Chillidoggy 3,568 Report post Posted September 27, 2018 4 minutes ago, swindon_alan said: Can't you get a nice Polish gentleman to do it for you?* *Other nationalities of vehicle cleanliness operatives are available We use Lithuanian Leathers round here. I have the Mondeo washed very 6 months there without fail. Quote Margate Exotics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky 2,072 Report post Posted September 27, 2018 Much as I hate doing the job, I really don't trust a bunch of guys swilling gravel around their buckets with dishrags and waving a pressure washer lance within millimeters of my paintwork. 1 Quote British Ambassador to Florida, New York, Denmark and Newfoundland. And Sweden. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chillidoggy 3,568 Report post Posted September 27, 2018 It is at this point I feel I should fess up to the Mondeo being a lease car. Quote Margate Exotics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
swindon_alan 1,650 1 Vehicles Report post Posted September 27, 2018 Quote I tempted fate...now my Esprit V8 IS in bits...(sob) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan E 1,163 Report post Posted September 27, 2018 Funny you should say that I took the van in the other week and the bloke in front on me was in a black Aventador I was cringing watching them wash it. They also missed half the rear arch on the van but it is a van Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eeyoreish 758 1 Vehicles Report post Posted September 27, 2018 Having had my Jag scratched in a car park and my Dad's BMW scuffed whilst at the dealership this week I'm not sure I want to leave any of my cars anywhere that I can't watch them. Let alone trust anyone to wash them... Quote Not worth starting anything now... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gvy 280 1 Vehicles Report post Posted September 27, 2018 I do really enjoy washing and waxing the esprit or the GT (not so much my daily Beamer) From time to time, I just start claying and waxing, just for pleasure.... Come on , bring on those esprits Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 761 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 6, 2018 I have never ever used a car wash tunnel or someone other than myself to wash any of my cars or motorcycles etc. Pressure hosing or just hosing the car with Water is not an option in my humble mind. I would not even conceive those ideas in my mind. I have during the last more than 5 years of Esprit ownership only ever used soap Water (propper car mix) once. See pic. The only ever time it happened was the day I bought it after a 650 km return trip from Stockholm in Sweden, to Copenhagen in Denmark, to get the car ready for my ownership and wax layers. Every single time (at least once per week) I use a bit of window spray cleaner and a bunch of microfiber rags and microfiber towels. Does not scratch. And then propper wax. Once a month and also if I happen to meet a bit of rain on a drive, the underside of the Esprit, suspension, engine etc. is cleaned as well. No car or motorcycle is ever put into a garage wet or dirty. Leather is cleaned and treated once a month, Summer or Winter. After every drive car is cleaned if at all dirty, inside, out and underneath. Polishing the paint is always done by hand only. NEVER with a machine. and only happens very very rarely. Only once on my motorcycle, once on my Corrado and once on my Esprit. Smart looking washing women in bathing suits is best used as a poster on the wall of a teenage room. Once a year electrical contact cleaner is sprayed into all sockets and connectors. I use a Festool vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter inside on carpets, to minimize dust etc. Cars and motorcycles are never allowed to stay outside during night and generally when not being used. Stored in a okay'ish warm dry garage all year. It's simply a must. If someone parks a special car or motorcycle on the street here in my country, it's either being stolen or vandalised. Sorry, no fancy washing pics with lightly dressed women. Daily excercising program to keep fit to drive the Esprit and my Laverda is practised instead. Each to his or her own, of course Kind regards, Jacques 1 Quote Nobody does it better - than Lotus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve V8 1,231 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 6, 2018 @Jacques is that a Corrado VR6 I see lurking in the background. I've had a couple, my sons are vw fanatics, but the Corrado is the only one I actually liked. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 761 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 6, 2018 Yep, but mine is a G60 and I've had it for over 7 years, and still makes 0,82 bar stock standard. New bearing and sealings at every 75.000 km. in the compressor is obligatory - then it lasts fine. No silly smaller gearing and chip to make the g-lader explode. You can differentiate between VR6 models and G60, 2,0 and 1,816v by looking at the bonnet. the middle section is higher on the VR6 cars for example. The Corrado is a partially handbuilt car made by Karmann in Osnabrück. 89.000 examples of which supossedly less than half is left today, usually because it's been vandalised by youngsters for a decade. For comparison the Porsche 911-996 first watercooled was made in 176.000 examples. The bodyshell is more than 60 percent stiffer than say the Golf 2 G60, which already had glued in window screens rather than held by rubber parts only. My particular example is a late 1991 version, and that gives more power 190hp, same as 2,9 Liter VR6 car, by Means of a factory made better cylindherhead, inlet manifold and exhaust manifold, installed on late 1991 cars, which was originally developed by the now defunct VW Motorsport (not to be confused with todays vw Racing), for inserting cars in german Bergrennen - german version of hill climbing. By far the best front Wheel drive I've come across so far. 989 Kilo of fun Kind regards, Jacques 2 Quote Nobody does it better - than Lotus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 761 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 7, 2018 Last trip this year was today. Thank you Lotus for making such a supreme car to enjoy. Kind regards, jacques 4 Quote Nobody does it better - than Lotus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
swindon_alan 1,650 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 8, 2018 On 06/10/2018 at 23:46, Steve V8 said: @Jacques is that a Corrado VR6 I see lurking in the background. I've had a couple, my sons are vw fanatics, but the Corrado is the only one I actually liked. My boy has a Corrado VR6 Steve, he adores it Quote I tempted fate...now my Esprit V8 IS in bits...(sob) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steve V8 1,231 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 8, 2018 28 minutes ago, swindon_alan said: My boy has a Corrado VR6 Steve, he adores it My eldest still has one, Ive rebuilt a fes VR6 engines, they are awesome little lumps, simple compact and they sound lovely, camchain guide wear will cause camchain failiure around 130k if left, your son probably already knows but worth a mention. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Giniw 211 Report post Posted October 9, 2018 (low quality low light phone photo and some parasite reflections too, but I still like the lighting — I really should take some proper photos of my cars one day!) (oh and I should adjust that petrol filler cap too, apparently ) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JNW3 255 Report post Posted October 17, 2018 The old and the new - love this picture it shows just how dinky the S1 is! 4 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fridge 437 Report post Posted October 17, 2018 I know which one I prefer @JNW3 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Vern 89 Report post Posted October 17, 2018 Me too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 761 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 18, 2018 Me too. . . . . Oh no! A me too group have just surfaced... Jow big and clumsy the Evora liiks by comparison. And a lot less attractive desing. Kind regards, Jacques Quote Nobody does it better - than Lotus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GTK 590 Report post Posted October 19, 2018 There's a 16cm length difference, almost 12cm height difference and the Evora is actually slightly narrower! [1cm+] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Escape 594 2 Vehicles Report post Posted October 21, 2018 We put the remains of my first SE on display for the open day at Escape's Workshop. Probably the last picture, before it all goes in the skip (not the rim, I'll weigh that in). Actually quite amazing how well it has lasted, after the fire, being cut up to remove engine and chassis and spending 2 years outside. Filip 1 3 Quote I have made many mistakes in my life. Buying a multiple Lotus is not one of them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
eeyoreish 758 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 21, 2018 That's a very sad sight... Quote Not worth starting anything now... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeanvm 92 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 21, 2018 On 19/10/2018 at 09:29, GTK said: There's a 16cm length difference, almost 12cm height difference and the Evora is actually slightly narrower! [1cm+] The beauty and ..... almost a SUV. Sorry couldn't resist, I do like the Evora much better than 10 years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 761 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 22, 2018 you may want to take a look at this interview, which happened before the original film was released. Kind regards, Jacques 1 Quote Nobody does it better - than Lotus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lotusfab 2,121 Report post Posted October 23, 2018 This is what It should look like.... 3 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacques 761 1 Vehicles Report post Posted October 23, 2018 Definately. Looks really great. Jacques. 1 Quote Nobody does it better - than Lotus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites