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Buying a Previously owned Lotus


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As a long time owner of at least 10 Lotus over many years (I'm old), one of the cars of particular interest and history was a JPS Edition. 

For many years I wondered where the car ended up. In short I bought it registered a 'W' registration - so perhaps the last registered, owned twice by the original owner, and as I sold it in around 1987 completely standard - me being the 4th owner (or 3rd as it had been  owned twice).

Bear with me ........ I know Will and Kate are distracting your concentration on the important  issues here..... but the buyer was ......well his parents were less than happy with his decision to spend his redundancy on a Lotus.

 

For those who were nt around in the 80's, it was everybody's right to get legal aid and make a case in court (similarly today you can get benefit assistance with the utility bills and fags).

 

So the buyers complaints catalogued to the court and his legal aid left me no choice,   ( if I won in court, financially I had lost ), but to buy the car back?

This was not the preferred route for the buyer 'and his parents' - this Lotus he bought in good faith required more than my blood to recompense his disappointment ?- (I'd owned and driven it for 18 months without a glitch).

Anyway, this car disappeared for some 30 years. No 75 was the missing Commemorative S2. It turns up on ebay here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-John-Player-Special-NO-75-Lotus-Esprit-S2-All-Matching-Numbers-/291446843055?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item43db95e6af

 

A lot of money for a damaged car ...... could it be restored? Is there an S2 body out there? Are these cars important enough to return to their original form?

 

I am looking for a project and this  old flame appears.............. is it past bothering about??  Forget values, the JPS is special........?

 

 

I have to ask myself - 'do I feel lucky'?

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That is the one Bibs, I guess after I sold it the thing was badly damaged. Without the wheels, body, plaque etc. and a Cat C against it then its no longer a JPS

 

Did some research and found this description and history - completely inaccurate..........

 

 

Early Lotus Esprit S2. Genuine JPS Engine For Sale (1980)

This is my fathers early Lotus Esprit S2. It is incredible to look at and even more incredible to drive. Finished in the iconic black and gold colour scheme. She is factory fitted with the super rare John Player 2.0 Normally Aspirated Engine (Engine number; CC907790316079). Under 180 Special John Player Editions were ever made to celebrate Lotus winning the 1978 F1 World Championship. She is not JPS edition and was made a year after the last JPS edition. This engine was made a year earlier in 1979 and we can only assume she was lucky enough to have it gifted to her. We know that Lotus originally intended to build 300 JPS models. She is incredibly similar to the two special Lotus Esprit's awarded to the Lotus F1 World Championship winning race drivers Nigel Mansell and Elio De Angelis. These were awarded in the same year, 1980, by Lotus. These had 2.0 N/A John Player Engines exactly like this one with the black body, vented rear and set in the iconic black and gold JPS colours with turbo badging. Exactly like this one (http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/50373-nigel-mansell-black-jps-esprit-turbo/). She drives effortlessly without fault. I personally have been driving her on a daily basis for the last two months. My father now struggles to get in and out of her, he bought her in an act of nostalgia. I have now been ordered to find her a new owner. She has her original full Lotus black leather interior. She is so pretty to look at. Her bodywork is very pretty with no signs of any damage. A few stone chips here and there as you expect. The speedometer reads 73745 miles, we can evidence this to be correct back to 1994. The previous owner had owned her for the best part of a decade before selling her to his neighbour, then buying her back some years later! She has some history but the previous owner noted that the history folder was lost in his neighbours ownership. She was serviced with all new belts late last year. She was involved in an incident 16 years ago in the previous keepers ownership and was certified as a category C. She was fully repaired and returned to the road. There is no evidence of any repairs to date. We are genuine sellers looking for a genuine buyer. I can deliver her anywhere in the UK for £1.20 per mile, one way. If you have any questions whatsoever or to view her just give me a call on 07984691140. She is advertised elsewhere. Thank you

I have to ask myself - 'do I feel lucky'?

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  • Gold FFM

I'm guessing you didn't go for the Exige Tony?

Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk - that will teach us to keep mouth shut!

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I'm guessing you didn't go for the Exige Tony?

Still undecided ........ taking your advice and will attend one of the TLF days. Still room for a nice JPS as well.......

I have to ask myself - 'do I feel lucky'?

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  • 1 year later...

The power of Google never ceases to amaze me (despite being in IT for 32 years) !

So, less than 2 minutes after my son asked me where I thought my S2 JPS#75 was now,  I have the answer, sad to see it eventually fall into the hands of some dubious 'enthusiasts' after LoteUK sold it (twice).

 

 

On 5/2/2015 at 22:39, Loteuk said:

As a long time owner of at least 10 Lotus over many years (I'm old), one of the cars of particular interest and history was a JPS Edition. 

For many years I wondered where the car ended up. In short I bought it registered a 'W' registration - so perhaps the last registered, owned twice by the original owner, and as I sold it in around 1987 completely standard - me being the 4th owner (or 3rd as it had been  owned twice).

Bear with me ........ I know Will and Kate are distracting your concentration on the important  issues here..... but the buyer was ......well his parents were less than happy with his decision to spend his redundancy on a Lotus.

 

For those who were nt around in the 80's, it was everybody's right to get legal aid and make a case in court (similarly today you can get benefit assistance with the utility bills and fags).

 

So the buyers complaints catalogued to the court and his legal aid left me no choice,   ( if I won in court, financially I had lost ), but to buy the car back?

This was not the preferred route for the buyer 'and his parents' - this Lotus he bought in good faith required more than my blood to recompense his disappointment ?- (I'd owned and driven it for 18 months without a glitch).

Anyway, this car disappeared for some 30 years. No 75 was the missing Commemorative S2. It turns up on ebay here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-John-Player-Special-NO-75-Lotus-Esprit-S2-All-Matching-Numbers-/291446843055?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item43db95e6af

 

A lot of money for a damaged car ...... could it be restored? Is there an S2 body out there? Are these cars important enough to return to their original form?

 

I am looking for a project and this  old flame appears.............. is it past bothering about??  Forget values, the JPS is special........?

 

 

LoteUK - Unless there were two #75's you must have purchased the car from me in the late 80's ? (I bought it in 86 as the 2nd owner, 3rd on the log book)

I received a call many months after I sold it to you, from somebody who purported to be from the police asking if I had falsified the service history !. This baffled me at the time, but after reading your story it suggests this call was instigated by the parents of the lad you sold it to..

I remember you got me to take the car to Paul Matty, (my local dealer) for a once-over before you bought it.

If there was one car I wish I'd still got, this is it. Not after seeing it now though. - Interior changed to all black, when I had it it was Half Leather / Beige Cloth.

Thanks for helping to clear that mystery up.

What a fun car it was.  I'll post a couple of images later of how it was supposed to look.

 

RIP JPS#75 , even if the engine still beats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yes, this is the exact Lotus - with the 2 piece sunroof (the purchaser actually lost one half on his way over to the place that had maintained the car for me).

Thanks for this, I only have one pic and that is similar to the last one.

You advertised the car on Paul Matty's board - thats where I called you (just sold my 2nd Europa at the time)

Looks stunning...... :P

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I have to ask myself - 'do I feel lucky'?

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Was garaged every night and polished every Sunday. Same cant be said of my Disco now lol.

 I'f I'd mothballed it would be touching £20k now :-(

All the best - and good luck with that 'other' black composite vehicle you are embarking on ! #TGB

 

 

 

 

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