After watching Basic Instinct tonight the lotus esprit was quite appealing (aswell as sharon stone) and looking on the autotrader website it appears you can pick one up for around 10k. Anyone ever owned one or been in one it would be interesting to know how good these cars are as you hardly see any about, well not in west london anyway.

 

I did think about buying one, but they where still too expensive back then. For that price it's a serious car for little money. Only problem is when things go wrong they are VERY expensive to fix (and things do go wrong).

I would buy one as a second car providing it came with a quality warranty !!

 

True. I think getting one as a second car not a daily runaround is the best route to go for.

 

I looked at the top spec one before buying the Scoob. Loved the look (one day I still hope to own one) since Bond but couldn't really justify it as it would be my only car. Six foot wide too and two cigarette lighters, one in each door. Also I felt the foot well and peddles quite cramped for someone with size 10s.

 

This is the only car I've ever been 'starstruck' by when on a garage forecourt - black, spotless, spanking gorgeous.. Especially when the bloke driving it was only in his early 20's (rich kid obviously) I was chatting to him (had a Supra at the time so not toooo embarassed) and he was paying nearly 10k insurance.. I can barely justify paying that for a car let alone the insurance.

 

My best mate had one of these, K plate, 2.2 litre S4, 260 BHP, looked great but they really are poorly made, the interior was an odd mix or vaxhall cavalier, Mk2 ford fiesta and and Austin Allegro!!. Awful cable gearchange and wont go in reverse when hot due to clutch hydraulic pipe expanding due to engine heat and not enough pressure to release clutch proplerly. Generally a right **** to live with and cost a fortune in repairs (cambelt is engine out job!).

Lovely looking though but like the others say, only have it as a 2nd car and dont expect it to look like a ferrari inside.

Stu

 

I passengered in a GT3 2.0 turbo (said by many to be the pick of the range) and it went rather well The noise and the low seating position made it seem rather quicker than it was though. They weigh similar to a classic Impreza and don't have the drivetrain losses. Reliability was suspect according to the owner I passengered with.

 

Had a 1989 non turbo but new shape car immeadiately before my Scooby. Used it every day for 18 months and was pretty much trouble free. It is a difficult decision whether you trust it enough for daily use but in my opinion the reliability was at least partially a direct result of using it so often. If I had my choice I would not hesitate to have another but the GT3 would be my choice now. Unfortunately regular need to transport children makes this unlikely!!!