Help Settle this for Deuce and I

Allan or anyone else in the "know";

 

What is a fair market price right now for a 2000 Esprit V8 TT, say 50k miles in one of the desirable colors (black/orange/yellow/red).

 

Anything to look out for on the 2000 model year cars? At what price would a car like that be considered "cheap"?

 

Thanks in advance!

Anyone who thinks the 355 gets more aproval from the ladies is high, maybe if its a Spider otherwise not at all. I was always amazed that of all my cars the Lotus back in the day got close to as much attention as the Diablo.

 

As for the 2000 model, starting in 2000 is where they got the bugs worked out, has newer dash, AP brakes etc. make sure timing belt changed. With 50K miles, id imagine you can get one for 25-28K ?

i had a '99 with the new dash. drove it for 25K miles and never had a problem with it. took it to the track too. the car does get A LOT of attention. it's fun, light and easy to drive. no complaints on the car except sometimes the cabin feels too small and cramped. i think so long as you care for the car and not abuse it, the car won't cause to many problems. as far as the tranny being weak, so long as you don't do burn outs i think you will be fine. cost of maintenance is reasonable too.

 

i still like the 355. what can you say it's a ferrari. so if it's just going to be a weekend car and you are willing to put up with the maintenance costs , i'd get the 355. if maintenance costs will be an issue or performance is more important, i think the Espritv8 is the way to go.

 

good luck.

Anyone who thinks the 355 gets more aproval from the ladies is high, maybe if its a Spider otherwise not at all. I was always amazed that of all my cars the Lotus back in the day got close to as much attention as the Diablo.

 

As for the 2000 model, starting in 2000 is where they got the bugs worked out, has newer dash, AP brakes etc. make sure timing belt changed. With 50K miles, id imagine you can get one for 25-28K ?

the pre2000 models are really ones to watch out for. It took the brits a while to get that car to be the car it should have been from the beginning...

Sl55, E63 over these 2 old shitbombs. They are both too new to be classics and to old to be relevent. The 355 is a time bomb. I would get an 05 or newer SL with the newer nav.

Sl55, E63 over these 2 old shitbombs. They are both too new to be classics and to old to be relevent. The 355 is a time bomb. I would get an 05 or newer SL with the newer nav.

An Sl? No way.. Boredom...

I think any 355 you can get your hands on in the 40's is going to require an engine out service....So may as well add another 10G's to that.

I’m somewhat ashamed to admit it… but the 355 is one of my all-time favorite cars, even though I’m fully aware of its many problems. To hell with the questionable reliability/low performance numbers (vs. modern offerings)/high maintenance costs/Ferrari Fag labels/etc. I still think it’s one of the best looking cars I’ve ever seen and that alone is reason enough to own one at some point.

 

However, in the context of this debate I have to vote in favor of the Esprit. When you commit to daily-driving a car you know you’re signing up for accelerated paint & leather damage and all-in-all the car will cease to be special to you pretty quickly. Right or wrong I’ve always put the 355 on a pedestal and for that reason I could never destroy one by driving it everyday.

 

I really love the Esprit and I do think it’s a great (and highly underrated) car, just not quite as good as the 355. For that reason I’d pick the Esprit.

 

I gotta admit, and maybe its a New Mexico thing (eek). But my Yellow Esprit pulled more chicks than my Diablo, Countach, Delorean (haha), Mustangs, Porsche 911 combined. They would follow me to where I was going in it. To the point my ex-wife banned me from driving it without her (didnt work, hence the ex).

I love the F355, but the Espirt V8TT wins in my book.

 

Nick

how can anyone say a 355 over this? it just looks badass.

An Sl? No way.. Boredom...

 

 

I don't know, the older I get the more I like having shit that works. I like having places to put stuff like a phone or a drink and like a good nav system and stereo that actually sounds good. Having keyless go and cooled seats on a hot day are good too. Cars like SL's and M6's and things like that don't have that sense of occasion like the cars mentioned but they do everything better. To me a 355 or a lotus screams broke 30 year old that wants to pimp an exotic and can't get a good one. They aren't classics, just yesterdays news. I think I just turned into my father, WTF is wrong with me!

how can anyone say a 355 over this? it just looks badass.

And the perfect color to sit next to my SV!

I don't know, the older I get the more I like having shit that works. I like having places to put stuff like a phone or a drink and like a good nav system and stereo that actually sounds good. Having keyless go and cooled seats on a hot day are good too. Cars like SL's and M6's and things like that don't have that sense of occasion like the cars mentioned but they do everything better. To me a 355 or a lotus screams broke 30 year old that wants to pimp an exotic and can't get a good one. They aren't classics, just yesterdays news. I think I just turned into my father, WTF is wrong with me!

I dont know about the broke 30yr old bit, and inmo the Esprit WILL become a classic... the 355 will not.. I agree on the things that work though, but in a daily driver.

And the perfect color to sit next to my SV!

i hear you man... asked about it and it was not available anymore... Just dont tell me you got that car cuz ill hate u... That pearl on the esprit looks really nice...

i hear you man... asked about it and it was not available anymore... Just dont tell me you got that car cuz ill hate u... That pearl on the esprit looks really nice...

Not me.. I swear..

Not me.. I swear..

ok i believe u...

ok i believe u...

You are good at Pshop! Why arent you pshopping my SV for me! what year is that Esprit? Dont get anything below My2000, preferably a 2002 Anniversary or 2003.5 -2004 Final Edition.

Saw a pretty silver Esprit V8TT today...and saw a really nice yellow 355 yesterday. I gotta say...I liked them both a lot. I loved the mid engine body style, low and aggressive compared to 99% of all the other cars on the road. both of them are a rare sight...i certainly don't see them everyday. and i really applaud both owners for having them...in a way it would be so much easier/more practical/normal for them to have bought a porsche...or a m3 or something else mundane and german that i see 50 times a day in traffic. Both cars while certainly not high up the super car ladder felt really special.

 

If you asked me to pick one...it would really come down to a test drive and feeling which one spoke to me the most. (i intend to have versions of both stashed in my super car warehouse one day)

You are good at Pshop! Why arent you pshopping my SV for me! what year is that Esprit? Dont get anything below My2000, preferably a 2002 Anniversary or 2003.5 -2004 Final Edition.

what on the SV do you want me to pshop allan? i know only 2000 and up would be best. Even the 2002 or 03.5 but seems all I see on the market is yellow or silver... Saw a blue 02 at DC but that thing already sold...

I like the looks of the 355 more, but from what I have read, the maintenance will be a nightmare.

 

 

Bingo.

 

 

The 355 is not cheap to maintain.

what on the SV do you want me to pshop allan? i know only 2000 and up would be best. Even the 2002 or 03.5 but seems all I see on the market is yellow or silver... Saw a blue 02 at DC but that thing already sold...

You can try putting Sv stripes on it.. Some different wheels.. the wing black, the side vents black...

You are good at Pshop! Why arent you pshopping my SV for me! what year is that Esprit? Dont get anything below My2000, preferably a 2002 Anniversary or 2003.5 -2004 Final Edition.

 

I believe that one is a 97 or 98. The sides of the wing are connected to the car where as on the newer ones they have arms in the middle and the sides do not connect to the cars. I prefer the newer wing as compared to the old one.

Bingo.

 

 

The 355 is not cheap to maintain.

 

Doesn't make sense to me to buy a car that you own for 3 years, drive for 7,000 miles, and pay 30%-50% of the value of the car (or more) in maintenance. All it takes is one major belt service and a clutch job to make that car sit in a garage for a LONG time.

 

 

Love the look and sound though. The other way to look at it is I am sure Alex could work on either cars as he seems pretty knowledgeable on a vast array of cars, so it should help on the costs somewhat. Would definitely make a huge difference if you have a good friend that knows how to work on these cars, and can help you out with the cost of maintenance.

 

 

This is indeed odd, were you all in the UK you would for the most part not even consider the lotus over the 355....wrongly so but they have always had the reputation of 'a plastic poor mans ferrari' over here which spends more time on the back of a truck than on the road..

 

In short, the complete opposite of how you guys see it...

 

lotus = Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

 

 

that said....the bond one with the ski rack rocks.....