Looking at damaged Elise - LotusTalk

maxshuty · 06-14-2009, 06:28 PM

Well I came across this on eBay...
Lotus : Elise:eBay Motors (item 280357598770 end time Jun-19-09 09:39:31 PDT)

First of all how much do you guys suspect it would cost to get this thing looking like new again? In the description it says " I SEE NO REASON WHY YOU COULD NOT DRIVE IT HOME" do you guys' think it is really driveable as a DD like that? I'd be able to get the car, but I'd also need to drive it as a DD and slowly fix the problems (I dont have all the $$ at once to fix it all at once..) How much do you guys' think it would cost to fix it MINUS the rim/tire problem(s)? I can deal with some scratches in the rims since they aren't noticable unless the car is at a dead stop, and even then most people dont inspect your rims for dings :P
What are your thoughts on this car?! Am I going to run into a bunch of engine problems etc. down the road with it?

ZAMMY1 · 06-14-2009, 06:53 PM

caveat emptor........let the buyer beware.
if you need to ask, it's not in your league.
save your pennies, hock your watch and borrow to get a decent, running, car that you CAN drive home, or any place else.
these are not your nephew's honda.
you probably will rue the day you bought it and even more the day you try to sell it.
cheap ain't cheap.
good luck, sam

dantediss · 06-14-2009, 08:30 PM

After seeing and reading the ad..Thats at LEAST 12k in damage and thats a very lowball amount... Save up and get a clean one,Just think about if you were to buy that one and ever try to sell it ?

Addictedto · 06-14-2009, 09:14 PM

PASS ! If it was worth fixing and driving, the body shop that has it would finish it and then sell it so that tells me its not worth it. Also someone else already started to repair it and then realized their mistake and bailed. Theres better deals out there than this one.

akandok · 06-14-2009, 11:20 PM

Don't do it....

MattG · 06-15-2009, 08:01 AM

If you paid someone else to repair it, you'd be looking at around $20k (or more, depends on what damage lies hidden beneath). At the current bid of $10k, it's not worth it. If you were willing and able to do fiberglass repair work yourself you could reduce the cost a lot, but it'll take a lot of work.

EDIT - on second thought, if the front clamshell has been repaired decently, might only be in the $10-15k range. Still, for that price you could get an Elise that's already fixed.

xtn · 06-15-2009, 08:11 AM

Heck that's at least $12K to $15K in parts alone.

xtn

kestrel74 · 06-15-2009, 08:14 AM

maxshuty · 06-15-2009, 09:22 AM

Definitely staying away then... I honestly have no idea on what the damage costs on these cars are... I thought it would be around 7K tops. If it would cost me 30K to get this car running right then I could just buy a very good condition Elise for that price.

E_Swift · 06-16-2009, 04:42 PM

You could get it back up to spec for 7k, no problem, if you did the work yourself and bought used parts as necessary. Of course, you would have to be competent at fibreglass repair, painting, as well as everything else mechanical. Oh, and you'd have to hope that there is no frame damage.

Definitely not a car to buy unless one knew the frame was straight. At $10k, this is not a "steal" by any stretch of the imagination. Plus it already has 10k miles...

I am relatively local and emailed him within an hour of when the auction started to see if he would short sell. He was looking for $15k....

Plus, the ad is in all caps.... how can you trust it?

Furryferret · 06-16-2009, 05:05 PM

looks like its been on its side rims scratched everything messed up

i would say pass unless you want to carbon fiber the front and rear clams and a bunch of other parts...

06-14-2009, 06:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
maxshuty Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 20	Looking at damaged Elise Well I came across this on eBay... Lotus : Elise:eBay Motors (item 280357598770 end time Jun-19-09 09:39:31 PDT) First of all how much do you guys suspect it would cost to get this thing looking like new again? In the description it says " I SEE NO REASON WHY YOU COULD NOT DRIVE IT HOME" do you guys' think it is really driveable as a DD like that? I'd be able to get the car, but I'd also need to drive it as a DD and slowly fix the problems (I dont have all the $$ at once to fix it all at once..) How much do you guys' think it would cost to fix it MINUS the rim/tire problem(s)? I can deal with some scratches in the rims since they aren't noticable unless the car is at a dead stop, and even then most people dont inspect your rims for dings :P What are your thoughts on this car?! Am I going to run into a bunch of engine problems etc. down the road with it?

06-14-2009, 09:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
Addictedto the need for speed Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: south jersey Posts: 146 Images: 18	PASS ! If it was worth fixing and driving, the body shop that has it would finish it and then sell it so that tells me its not worth it. Also someone else already started to repair it and then realized their mistake and bailed. Theres better deals out there than this one. __________________ '05 Elise, Storm Titanium, Gullwing top, custom pinstripes, LETSLA, stage II exh, BWR (sitting on coffee table)

06-14-2009, 11:20 PM	#5 (permalink)
akandok 2006 Lotus Elise Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 1,808	Don't do it.... __________________ “The biggest cause of trouble in the world today is that the stupid people are so sure about things and the intelligent folks are so full of doubts.” Bertrand Russell John 3:16

06-15-2009, 08:01 AM	#6 (permalink)
MattG insert clever title here Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Living above the clouds in Colorado Posts: 7,676 Images: 11	If you paid someone else to repair it, you'd be looking at around $20k (or more, depends on what damage lies hidden beneath). At the current bid of $10k, it's not worth it. If you were willing and able to do fiberglass repair work yourself you could reduce the cost a lot, but it'll take a lot of work. EDIT - on second thought, if the front clamshell has been repaired decently, might only be in the $10-15k range. Still, for that price you could get an Elise that's already fixed. __________________ '05 Elise, Magnetic Blue / Biscuit / Hardtop / http://eliseinfo.com Radar detector mounting brackets for sale here

06-15-2009, 08:11 AM	#7 (permalink)
xtn McLareghini Bugatterrari Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 6,845	Heck that's at least $12K to $15K in parts alone. xtn __________________ 2006 McLareghini Bugatterrari, Storm Titanium... <mods> installed: air horn, Scroth 4-point ASM harnesses, Sector111 halon extinguisher and mounting bracket, Von Hep exhaust and rear panel delete, Pagid brake pads, red Volks CE28n wheels, Toyo RA-1 tires, Nitron SA coilovers, Sector111 (WorksBell) quick-disconnect steering wheel kit. awaiting installation: Scroth "pull-up" lap belts, Sector111 RTD Brace, Tony's heater bypass mod, and dropped steering rack mounting plates. </mods>

06-14-2009, 06:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
ZAMMY1 ZAMMY Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: washington, pa, (near PGH.) Posts: 1,557	caveat emptor........let the buyer beware. if you need to ask, it's not in your league. save your pennies, hock your watch and borrow to get a decent, running, car that you CAN drive home, or any place else. these are not your nephew's honda. you probably will rue the day you bought it and even more the day you try to sell it. cheap ain't cheap. good luck, sam

06-14-2009, 08:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
dantediss Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 88	After seeing and reading the ad..Thats at LEAST 12k in damage and thats a very lowball amount... Save up and get a clean one,Just think about if you were to buy that one and ever try to sell it ?

06-15-2009, 08:14 AM	#8 (permalink)
kestrel74 G-200 Driver Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: North of Detroit; Watkins Glen, NY Posts: 9,312	__________________ 74 Europa Zetec TC Special 3614R Elise #2292 / Chrome Orange !! / Starshield / Nitron Sport SA / RTDbrace / Uprights machined / Down Low rails / ChaseCam / V1 / SS lines w/ R4-S "My daily driver does .85 Mach" " I started flying when Sex was safe and Hang Gliding was dangerous " BUY My Europa ! http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f94/...pa-sale-43829/

06-15-2009, 09:22 AM	#9 (permalink)
maxshuty Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 20	Definitely staying away then... I honestly have no idea on what the damage costs on these cars are... I thought it would be around 7K tops. If it would cost me 30K to get this car running right then I could just buy a very good condition Elise for that price.

06-16-2009, 04:42 PM	#10 (permalink)
E_Swift Back to Basics Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 328	You could get it back up to spec for 7k, no problem, if you did the work yourself and bought used parts as necessary. Of course, you would have to be competent at fibreglass repair, painting, as well as everything else mechanical. Oh, and you'd have to hope that there is no frame damage. Definitely not a car to buy unless one knew the frame was straight. At $10k, this is not a "steal" by any stretch of the imagination. Plus it already has 10k miles... I am relatively local and emailed him within an hour of when the auction started to see if he would short sell. He was looking for $15k.... Plus, the ad is in all caps.... how can you trust it? __________________ Current:{2006 Volvo V50}{2005 Lotus Elise}{2005 Subaru Impreza 2.5RS}{2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STi}{1988 Lancia Delta Integrale} Past: {1997 Honda Civic EX}{1994 Infiniti J30}{1992 Volkswagen Passat GL}{1988 BMW M3}{1988 Nissan 300ZX}{1988 Ford Taurus LX}{1971 BMW 2002}

06-16-2009, 05:05 PM	#11 (permalink)
Furryferret Army Military Police Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama Posts: 31	looks like its been on its side rims scratched everything messed up i would say pass unless you want to carbon fiber the front and rear clams and a bunch of other parts... __________________ A lighter car starts with the driver.

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