Need help buying parts from the UK

[madmike]

Last week my shift translator assembly experienced a major meltdown, and I need parts. Problem is, Lotus Cars USA could care less about US Esprit owners, so the parts we need are No Longer Available.

In trying to track down parts for my car, I first went to Lotus Esprit World, and found this parts bulletin from Lotus Ltd:

www.lotusespritworld.com/EGuides/EMaintenance/Gearshift_Kit_LC.html

What I need is this kit:

Part Number A082F4208J – Gear Lever Master Unit overhaul – pre 1998 MY

and this kit is nice to have while we're in there:

Part Number A082F4209J – Translator repair kit – 4 cyl cars to 1998 MY

Lotus is somewhat nototrious for having parts available there that Lotus Cars USA feels no need to have over here (lucky us).

What I'm looking for is a little help locating someplace that has, or can obtain, these kits, that will let me order with a credit card or PayPal, and will ship them to the US.

I've just e-mail SJ Sportscars and PNM Engineering.

I've seen other upgrade kits on LEW, but they don't come with the bushings, which are toast in mine.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

[teigan]

you can get the parts in question from JAE in california. they buy parts directly from lotus UK, and resell to you. be prepared to pay unbelievable prices though. for example, my last purchase consisted of tiny polyester bushings, small enough to lose if i drop one. tragic at $15.74 each. i bought a similar part for an eighties jaguar XJ6 for under $5. lotus gives british motorcars a bad reputation. hope you have a resilient wallet like mine.

[madmike]

teigan said:

you can get the parts in question from JAE in california. they buy parts directly from lotus UK, and resell to you. be prepared to pay unbelievable prices though. for example, my last purchase consisted of tiny polyester bushings, small enough to lose if i drop one. tragic at $15.74 each. i bought a similar part for an eighties jaguar XJ6 for under $5. lotus gives british motorcars a bad reputation. hope you have a resilient wallet like mine.

JAE were the ones who told us the kit was only under development, and that the translator was NLA. I found the part #s myself on LEW, and overnight LEW verified that indeed it was an available kit in the UK.

I'm looking to order direct from the UK myself, and not have to go through JAE (especially since they told me they could not get it themselves.)

[scotty2]

I bought a repair kit advertised through LEW (not the Lotus one).

It has made great difference and was worth it (£65). Old bearings and rose joints were seized.

[teigan]

JAE must have lost any clout with lotus when the old parts manager passed away. policies at lotus only get worse as time goes on. another reason against buying a new car from them. best of luck getting those parts. have the shipper label the package as books, because i've had customs brokers intercept my shipment and charge me a storage fee for their legal theft service.