In silver

[bash]

Spotted this tidy looking car, not mine.
Bash
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125781967203 ... media=COPY

[rbgosling]

16 grand for a 100k car - it looks like a nice tidy driver, but not a concours star. Prices really are on the up. Well, if they manage to sell it for anything like that, anyway...

But maybe they can charge a bit more for some of those rarely-fitted optional extras:

• Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
• Safety belt pretensioners

[Hawaiis0]

Last time seen by me
C952UPE 06/03/2018 £4950 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1986-LOTUS-E ... 0338.m3726

Only 200 miles in 6 years

Some meteoric rise

Sorry link wont work now

[Jazzy]

- Well I guess JK Classics Has just completed a 10 grand restoration
.... Or not

[Gompo]

Hi Bash, thanks for letting me try your Excel out for size today at The Reindeer.

I can't help but be tempted by this Lincoln Excel. From those available today, it ticks most of the boxes (no sunroof, not blue leather, cambelt, clutch and other bits..) and is of course conveniently local. I do like the cheaper TrevorK Excel, but I really don't think I could cope with the interior. The work the Lincoln Excel has recently had must equate to quite amount of expenditure were somebody to ask a garage to carry out the work; especially if it's had a genuine engine 'rebuild'. £16k is almost definitely too rich given it's been for sale for 10 weeks or so but perhaps £13-14k would be reasonable value? JK Classics seem to have decent reviews although can't see that they have much Lotus experience.

It does appear to have a bit of a chequered history, apparently it was blue at some point despite being originally silver. I've seen the link above showing it for £4995 or whatever but these days I'd say that is largely irrelevant given the market and the work it's had.

[MetBlue]

With such low milage over recent years, expect some initial shake down, but it appears they did the engine work, brakes etc, so as a trader should offer some warranty on that work.
Agreed 16 seems a bit on the high side for a car showing some paint blemishes. Add in the trade premium and you're maybe about right if the rest of the car is good.
Two easy checks though that I would expect to be right if I were paying that kind of money :-
1 Door beams and window frames. With the door half open, hold the top of the window frame at the B post end and move backward / forwards quickly. If there is any sign of jelly wobble, the beam will need replacing. To do the window frame properly you'll need to take the inner door card and access panels off. - but if he's confident in the car, he should have no issues with that.
2 Front shocks and bushes. (Shocks particularly). Any paper record showing replacement? Does suspension easily compress when you press down on the wing?

Good luck with your search.
Tony

[Gompo]

Hi Tony.

Many thanks for your detailed reply.

I may well try to see it next weekend although we'll see how this week goes. I have been keeping a distant eye on Excels for the last couple of months and generally have a good grasp on the 'classic' market as a whole; it's only in the last week or two that I've been paying particular attention. I don't want to jump the gun and end up regretting a purchase, especially from a dealer where I'd probably take quite a financial hit if I needed to sell again. I'm in no rush to buy, but equally it would be nice to get something for the Summer.

It's a shame that sunroofs were a popular choice as that would open up the market to me but I'm relatively tall and I think I need all the headroom I can get, as it rules out the BRG car in Cambridgeshire and a cheaper albeit not as nice example currently on Autotrader. No offence to any owners but I don't think I can get past the blue leather on a couple of other cars on offer, so that does leave this one and some more expensive examples. While not a deal breaker, I would also prefer an earlier car with the hope that in 3-4 years time it would gain Historic status, as whatever I get will be a weekend car and the thought of another £500 a year to the taxman would grate in the future - Should Labour keep the 40 year rule, anyway.

Cheers all.

[bash]

Glad to be of help, having seen how tall you are I could understand why sitting in was useful. Good luck with the search.

Bash