S4S info

[Chillidoggy]

3 minutes ago, kneelbeforezod said:

This is all good info.  I really don't have a very good idea of what values are nowadays, I have a maximum budget and just want to make sure I don't get ripped off.  

There's a GT3 on sale that appeals that appears to have been advertised for a while (I first saw it back in April/May time) at £35k - I figured the reason why it might not have sold is that the price was ambitious, but from what I'm hearing here it might be spot on or even keenly priced. 

 

If you haven't already done so, my advice would be to drive as many Esprit's as you can so you can get a better idea of which version. I wouldn't have a V8 if you paid me, but that's just my personal view. I happen to think the S4 is the best VFM, but I've not seen many for sale.

[pete]

And a V8 would be at least £10000 more than the s4s was advertised at

[kneelbeforezod]

10 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

 

If you haven't already done so, my advice would be to drive as many Esprit's as you can so you can get a better idea of which version. I wouldn't have a V8 if you paid me, but that's just my personal view. I happen to think the S4 is the best VFM, but I've not seen many for sale.

I ideally want something that I could practically use as a daily driver (in the context of somebody currently working from home).  By all accounts from what I've read, it's best to buy the latest possible subject to condition - which is why I was focusing my attention on S4S and GT3.  I'm also not interested in V8s, I get the impression they are too expensive to maintain for what I want. 

[Gareth44]

Sorry for the slow reply, picked it up on Saturday and then went straight out to an Oktoberfest do, so yesterday was a right-off!

Happy to share, I paid £32k in the end, which I am happy with given the model and its rarity. If you read the adverts, basically most of that was not true (mileage, previous owners, immaculate paint) and what wasn't outright wrong, was mis-leading (£20k spent by previous owner on uprated parts, or words to that effect. In reality it was £20k over 20 years in general maintenance. )

As I say though, happy with it and actually quite looking forward to doing it up over time. It is going into Steve shortly for a cambelt (not due until May, but for peace of mind), full service and proper check over on the ramp. It also has a coolant leak, probably the water pump, so that can be done at the same time.

The oil pressure gauge and the fuel gauge don't appear to be working, so they can be changed, along with a replacement for a cosmetically worn headlight button. They can be done in one with the binnacle off.

Other than that, it needs a new front splitter (the black bit), the interior is OK for a 25 year old, 64k miles car but can be made better and, at some point, it will need a respray due to many scratches/chips and 'swirly' paint but the paint hasn't faded or anything.

If all was well, in my opinion, it would have been worth what I saw it advertised at (£37k), to me anyway. Having bought at £32k I can now spend on it to get it how I want it, I have no doubt I will spend more than the £37k in the end but it doesn't all have to be done now, with me doing it I know it has been done and done properly and given it is exactly what I wanted, can you put an exact price on that?

[tomcattom]

Thanks for sharing the price @Gareth44. Sounds like I was bang on the money with the agreed valuation on mine earlier this year, based on nothing more than an educated guess at the time given how infrequently S4s's have appeared on the market since I bought mine.

Do you know for a fact that those two gauges are definitely at fault? Would probably check the sensors too, could just as easily be them at fault. Certainly not unheard of for the oil pressure sensors to fail - mine has had a replacement at some stage prior to my ownership (it wasn't even the correct one fitted) so mine is on at least its third sensor now; I wanted to be sure I was getting the correct readings from it.

[Barrykearley]

5 hours ago, Gareth44 said:

If you read the adverts, basically most of that was not true (mileage, previous owners, immaculate paint) and what wasn't outright wrong, was mis-leading (£20k spent by previous owner on uprated parts, or words to that effect. In reality it was £20k over 20 years in general maintenance. )

That’s absolutely typical - here’s one I know of and have been watching 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-LOTUS-ESPRIT-S4-75-000-MILES-RECENT-LOTUS-SPECIALIST-OVERHAUL-VERY-RARE-/334133106804?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

looks like you’ve bagged a rare beast - in a few years it will have been a very fun shrewd investment. I know when I was offered mine - even with it’s past and condition I couldn’t pass it up since they are so rare.

[Gareth44]

@tomcattom - my technical knowledge goes as far as tapping the dial to see if anything happens, so you may well be absolutely right. I'll find out in due course but I see, from the paperwork, it has already had one oil pressure gauge in the past, albeit some time ago. Oddly that gauge looks a little worse for wear anyway, so I'll probably change it anyway.

@Barrykearley hopefully we are both sitting on a good investment. Although not the reason I bought it, it is nice to buy and car and (hopefully) not have it depreciate.

[Barrykearley]

@Gareth44 just pull the wire off the sensor and ground it out against the engine with the ignition on and watch the guage.

if the gauges and wiring are good - you will see them move 👍

[Gareth44]

Thanks @Barrykearley but unfortunately I don't understand a word in your first paragraph 🙂