Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Eclat or Excel parts for sale.

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rbgosling
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Model: Lotus Excel SE
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Re: Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Post by rbgosling »

That seems a reasonable price, if the car was legit. It does appear to be a nice tidy car. If the seller is still hoping for c. £24k they are hopelessly deluded, and this should be a reality check on what the market price is at the moment.

I'm guessing the top bidder either doesn't know enough about to realise that there's something fishy about the car, or for some reason doesn't care.
"Farmer" Richard

1990 Lotus Excel SE (Lilith)
2022 MG MG5 EV (not due to be a classic for quite a few years...)
2011 Nissan Leaf (Ragly - EV pioneer, must be due to be a classic one day)

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MetBlue
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Re: Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Post by MetBlue »

The highest bidder just dodged a bullet.
The one Alan spotted on eBay looks a far better bet.
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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Hawaiis0
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Re: Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Post by Hawaiis0 »

Didnt paint the engine bay either
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!

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MetBlue
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Re: Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Post by MetBlue »

Just completed another auction loop on Car & Classics. Looks to have sold for £6200 ( plus buyers commission no doubt).
No mention of not meeting reserve this time.
What goes together.... Must come apart.

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Alan_M
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Re: Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Post by Alan_M »

This dodgy motor is now for sale on Autotrader for £12,995.

Still looks very dodgy !!!!

Had a £7k interior retrim, but particularly like that they were very thorough and sealed all the rusted floor sections!!

Would be interesting to see what chassis number is on the actual chassis (subframe) and engraved on the body panels


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409294629950

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rbgosling
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Re: Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Post by rbgosling »

This time it's for sale with a dealer, Winkfields in Lightwater, although they may just be selling it on behalf of the owner rather than in their own right. They are not a classic or specialist dealer, most of their stock are everyday hatchbacks, other than an '06 Mercedes SL AMG and a '92 E-Class.

Here is the advert on their site:
https://www.winkfields.com/used/cars/lo ... 2dr-10855/

I've filled in their enquiry form outlining our concerns, let's see if anything comes of this.

This is the message I sent:

"Good morning,

I'm contacting you about the Lotus Excel you have listed for sale. I'm not interested in buying it, I just thought you should be aware that its provenance seems extremely suspect. The registration plate and VIN number indicate a car registered on 1st May 1985. However, the automatic SA model did not go on sale until October 1986. The dashboard and wheel arches are a style that were only fitted from October '85 onwards. This style of door mirrors, the boot spoiler, the 3-vent bonnet and the wheels are all fitted only to '89-onwards cars.

While it is theoretically possible to modify an earlier car with these details, it seems unlikely, particularly as there is nothing visible on the car that would be correct for a mid-85 car but wrong on a later car. It seems far more likely that a later car has been given a false identity, using the VIN and number plate from the car that was written off in 1999.

I belong to a club of Excel owners, and we have noticed this car up for sale several times and in several locations over the last year, initially at a wildly over-optimistic price even if the car had matched its registration number. You may like to take a look at viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12985

I'm not sure if you are selling this yourselves, or on behalf of an owner, but I thought it right to let you know of my concerns, since only a group of Excel obsessives would notice these differences.

Regards,

Richard Gosling
"Farmer" Richard

1990 Lotus Excel SE (Lilith)
2022 MG MG5 EV (not due to be a classic for quite a few years...)
2011 Nissan Leaf (Ragly - EV pioneer, must be due to be a classic one day)

Zag
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Re: Excel SA on FB Marketplace.- Caution

Post by Zag »

Daft thing is that it is now advertised at about what the SA is worth (IMO).

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