Esprit Market Watch - Help for those searching

[hopo]

Can we change the name of this thread from 'prices soaring' to 'asking prices slightly higher for esprits, but most of these never actually sell - where have all the good cars gone?'

[Bazza 907]

I think a fair few of the really good ones never actually come to (the public) market as they get sold on the quiet between people 'in the know'.  

[Vanya]

This. Bought my V8 this way. 

And all the good ones are lounging away in garages outside the UK, seeing sunlight 3 times a year

[Andyww]

When it comes to G Esprits, there are likely only a handful of really good cars left even including the "Garage Queens".

[gvy]

I went to have a look at the start of Ypres Lotus Day (I did not drive the tour).

There were about 150 lotusses. There was 1 G-esprit. Mine....

Regarding G-esprits in belgium.

Next to my S2.2, I know 2 S1's, 1 Turbo Esprit and 1 S3 esprit in Flanders and 1 S2 owner in Wallony

Maybe there are more, but I met these cars and owners in the past 4 years.

Not all of them on the road yet.

Geert

[Chillidoggy]

I hope the prices do soar, I might get some money back!

[Loose Cannon]

Can we change the name of this thread from 'prices soaring' to 'asking prices slightly higher for esprits, but most of these never actually sell - where have all the good cars gone?'

Prices hovering? Prices fluctuating uncertainly between two arbitrary states?

[hopo]

How do you become one of those "in the know"!?! For the record I'm always looking for a nice esprit of any kind! P.s badly want an elite/éclat

[Vanya]

Know the entire community in your country. In the UK this might be hard, but in Sweden word spreads of the best Esprits, and some peoples valuations carry more weight than others....

If you're serious I can check - I know of a few Eclats/Excels at least one of which might be "showroom" - but unfortunately LHD.

The RHD Esprits in Sweden were all imported here after the damage had been done (driving on salted roads) so they're always recognizable, even if you disregard the side the wheel is on....)

Also, define nice........

[Bazza 907]

Trying not to teach you to suck eggs but..

I suspect that you'd need to be in a position to part with cash and make it known what you're looking for.

Like, looking to spend roughly £X on a mint/average/needs work/basket case Esprit (S1/S2/S3/Turbo etc etc).

You probably already know the people to float an idea to but looking to buy a nice Sport 300 for under £10k probably won't result in many responses.   

[molemot]

It's a nice sunny afternoon...I'd like to take mine out...but lunch at the  "Gaiété Léréenne"  renders that inadvisable.

http://www.la-gaiete-lereenne.com/

Best thing that ever happened in this village.....(!)

Think I shall contemplate a few glasses on the terasse.....

Sod the Esprit "values"....mines for my own fun......

See you at the Goodwood Festival of Speed???? "Performance Car Park" on the Sunday.....

[Bibs]

See you there  

[stephenwhyte]

Fate Hopo??? Surely the perfect pair your Esprit & this Éclat........

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/331559847008?clk_rvr_id=837928070981&item=331559847008&lgeo=1&vectorid=229508&rmvSB=true&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-53481-19255-0%252F1%253Fff3%253D2%2526toolid%253D10039%2526campid%253D5335817684%2526item%253D331559847008%2526vectorid%253D229508%2526lgeo%253D1%2526srcrot%253D710-53481-19255-0%2526rvr_id%253D837928070981&rmvSB=true&ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-53481-19255-0%2F1%3Fff3%3D2%26toolid%3D10039%26campid%3D5335817684%26item%3D331559847008%26vectorid%3D229508%26lgeo%3D1%26srcrot%3D710-53481-19255-0%26rvr_id%3D837928070981&_mwBanner=1

[Chillidoggy]

It's a nice sunny afternoon...I'd like to take mine out...but lunch at the  "Gaiété Léréenne"  renders that inadvisable.

http://www.la-gaiete-lereenne.com/

Best thing that ever happened in this village.....(!)

Think I shall contemplate a few glasses on the terasse.....

Sod the Esprit "values"....mines for my own fun......

See you at the Goodwood Festival of Speed???? "Performance Car Park" on the Sunday.....

Ooooh that ressie looks superb! I would have dropped by in August but as I'm going to be near Vannes, it's a bit of a trek!

[rudolphwolven]

Lotus S1 sold in Germany........

for  GBP 22.800,-- 

http://ww3.autoscout24.de/classified/267903947?asrc=st|as&testvariant=gallery&tierlayer=st

Lotus S2 for sale in Italy...................

Asking price GBP  35.615,--

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/details.html?id=208589297&sortOption.sortOrder=DESCENDING&scopeId=C&sortOption.sortBy=searchNetGrossPrice&isSearchRequest=true&makeModelVariant1.makeId=15900&makeModelVariant1.modelId=7&pageNumber=1

[rudolphwolven]

1970 Porsche 911 S/T  sold in Parijs (Automobiles sur les Champs) for € 905.920,- / GBP 645.000,-

1964 Porsche 356C Carrera 2000 GS sold for € 596.000,- / GBP 425.000,-

[C8RKH]

Two very nice cars Ruud and like a lot of Porkers probably bought by dentists. Makes the early Esprit's look like right real bargains

[Laurie Cross]

The S2 in Italy has been for sale for over a year.

[Andyww]

Two very nice cars Ruud and like a lot of Porkers probably bought by dentists. Makes the early Esprit's look like right real bargains

They are not nice cars, they are awful ugly things which are simply glorified Beetles and are wrongly designed with the engine too far back giving poor weight distribution. How anyone likes these is beyond me and these pictures have no place here amongst pictures of beautiful Esprits.

[Paul Coleman]

Had my S1 valued by the insurance for agreed valuation and after an 8 year full nut and bolt rebuild they put £25,000 on it. As it doesn't have an MOT on it just yet I had asked for £30,000.

Paul.

[Barrykearley]

Insurance has no idea when it comes to such specialist machines.....you'd really struggle to get an s1 for that kind of money in a decent auction. Let's just look at the delorean values !!!

[Paul Coleman]

I insured via Lancaster and had to pay an extra £17 to have it valued by an 'expert'

[GTK]

It strikes me that its completely our fault if the Esprit market isn't performing in line with how other comparible marques appreciate. As an aside I had an ironic realisation about that guy selling the two knackered cars. Perhaps he was motivated by money and convenience, or perhaps he was acting out of passion for the cars, either way we should all have been rooting for those cars to sell for silly money. In that sense I feel a little guilty.

I digress. I'm going to come off even more judgemental now, but while the community continues to applaud each other for doing things like changing the colour of a car from original, the marque will continue to be seen as a cheap classic or first timers resto.

It's silly when you think about it, the numerous nut and bolt rebuilds by fanatical enthusiasts on here producing beautiful work and effort but scuppering the market by allowing for little indulgences. Yes they're our cars to do with what we choose but being flippant just says we don't take the car as seriously as we want the market to take it. Maybe I'm a purist, but I want my car to be regarded as it should be. It was a better drivers car than anything in its class when new and could you imagine a 308 or Merak owner straying from originality in a resto?

[Chillidoggy]

I've just reinsured my agreed value for an additional £20. You never know when you're going to hit a deer, so I considered it a small price to pay.

[Barrykearley]

The esprit simply isn't as en vogue as its old stable mates.

It's time will come - wasn't many years ago a stag was worth nothing - they are now climbing nicely.

I personally want mine for enjoyment. The more the price rises, whilst it's nice to know it has, it gradually erodes it usability and increases its running costs........

It's a real dichotomy

In this corner of the forum - we don't really need to concern ourselves with depreciation - so that's nice.

If I could cash in my pension - I'd fill a shed with as many as I could buy - they are not going down in price anytime soon