Mission Impossible: low mileage S4s without going broke in the process

[Vanya]

Things are getting weirder and weirder with the Esprit prices of late. Yes we know that prices are on the up, but this is taking the biscuit....

 

Where to begin...aside from the 54,000 mile GT3s for sale for 22,000 pounds as well as other aberrations, the S4s seems to be going for the whole bloody tin in terms of appreciation.

 

I get up this morning and as a part of my breakfast routine check Car and Classic and Pistonheads for new ads - you never know when the right car will show up and you gotta be prepared to act.

 

Lo and behold, an S4s with...what...31,000 miles!? UNPRECEDENTED. Price: £19,995. So of course I give Stocks Coachworks (the seller) a call and ask questions and for some pictures. I cant fly over because my passport is being renewed so I'm hoping pictures and a deposit will save me. WRONG.

 

Well well, I just got a mail back saying that the price has been raised to £26,000 based on the flood of calls about the car today - yes at 31,000 miles it was grossly underpriced before. Nonetheless, now I'm right back where I started. Relative other dealers with low mileage examples, the new price is in the same ballpark. The two Barry Ely has for instance are £30,000 (40,000 miles) and £40,000 (9000 miles) respectively.

 

2 years ago when I got my Turbo SE it made sense importing Esprits from the UK because the Swedish cars, despite being lovingly cherished by their owners, were commanding silly prices - £20,000 for a Turbo SE anyone? That's the norm here. But today's situation, given that there is a MINT CONDITION V8 97MY round the corner for BARELY 1500 GBP more than the above S4s here in Sweden I just can't envision going the hog for the S4s. Especially given the V8 is left hand steering and those are supposed to command a premium for that feature alone (note: I prefer my wheel on the right, as Hethel intended.)

 

I'm a bit sad now. What do you all think? Is it just getting silly, or are these damned things going to keep climbing in price? I don't want to look back in 3 years at 50-60,000 pound S4s's and think "DAMN, maybe I should have settled for eating dog food for a while and shelled out the extra dough"

 

Or should I poach a V8 and sit on it until it does the same thing? (Don't think it'll happen as they never had the S4s' reputation though)

 

/end rant

 

 

[The Pits]

Very poor form for the dealer to jack the price up like that. But I have to agree £26k, if it's a good, low mileage example sounds closer to what it's worth. If it's a really good example then it sounds quite good value. £40k for the 9000 mile car sounds a bit much though when you could get into an S300 for not much more.

 

The S4s is a special car no question and for whatever reason 4 cylinders still beats 8 with Esprits (S300 vs rarer S350). I love the fact that many consider the Esprit to be the 4 cyl supercar, but if you're not obsessed with a 4, the V8s have so much to offer. My perfect spec would be an early boomerang interior car. They've all had the liners done by now so there's no cause for concern and the performance is serious, way beyond an S4s, plus the whole experience would be SE.

 

I have no doubt whatsoever that the best V8s will become more sought after in the future. Good ones will be hard to find (true of Esprits generally) and I think a serious Esprit collector needs to have a V8 in the line-up. Having owned both I have very romantic notions about the S4s and Turbo SE but if it was my one and only fun car I'd probably go for another V8.

 

Have you seen this car?!

 

Amazing S350 spec. Someone spent a fortune on it. All I'd do is remove the V8SE wing and enjoy it as a V8 GT while thinking about putting on an early V8/S4s wing. Maybe even an S350 wing, it has the chops to pull one off. Gorgeous car. I don't think I could pay more for an S4s.

 

http://www.scottwalkers.com/cars/car.php?id=168

[Andy Esprit SE]

I think it's a blip with a few cars having there prices set based on the two low mileage v8's and two S300's that popped up.

There's hardly a que of buyers willing to take on an esprit so maybe once they don't sell, the prices will even out back to where they were previously.

[Paul1982]

Cheapest s4s I've seen at the mo is:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/classifieds/used-cars/lotus/esprit/lotus-esprit-s4s--pristine--------------1995/2137097

[pete]

thats because it is a cat d

[Simon350S]

That V8 is stunning....... Would snap it up in a heartbeat if i Had the cash.... Properly yum!

 

That S4S price hike was deffo dodgy, bad show I'd say!

[Vanya]

That V8 GT at Scott Walker's is something I dream about. I think we are of the same opinion Jonny - first thing I thought of was tearing out that silly US Spoiler and refitting the wonderful "Loop" spoiler which blocks rear view visibility (as God intended.) 

 

It's just a little outside of what I'd be comfortable paying for a car, regardless of what it is. 

 

As for that cheap S4s - I would buy an S4s even if it was a prior Cat C if I got to see the damage done (to ensure the frame is straight) but at 67,000 miles I'm afraid that its days as an "investment object" are over - if it were my first Esprit I'd go for it, but I have my Turbo SE (the ball and chain in my car relationship) which I intend to keep till death do us part, and it gets to have high mileage.

 

My second Esprit will be mostly something pretty to look at and occasionally drive - and if I have to let it go at some point, low mileage will help. I think even the most hardcore would be a bit nervous shelling out for an S4s or V8 with 80-100,000 miles on the odometer. I know how silly this is of course, even if the engine, gearbox and suspension are totally rebuilt that number is still there dragging things down...but that's how things are in the car world.

 

 

Anyway back to the S4s at Stocks Coachworks - I'm going to get some pictures tomorrow. If I am entirely blown away I'll consider it. Otherwise, mint 1997 V8, here I come! I can taste the shredded 5th gear while coasting already!  

[Jacques]

;:

 

Any Esprit I've been near had some sort or another of attraction. So one have to be cautious not to buy a lemon or just pay too much Money. I think the real rise in value is over a longer period of time.

 

Jacques.

[The Pits]

Sorry, I meant to say 'plus the whole experience would be more different to your SE.'!

 

If the SE is a keeper then I'd definitely look at a nice early V8 and pocket the considerable difference. It has S4s styling plus V8 twin-turbo punch! A knockout combination!

 

Just to clarify I had a Turbo SE and a V8GT a while ago (not at the same time). I think the Turbo SE was more lovingly assembled but the V8 was a rocketship with lovely balanced handling and exquisite steering. My ownership briefly overlapped with my Nissan R34 GTR which was tuned to just over 400bhp. The Esprit was every inch as quick all the way to 165mph. I was in the Esprit, my brother in the Skyline (Autobahn, naturally). We hit the gas from about 70mph, nothing in it. Looked over to see my brother's idiot grin in the 'slow' lane. And there they both were, locked in a duel at 165mph. Rock and roll!

[ajheath]

Dont forget over 4 years ago that S4s was sold by Mattys for 25K, S4s prices have been strong for a while now.  I also know that car and it was pampered before the accident which as the ad says was not that bad and no chassis damage only cosmetic, good buy me thinks.  I know the mileage is not as low as you would like but I cant see the prices of top draw low mileage S4s's coming down any time soon.

[Bibs]

Good buy for £15k perhaps. 

[Vanya]

I'm really not bothered by Cat D or even Cat C damage if I get to see the shots and evaluate for myself - I know Cat D's are issued for completely silly things a lot of the time, even so, I gotta have me an investment.... so the mileage is a sticking point. Anything but keeping my money in the bank, especially before they start charging us negative interest.

 

Well I'm first in line to get the 31,000 mile S4s this weekend so I'll see what the pics say. Fingers crossed its a nice example. 

[Simon350S]

Good luck!

[red vtec]

I live near both stock coach works and Barry Ely. I've looked at a couple of cars at the latter. He always seems to want top money for them. Regards stock coach works I understand they are really a body shop and they use a standard mechanic for the work on the cars.

[pete]

yes have to say the mechanics he uses are not up to much

[The Pits]

Good luck Vanya, hope its a great car and they're willing to negotiate on the price for a quick, clean sale.

 

I'd give Scott a ring before you take the plunge and ask what he could let you drive away in for similar money. He may also have some nice cars on their way that haven't been advertised yet. Knowing him, he will!

 

I'd still think about that V8GT for that sort of money although, I grant you, it might not have such a good investment potential. Firstly because the S4s remains one of the 'special ones'. Secondly because that V8GT would be so damn good to drive it would be impossible to keep the miles off it!

 

I did see this V8 on ebay. Never a good start but I guess you never know.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOTUS-ESPRIT-3-5-V8-TWIN-TURBO-STUNNING-CAR-SEE-PHOTOS-YELLOW-WITH-LEATHER-/111349243450?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item19ecee9e3a

 

Missing the black plastic front air splitter but interior looks great and I love the early boomerang pod and wheels. Could be worth a lowball offer?

[march]

I think the one on Ebay has the wrong front valence as well - some one will probably know better than me.

Edited May 16, 2014 by march

[The Pits]

Yes definitely an S4s front bumper but I always liked them. Don't know what he'd take for it but ebay is usually a sign of desperation! Looks like a nice car if the description is correct.

[Paul1982]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C500556

Looks like a nice motor

[pete]

thats the one Vanya is looking at

[Vanya]

Yep, it sure is.

 

The yellow is nice but at 65,000 miles It'll be needing some TLC quite soon, and with 2 Esprits which I support on my paycheck alone it might bring me to my knees (The SE just starting coughing unburnt fuel at me again yesterday, so new injectors might be needed there....) - even for 15,000 I'd be a bit cautious... I'd rather go for the green one in Scotland in that case.

 

I can send off a mail to Scott if the S4s doesn't quite work out and see what he's got - I'm mostly into that yellow GT he has, but hell I might even take the S1 given the price.

 

If he has a scrappy condition V8 with low miles and full service history for a reasonable price though I'll be over the moon.

[rizla603104]

I'm not entirely convinced that low mileage 'should' = more sought after. I think that people can get fixated on the mileage and end up with a car that has stood for far too long and is nothing more than cosmetically OK with awful mechanical problems due to inactivity.

[red vtec]

Have to agree but it works the same on higher mileage cars, paddocks have a white x180 it has been at the garage for at least 8 years! Cars that stand around for years without maintenence or service are just as bad as old bangers.

[The Pits]

Cheaper and scrappierer, 53,000 miles.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=351057586403&clk_rvr_id=634752629878

 

Clearly I have a think for early V8s!

[Escape]

I'm not entirely convinced that low mileage 'should' = more sought after. I think that people can get fixated on the mileage and end up with a car that has stood for far too long and is nothing more than cosmetically OK with awful mechanical problems due to inactivity.

 

I agree, if a car has a reasonable mileage for it's age, it means it has been driven regularly and (hopefully) got the necessary maintenance. At least it had to be fairly reliable to be capable of being driven regularly. So high mileage for me can be a plus, as the price drops but mechanically they are often better than garage queens.