Discussion
I am looking at buying my first Esprit and cant decide between the two. This is how perceive them both and would appreciate your inputs. I live on the Wirral so if anyone has one for sale please email me.
V8. I enjoy big torquey engines that you dont have to rev the life out of them, and not worry about if your are in the wrong gear. I once test drove a V8 but it had an appaling clutch which seemed not to have any half way point - it was all or nothing, very heavy, and very long travel. Is this the norm? The V8 will problably be faster as well, but more expensive to fix should things go wrong.
GT3. Lighter and more agile but lacking the engine finess of the V8. Cheaper to run and probably undistinguishable form the V8.
Does the GT3 feel as special as the V8 and which one sounds better?
Thanks
V8. I enjoy big torquey engines that you dont have to rev the life out of them, and not worry about if your are in the wrong gear. I once test drove a V8 but it had an appaling clutch which seemed not to have any half way point - it was all or nothing, very heavy, and very long travel. Is this the norm? The V8 will problably be faster as well, but more expensive to fix should things go wrong.
GT3. Lighter and more agile but lacking the engine finess of the V8. Cheaper to run and probably undistinguishable form the V8.
Does the GT3 feel as special as the V8 and which one sounds better?
Thanks
All depends on what you're after and how much you've got to spend. What's your budget?
GT3 would be cheaper unless you're looking at a 96-97 V8, which has the older dash and aren't as popular, plus is likely to cost more to run that the same priced GT3. Plus you have the liner problems to watch out for with a V8.
If you can afford a good 99+ V8-GT then that would probably be a good bet, but it doesn't really compare in price to a GT3. 98-99 GT3's are great cars and cheap to run, plus are well sorted, with a few less issues than the V8's.
You need to drive a few V8's and a few GT3's. Then decide if you can afford/willing to pay for the more expensive V8 against want should more than likely be the more reliable and cheaper to run GT3.
The GT3's are the better more sorted cars, developed over a longer period and the end of the line for the 4-cylinder cars. But they lack the power of the V8 (and even the SE, S4 & S4s) and the prestige. GT3's aren't slow and under the stopwatch there's not much in it. Driving them is very different. V8 has the Lazy power you mentioned. You just need to decide if you're willing to pay for it. If you go for a cheap V8, then expect higher running costs over the period of your ownership.
With an Esprit, you either pay now or pay later! Buy the best you can and make sure it's a good one. Ownership will be all the better for it.
GT3 would be cheaper unless you're looking at a 96-97 V8, which has the older dash and aren't as popular, plus is likely to cost more to run that the same priced GT3. Plus you have the liner problems to watch out for with a V8.
If you can afford a good 99+ V8-GT then that would probably be a good bet, but it doesn't really compare in price to a GT3. 98-99 GT3's are great cars and cheap to run, plus are well sorted, with a few less issues than the V8's.
You need to drive a few V8's and a few GT3's. Then decide if you can afford/willing to pay for the more expensive V8 against want should more than likely be the more reliable and cheaper to run GT3.
The GT3's are the better more sorted cars, developed over a longer period and the end of the line for the 4-cylinder cars. But they lack the power of the V8 (and even the SE, S4 & S4s) and the prestige. GT3's aren't slow and under the stopwatch there's not much in it. Driving them is very different. V8 has the Lazy power you mentioned. You just need to decide if you're willing to pay for it. If you go for a cheap V8, then expect higher running costs over the period of your ownership.
With an Esprit, you either pay now or pay later! Buy the best you can and make sure it's a good one. Ownership will be all the better for it.
lotusespritworld said:
All depends on what you're after and how much you've got to spend. What's your budget?
GT3 would be cheaper unless you're looking at a 96-97 V8, which has the older dash and aren't as popular, plus is likely to cost more to run that the same priced GT3. Plus you have the liner problems to watch out for with a V8.
If you can afford a good 99+ V8-GT then that would probably be a good bet, but it doesn't really compare in price to a GT3. 98-99 GT3's are great cars and cheap to run, plus are well sorted, with a few less issues than the V8's.
You need to drive a few V8's and a few GT3's. Then decide if you can afford/willing to pay for the more expensive V8 against want should more than likely be the more reliable and cheaper to run GT3.
The GT3's are the better more sorted cars, developed over a longer period and the end of the line for the 4-cylinder cars. But they lack the power of the V8 (and even the SE, S4 & S4s) and the prestige. GT3's aren't slow and under the stopwatch there's not much in it. Driving them is very different. V8 has the Lazy power you mentioned. You just need to decide if you're willing to pay for it. If you go for a cheap V8, then expect higher running costs over the period of your ownership.
With an Esprit, you either pay now or pay later! Buy the best you can and make sure it's a good one. Ownership will be all the better for it.
very helpfull - thank you
Seriously, pay now or later is so true,buy the best you can afford. As regards the sound, I have a sports exhaust and recently went to a party where there was a GT3 owner. As we left at the end of the night, he was seriously embarrassed by the squeaky little chatter from his car compared to the demonic thunder from my car ! That said, nothing sounds like a Ferrari 12 cylinder engine. Whichever you choose, you have to fall in love with it. Owning an Esprit is a bit like being married to the most beautiful and charismatic woman (or man) in the world who is constantly unfaithful and runs up credit card bills which arrive on a lorry in leather bound volumes. You have to love the car in order to be able to forgive it. I have owned my '97 V8 for five years and EVERY SINGLE DAY, I walk out into the garage and stare at it, I have never, ever, noticed that feeling dwindle at all in that time. I worship th ground it drives on, but that's why I can live with its faults. In fact, they're not faults, they're characteristics and personality traits !
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