| Author | Message | ||
| Eric (Vette)
New member Username: Vette Post Number: 34 Registered: 3-2003 |
tom-hadnt planned on modifying it the day i got it. mainly i wanted to be sure that there was a way you could upgrade the car if need be. other than a different ecu i dont think id do anything to the car unless i found myself pushing the car to its limits at the track. as they say, the car is only as good as the driver, and i am sure i would have to fine tune and sharpen my driving skills with that particular car before any kind of extra boost or inctercooling would help. and the Q-box? its about 25,000 (ugh) the main thoughts i had for the stock gearbox would include machining a new case out of a stronger material, and possibly heat treating some of the components. **as an edit-meant to hit the 8 key instead of the 9 on the last post. oops** | ||
| Tom RM (Tgitom)
Junior Member Username: Tgitom Post Number: 99 Registered: 8-2002 |
An Esprit is fast stock as is, so i would get used to it first before you start modding one. But yes there are many options to make one even faster. As far as the tranny it can use beefing up. You can try having some custom work done. I do know of a company called quiaffe, they make a racing box, but it is very expensive. NOt sure on all the details on that one. I would for now stick to switching the ecu and keeping it stock for a bit and get used to the car as it and not worry to much about the tranny... its a great car still! | ||
| Eric (Vette)
New member Username: Vette Post Number: 31 Registered: 3-2003 |
well i found a site called extremeesprit.com that has quite a few things you can get for the v8's... and after that ride id settle with nothing less than a v9 model. anyway the site has how to pages and also the parts needed for better flowing turbos, twin water to air intercoolers with BOV's, and the red colored "racing" ecu from lotus that bumps power +100 hp. they have some pretty nicely modded cars. des, congratulations on the ride! if the one i had a ride in just had a fancy paintjob i cant imagine what the actual sport 350s must feel like. as a side note, i have found many places to say no more than 400 hp through the stick gearbox, which is clunky anyway... so my question is where can you get a replacemeny box that is more durable and hopefully with a better feel, and how much cash?(hate to ask that one) | ||
| Tom RM (Tgitom)
Junior Member Username: Tgitom Post Number: 98 Registered: 8-2002 |
Eric, A new 2002 should perform just as good as the sport 350 you rode in. The one thing to do though is have the high torque ECU put in that replaces the normal one. Gives you more torque down low. There are several ECU options, this first one retains the same horsepower but if you really want more you can upgrade to a higher HP ECU as well. But i would just start out with the first one (High Torque) | ||
| Dave L (Davel)
Member Username: Davel Post Number: 257 Registered: 7-2001 |
Lots of trouble usually very expensive and serious could be applied to most exotics. After 3 Lotus Turbos I know they are reliable. Maintain them and they will take care of you just like any other car. Parts are cheaper, they are easier to work on for the most part and need less maint than other exotics. My latest was a 94 S4 recently sold. Bought with 6k miles, drove it home from AZ to GA. Put on one timing belt due to age and replaced one temp module. Major service done when I bought it for 800. Module was 37. Put on set of tires and owned the car for 4 yrs. Sold it with 29k miles. Did 7 or so oil changes. Not bad for a handmade unreliable exotic. Other folks may have had bad experiences. Usually down to not inspecting prior to purchase or not realizing what deferred maint there was. Im looking for a 328 now as Ive never owned a Ferrari. I know upfront it will be older than my last lotus and more expensive to repair. Do I expect it to be as reliable as any of my Lotus? Maybe...probably not but, I will find the best maintained car I can and perform the maint on sched. Thats all you can do. We can probably debate which car is more reliable for days and days. My personal experience with 3 Lotus Turbo's was good. The 83 was good, but needed more work to keep in tune, it was a carb'd car. The 86 with FI was flat out bullet proof and it was for the previous owner as well. I used it as a daily driver in Atlanta for over a year. I fixed one oil leak and put on a timing belt during a scheduled major service. Two sets of tires. The 94 was fantastic. If your going to buy one and its not a V8 get a 94 or 95 S4. A factory field engineer told me its the best car they made in the 4 cyl models. | ||
| Dave Penhale (Dapper)
Member Username: Dapper Post Number: 634 Registered: 4-2002 |
L.O.T.U.S Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious which is a shame really as the performance, handling, styling etc are great (hmmm sounds familiar doesn't it) | ||
| allan fiedler (Allanlambo)
Member Username: Allanlambo Post Number: 411 Registered: 6-2002 |
I have a 2000 Esprit TT, and it is an awesome car. No reliability issues, will smoke my 355, and has put a hurting on a few 360's also. Weakest link is the gerbox. | ||
| Sean Ruckel (Sruckel)
Junior Member Username: Sruckel Post Number: 200 Registered: 10-2001 |
I believe Kenny is right, that the Sport 350's came in black or silver, maybe one white. The main distinguishing items are the 5 spoke magnesium OZ wheels, AP Racing brakes, different lower front spoiler, and a carbon fiber wing on aluminum pedestals. The Euro 350's had blue brakes, a blue engine and some graphics. The Esprit DES rode in was Billy's... | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Advanced Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 3620 Registered: 8-2002 |
Was lucky enough to get a ride in a Lotus Esprit V8 Twin Turbo, modified from a 5 speed to a 6 speed and DAMN...! If you ever rob a bank, there's your getaway car, right there...  | ||
| Eric (Vette)
New member Username: Vette Post Number: 30 Registered: 3-2003 |
thanks for the help! i wonder if the "new" lotus will last 20+ years too... | ||
| Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Member Username: Kennyh Post Number: 813 Registered: 8-2001 |
I do believe Billy said that the Sport 350's only came in black and silver so your friends (considering Billy is right)- is probably not one. His email is [email protected]. He isn't on much- if its really important, email me at [email protected] and I will give you his phone number. Billy has a 355, a Testarossa, a NSX and a 500SL and says he loves his Lotus more then any of his other cars, including his Ferrari's. | ||
| Eric (Vette)
New member Username: Vette Post Number: 29 Registered: 3-2003 |
wow! one in eight?? hmm... that makes it hard to beleive that that was one of them. was there anything that distinguished it? i know it had a two tone paintjob, im thinking brown and white.. brown on the bottom half of the car- i found a picture of a car on the net that said it was a 350 and i noticed it had the same paintjob so thats how i figured it to be a 350. whatever it was, i do know he said it was a limited edition car, or something to that matter.. wish i wouldve payed better attention. if i can ask, how much do the 350's sell for? in any case, i would want the same performance that i felt from this car in a esprit.. sean can i assume then that all it would require would be a chip to make a 2002 lotus perform essentially the same as the 350 series? thanks again! | ||
| Tom RM (Tgitom)
Junior Member Username: Tgitom Post Number: 96 Registered: 8-2002 |
Lotus has said they are beginning work on a new esprit, and it should be ready in a few years! hopefully! And actually production mainly stopped here in the u.s. because the esprit was on waivers and they cant get any more issued. Crash tests are the main reason, head to close to front windshield area is what is claimed. so by the end of 2003 that should be about it for this current esprit. But there are still new ones out there and will be for the asking | ||
| Sean Ruckel (Sruckel)
Junior Member Username: Sruckel Post Number: 199 Registered: 10-2001 |
For the earlier Esprit's, especially those with carbs, reliability was an issue. Then again, most cars with carbs tend to be more trouble than fuel injected. My old 88 was actually quite reliable as far as things that the previous owner hadn't messed up. I think you'll find that during GM's ownership, things got much better. As for the Sport 350, there are only 8 in the US, IIRC, one has been totalled, and one needs a bit of work. The differences are mostly cosmetic, plus a different ECU. I don't believe the US Sport 350's were any lighter since that would have caused Lotus to have to re-crash test them. I know Billy has done a lot of work with his, and it sounds awesome. The 2000 and newer cars have the same brakes as the Sport 350 (AP racing instead of Brembo), and the 2002 and newer cars have the Sport 350 front spoiler. All the V8's can be updated to the High Torque ECU which the Sport 350 has. I've taken my old 88 and my V8 to the track a few times, and they're both an absolute blast. But, the V8 is definitely a step up. It handles wonderfully, and there's just sooooo much power. | ||
| Eric (Vette)
New member Username: Vette Post Number: 28 Registered: 3-2003 |
from what i understand the older cars can be quite a problem as far as reliability.. but the later 90's and the v8s seem to do very well..i did find out that indeed the car was a sport 350.KENNY! could i get his email or a way to contact the sport 350 owner? thanks! | ||
| chris cummings (Entelechy)
Junior Member Username: Entelechy Post Number: 208 Registered: 5-2001 |
It's surprising to read what's below. A few years ago I was looking into picking up a Lotus Esprit (early 90's). Once I started researching the car, I found some great sites, similar to FerrariChat. It seemed to be a consensus that, while the cars performed extremely well, they were maintenance nightmares. I came across tale after tale of all kinds of things going wrong and falling apart. The owners basically summed it up by saying that they truly loved the cars, and part of ownership was dealing with the lack of build quality/reliability. It'd be great to think that they really are terrific all-around cars as I love the design. Still have my heart set on a 308 or 328 down the road, but an Esprit would be a close 2nd. | ||
| Dave (Maranelloman)
Intermediate Member Username: Maranelloman Post Number: 1275 Registered: 1-2002 |
V8 gearbox is made by Renault--that explains it. And in fact, that is why Lotus is discontinuing the V8 Turbo: Renault has decided to stop making the tranny, and it's too expensive to low-volume Lotus to reengineer the car for anothe rgearbox... | ||
| Dave L (Davel)
Member Username: Davel Post Number: 254 Registered: 7-2001 |
V8 is best car for the money for a true handmade exotic. Hand stitched leather etc. The group that makes them is called the group of 56 hands. 28 people assemble the cars. As far as reliability goes, Ive owned 3 4cyl cars and have had nothing but good and positive experiences. The cars are like any other, take care of em and they take care of you. Overall the reliability is quite good and the maint required is probably half that of a Ferrari. They would make a good addition to any collection. The reliability reputation is far superior to the early non turbo cars. I drove my last one from Scottsdale to Atlanta after purchase and had a blast. I know plenty of people with them in the Lotus Clubs Ive been a member of and reliability is not an issue and I drove my 86 as daily driver for over a year. O-60 times in the mid 4's for the 94-95 S4 and S4S cars, just a bit less for the V8's. Weakest part of the 8 is probably the gearbox. JMHO | ||
| Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Member Username: Kennyh Post Number: 803 Registered: 8-2001 |
Eric, a guy who used to frequent this forum has a Sport 350 and absolutely loves it. It's a bit different then the stock Esprit though- lighter, better brakes and a big wing . He has the car up to 450hp with two blow off valves, and a racing transmission. If you are really interested, I could give you his email. | ||
| Charles Barton (Airbarton)
Member Username: Airbarton Post Number: 458 Registered: 11-2002 |
I wouldn't mind having an Espirt. I think they are very cool looking. If you like the British sports cars you should check out the TVR. Also a very cool car. I particularly like the Tuscan! | ||
| Tom RM (Tgitom)
Junior Member Username: Tgitom Post Number: 95 Registered: 8-2002 |
I would agree the Lotus Esprit is a great looking and performing car! very exotic and very cool! | ||
| jake diamond (Rampante)
Junior Member Username: Rampante Post Number: 104 Registered: 4-2002 |
I've owned three Esprits-- (S1, HCI, SE), the main problem I had with the first two involved leaks in the heater cores due to corrosion. These were all new automobiles. The last one I had was a 1990 SE and I never had one problem with the car; they were all a thrill to drive. Obviously, the design was quite advanced because Lotus produced this car for over 25 years and I still think it looks kinda cool. Jake | ||
| Sean Ruckel (Sruckel)
Junior Member Username: Sruckel Post Number: 198 Registered: 10-2001 |
Hey, looks like I found the right topic! I must admit I love my Esprit V8. I considered, maybe for a half a second, about trading in for something else, but I can't. I actually started with a 4cyl and traded to the V8 about 2.5 years ago. The V8 is a very livable car - I drive it very often, and it can be as civilized or insane as you want. They are still being made, but only for a few more months, so if you're considering a new one you should act fairly quickly. Let me know what kind of questions you have and I'll try to answer. I'll also add a link to www.lotusespritworld.com - it's UK based, but still a great source of info. | ||
| "The Don" (Mlemus)
Advanced Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 4158 Registered: 8-2002 |
http://www.espritfactfile.com Great Resource | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 4561 Registered: 12-2000 |
A got to drive a fellow FC user's V8 a few months ago. It was awesome. Probably the quickest car I've ever driven. Handling felt very similar to the 328. Pedal position was much different than the Ferrari, but I like the cockpit feel, much more exotic. You can message Sean here... http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/cgi-bin/discus/board-profile.cgi?action=view_profile&profile=sruckel-users | ||
| Eric (Vette)
New member Username: Vette Post Number: 27 Registered: 3-2003 |
thanks for the info and the site. i found out the one i got a ride in is a special edition... 350 sport? maybe? anyway it had a good solid feel to it at speed...at least from what i could tell. ive honestly never gone around corners that fast when driving casually... doing 30 on a road he never slowed down to take 90 degree turns... and the car never squealed and body roll was nil. pretty remarkable experience for me. ill have to look into these cars more. | ||
| Mfennell70 (Mfennell70)
Junior Member Username: Mfennell70 Post Number: 122 Registered: 7-2001 |
http://groups.yahoo.com/turboesprit You'll have to register. | ||
| Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Junior Member Username: Stickanddice Post Number: 249 Registered: 11-2002 |
Very lightweight. I had a chance to drive one in Boston. Not exactly good roads over there, so we were far from flying around town. From what I could tell doing city driving and a bit of highway driving, the car is pretty cool. It accelerates quite well and feels comfortable at speed. It's ok around town too. I hear they are extremely unreliable though. | ||
| Eric (Vette)
New member Username: Vette Post Number: 26 Registered: 3-2003 |
i managed to get a ride in one of these cars this weekend, a 2001 i beleive. i met the owner at a shop while visiting the montana area.. it was a light blue car with magnesium wheels and the 350 hp 3.5L V8. after the ride i have been trying to find some info on these cars but so far all i have found is a few areas such as the espiritfacfile and two others that talk about specifications. we took a quick trip through town and down a county road, and he never pushed the car it seems- he told me he never brought it over 6k, and nonetheless, i was AMAZED at how he drove the car, almost casually and it felt like we were running the piss out of a race car.it felt like a roller coaster ride, and he acted like it was a sunday drive! is this normal!? as i understand it is a brit supercar that was discontinued mid 2003. can anyone with experience with these cars post their thoughts on the esprit? thanks for any info, im curious about these cars now. |