Jonathan Posted August 8, 2010 Report Share Posted August 8, 2010 My bumper does that, infact so did the one I put on the GT2, and on that side too - tried everything to sort it out (big spacers etc) and it just wouldn't go. Seriously we spent about 5 days trying to sort it and then decided it wasn't a rolls royce and left it Quote facebook = jon.himself@hotmail.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony K Posted August 8, 2010 Report Share Posted August 8, 2010 If I were shopping for a car (Esprit or other) and saw uneven, wavy gaps like that, I wouldn't even consider it. Few things steam me up as lines such as "for a __ year old car." That is inexcusable for any car . . . especially more so for a collector/special interest car. The car should be repaired to pre-accident condition. If that means the gaps were all straight, then the gaps should be straight. Hang in there, Christopher! Quote Tony K. Esprit S1s #355H & 454H Esprit S2.2 #324J 1991 Esprit SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjtpb13 Posted August 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2010 Just sent off an email to the Nationwide Insurance Company with all of the double speaking I discovered they were doing. See what results happen after that. Worse thing is I still have to take the Lotus to have it aligned and the steering geometry corrected and sort out the interior. If I did not love the car so much I would have walked away at this point with a cheque in hand. Since it is a rare car it has been insured at the original cost. Though I pay a premium for that , I learned after the Ferrari 348 went up in smoke years ago to make sure that is how it is insured. Tony, Thank you for the encouragement. My patience is about worn thin now. I will ring through to you this week after working hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted August 9, 2010 Report Share Posted August 9, 2010 Actually looking at my cars today they're no where near as bad as that ! You do get some warping in the plastic over the years - the GT2 has 2x the amount of fixings as the standard car and I still have some wave but its possibly...a 6th of that, for some reason I thought it was bad You can see here : The small lines denote where the bolts go into the body, notice how it sags in between - cus it's plastic... It's better than that now. My GT3 (super high res pic) which you can see is actually nothing like yours http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/432704913_3151f74308_o.jpg Yours are actually shocking, so I withraw my quite useless above post ! Quote facebook = jon.himself@hotmail.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjtpb13 Posted August 10, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 Jonathan, I too was amazed at the amount of gap throughout. More so amazed at how everyone though it looked great. Well with about three hours of discussion today the insurance company is having a new bumper installed. Though they feel like it will not correct the issue. But yet they all admit that I seem to know more about the car than even the Lotus dealership. I will get temporary possession of the Esprit later this week whilst they sort out and expedite a new bumper. Which will be another month and a half. I will at least get the chance to get some of the other projects that have been sidetrack for the past 9 months completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramjet Posted August 10, 2010 Report Share Posted August 10, 2010 Best of luck with it all Christopher. And then when it's all done and dusted, sue 'em for pain and suffering! Headline: Embattled Lotus owner sues companies and would now like to invite all to the new opening of Trent Lotus, California, Maryland. All welcome! Quote All we know is that when they stop making this, we will be properly, properly sad.Jeremy Clarkson on the Esprit. Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, some just stink more than others. For forum issues, please contact one of us Moderators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieguy Posted August 16, 2010 Report Share Posted August 16, 2010 Just saw this thread and read it 'post to post', I was mesmerized!! I trust Tony is now a fully fledged member of Alcoholics anonymous!!! I had similar issues years ago when I purchased a brand new VX220 from Vauxhall (Lotus built) and after a 4mph shunt, they took 8 months to cobble together a similar nightmare scenario. Attorneys had a field day, but the best 50 pounds spent was on a voice recording device (dictaphone) which during meetings, always put the 'suits' nerves on edge! LOL I feel for you, you are indeed a man of more patience than I. Adam Quote Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony K Posted August 17, 2010 Report Share Posted August 17, 2010 I trust Tony is now a fully fledged member of Alcoholics anonymous!!! Don't you mean Christopher?!? I am, however a card-carrying member of S1aholics Anonymous . . . except I'm not trying to cure my addiction! . . . any more updates, Christopher? Quote Tony K. Esprit S1s #355H & 454H Esprit S2.2 #324J 1991 Esprit SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjtpb13 Posted August 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2010 Finally a short update: With Lotus Cars USA's assistance a new bumper and another valance are being sorted out. There is yet a firm timetable for the arrival of said parts. All of the corresponding hardware is to be sent along. As I discovered, with the Lotus up in the air on my lift in my garage, that they had used three different types of fasteners to hold on the radiator cowl, the oil cooler air duct trays, and the splitter. Some of them done correctly but most not. I now have a terrible noise from the water pump, the chargecooler from Freescan and Espritmon is not performing. I will pull and service the engine in about two weeks when I am home for a long weekend. Sitting the long 9 months did the gaskets and seal no good. I now have for the first time a garage floor dotted with oil spots. I had taken the Esprit to my local shop that has the Hunter alignment equipment. An extreme laugh at just how terrible and unprofessional of a job Criswell Lotus had performed on the Esprit. Not one figure, in any of the readings, was near correct. Hence explaining how in just 200 miles of travel the left rear tyre was rubbish. a temporary alignment has been completed and the Lotus now tracks well once again. The interior was half done, even though I had supplied photographs taken two months before the deer strike. Amazing what lack of leather care and a series of mechanics getting in and out of the car can do to the leather. Where it was resprayed to cover up the damage caused by there attempted cleaning left more of a mess. I now have overspray of tan leather everywhere. Went and took the motorcar to three separate custom paint shops. I guess those three people are also colour blind too. Because they could see a distinctive colour difference like myself. Two even used a special optical scanner to prove such. So whilst I have the engine out and when the new parts arrive I have decided I am going to get a full respray completed to the motorcar. As for the rest I have all the estimates and documentations collected and will deliver to my attorney this week. No matter I will spend what needs to be spent in order to have the car back to the original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.oogieboogie Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 go get e'm christopher unleash the brief. im sure the car will be to your satisifaction soon (although you may have to get it done yourself which is very poor) Quote It's Oogies turn to boogie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon350S Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 (edited) What a complete bother.... I'm so glad you haven't lost the love for her mate, it'd have been so easy to give up on her! As much of a ball ache it is having to do the work yourself now atleast you know the ahitty dealer isn't touching her any more. I assume she will not be returning to the dealer for the new bumper and valance fit and paint? I hope not anyways.... I have seen Lotus colour blindness before on a car painted at the factory of all places, although that was also the same colour apparently... I'm sure it's not just coincidence that your pump and chargecooler are both not working... Bloody Muppets! I hope you get some decent compo out of them, you deserve it! Edited August 30, 2010 by Simon350S Quote Chunky Lover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibs Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Good luck Christopher, I hope that LCU are taking this all seriously and realise how big a cheque someone is going to have to sign to put the incompetents at Criswell Lotus's mistakes right. Quote 88 Esprit NA, 89 Esprit Turbo SE, Evora, Evora S, Evora IPS, Evora S IPS, Evora S IPS SR, Evora 400, Elise S1, Elise S1 111s, Evora GT410 Sport Evora NA For forum issues, please contact the Moderators. I will aim to respond to emails/PM's Mon-Fri 9-6 GMT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 When / If I come to sell my car and the buyer asks why I never got the book stamped and why I serviced the thing myself I will show him this thread..... Every new post has me amazed and the incompetence. Quote facebook = jon.himself@hotmail.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red vtec Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 It truley is shocking, but glad to see you are on the way to getting it fixed properly. Chris Quote Amateurs built the Ark Professionals built the Titanic "I haven't ridden in cars pulled by cows before" "Bullocks, Mr.Belcher" "No, I haven't, honestly" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjtpb13 Posted October 28, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2010 Finally one part has arrived for the car. The other has mysteriously been misplaced. It has now been almost a year. I have had temporary custody for the last two and a half months. One trip to see how things were. Went through half a gallon of antifreeze being sucked up somewhere. Fan Fail telltale when fan cycles for about an hour and a half with the aircon running. In two weeks the engine is being removed. Also I am having the interior reworked and the entire boy resprayed during the winter months. I decided in talks with my attorney that the car was NOT going back to Criswell Lotus in Gaithersburg MD. Had the joy of having to take off the exhaust system again and video scoped inside it and still have quite a bit of the casting material from the defective manifold jammed in my CAT matrix. Car is running very rich, but there is a temperature issue still at play. Whilst in my travels I had met up with Tony K and he took it out for a drive. Tried to explain to him that it was lacking in power. From the look on an S1's owners face I do not think he noticed any. I look towards the time that he can drive it when it is 100%. So I will begin almost a year to date a makeover to my satisfaction and my standards. Found out that Tony K is also colour blind too, as unlike the insurance company or Criswell Lotus , he saw two different colours of paint. Soon I will begin a new thread in the Projects and Restorations in the Esprit Chat section... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon350S Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 You should write a book on this Chris! I'm glad your not taking it back to them, you've made the right choice. I Hope you get all the money you need to do the work from the garage and insurance company! I imagine your workshop to be like the one in Iron Man, I'd love a place like that! Quote Chunky Lover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony K Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Whilst in my travels I had met up with Tony K and he took it out for a drive. Tried to explain to him that it was lacking in power. From the look on an S1's owners face I do not think he noticed any. I look towards the time that he can drive it when it is 100%. So I will begin almost a year to date a makeover to my satisfaction and my standards. Found out that Tony K is also colour blind too, as unlike the insurance company or Criswell Lotus , he saw two different colours of paint. Soon I will begin a new thread in the Projects and Restorations in the Esprit Chat section... "From the look on an S1 owner's face . . ." LOL! . . . yes, I saw the two-tone British Racing Green/British Racing Blue finish . . . Looking forward to the "project/restoration" thread -- you'll feel really good about the car again when it's all done. It will never be the same, but it will be better, and it will be that much more yours. Quote Tony K. Esprit S1s #355H & 454H Esprit S2.2 #324J 1991 Esprit SE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red vtec Posted November 3, 2010 Report Share Posted November 3, 2010 Glad to hear you are getting the car sorted, when you have finished you can come over and restore mine Chris Quote Amateurs built the Ark Professionals built the Titanic "I haven't ridden in cars pulled by cows before" "Bullocks, Mr.Belcher" "No, I haven't, honestly" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjtpb13 Posted March 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 Bit sad to say that I began to reread this thread. I look upon amazement at the dates and wonder where the time has gone. At this time I still have a car with mismatched paint, terrible bodywork, destroyed interior with a half attempted cleanup and repair, and an engine that is to say the least not in prime functioning order. However...I am off for a bit of a boat ride next week and by the time I return to the US there is an interesting meeting being prepared for the 14th April 2011. So stay tuned....there are a few people who know what is coming up. I know I am looking towards that day. I miss my Esprit...not matched by any of my other motorcars in its joy of driving...Still think TonyK ( the American version ) is probably wearing a grin still ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ifly Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 I can't believe its been over a year Chris! I have read this thread a couple of times and been amazed by the shenanigans that have taken place. I truly hope you finally get the car sorted to your satisfaction this year and next time I'm out your way will hunt you down for a ride...... Quote Heaven is where the police are British, the chefs Italian, the mechanics German, the lovers French and it is all organized by the Swiss. Hell is where the police are German, the chefs British, the mechanics French, the lovers Swiss and it is all organized by the Italians. You make something idiotproof, they'll make a better idiot You think professional is expensive, just wait until you pay for amateur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 (edited) Is the meeting going to be in a corn field somewhere ? Criswell Lotus "as far back as I rememebr I always wanted to be a Lotus Mechanic " Edited March 25, 2011 by Jonathan Quote facebook = jon.himself@hotmail.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjtpb13 Posted October 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2011 I finally received my engine back today. Now I have to install the bits I took off and get the engine returned to its original location. Unfortunately I am back on travel tomorrow for another few weeks. So I just might have the engine back in a year after it was removed and 2 years since the original incident. Still have yet had the bodywork nor the interior damage resolved. PITA but still enjoy the car. Also due to the hurricane and earthquake of almost 7 weeks ago I currently do not have a garage to work in. Been a very trying last few months for certain. However there is always the prospect of lots of noise in the tunnel...as opposed to there being light at the end of the tunnel...hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon350S Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Glad you've got progress Chris at last! I can't believe how long this has been going on... What ever happened to that meeting in April and are Lotus footing the bill for everything?? Quote Chunky Lover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramjet Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Unbelievable. Really. Quote All we know is that when they stop making this, we will be properly, properly sad.Jeremy Clarkson on the Esprit. Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, some just stink more than others. For forum issues, please contact one of us Moderators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.oogieboogie Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Hello Christopher I hope you get it running soon, All the best Quote It's Oogies turn to boogie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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