ALL CARS ON EBAY.

[theelanman]

best description yet

Full Black Leather,
Cream Leather,
Silver Leather,
17 Inch Sports Alloys,
Sliding Doors,
Electric Memory Seats,
Parking Camera,
SAT NAV,
ESP,
DSC,
Electric Folding Mirrors,
Electric Folding Roof,
Full Closure Windows

none of it is correct.....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1985-Lotus-El ... 248wt_1028

[epipete]

Not to forget the 1800cc engine!

[theelanman]

I also missed that it was a 1985 model Elan....very early indeed......

[Rusty Wishbone]

I wonder what Full Closure Windows are. Or rather, what non-full closure windows are.

Perhaps full closure windows are ones which don't leak. That must be it.

[surfboardfiller]

As far as I'm concerned:
a) It's a Lotus (few other marques have the history of racing, innovation etc)
b) The car is eminently usable, for highdays only or everyday.
c) Parts & maintenance are readily available, as are most parts.
d) Nowadays, it looks quite modern (back in the day, I thought it 'fat' but check out Audi TT's and, really, every other modern car

I agree with you. These 4 points are the reason I bought one. I think that their lack of value is because:
a. It is FWD;
b. It was a commercial failure; and
c. It didn't take Lotus forward.

I am unconcerned by their low value, personally. Their values probably won't climb until DVB claim a hundred or two more cars.

I disagree and find it odd that people just regurgitate this stuff without thinking about it. Especially Elan owners.
They aren't low value, they are holding really well. Compare them to MX5, MR2 and the Porsche Boxter. Even the younger sister Elise isn't much higher and that has no competition and is younger. A Chargecooler Esprit for £10k back in 2000 and Elan was worth more. Most now are tatty and can't be worth much for that reason, mint ones with low mileage go for over £10k.

a. It earned Lotus a massive amount of respect and admiration from the automotive industry. Was ground braking FWD engineering.
b. It wasn't a commercial failure it was stopped artificially due to the sale of Lotus by GM. It outsold the Elise and all 800 Ltd editions were sold to dealers strait away as they had been turning customers away after GM stopped the production.
c. Promoted their engineering arm as the best 4 cylinder engineers in the world and proved to the world that LOTUS doesn't stand for Lots Of Trouble. Built over 4,000 cars in 4 years and sold them all during 2 recessions.

It's the best front dive car ever built.

[dapinky]

Hmmm, this one could be a nice little project for someone who has another Elan which is mechanically perfect in every way, with a new hood/rubbers, and re-trimmed interior, but has a smashed-up body.....

....pity it's the other side of the country (but then, so is my red one at the moment)

[Rambo]

Hood doesn't look new to me Dave. Unless they come with green algae and opaque rear screens these days . Or is that just damp/condensation ? And the interior looks like it could do with a re-trim

Might be good for spares though

[surfboardfiller]

Dave was saying if you already had mint interior, new hood etc then this car would be of use.

Way too expensive for me but I am still looking for a donor....

[dapinky]

Come on Mark, learn to read English!

But just for you...

...The Silver one looks okay(ish) on the outside....

....I've got a written-off red one with new hood, re-trimmed interior, great engine, new(ish) suspension, OE wheels....

....For someone with the time/space/inclination, putting the 2 together will give a nice, usable Silver SE (but I don't like Silver), plus a shed load of parts which can be stored or sold....

...all in all, you could get a nice SE on the road with an initial outlay of £3k, a fair bit of spannering, and get most (if not all, or even more) of your money back by selling off the excess bits.....

[surfboardfiller]

I have a brand new bodyshell rolling chassis in need of an interior hood seals etc.

You want to sell?

[dapinky]

I have a brand new bodyshell rolling chassis in need of an interior hood seals etc.

You want to sell?

PM sent.

[surfboardfiller]

Got it.

[Rambo]

Doh. I get it now

Eats, shoots and leaves !

[Jeemy]

I can't believe this one is at £2k already with bidding still running.

I didn't pay much more than that for mine, which was a good enough runner to drive back from London to Scotland non-stop…...

[daveiow]

Looks a bit "wet under foot" to me

daveiow

[surfboardfiller]

Mileage: 88,270

Private plate H4 MDH

I'd pay £2k for this as the plate is probably worth £2,500, Don't be surprised to see it back up for sale in a month with it's original plate on it.

[Rambo]

The plate will be worth approx £400 as I checked mine (H4 RMB) the other day and that is the offer I received

[epipete]

I must be losing the plot, why?

[surfboardfiller]

The plate will be worth approx £400 as I checked mine (H4 RMB) the other day and that is the offer I received

Yep looks like they arent worth much, I sold one a long time ago and did very well, I must have sold at the right time.

[GeoffSmith]

I must be losing the plot, why?

Because you're old and you don't work anymore so you're not exercising your mind and your brains are turning to jelly...

HTH