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Now i am really confused

comtec

comtec

Legendary Member
Joined
1 October 2006
Messages
2,738
Location
Memphis TN
Alot of you seem to be younger than me but back in the early 70's almost every kid of my age was drawn to a sequel of movies that were exciting to watch. The movies were coming out about every 1-2 years and i couldn't wait to see the next one. I actually continued to enjoy the series up till 1985 when the 14th movie was released.
But in 1977 a new car entered the films and i love it the minute i saw it. Yes the movies are the Bond 007 series and the car was the lotus esprit. I always told myself that one day i would have a lotus and when i decided that i would buy another sports car i thought it would be the one that i always wanted the esprit.
When i started looking i was thinking i would just spend about $30k on a esprit which for that money i could have gotten a nice 1994-95 S4. About the same time i started researching the nsx. We all know that the nsx is beautiful but it is also way more reliable than the esprit. So i started thinking more about the nsx as the car i would purchase. For the last 2-3 months i have just concentrated on trying to find a nice nsx, but my original $30k went to $46k when i realized that i would want the NSX-T, newer engine, brakes etc. So now i have been trying to find the perfect nsx. I must have sent out 40 emails to individuals and dealers in the past month. One that i sent to a dealer was for a 2001 nsx with 13k miles for $48.9k. I just received an email back from the dealer on friday. The car has been sold then he said "i do have a esprit if you are interested". I haven't even thought about them in a while. So i looked it up and they have a 2003 lotus esprit Twin turbo V8 with 6k listed for $62k. I thought man that seems high. So i responded back to them that esprit's drop in value very quickly and are expensive to maintain and the only way i would be interested is if were in the price range of the nsx that they had before around $49k ( how's that for low balling).

They haven't said no yet.:eek:

The car is a 2003 with 6k. Whatever i get will only be driven about 2k per year, never in the rain so i don't know if reliability is even a concern.:confused:
 
That is exactly what I did! I used to love, love, love those James Bond Lotus Turbo Esprits! But I heard that they break down a lot! Now, I am obsessed with buying my first Acura NSX! I want a red one! These cars are like Ferraris, but without the breakdowns! NSXs are beautiful cars! I would go with the NSX!

John
 
Was fun reading your post, I am from the UK and grew up with James Bond and the first "supercar" I drove was an Esprit S3s when I was 18, this set me firmly on the track of wanting one, however the guy that owned it a very good friend of my father warned me about the reliability (He is a mechanic so did all the work himself). A few years later when I had the money to buy a Lotus I started looking for a nice S4s but started reading about the NSX, to cut a long story short I bought my first one in 1996, it was a red/black 1991 model, a little more that the S4 but I have never looked back. I have been out driving many times with the Lotus clubs and Esprit owners, the Elise's seem very reliable but the Esprits seem to have a lot of problems, one guy I know with a GT3 with almost no miles on it always carry's bottles of water with him to top up the tank when it boils over (which it does frequently on hot days), although I still love the esprit I would choose an NSX over it any time, I am now on my 3rd X and reliability is amazing, tyres is a problem if you drive hard and some of the earlier cars can suffer from some minor issues like broken sub woofers/speakers or the windows can have an issue, all easily fixable and well documented.

I should add that I dont have experience of how the V8 Esprit is for reliability, but I am guessing that like earlier ones they can be troublesome and expensive to repair when they go wrong.

Good luck!
Kye
 
I loved Esprits up to the moment I actually sat in one. I couldn't fit. My head was smooshed against the roof, and my feet were too big to competently work the pedals. The guy was offering me a test drive, but I had to decline. It's not often I would ever decline the chance to drive a supercar, but I didn't feel like it would be much fun.

My NSX, otoh, fits me perfectly. It's easily the most comfortable car I've ever owned. The 800 mile drive to NSXPO 2005 in Phoenix was as relaxing as could be -- I could have easily gone another 500 miles.
 
I know, I just think if they were to take $49k (which i don't think they will) i don't think i could help myself. :redface:

For that price i have to compare a 2003 esprit with 6k to a 1997-2000 nsx with 15-20k.
 
If you look hard enough and keep an eye on the for sale forums / ebay you should be able to pick up a 97 car with low miles / clean for reasonable money, I would say around 38 to 40K, another thing to think about is the way that the NSX keeps its value compared to an Esprit.
 
one guy I know with a GT3 with almost no miles on it always carry's bottles of water with him to top up the tank when it boils over (which it does frequently on hot days)
Click to expand...

That was funny, yes the esprit has had it's share of overheating problems. In the new V8 there was a major problem up untill the first of 2000. The early V8 had a problem with the type of sealer used in the engine which allowed water into the crankcase $$.
 
I loved Esprits up to the moment I actually sat in one. I couldn't fit. My head was smooshed against the roof, and my feet were too big to competently work the pedals.
Click to expand...

I have a little problem with the pedals in the nsx.
 
Lotus.jpg
 
Comtec,
Go with the car you're likely to enjoy for the rest of your life!! Are you gonna drive it every weekend?? or once in a while?? You definitely want a car that you can enjoy driving anywhere at anytime. It's up to you to decide what car is gonna benefit you in the long run and put a smile on your face. I wish you the best of luck on your decision.:smile:
 
my1stnsx said:
Comtec,
Go with the car you're likely to enjoy for the rest of your life!! Are you gonna drive it every weekend?? or once in a while?? You definitely want a car that you can enjoy driving anywhere at anytime. It's up to you to decide what car is gonna benefit you in the long run and put a smile on your face. I wish you the best of luck on your decision.:smile:
Click to expand...

Thanks, Whatever i get i will drive it at least every other weekend but not much. Maybe 2-3k a year.
 
I've owned a Lotus in the past and they are a blast to drive. Just remember:

L = lots
O = of
T = trouble
U = usually
S = serious

Good luck.
 
I think you need to stop looking at cost of vehicle and start looking at cost of ownership... which are two completely different things.

Once you do that, you will quickly realize the Esprit is the much more expensive car to own. For a car you will barely drive, it is worth parking something in your garage that reaches into your wallet everynight?

Once you own an NSX and realize how fun and reliable it is, and how little it depreciates overall, you will find yourself driving it a lot more than you thought... trust me... I know....

The Esprit on the other hand will most likely sit a lot... just like you thought it would.
 
I've owned a Lotus in the past and they are a blast to drive. Just remember:

L = lots
O = of
T = trouble
U = usually
S = serious
Click to expand...
LOL

I think you need to stop looking at cost of vehicle and start looking at cost of ownership... which are two completely different things.

Once you do that, you will quickly realize the Esprit is the much more expensive car to own. For a car you will barely drive, it is worth parking something in your garage that reaches into your wallet everynight?

Once you own an NSX and realize how fun and reliable it is, and how little it depreciates overall, you will find yourself driving it a lot more than you thought... trust me... I know....

The Esprit on the other hand will most likely sit a lot... just like you thought it would.
Click to expand...


After being in love with a car for the last 30 years I feel i know more about the esprit than most people. I am not looking just at the purchase price. I know all too well that the esprit is expensive to own after purchase. Since i will be driving around 2k per year i would have an A service ($800) about once a year and B & C service ($3k) after every three. I don't know as much about the V8 but the turbo 4 part prices i am aware of. For instance, i am aware that if you blow the engine in the turbo 4 unless you can find a used one the car is done (910 turbo 4 $40k from the dealer). Also the replacement cost of the esprit gearbox is around $15k.

I have no control over how much i can drive any car as i have a company vehicle that i have to drive 5 days a week and work out of town quite often.

Although i really like the nsx very much and i do think it is a true exotic. The esprit is a true supercar which puts it in a different class than the nsx. And the supercar class is expensive to maintain.
 
Last edited:
TURBO2GO said:
I think you need to stop looking at cost of vehicle and start looking at cost of ownership... which are two completely different things.
Click to expand...

Best thing I've seen written regarding NSX vs. Ferrari/Lotus/Lambo...

Nevertheless, for this guy it doesn't seem like money is too important (starting at 30k now thinking 50k). If you KNOW you are only going to drive something a couple thousand miles a year, the maintenance should be much less of an issue. If you like the Lotus, get it. Definitely not a better car, overall, but for a weekend toy it certainly is more exotic and probably just as fun if not more so.

I however, don't have that level of restraint, and my Integra daily driver hasn't been daily driven in weeks. :biggrin:
 
Dtrigg said:
I've owned a Lotus in the past and they are a blast to drive. Just remember:

L = lots
O = of
T = trouble
U = usually
S = serious

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Funny, this is what came to mind when I saw the photo. To be fair, though, I don't really know this from experience and may not represent all examples. Love the looks of the Lotus cars.
 
Poison_S said:
Funny, this is what came to mind when I saw the photo. To be fair, though, I don't really know this from experience and may not represent all examples. Love the looks of the Lotus cars.
Click to expand...

Your cayman looks cool in the avatar.
 
Nevertheless, for this guy it doesn't seem like money is too important (starting at 30k now thinking 50k).
Click to expand...

Didn't have much choice. When i started looking at the nsx for puchase is when the amount increased. If you want to sell me a mint nsx-t with the 3.2 and larger brakes for $30k, i'll buy it.:smile:
 
kye said:
another thing to think about is the way that the NSX keeps its value compared to an Esprit.
Click to expand...
iagree.gif


Depreciation on the Esprit is notoriously high. Check out the prices of older cars...
 
comtec said:
The esprit is a true supercar which puts it in a different class than the nsx. And the supercar class is expensive to maintain.
Click to expand...

OK... lets go with that (not that I agree with it). Is this "class" something you want to get into? The unreliable high maintenance high depreciation class?

Do you think an Esprit will put more smiles on your face than an NSX will that you are willing to pay that much more to own one? have you driven one?

If you want to get into that "class", isn't it better to get something that won't tank in price? maybe a Ferrari, or some kind of more classic automobile?

A hand-built all-aluminum car means something to me. I don't think an esprit outperforms an NSX, I don't think its more exotic looking, and I think both are very rare. What in your mind makes the Esprit a "supercar" and the NSX in a lower class?

A new Esprit will be out soon... which will make these tank even further. I am not sure its the best time to buy one.
 

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