Lets hear your 1st impression stories...
Discussion
I flew all the way to Dallas, Tx to look at the 4th esprit I had considered purchasing. The po just bought a 97 and was selling the 88. All the repair docs. beautifully kept. I was so excited about this esprit compared to the other 3 I had seen that I think the owner knew and didn,t budge on the price. Well after plunking down 24K and a thorough inspection w/ the po I felt bold enough to drive it all the way home to Las Vegas. To get back to the highway from his house he led the way in his 97. As I looked around EVERYBODY was starring w/ jaws dropped in traffic. At that point I didn't miss my 928 for a sec. By the time I made my way back to Las Vegas I had a few high speed runs on the 40 hwy at 150+ mph and I had never been in a car that stable at those speeds. A new love affair had begun. That was almost 4 yrs ago and I am still as addicted as I was on day 1 with her. I usually get bored w/ cars easilly, This is the longest I have owned any car and am so happy and pleased w/ being a lotus owner and enthusiast that if I ever sell it, it would be for an s4s. If I could ever find one.
aaaaaaahh the memories
Dino
aaaaaaahh the memories
Dino
Yip, pretty nice experience, I was so nervous when my partner and myself picked it up. The previous owner demanded that he would not let us test drive it until we handed over full payment as he had too many tyre kickers turn up for test drives. So only being a passenger in it and not knowning what it was really like to drive was just too much for me, so I asked the partner if he could drive it home first then there wasnt so much pressure on me to take the beast on in my own time. 
I was following him home in my other car and couldn't beleive how many people wanted to tuck in beside him on the moterway or behind just to get a look! The sun was just going down and made the black colour of the car just glow, showing up all the lines and true shape of it. I knew at that point it was the right choice just for its looks. I cant explain how lucky I felt.
A few years back I had a 85 red MR2, in its day was the hottest little head turner around and didn't know till now that it was a Lotus proto type that was taken on by Toyota, so pretty amazing to choose same brand of car. That also got people waving and talking to me at the gass station. But the performance is no where near of the esprit in all aspects including looks.
I have since driven the beast many many times and cant beleive the stares, emotions on peoples faces and comments made by strangers. I just treat it like a new born child I am sure of it.
One very happy lady!!!!!
I was following him home in my other car and couldn't beleive how many people wanted to tuck in beside him on the moterway or behind just to get a look! The sun was just going down and made the black colour of the car just glow, showing up all the lines and true shape of it. I knew at that point it was the right choice just for its looks. I cant explain how lucky I felt. A few years back I had a 85 red MR2, in its day was the hottest little head turner around and didn't know till now that it was a Lotus proto type that was taken on by Toyota, so pretty amazing to choose same brand of car. That also got people waving and talking to me at the gass station. But the performance is no where near of the esprit in all aspects including looks.
I have since driven the beast many many times and cant beleive the stares, emotions on peoples faces and comments made by strangers. I just treat it like a new born child I am sure of it.
One very happy lady!!!!!
Have a look on my site, www.adrianmugridge.co.uk under S3. It tells you all about me not being able to see, park, and all sorts of things I did, like driving with the handbrake on.
Adrian
www.adrianmugridge.co.uk
Adrian
www.adrianmugridge.co.uk
Okay, here we go...
I had been searching for the perfect Esprit (at the perfect price) for about 6 months and finally found one at a Lotus dealer about 179 miles away (via the 75mph interstate). Well, I made my deal and rented a car one way (Mercury Marquis
) and picked up the car:
Well, I have driven sticks all of my life and even a few high performance machines (most recent was a Mitsu 3000GT prior to the Esprit). Nonetheless, the performance of the car was incomparable with anything that I had ever driven. The funniest part:
Over the years I had gotten used to the standard 150 - 160 mph speedometers usually fitted to cars. I was also used to the "needle" close to "straight up" on the speedos for interstate speed. Well, I became concerned when I was passing everything on the road like it was standing still and so I actually focused on the speedo - 95 -
- so I backed down to about 80 and no less than a mile after that spotted a Florida Highway Patrolman after I crested a hill.
It was a sign - I was meant to have my Esprit! I have been paying attention to my 6th sense ever since
ErnestM
PS: The 179 mile drive home was *glorious* and was a great introduction to the car itsself.
I had been searching for the perfect Esprit (at the perfect price) for about 6 months and finally found one at a Lotus dealer about 179 miles away (via the 75mph interstate). Well, I made my deal and rented a car one way (Mercury Marquis
) and picked up the car: Well, I have driven sticks all of my life and even a few high performance machines (most recent was a Mitsu 3000GT prior to the Esprit). Nonetheless, the performance of the car was incomparable with anything that I had ever driven. The funniest part:
Over the years I had gotten used to the standard 150 - 160 mph speedometers usually fitted to cars. I was also used to the "needle" close to "straight up" on the speedos for interstate speed. Well, I became concerned when I was passing everything on the road like it was standing still and so I actually focused on the speedo - 95 -
- so I backed down to about 80 and no less than a mile after that spotted a Florida Highway Patrolman after I crested a hill. It was a sign - I was meant to have my Esprit! I have been paying attention to my 6th sense ever since
ErnestM
PS: The 179 mile drive home was *glorious* and was a great introduction to the car itsself.
Great stories guys! I'm sure it was a hell of an experience.
Kylie - I often tell myself the 1st Esprit that I own, I want it to be delivered to my house or have my cousin or brother or someone drive it to my house. I want to study it, look at it and get the feeling of my life long goal accomplished. I want to ake pictures, video tape it coming off the flat bed. I want to stare at it until I cant take it and then hop in let the experience begin.
Yes I know this sounds like I am a mad man, but its true, I love the whole suspense thing.
Adrian - I have read your story on your webpage many times, its hysterical! I like the part where you say you began to wonder why you bought it until you caught the reflection of it on windows driving by a building.
Classic!
>> Edited by LotusV8 on Thursday 6th February 15:01
Kylie - I often tell myself the 1st Esprit that I own, I want it to be delivered to my house or have my cousin or brother or someone drive it to my house. I want to study it, look at it and get the feeling of my life long goal accomplished. I want to ake pictures, video tape it coming off the flat bed. I want to stare at it until I cant take it and then hop in let the experience begin.
Yes I know this sounds like I am a mad man, but its true, I love the whole suspense thing.
Adrian - I have read your story on your webpage many times, its hysterical! I like the part where you say you began to wonder why you bought it until you caught the reflection of it on windows driving by a building.
Classic!
>> Edited by LotusV8 on Thursday 6th February 15:01
doct93 said: hmm, don't worry about looking out of the back...Tim B (97GT3)
Reminds me of the classic movie line from the "CannonBall Run' where Raoul Julien reaches into his Ferrari 250 GTO and rips out the rearview mirror and throws it into the woods saying "The first rule of Italian Driving is...What is behind me is of no importance!" a classic line to be sure...Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
Reminds me of the classic movie line from the "CannonBall Run' where Raoul Julien reaches into his Ferrari 250 GTO and rips out the rearview mirror and throws it into the woods saying "The first rule of Italian Driving is...What is behind me is of no importance!" a classic line to be sure...Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
It was actually Gumball Rally and the chap is Raul Julia...
My car arrived the day before I got back from a long trip abroad and my wife accepted it from the dealer. She then showed me what was what with the boot and bonnet then said ' the second bit of great news is.....I'm pregnant!' Stunned silence... Visions of a kiddie seat on the roof.... I had to sit down.
Then I took it out and on a nice long straight put mu foot down a bit and went 'YeeeeeeeHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !'. Then I tried to stop, put my foot on the gas AND the brake and nearly went through a junction into a field!
My wife hasn't been in it with me since although she does drive it sometimes on her own and well, absolutely loves it. She plays 'Man I feel like a Woman' by Shania Twain at full volume and boy does she get the looks. Anyway, I have since got used to the peddles and when it isn't in the fixit shop it gets used daily, much to the annoyance and envy of my seniors at work who have bought outragously expensive houses and can only afford clapped out rust buckets. They will probably have the last laugh but will never have really lived...
Dom
Then I took it out and on a nice long straight put mu foot down a bit and went 'YeeeeeeeHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !'. Then I tried to stop, put my foot on the gas AND the brake and nearly went through a junction into a field!
My wife hasn't been in it with me since although she does drive it sometimes on her own and well, absolutely loves it. She plays 'Man I feel like a Woman' by Shania Twain at full volume and boy does she get the looks. Anyway, I have since got used to the peddles and when it isn't in the fixit shop it gets used daily, much to the annoyance and envy of my seniors at work who have bought outragously expensive houses and can only afford clapped out rust buckets. They will probably have the last laugh but will never have really lived...
Dom
When I took my car for a test drive I couldnt get the smile off my face. I then told the car dealer I thought I would be back to buy it. It took about 4 weeks of negotiation to get the price I wanted.
Then some fun. When I took it for a test drive I didnt put it in reverse. I also had not driven it in heavy traffic. So anyways, I take it from the yard - watching everyone that could move and potentially run into me. The dealer off course left it completely emtpy of fuel so I pulled into a gas station but had to reverse back to the bowser - could I get the damm thing in reverse - no way. Sat there with everyone looking at the wonderful car wondering what the heck I was doing 5 meters from the bowser. So I figured, try the next petrol station. Well I finally found one that didnt need reversing. Was constantly worried that I would run out of petrol, traffic was heavy so car seemed to be getting into the red zone on temp really quickly. So here I am thinking that I have just bought a car that overheats when its not hot and cant reverse.
Wanted to show my wife the car, I went up a dead end street so she could look from our apartment. She was pretty impressed to see me pushing the car backwards to do a 3 point turn. Nice car Jason, when you said you got a special car I kinda thought it might be able to propell itself but hey you wanted a sports car ! she said when I got home. I was at the time a bit worried, not about the car but what if I drove into a dead end street that was on a hill, I would never be able to get out. Reverse is overstated I thought anyway.
So then I went back and consulted Espritfactfile and thankfully found the secret of reversing and the engine heats up quickly but then the fans kick in and cool it back down.
Since then, when getting up in the morning and you really dont want to - I think of driving the car to work - then I'm in the shower and ready to go. Love my car - I actually got a bit jealous that someone else had owned my car when I went past a suburb where it was once owned.
Jas
Then some fun. When I took it for a test drive I didnt put it in reverse. I also had not driven it in heavy traffic. So anyways, I take it from the yard - watching everyone that could move and potentially run into me. The dealer off course left it completely emtpy of fuel so I pulled into a gas station but had to reverse back to the bowser - could I get the damm thing in reverse - no way. Sat there with everyone looking at the wonderful car wondering what the heck I was doing 5 meters from the bowser. So I figured, try the next petrol station. Well I finally found one that didnt need reversing. Was constantly worried that I would run out of petrol, traffic was heavy so car seemed to be getting into the red zone on temp really quickly. So here I am thinking that I have just bought a car that overheats when its not hot and cant reverse.
Wanted to show my wife the car, I went up a dead end street so she could look from our apartment. She was pretty impressed to see me pushing the car backwards to do a 3 point turn. Nice car Jason, when you said you got a special car I kinda thought it might be able to propell itself but hey you wanted a sports car ! she said when I got home. I was at the time a bit worried, not about the car but what if I drove into a dead end street that was on a hill, I would never be able to get out. Reverse is overstated I thought anyway.
So then I went back and consulted Espritfactfile and thankfully found the secret of reversing and the engine heats up quickly but then the fans kick in and cool it back down.
Since then, when getting up in the morning and you really dont want to - I think of driving the car to work - then I'm in the shower and ready to go. Love my car - I actually got a bit jealous that someone else had owned my car when I went past a suburb where it was once owned.
Jas
This is my first experience of owning a Lotus. I have a wife and child and struggled to find the time and money to buy a newer one. Just had to get on the Esprit ladder. I viewed the car 3 times before buying it! The first time I drove it, I was really put off. Iam 6'-3" and have wide feet. The first roundabout I came to, my foot caught the accellerator pedal when pressing the brake. But even that didn't put me off, after watching my life rush pass me and nearly writing the car off!
I was a little suspiscious about the whole deal, as I knocked the PO by quite a bit. Shabby interior, radio & ariel not working, headlight reflectors flaking badly etc. Deal turned out to be OK. The PO rings me every week to see if the car OK. He has bought an Elise. We now are in regular contact, really nice guy. He's even asked for first shout when I come to sell it now the interior is done.
The day I picked it up was Friday 13th! Everone I had told about the car advised me not to pick it up that day but I had to. Every other driver that day was pulling out in front of me, I wa really crapping myself! Survived that day until the next day. I went to my mother in it to decorate her house and left the side lights on for 5 hours! As I left there was a group of kids outside admiring it. As you can imagine, it was very embassing, had to call on a neighbour to come and jump start it. I alos wasn't fairmiliar with the alarm and imobiliser, there are 2 and you only get a certain time for each one. Well next day went to the local take-away and the other customers in the shop starting to ask questions about the car. Again very embarrassed, could start the car. In the end, had to ring the PO, lucking I had saved his number on my mobile(cellphone) otherwise I would have been walking home. Iam really getting to know the car now. Wife starting talking to me after about 2 weeks. I did tell her I was buying it, eh.. well sort of. It's been the sore topic of discusion for the past 9 years when I met her. She first looked at it over a month of owning it. What a spoilsport hey!
I was a little suspiscious about the whole deal, as I knocked the PO by quite a bit. Shabby interior, radio & ariel not working, headlight reflectors flaking badly etc. Deal turned out to be OK. The PO rings me every week to see if the car OK. He has bought an Elise. We now are in regular contact, really nice guy. He's even asked for first shout when I come to sell it now the interior is done.
The day I picked it up was Friday 13th! Everone I had told about the car advised me not to pick it up that day but I had to. Every other driver that day was pulling out in front of me, I wa really crapping myself! Survived that day until the next day. I went to my mother in it to decorate her house and left the side lights on for 5 hours! As I left there was a group of kids outside admiring it. As you can imagine, it was very embassing, had to call on a neighbour to come and jump start it. I alos wasn't fairmiliar with the alarm and imobiliser, there are 2 and you only get a certain time for each one. Well next day went to the local take-away and the other customers in the shop starting to ask questions about the car. Again very embarrassed, could start the car. In the end, had to ring the PO, lucking I had saved his number on my mobile(cellphone) otherwise I would have been walking home. Iam really getting to know the car now. Wife starting talking to me after about 2 weeks. I did tell her I was buying it, eh.. well sort of. It's been the sore topic of discusion for the past 9 years when I met her. She first looked at it over a month of owning it. What a spoilsport hey!
My first impression? As I drove away from the private party I had just purchased the car from (in late November of 2001) I had trouble seeing the road ahead due to the windows fogging up instantly upon turning on the defroster. It was also a lot of fun trying to fit my left shoe onto the clutch pedal while my right shoe was on the throttle. It was dark and I drove the car straight to Disneyland to meet some friends. On the way, the car started over-heating because the otto had blown out years ago and the previous owner had installed a manual switch for the fans (which he forgot to tell me about, little matter though - the switch was broken anyway). Every other car on the road seemed much bigger than mine (Southern California -land of the SUV) and they seemed to want to get in close to take a peek. It felt like a swarm of bees darting about my head...
I still own the car, and I drive it a little every day. It's great fun. I think I'll keep it.
I still own the car, and I drive it a little every day. It's great fun. I think I'll keep it.
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