Tell me why I should run screaming

I will be in Enterprise this weekend to see my kids. Tell me why I shouldn't waste my time;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Affordable-Exotic-/110686210218?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item19c56988aa

What do you look for in a salvage title car? How can you tell if you're getting hosed or not? I'll probably go look, my son will love it.

Cheers,

Jeff

I never buy cars from men named 'Russ'; I just dont trust them.

But seriously, it has a salvage title, fresh paint and what ever it's hiding, and the wipers dont work. These are red flags to me but not necessarly deal breakers.

British electrics scare the hell out of me. That is all. Especially prior salvage British electrics. IDK if those were affiliated with Lucas in any way, but if they were, you cannot run fast enough.

i would ask for the original AE86 taillights, let the previous owner keep the euro altezza ones...

In reply to DukeOfUndersteer:

Huh? Those dont look in the 'Altezza' style to me? AE86? What does a Corolla have to do with this Lotus?

Why: The same money could buy a nice Carerra, which would potentially be less hassle to own. Colour combination is not the best. Doesn't seem quite cheap enough considering salvage title.

Why not: Esprits are awesome. Even that one.

Look for shotty repair work, ask why it was salvaged, look for bent cross member and broken welds. If it was flooded look for water level marks and see if it got to critical components.

Theft recovery doesn't mean it wasn't crashed driven off a bridge etc.

Also test drive it for a while, I mean get it hot. Enterprise Alabama in May shouldn't be a problem. Look for leaks and the normal used car issues. I would let it run for at least 30 minutes.

RossD wrote: Huh? Those dont look in the 'Altezza' style to me? AE86? What does a Corolla have to do with this Lotus?

Lotus used the taillamps from the ~'86 Corolla on the Esprit.

Top Five Reasons To Run Screaming:

1. Killer bees in your pants.

2. Wife just found 3rd "Spare" LSX engine in the living room.

3. Being chased by angry wolverine

4. Made a UFC fighter angry enough to want to kick your tail

5. Offered a chance to buy any exotic European car with a salvage title.

That interior made me want a Big Mac.

88 with a salvage title for twelve large is too much. Oh, that windshield wiper motor? It is widely believed that the factory hung the windshield wiper motor in the air and built the car around it. I dispute that. I think they hung the windshield wiper motor, the AC system (look at that leaking system in the listing), and the gas tanks (fuel gauge not working) in the air and built the car around them.

However, you can modify a Honduh wiper motor to work, according to my parts cross reference list.

The problem with a salvage title is: Why? It was hit bad enough to salvage out. Was the frame damaged? The frames, especially at the T in the front, get damaged in wrecks.

If you are interested in a Stevens Esprit, there are better ones out there for that price range. Join the Yahoo turboesprit list and ask around there.

Find out why it got the "salvage title" in the first place. Get under it and look at the suspension pickup points for any repair work; if you can get it way up--like, bring it to a lift--and look at the backbone/tunnel running down the middle of the car for tweakage. That may be hard, but, this is not a small amount of money, and if the owner balks, walk. If you made the appt for a pre-purchase survey now, and arranged for the lift, the buyer should be OK with it. PM Dr. Hess. and Jay

If it looks OK, remember there are far fewer of these running around than a Porsche or others in that peice range. Value will only go up.

If this is play money, and a toy for you, then I'd go for it. Question of the day is: What are you planning on doing with it? Keep it stock, modify, ...and how often do you plan on using it. There are a few on this board who know these, who may chime in, but, if it were me, and it's not a flood car, or the chassis is not twisted (simple tape measuring), I'd make an offer. Could be the insurance co took one look at the cost of replacement parts, and decided to simply total it,' cutting their losses.

Edit: I see Dr. Hess has already chimed in.

The tail lights and a few other bits on the car scream tacky go fast and not of an owner with class who would have taken car of the vehicle. There are definitely better cars than this for not much more money. Personally, I would go buy a nice '89 911 and call it a day.

That interior reminds of the atrocity in Hammond's M3 when they did the sports sedan challenge. Does anyone remember what they found out about that car?

FlightService wrote: Look for bent crossbowmen

Damn You Autocorrect!

sanman wrote: Personally, I would go buy a nice '89 911 and call it a day.

I haven't seen too many nice '89 911s for $12k!

Brett_Murphy wrote: Top Five Reasons To Run Screaming: 1. Killer bees in your pants. 2. Wife just found 3rd "Spare" LSX engine in the living room. 3. Being chased by angry wolverine 4. Made a UFC fighter angry enough to want to kick your tail 5. Offered a chance to buy any exotic European car with a salvage title.

I just snorted Coke out my nose.

Duke wrote:

FlightService wrote: Look for bent crossbowmen

Damn You Autocorrect!

Thank you.

FlightService wrote:

Brett_Murphy wrote: Top Five Reasons To Run Screaming: 1. Killer bees in your pants. 2. Wife just found 3rd "Spare" LSX engine in the living room. 3. Being chased by angry wolverine 4. Made a UFC fighter angry enough to want to kick your tail 5. Offered a chance to buy any exotic European car with a salvage title.

I just snorted Coke out my nose.

Normaly it goes in thru the nose. We are talking 80's exotics here.

Thanks for the feedback. No, I'm not really looking for one. I was following the Lotus 51 link and found it. And yeah, no way I'd pay that much.

J

In reply to Jeff:

You should run screaming because it's fun and it makes people look at you funny.

As far as the car, it isn't challenge priced. Find one for $500, then you can buy it.

I own a bright yellow Supercharged Range Rover, purchased from a police impound lot, what do you think I am going to say?

dculberson wrote:

sanman wrote Personally, I would go buy a nice '89 911 and call it a day.

I haven't seen too many nice '89 911s for $12k!

You are correct, I should have said '80's porsche 911 as I was thinking of the 930 cars. I believe the '84 in the grm project car garage was about $12k

Here are a couple of 911s/c cars for about that price:

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/porsche/911sc/1235102.html

Ebay

"Car never sees the rain!" == "Won't start when wet."

Not gonna find any 930 for $12k or less...

docwyte wrote: Not gonna find any 930 for $12k or less...

Sure about that?

Cause here you go