I envy all of you...
Discussion
I just want to say how jealous I am of all of you who own an Esprit!! (Not meanly jealous 
)
Look at SuperDave, hes like a kid again with his Esprit!! I wish I knew the feeling. It must be so amazing to walk outside and confront this beautiful creation.
Yes I am insane in case your wondering.
) Look at SuperDave, hes like a kid again with his Esprit!! I wish I knew the feeling. It must be so amazing to walk outside and confront this beautiful creation.
Yes I am insane in case your wondering.
On a run at the weekend with some lotus friends (my car on the left).
I just want to say how jealous I am of all of you who own an Esprit!! (Not meanly jealous
Look at SuperDave, hes like a kid again with his Esprit!! I wish I knew the feeling. It must be so amazing to walk outside and confront this beautiful creation.
Yes I am insane in case your wondering.
What do you mean like a kid. I'm only 15! Oh was that was mental age so my wife's told me recently.
Anyways, I reason I own one now is because of the years of compromises i've had to make with the missus. Wedding, house, home improvements, kids (one). You get the picture
. Could have been really selfish and blew my money on a newer one, S4 or V8 if I really wanted to. Sadly I wouldn't be able to go out in it as I would have no money for runnign costs
. I think that this is a compromise with my wife as the purchase price wasn't that much. What she doesn't need to know is the running costs! Touch wood, hopefully not too much!
Cheers,
Big Kid Dave
I am sure the running costs are high, but I know it will be well worth it. SuperDave, I hope I didnt come of as calling you a 'kid', I just meant I can tell how excited you are! God Forbid your wife see's the maintenance bill! LOL
I wonder though, it is probbaly cheaper to run an Esprit in Europe then in the U.S.?
Either way, I cannot wait for the day I get my Esprit. So many years to wait!
I wonder though, it is probbaly cheaper to run an Esprit in Europe then in the U.S.?
Either way, I cannot wait for the day I get my Esprit. So many years to wait!
Hi good old saying...."make a plan, work your plan". For me my day job can not justify paying off a house and day to day expensives, so you need to come up with plan B......For me I decided to extend my art work into top NZ galleries which have paid off. So this is just a basic example of how you can get around things.
If you want something sooo badly you will get it.
Yes some people are just lucky, but you will find most people here have certainly put in the hard yards first.
If you want something sooo badly you will get it.
Yes some people are just lucky, but you will find most people here have certainly put in the hard yards first.
There are some things on your side as a prospective Esprit owner that are not so if you were buying, say a Ferrari/Porsche.
Firstly, Esprit prices across all its variant releases are falling rapidly, not because they reflect the true value of the car, but more a representation of wider market valuation. This valuation is mostly governed by fashionable image desirability in comparison to the rival marques that are commanding almost house prices!
The Esprit still in it's largely unchanged form can keep pace and often outperform these newer machine; but the market doesn't see it that way.
Secondly, none of these 'other' cars really puts you as in touch with the automotive experience as the Esprit. With them, these days anyway, you buy your way into the status, and anyone with that kind of money can, like a designer suit. I mean with a new model Ferrari/Porsche, can you imagine doing some of the intimate tinkering that Esprit owners get into?
Only with the old classics and deep pockets if at all. The very accident of that fact makes it a car for the passionate and as a byproduct of the above, within the realms of affordability.
In essence, the Esprit is as affordable as you want to make it nowadays: it's uniquely a labour of love. If you haven't the cash to buy the newer models in good order from a dealer, therefore a safer bet for the non mechanically minded; then, you set your target on a more affordable older car, but the trade off is that you have to be willing to break a sweat and learn the necessary skills instead: learn to do the caring it needs yourself rather than the paid garages. This is a generalisation but the point is, you pay one way or the other, sweat, or money, but at least you have the choice, and it means that people who love it but don't have the money, still have a way in sooner and aren't excluded forever like the 'other' marques are becoming.
Lastly, the part that founds the last two is that Lotus really hasn't changed the car so much in the last 30 years. So if you buy an older car, you aren't missing out on as much, and much of the thrill of handling, looks, and yes, power can still be gained. Just don't buy your parts from Lotus and you have a chance! And these forums full of other owners can often make maintenance cheaper as well through their experience and know how.
Bottom line: it is possible, but you have to love the car else it won't work. That's been my experience, and many others as all these guys out there rebuilding from salvage goes to show. Good luck.
Regards,
Nicholas
(92 Esprit SE HW)
>> Edited by NLJdH on Monday 24th February 23:30
>> Edited by NLJdH on Monday 24th February 23:44
Firstly, Esprit prices across all its variant releases are falling rapidly, not because they reflect the true value of the car, but more a representation of wider market valuation. This valuation is mostly governed by fashionable image desirability in comparison to the rival marques that are commanding almost house prices!
The Esprit still in it's largely unchanged form can keep pace and often outperform these newer machine; but the market doesn't see it that way.
Secondly, none of these 'other' cars really puts you as in touch with the automotive experience as the Esprit. With them, these days anyway, you buy your way into the status, and anyone with that kind of money can, like a designer suit. I mean with a new model Ferrari/Porsche, can you imagine doing some of the intimate tinkering that Esprit owners get into?
Only with the old classics and deep pockets if at all. The very accident of that fact makes it a car for the passionate and as a byproduct of the above, within the realms of affordability. In essence, the Esprit is as affordable as you want to make it nowadays: it's uniquely a labour of love. If you haven't the cash to buy the newer models in good order from a dealer, therefore a safer bet for the non mechanically minded; then, you set your target on a more affordable older car, but the trade off is that you have to be willing to break a sweat and learn the necessary skills instead: learn to do the caring it needs yourself rather than the paid garages. This is a generalisation but the point is, you pay one way or the other, sweat, or money, but at least you have the choice, and it means that people who love it but don't have the money, still have a way in sooner and aren't excluded forever like the 'other' marques are becoming.
Lastly, the part that founds the last two is that Lotus really hasn't changed the car so much in the last 30 years. So if you buy an older car, you aren't missing out on as much, and much of the thrill of handling, looks, and yes, power can still be gained. Just don't buy your parts from Lotus and you have a chance! And these forums full of other owners can often make maintenance cheaper as well through their experience and know how.
Bottom line: it is possible, but you have to love the car else it won't work. That's been my experience, and many others as all these guys out there rebuilding from salvage goes to show. Good luck.
Regards,
Nicholas
(92 Esprit SE HW)
>> Edited by NLJdH on Monday 24th February 23:30
>> Edited by NLJdH on Monday 24th February 23:44
I think NLJdH to summed the whole thing up Lotus V8. If that doesn't make you achieve your goal, nothing will.
It certainly inspires me, and I already got. As I explained early, still a new owner and Iam a bit apprehesive of the high running costs, so haven't spent much money on mods yet.
This has given me reassurance that no matter what happens, I will always own an Esprit until such day I choose another model.
It's just simple things like my family already asking what I want for my birthday which isn't until April, by the way don't get me too big a present everyone I've asked for money to buy a Maintainance manual, so I can do some of the easier repairs myself.
It certainly inspires me, and I already got. As I explained early, still a new owner and Iam a bit apprehesive of the high running costs, so haven't spent much money on mods yet.
This has given me reassurance that no matter what happens, I will always own an Esprit until such day I choose another model.
It's just simple things like my family already asking what I want for my birthday which isn't until April, by the way don't get me too big a present everyone
I've asked for money to buy a Maintainance manual, so I can do some of the easier repairs myself.
Thanks for the encouragement guys. NL, very well said.
I am more than willing to do anything to maintain and/or achieve an Esprit. Since I was 13 years old, it is still one of my top 3 goals in life. And I still continue to indulge myself in every magazine article, poster, video, whatever I can get my hands on that pertain to Lotus!
I am more than willing to do anything to maintain and/or achieve an Esprit. Since I was 13 years old, it is still one of my top 3 goals in life. And I still continue to indulge myself in every magazine article, poster, video, whatever I can get my hands on that pertain to Lotus!
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