[89.5 Esprit SE]

Ok all, we need some advice.
I just sold my 89 SE and had a good idea what it was worth as it was in great shape and almost all original.

Now we are planning on selling Artie's old car, but are having a hard time deciding on an asking price, and we are not yet ready to go the eBay route.

For those that don't know the car here are a couple pics. It is a hot looking car if you like the aggressive Darth Vader look. An attention getter for sure, and loud due to a 3" custom exhaust.
It was originallly an 89 Turbo in white, converted to a SE computer and chargecooler. It has a very nice black paint job, upgraded brakes all around, custom 18" rims, adjustable coilovers, V8 taillights, boost controller, air:fuel meter, nice stereo, and the monster wing
The motor(which unfortunately was incorrectly rebuilt and trashed) was replaced with a freshly rebuilt stock 89 block. The interior is near new and very nice.

So my thoughts are less value due to the non-original aspects, and more value due to the very nice cosmetics(if it is your cup of tea) and substantial upgrades including a fresh motor and redone fuel tanks.

Any comments, good , bad or otherwise are appreciated.

Thanks!
Randy and Tom

 

[carbuff]

See if Artie wants to buy it back.....

For the reasons you mention, it's not easy to assess value....some buyers would enjoy the mods, others have a stock Esprit in mind when they shop. So, you gotta find and market to a particular buyer! (Artie, like I said...)


I'd say, start at the price you would ask for Randy's old car and see where the market takes you.

 

[91MR2]

It is about time our cars start to appreciate...this car in my eyes should be in the 28K range as I see it...

 

[jtrealty]

You didn't mention the mileage. One way to assess a value would be to compare it to another stock '89 of similar mileage and condition. I would give no credit for all of the changes, only adding any value based on condition. You also did not say if all of the service was up to date. Again, compare to an '89 in the same condition. If you have any of the original parts you can add them to the price.
David Teitelbaum

 

[maxvelocity]

Wow an in between car. titled an 89, front of an SE, sort of back of an V8 with a respray. sort of mismash of stuff. Did someone do the body work just for looks or was there body damage that required body parts and that was what was available? Is it a clean title? I have to believe that since you guys know what you are doing there has to be points added for a refreshed engine and tanks. But for the rest I always think that once a body mod takes place go all the way it. Whatever look one is going for an SE, s4s, or V8 look go all the way. Don't leave it as a stitched and pieced together car.

David they said it had a fresh motor so we must assume all service is up to date. They know what they are doing I trust them via past posts

 

[89.5 Esprit SE]

David they said it had a fresh motor so we must assume all service is up to date. They know what they are doing I trust them via past posts

Thanks for noting that the car has a fresh motor.......so yes all new wear items, rings, bearings, seals, water pump, belts etc. Tanks done with POR 15. The motor is from an 89 Turbo. Pre rebuild miles unknown, but motor was in good condition.
The original motor that is NOT now in the car was destroyed by unsealed liners and an incorrectly installed rod that ate the crank and filled the motor with shavings.

Transmission is original and sound.

This is Artie B's old car. Clean title, newer very nice interior, no accidents, fresh paint. 6 piston front calipers, 18" custom wheels front and rear with no rub.
Mileage becomes rather irrelevant since everything is redone, but odometer shows 71k.

The car is a mix of parts, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it is a little overdone for me, but the look gets the most spontaneous compliments of any car I have ever driven. So I think Artie did a very nice job of creating a look which a lot of people, especially non-Lotus types appreciate.

Randy

 

[thaibasil]

I like the custom quilt pattern interior. I'd take off the CF panels on the rear quarter windows. I prefer the original square tail lights. I might delete the wing too.

It's a nice looking car. I don't mind the mods and would consider buying it, but I think changing the body devalues it compared to an equally nice original example.

 

[Gallagher]

I like the car, I may not have gone the carbon stick over the windows or the wing, but I appreciate where he was going with it. Nice wheels, nice brakes, I like the quilted interior.

What I really like the look of is that dark turned down exhaust tip! Suttle but very cool IMHO...

I say ask what you want to get for it and see what happens. The value is certainly there for the car if you find the right buyer....we're talking new Honda civic money for a nice older Esprit for Gods sake!

 

[maxvelocity]

Its the beginning of the driving season. You know what you have into it. Ask the fair going price for a good quality SE. You got a new motor, nice interior, and upgraded brakes. Post your price. Shake the tree and see what falls down.

 

[ArtB]

Very nice compliments and although the look isn't everyone's cup of tea, I never had any intention of unloading the car! The car is an excellent car and I spent many hours completing the body work and the respray, and it additionally has Xpel clear bra on almost 2/3 of the car, another $3000 to protect the fresh paint well beyond another 25 years of life. Since the shop that built the motor for me had no idea what they were doing, they grenaded the engine and I was left with a car that I loved, but could not stand to dump another $5-6K into. You may see some people perform "Frankenstein" conversions on these cars, but all of the modifications, like the V8 tail lights and the V8 Spoiler were done correctly and the SE front end was already on the car when I purchased it back in 2004. Here are a few more hi res pictures of the car when I owned it and it ran(although apparently destroying itself from inside, unbeknownst to me at the time). I did not spare any expense on any part of the car, I spent over $12K building the engine that the shop absolutely destroyed. I purchased an Aston Martin Vantage to replace the Esprit and she went into good hands in Tom and Randy. If anyone has specific questions on ANY part of the car, feel free to email me, as I have pictures of ALL of the build and there is a page at Cardomain.com of the work I did to her over the last 8 years or so.
Artie

 

[Gallagher]

I like it even more after the last pics! (Still would peel the carbon off the side glass!!!)

Again, ask what you want for it, somebody wants this car!

 

[maxvelocity]

So sorry Artie how your engine rebuild turned out. It is unfortunate that due to the incompetence of the engine build it sucked the life out of an otherwise good Lotus experience. I have heard similar stories and it is very sickening.

I just went through the 910 engine assembly refresher tech session and there were so many small detail points that Engel and Griese went over that not many know about like the bottom end sealant applied with a small brush and blotted with a paper towel. These are techniques not covered in shop manuals or even discussed anywhere. We also went over the correct direction to install the rods and lubrication pathways. One engine is done I think we have 4 more including mine in the cue. I noticed you are from MO is Feff still around?

 

[firefighter1c57]

So sorry Artie how your engine rebuild turned out. It is unfortunate that due to the incompetence of the engine build it sucked the life out of an otherwise good Lotus experience. I have heard similar stories and it is very sickening.

I just went through the 910 engine assembly refresher tech session and there were so many small detail points that Engel and Griese went over that not many know about like the bottom end sealant applied with a small brush and blotted with a paper towel. These are techniques not covered in shop manuals or even discussed anywhere. We also went over the correct direction to install the rods and lubrication pathways. One engine is done I think we have 4 more including mine in the cue. I noticed you are from MO is Feff still around?

Cal, I'm interested is such "engine refresher tech session". I'm about to be pulling apart and rebuilding my 910, the more knowledge the better always.

/hijack

 

[89.5 Esprit SE]

Thank you all for your input!
And, Artie thanks for the pics and good word. It is obvious that a lot of love and sweat went into the car. It is a great paint job.

For those that notice such things, in Artie's pics the car is lowered, we had to raise it a bit to get it up the driveway to our shop. It can be set at either height or anywhere in between.

I think we will shoot $19-20k as a starting point.

Randy

 

[EspritNOOB]

Wow a lowered Esprit is so damn nice!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Docl]

That is one of the few Murdered look cars that like. Very nice. :clap:

 

[Gallagher]

How is it lowered?

If the buyer wants the stock ride height, I may be interested in the other components.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Sanj]

I think it looks excellent, save for the V8 wing. What happened to the wing that was on it in the earlier (Artie) pictures?

 

[ArtB]

I think it looks excellent, save for the V8 wing. What happened to the wing that was on it in the earlier (Artie) pictures?

The car sits on fully adjustable AVO shocks with375# springs front and AVO adjustable shocks rear with 315# springs. The shocks can be raised up to stoc height if you want to make it look like a 4X4.
Sanj, I sold the original SE spoiler years ago when I installed the V8 spoiler. And it is a Lotus original V8 part, not a replica.

 

[Gallagher]

The car sits on fully adjustable AVO shocks with375# springs front and AVO adjustable shocks rear with 315# springs. The shocks can be raised up to stoc height if you want to make it look like a 4X4.
Sanj, I sold the original SE spoiler years ago when I installed the V8 spoiler. And it is a Lotus original V8 part, not a replica.

Well, PM me if you there is any interest in selling, or trade stock setup plus cash for the AVO's.

Jeff