1990 Esprit Turbo

[djacobs]

Originally Posted by JeffYoung

Good luck with it dude! One of the other "rules" of Esprit ownership is that you should never buy the first one you stumble across..something about the heart ruling the mind....lol.....

When you get one, let us know. I thoroughly enjoyed my 93.5 the 4 years I had it.

Yeah, the lasting 6 hour ear to ear grin Im sure has something to do with the 'heart ruling the mind' Hahah. That sums it up. Im thinking if approaved, I might just wait a while, I never liked tan interiors anyway. I dont want just jump into it, but at the same time dont want to be saying 'I shouldnt have let that one pass.'

All in all, this is the first Lotus I looked at. And priced kind of high for what it is, but thats ok with me if its perfect mechanically.

[E5PR1T]

Darren,

I found your car on Park Place's website...looks nice, good color (my Esprit is red too)! Just looking at the photos of the interior the leather condition seems to be great. However, it's hard to judge from just photos, and you can never tell the mechanical condition. I would suggest the following:

1. Contact your local Lotus Club & see if anyone knows the car or the previous owner of the car. Talk to the previous owner if you can. You'll find out right away whether he's a "Lotus Owner" or "Lotus Enthusiast". Or you can see if any of the local enthusiast who is an Esprit expert can go & take a look at the car for you. You can get the info from this site:
http://www.lotuscars.com/lotus_clubs.html
2. Sign up for Yahoo Turboesprit group & ask if anyone knows that car. If the car has been owned by enthusiasts then you may be able to get some info there too.
3. Carfax, service records and PPI (this is a MUST!)

I also did a quick search and found 2 for sale on ebay that are possibly cheaper...both are Southern California car (my area) & we have Harry from Viking Motorsports who is a very reputable mechanic in the Lotus community. If any of the two cars has been serviced by Harry you can then verify the service history with Harry as well as getting a PPI done. I believe one of them is even a one owner car.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lotus...spagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993-...em140220393365

I understand completely how you feel, when I was looking for one, I had to get one & kept thinking about it. I was lucky and got a lot of help from the local Lotus community, and I ended up getting a really nice car. Good Luck Hunting & hope to see you posting pictures of your new Esprit soon!

Alan

[JeffYoung]

Oh wait, that's a Park Place car? I bought mine there (a 93.5) in 2003. The good is that they are decent Lotus folks and it will check out mechanically. They fixed several things, properly, on my car before purchase.

The bad is they are HIGH. Probably pay more of a premium there than anywhere else for an Esprit (I did...ugh). But the quality of the cars is good. No Esprit is perfect though, and if I had to do it over...well....I don't know....I might actually stick with the car I bought. It was mostly reliable and it came to me with no real problems.

In fact, I bought it in Bellevue, Wash and drove it back to Raleigh NC that very same weekend.

[Chris Mackey]

I've never had an Esprit and based on everything I have ever read about them, I never will. Proper maintenance on the car is expensive and time consuming, and improper maintenance is even worse. (I think that this is a common concern for Ferrari and Lamborghini, too.)

The only perspective I can offer is this: why not buy a used Elise? You're in the price range. You get a better looking car (my opinion), a Toyota/Yamaha engine and you will have an easier time finding one in good shape. I think the S2 Elises are better performers than most of the Esprits, too.

The Esprit might be a little more comfortable, due to it's size. It is also less common, which might be an appealing factor, until you consider the maintenance and repair issue mentioned before.

Whatever you decide, let us know.

[JeffYoung]

Here's what I can offer on the Esprit v. Elise/Exige (I've owned both):

1. The Esprit, definitely more exotic of the two. Got more attention if that is what you crave.

2. The Esprit, much more of a high speed GT car. Really could roll up the miles.

3. The Esprit, scaldingly fast in a way the Elise/Exige is not.

4. The Esprit, fragile. Always wondering what was going to break next.

5. The Esprit, not so good on the track. Lots of body roll, marginal brakes.

6. The Elise/Exige, great track car. Decent daily driver.

7. The Elise/Exige, seemed to be screwed together alot better.

8. Toyota drivetrain!

AFter 4 years of Esprit ownership I was ready to move on. Given that I track the car some, the Exige was a good fit for me -- better than the Esprit at the time.

Would be best if you could own both....

[E5PR1T]

Yes, would be best if I could own both. I was trying to convince my girlfriend to buy an Elise over the SLK so I can use it when I go to the track...failed...

I don't know why, but there is this unique thing about the Esprit that I just cannot resist. Maybe infected by the Esprit virus...

Originally Posted by JeffYoung

Here's what I can offer on the Esprit v. Elise/Exige (I've owned both):

1. The Esprit, definitely more exotic of the two. Got more attention if that is what you crave.

2. The Esprit, much more of a high speed GT car. Really could roll up the miles.

3. The Esprit, scaldingly fast in a way the Elise/Exige is not.

4. The Esprit, fragile. Always wondering what was going to break next.

5. The Esprit, not so good on the track. Lots of body roll, marginal brakes.

6. The Elise/Exige, great track car. Decent daily driver.

7. The Elise/Exige, seemed to be screwed together alot better.

8. Toyota drivetrain!

AFter 4 years of Esprit ownership I was ready to move on. Given that I track the car some, the Exige was a good fit for me -- better than the Esprit at the time.

Would be best if you could own both....

[91MR2]

I'm not going to turn this into an Esprit VS. Elise/Exige debate, they share nothing in common other than a badge. They're both outstanding in their own ways. Anyways, Esprit ownership, once you understand what you're getting into, can be very easy, and the car is not THAT unreliable. The engines are strong, the gearbox (provided it wasn't slammed around for it's whole life) is totally livable, the ride is very comfortable, and it's well appointed inside.

I'll never forget, last fall, one of the last times I drove my car before winter...I was driving it...nowhere...I mean, I was just driving it, all over the place, with no destination. I just can't get enough of it, really I can't. There's something about it. The smell of the Connolly leather, the feel of the cockpit, the perfect blend of comfort/sport in the ride...it's just really a special car, can't say enough about it. I've never gotten that feeling our of another car.

[Chris Mackey]

Two thoughts (and I'll shut up):

Originally Posted by JeffYoung

2. The Esprit, much more of a high speed GT car. Really could roll up the miles.

This is true, and if you live in Germany, West Texas or Montana, it might be a big deal for you.

Originally Posted by JeffYoung

3. The Esprit, scaldingly fast in a way the Elise/Exige is not.

I dunno...The Elise/Exige is pretty quick. I know some of the V8 twin turbo Esprits are pretty darned fast. I'm not sure that is the Esprit we're discussing.

[91MR2]

Only a blown Elise/Exige even compares to any post SE Esprit's performance (acceleration-wise).

[JeffYoung]

Key-rect. An SE had 264 hp, with higher transient peaks and easy to get 300 hp with a simple and reliable chip swap. You are getting a car that is capable of 170 mph and low 4 second 0-60 times without have to drop the clutch at 6k to get there.

But where the real difference is is acceleration in the 40 to 100 range. Esprit go bye bye.......

My Exige is quick, but it's nothing like the SE was.

[djacobs]

Damn driving an esprit cross country talk about a dream come true! That why I was hoping to find one in Florida haha.

Well afterconsidering everything, I decided I wanted the Esprit. But it turned out that even though I have good credit, I havent had it long enough, so I could only get a loan for $15,000. But he said if I did this, and drove something nice for 6 mo. to a year, I caould certainly trade it in on the Esprit. So my next thought was Porsche 911, perferably an SC/Targa.

But I ended up finding another RX7 with a nicely built 13B, sunroof, and awesome paint/suspension/wheels. I couldnt pass it up. Im sure it will be a nice trade in (If I go that route on an Esprit, because I have totally been stung by the Esprit bug. For the $6k I paid its an amazing RX7 but still (obviously) cant hold a candle to the performance of the Esprit.

Thank you all so much for steering me in the right direction. Hopefully by this time next year Ill have one.

[91MR2]

All the best, hope it works out for you.

[TheRedMenace]

Originally Posted by Chris Mackey

I've never had an Esprit and based on everything I have ever read about them, I never will. Proper maintenance on the car is expensive and time consuming, and improper maintenance is even worse. (I think that this is a common concern for Ferrari and Lamborghini, too.)

Maintenance is only expensive if you have to pay someone else to do it. The car is easy to work on generally and parts are pretty cheap and easy to come by. Just don't don't buy a piece of sh*t to start out with and when something breaks don't procrastinate.

The Esprits I've had have been the biggest bang for the buck available. It's seriously fast with a few tweaks, handles great, reliable, gets just as many looks as any other exotic and I've never passed another one while driving mine.

If I were looking for a toy in the 30K range there's no other car I'd consider buying. The only downside is finding the right car.

[djacobs]

Originally Posted by JeffYoung

Oh wait, that's a Park Place car? I bought mine there (a 93.5) in 2003. The good is that they are decent Lotus folks and it will check out mechanically. They fixed several things, properly, on my car before purchase.

The bad is they are HIGH. Probably pay more of a premium there than anywhere else for an Esprit (I did...ugh). But the quality of the cars is good. No Esprit is perfect though, and if I had to do it over...well....I don't know....I might actually stick with the car I bought. It was mostly reliable and it came to me with no real problems.

In fact, I bought it in Bellevue, Wash and drove it back to Raleigh NC that very same weekend.

Holy thread resurrection! Haha

Hey I was just curious, what insurance company did you have that let you do that?

I looked into insurance and was mortified to find that every place I talked to wants SEVERE milage limits on the car. I mean as bad as 50 MILES A WEEK!! and still charging $250 a month!

The only unlimited insurance I found, they want you to have like 5 cars and pay at least $10,000 a year.

If this Lotus ownership is in my future, can someone please HELP with insurance options?

Thanks!

[crankwalk]

Originally Posted by djacobs

So my next thought was Porsche 911, perferably an SC/Targa.

But I ended up finding another RX7 with a nicely built 13B, sunroof, and awesome paint/suspension/wheels. .

This is just weird. I have a 911 targa WITH a 13b turbo in it and I want an Esprit.

You want a 911, have an RX7 and are looking for an Esprit. Too bad you just didnt have an Esprit, I'd trade you.

[...m...]

Originally Posted by djacobs

Holy thread resurrection! Haha!

I looked into insurance and was mortified to find that every place I talked to wants SEVERE milage limits on the car. I mean as bad as 50 MILES A WEEK!! and still charging $250 a month!

If this Lotus ownership is in my future, can someone please HELP with insurance options?

...how old are you?..age can play a ridiculously major factor in insurance rates for people below their mid-thirties...

...i'm fortunate enough to daily-drive only about thirty or fourty miles per week - negligible commute and everywhere i need to visit is within a couple of miles - but even though i'd have no problems with fifty miles per week under my current lifestyle, a hard limit like that would absolutely forbid weekend blasts to drive the car the way it was meant to be driven...

[djacobs]

Originally Posted by crankwalk

This is just weird. I have a 911 targa WITH a 13b turbo in it and I want an Esprit.

You want a 911, have an RX7 and are looking for an Esprit. Too bad you just didnt have an Esprit, I'd trade you.

Too Weird! That must be one crazy and very rare Porsche, do you have any pics? Id love to see it. It must be quite the fun car.

Originally Posted by ...m...

...how old are you?..age can play a ridiculously major factor in insurance rates for people below their mid-thirties...

...i'm fortunate enough to daily-drive only about thirty or fourty miles per week - negligible commute and everywhere i need to visit is within a couple of miles - but even though i'd have no problems with fifty miles per week under my current lifestyle, a hard limit like that would absolutely forbid weekend blasts to drive the car the way it was meant to be driven...

Im 25, so Im sure that plays a major part. Ill be 26 though when I have enough to purchase it, so perhaps that may help a bit?

Even 50 miles a week would be pure torture, looking at the car and knowing that it has to sit there, without taking some extremely high risks. There must be a solution out there somewhere.

[...m...]

Originally Posted by djacobs

Im 25, so Im sure that plays a major part. Ill be 26 though when I have enough to purchase it, so perhaps that may help a bit?

...i have absolutely no experience with hard mileage limits, but i suspect that if you're twenty-five the only real means for reasonable insurance rates is to wait quite a few more years - one of the drivers from our local lotus group in his early twenties pays four figures per month for the privilege of driving his elise, and that's before car payments...

...personally, i'd never not feel repressed if i had some corporation arbitrarily restricting a car sitting mostly unused in my garage; shop around a bit and ask the companies what their unlimited mileage rates would be if you were twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-five, etcet...i suppose if you're really in love with this particular car, you could always baby it for a few years and then celebrate with a nice transcontinental cruise the way it was meant to be driven once your policy comes of age...

[crankwalk]

Originally Posted by djacobs

Too Weird! That must be one crazy and very rare Porsche, do you have any pics? Id love to see it. It must be quite the fun car.

WTT: Porsche 911 w/turbo 13b rx7 motor for Esprit

It's in the for sale section. Looking to get an Esprit project for it. Havent checked on insurance yet either but it would be a while before I drove it anyway. I want to make the Lotus a long term money pit.

[lotus4s]

There are plenty of companies that will insure the Esprit but the best pricing will come from one of the classic car companies. Most have a minimum age of over 25 and clean driving record of no more than 1 violation in the last 3 years but the requirements will vary.

Mine is through Grundy and is $485 per year with agreed value, full coverage and unlimited mileage. Progressive wanted $1200...