Lotus, Lots of Trouble Usually Serious? Opinions wanted on 2nd generation Elite.

franktheplank

I have no money whatsoever at present but when the situation changes I'd really like to buy a 2nd generation 1974-1982 Lotus Elite.

Anyone have any experience with these cars or other Lotus cars from this era.

I know for this model the later ones have a galvanized chassis which is preferably, anyone else have tips, are parts hard to get, are they reliable, easy to work on?

w124man

You are essentially buying one of the worst British cars from the worst period possible in the British Car Industry.

You ask if they were reliable ...... are you serious!

bbsrs

w124man wrote: »

You are essentially buying one of the worst British cars from the worst period possible in the British industry!

And one of the ugliest from any period,

franktheplank

w124man wrote: »

You are essentially buying one of the worst British cars from the worst period possible in the British Car Industry.

You ask if they were reliable ...... are you serious!

Ah come on now don't sit on the fence, tell me what you really think! Are they that unreliable, have you owned one?

If I were to buy one in good nick and maintain it well, am I still looking at trouble?

bbsrs wrote: »

And one of the ugliest from any period,

I think they're one of the best looking cars of all time! Guess it's a matter of taste.

porsche959

Looks are a matter of taste...they are certainly distinctive.

but why would you go for one of these rather than an Esprit?

franktheplank

porsche959 wrote: »

Looks are a matter of taste...they are certainly distinctive.

but why would you go for one of these rather than an Esprit?

Just a preference really but I do think the Esprit are pretty nice too. Is there a difference in maintenance or reliability?

porsche959

i really have no idea. Not aware of any lotus experts on here either. You would be better off asking on a specialist forum.

w124man

franktheplank wrote: »

Ah come on now don't sit on the fence, tell me what you really think! Are they that unreliable, have you owned one?

Lotus cars from this era are true Collectors Items .....




...... drive down the road, stop, get out and walk back to collect all the items that fell off. No I have never owned one but I know well a few car crazed buddies who were driven to distraction trying to enjoy a Lotus from this era. If the build quality of the sum of parts used to make one of these cars was anywhere near as good as the engineering talent that designed them then it might well be a different story.

Bigus

Some Toyota influence on this one I'd chance it that money and vintage in two years and only up the road excel 2.2 for 2.5 k sterling asking, prob buy for 1500 euro
http://www.usedcarsni.com/83499224




Or donedeal 380 or some unscrupulous person might put the plates off the black one onto the blue one if its Irish http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/vintagecars/4462732

Dades

Bigus wrote: »

Some Toyota influence on this one I'd chance it that money and vintage in two years and only up the road excel 2.2 for 2.5 k sterling asking, prob buy for 1500 euro
http://www.usedcarsni.com/83499224

Two years of tax at €950 PLUS a probable outrageous VRT bill doesn't make it too attractive! Also there's no guarantee vintage tax won't get nerfed before 1985, either.

Personally, if I was buying a car that ran from 1974 onwards I'd buy a pre-1980 version and avoid the hassle of a *compulsory* car test.

On a plus note I love the 70's look. A James Bond Esprit would be a childhood wet dream.

Bigus

Dades wrote: »

Two years of tax at €950 PLUS a probable outrageous VRT bill doesn't make it too attractive! Also there's no guarantee vintage tax won't get nerfed before 1985, either.

Personally, if I was buying a car that ran from 1974 onwards I'd buy a pre-1980 version and avoid the hassle of a *compulsory* car test.

On a plus note I love the 70's look. A James Bond Esprit would be a childhood wet dream.

No, storage in the " uk " for two years and 200 duty then. 30 yo uk cars make more money too , so a good each way bet if you could get it for 1500.

kev1.3s

When I was in college one of my tutors was the head of design with citroen and he had an excel, he thought that it was a superb design but some years after I went to look at a elite and it was in my opinion the most flimsy and shoddy car I've ever seen.