thx

[teigan]

i just drove an '84 esprit for 37 hours straight over 1700 miles. i've also test driven the elise. the old esprit is much softer, and does not rattle so. wind noise due to poor door seals was a bigger concern. i gave up trying to listen to music.

[ErnestM]

I just drove my V8 for the same distance. Round trip from Orlando to DC and back (sorry we didn't get to meet again MadMike, but the Canadians kept me out too late and hangovers seem to last longer with age)...

...The Esprit was sublime. Road noise was minimal. I was relaxed and refreshed at both ends of the trip. When the windows where up, the outside world was shut out.

Maybe try a later model as the "road noise" issue seems to get less noticable as the years go by...

ErnestM

[bojangles]

LOL, Always fun to stay up with the Canadians..
where were they from. what local drink was the poison?
Bruce

[cnh1990]

The Esprit is a civilized sports car.

The SE 4 cyl does not leak water, has leather interior, quiet as sports cars goes, and has heat/A/C.

The handling is comparable to an Elise on the road, but in a tight course like an autocross I believe the Elise will out perform the Esprit in tight 1st/2nd gear turns. The SE will most likely out gun the Elise in 3rd gear turns and sweepers.

I have been told that an 88 Esprit owner that the exit speed out of turn by the American Elise is much faster an an Esprit.

[ErnestM]

bojangles said:

LOL, Always fun to stay up with the Canadians.. where were they from. what local drink was the poison? Bruce

Originally from Toronto - North Bay area. Hmmmmm, in one night - 5 of us=5 Bottles of Scotch (assorted blends) and one 18 year old single malt. (Oh, and that was after various and assorted wines and beers leading up to a very small dinner).

My ears are still ringing and eyes are fuzzy...


ErnestM

[bojangles]

OUCH,,,,, That musta been fun..
the Toronto lotus website is very funny , last time I checked it had a link to the event calendar... "click for MEETING schedule" ---- when you clicked the page had a new title called " DRINKING schedule " heheh!!

made me like the british car even more..

Bruce