Discussion
Question for all you UK esprit owners....
just how far would you trust the main dealers in the UK when it comes to an honest appraisal of the condition of the cars they are selling?
If I was buying a high spec motor from a private owner then I'd seriously consider taking it to somewhere like Pete Smith's to be given the once over.
If on the other hand, you are actually contemplating buying from a dealer like this, who can you get to offer a 2nd opinion? I'm certain your standard AA type check ain't gonna be that tailored to a performance car like an Esprit.
(and yes before you ask, I am considering buying a motor from a dealer at the moment)
BJ
just how far would you trust the main dealers in the UK when it comes to an honest appraisal of the condition of the cars they are selling?
If I was buying a high spec motor from a private owner then I'd seriously consider taking it to somewhere like Pete Smith's to be given the once over.
If on the other hand, you are actually contemplating buying from a dealer like this, who can you get to offer a 2nd opinion? I'm certain your standard AA type check ain't gonna be that tailored to a performance car like an Esprit.
(and yes before you ask, I am considering buying a motor from a dealer at the moment)
BJ
Hey BJ,
I am not sure how savvy that you are under a car but I know that if someone walks into my dealership and wants me to put a car on a lift I will do that for them. That should help you get an idea of what could be lurking under your possible purchase.
Also, is there not an "independent" mechanic or tuner somewhere nearby? If so, I am sure that the seller would allow you to take it out for a 2nd party inspection like we do here. Sometimes they will even reimburse you for the price of the inspection if you buy the car afterwards.
If I can be of any more help please let me know.
Thank you,
Chris Constantin
North Point Motorcars/Lotus & Lamborghini of Atlanta
chris@thebimmerstore.com
I am not sure how savvy that you are under a car but I know that if someone walks into my dealership and wants me to put a car on a lift I will do that for them. That should help you get an idea of what could be lurking under your possible purchase.
Also, is there not an "independent" mechanic or tuner somewhere nearby? If so, I am sure that the seller would allow you to take it out for a 2nd party inspection like we do here. Sometimes they will even reimburse you for the price of the inspection if you buy the car afterwards.
If I can be of any more help please let me know.
Thank you,
Chris Constantin
North Point Motorcars/Lotus & Lamborghini of Atlanta
chris@thebimmerstore.com
I called in to a very well known main dealer to get some parts about eight months ago.
Outside was the roughest looking Esprit V8 in the world. The paint was a mess and the interior was filthy.
The worst of it were the rims, which were scraped and chipped beyond belief. One rim had been kerbed so badly that I was surprised that it could keep a tyre on.
I was back there about a month later and the same car was now in the showroom, minted up and looking fantastic.
You would't want to have touched it with a bargepole, but unless you had seen it before you would never have known....
Good luck.
Pat
Outside was the roughest looking Esprit V8 in the world. The paint was a mess and the interior was filthy.
The worst of it were the rims, which were scraped and chipped beyond belief. One rim had been kerbed so badly that I was surprised that it could keep a tyre on.
I was back there about a month later and the same car was now in the showroom, minted up and looking fantastic.
You would't want to have touched it with a bargepole, but unless you had seen it before you would never have known....
Good luck.
Pat
Where about in the UK do you live. Maybe then, we can suggest someone in your area to get it checked out. It's funny that you question a dealer as I bought mine from a private seller and didn't really check it over the way i've should have done. I would have checked it out even less if it were a dealer. If think too many people trust dealers when most are just traders or unauthorised dealers. I have also heard of some rogue authorised dealers aswell.
The problem is that until I came across these forums, I wasn't aware of the scale of the problem.
I was very lucky, Although there a few few little niggles with my motor, all appears to be OK (touch wood) but could have quite easily been a nightmare.
In the UK the laws aren't as good as the US and generally dealers/traders disappear and reammurge the next day under a different name or even the same name with 2003Ltd. or similar.
I have to be more aware in the future. It's a shame that we can't make more prospective buyers of high performance cars more aware of the pitfalls as these are ten times worse than buyer a standard car.
Also it would be a good idea if a specialist company say in the centre of UK could offer a service of checking out these cars. It would work even better if there was a group of reputable service specialists that got together in different areas to keep the travelling costs down. These group of people would obviously have to be not in the selling trade as this would be a conflict of interest.
Ah just a though anyway, probably talking through my backside as usual.
Dave Walters
The problem is that until I came across these forums, I wasn't aware of the scale of the problem.
I was very lucky, Although there a few few little niggles with my motor, all appears to be OK (touch wood) but could have quite easily been a nightmare.
In the UK the laws aren't as good as the US and generally dealers/traders disappear and reammurge the next day under a different name or even the same name with 2003Ltd. or similar.
I have to be more aware in the future. It's a shame that we can't make more prospective buyers of high performance cars more aware of the pitfalls as these are ten times worse than buyer a standard car.
Also it would be a good idea if a specialist company say in the centre of UK could offer a service of checking out these cars. It would work even better if there was a group of reputable service specialists that got together in different areas to keep the travelling costs down. These group of people would obviously have to be not in the selling trade as this would be a conflict of interest.
Ah just a though anyway, probably talking through my backside as usual.
Dave Walters
Nice idea Dave for a central service/vetting facility. Either that or hope that the AA gets some performance specialists in their car assessment group.
Thanks for all the comments guys, the last time I bought an Esprit, an S350 in 2000, I didn't need to worry about all of this as it was new, so the history was reeeeeaaal easy to figure out.
In terms of where I live, I'm in Wiltshire, although I fully expect to be looking at cars at Peter Smith's, at Nick Whales and at any other place that I see a UK advertised S350 in good condition with not too many miles on it. Currently, I know there's one at the former, and 1 due in soon at the latter. Not seen any other dealers with S350's in the uk. Feel free to enlighten me if you know otherwise
So, looks like this will be a 'project' for the next few weeks to find a decent car, with no major gremlins, from a reputable source with a FSH and at a reasonable price.
What could be simpler?
BJ
Thanks for all the comments guys, the last time I bought an Esprit, an S350 in 2000, I didn't need to worry about all of this as it was new, so the history was reeeeeaaal easy to figure out.
In terms of where I live, I'm in Wiltshire, although I fully expect to be looking at cars at Peter Smith's, at Nick Whales and at any other place that I see a UK advertised S350 in good condition with not too many miles on it. Currently, I know there's one at the former, and 1 due in soon at the latter. Not seen any other dealers with S350's in the uk. Feel free to enlighten me if you know otherwise
So, looks like this will be a 'project' for the next few weeks to find a decent car, with no major gremlins, from a reputable source with a FSH and at a reasonable price.
What could be simpler?
BJ
You've already probably done this but have you done a complete nationwide search on Autotrader via the web?
If you go to www.autotrader.co.uk and register. If you don't the search engine only defaults to 40 mile radius I think. Once you've registered you can change the distance to 'national'
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
If you go to www.autotrader.co.uk and register. If you don't the search engine only defaults to 40 mile radius I think. Once you've registered you can change the distance to 'national'
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Dave Walters
ps Took the liberty of checking for you on Autotrader. Sorry no 350Sport on there but lots of others to choose from. There's 19 between £20-£42K.
Hope this helps.
http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/WWW/CARS_search.asp?page=0&modelexact=1&make=LOTUS&min_pr=20000&postcode=ch45+9jf&source=0&model=ESPRIT&max_pr=&sort=3&variant=&mileage=&miles=1500&keywords=&agerange=&max_records=50&search.x=22&search.y=10
Cheers,
Dave Walters
Hope this helps.
http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/WWW/CARS_search.asp?page=0&modelexact=1&make=LOTUS&min_pr=20000&postcode=ch45+9jf&source=0&model=ESPRIT&max_pr=&sort=3&variant=&mileage=&miles=1500&keywords=&agerange=&max_records=50&search.x=22&search.y=10
Cheers,
Dave Walters
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