The Lotus Grand Tourers

Following on from the 'Blimey' thread. Interested to to see the range of self-valuations from owners in view of the wide range of valuations found on't net.

Just for fun, let's see if there is a tight realistic pattern and/or consensus on the true value of the Excel.

How much would you let yours go for?

• Mine: Red 89SE 70K miles 3 owner. All MOTs. Really nice and a genuine good'un.
  
  £7K as is, £8k with new headlining (just started to sag but not too bad atm).
  
  But obviously not really for sale.

Does that sound 2Hi, 2Lo, or is its name Goldilocks (just right)?

I Honestly believe I could get $20k for mine (~15.7 gbp).
I'm accounting for import costs to the U.S. shipping etc in some of that even though it cost me nothing, it has value to the next buyer. The car is super rare here as well. I would almost suspect that there is a niche market to bring them here in good running order.
I do think we all need to stop 'under valuing' these cars when they come up for sale and telling people they are paying too much. Let Them!!! It only increases the value of your car long term. I suspect we are the most responsible for the depressed value of our cars. Look back at the threads, comments like, "these Excels are going to go up in value a lot in the next five years that was 10-15 years ago.
When People here ask me what it's worth I tell them I could probably get another for $20k if I lost this one.

Well, I suppose I should join in seeing as I raised the subject. !986 Excel se, owned for well over 20 years with a huge file of paper records, looks completely standard from the outside but with a 3.5 Rover V8 fitted by a qualified engineer ( me ) with Weber/Edelbrock carb most knowledgeable people say on opening the bonnet that it looks like a factory fitment. Conversion did not cause any modifications whatsover to the body or chassis. Interior in very good condition all around, paintworks almost all original and in good condition but with a little stonechip patination. Priceless to me but being practical I think that its about about £9000 worth.

bash

ps, it would be interesting if people agreed / disagreed with personal valuations if they know the car in question, but it could cause some unwanted conflict. The problem is that when you have had the car a long time and have no intention of selling at what point if someone offered a large sum would they let go, I would be tempted at 12k I have to admit, but there again Im safe in the knowledge that its not going to happen. Although if prices did rise I would be very pleased, my personal opinion is that these cars should be on a par price wise with the Esprit.

Ps, Peter I would value your car higher than your guess.

bash wrote:Well, I suppose I should join in seeing as I raised the subject. !986 Excel se, owned for well over 20 years with a huge file of paper records, looks completely standard from the outside but with a 3.5 Rover V8 fitted by a qualified engineer ( me ) with Weber/Edelbrock carb most knowledgeable people say on opening the bonnet that it looks like a factory fitment. Conversion did not cause any modifications whatsover to the body or chassis. Interior in very good condition all around, paintworks almost all original and in good condition but with a little stonechip patination. Priceless to me but being practical I think that its about about £7000 worth.

bash

ps, it would be interesting if people agreed / disagreed with personal valuations if they know the car in question, but it could cause some unwanted conflict. The problem is that when you have had the car a long time and have no intention of selling at what point if someone offered a large sum would they let go, I would be tempted at 10k I have to admit, but there again Im safe in the knowledge that its not going to happen. Although if prices did rise I would be very pleased, my personal opinion is that these cars should be on a par price wise with the Esprit.

Ps, Peter I would value your car higher than your guess.

Bash, this is what I expected/hoped to hear.

Club Lotus does insurance valuations (not what I'm aiming for here) which have enough authority to persuade insurance companies to listen to, and heed their advice.

I think if members of this forum discuss values honestly, we might become the go-to authority on Excel values.

I know I'm very guilty of putting Sunday cycling before Excel meets so it's a bit rich for me to propose this, but forum members could usefully use these meets as 'valuations parties' where they inspect each other's cars and to come to a proper consensus? Eventually these valuations will gain credibility if folk are sensible.

In the light of what Bash says about mine (and happily, we all know that Bash's opinions are always honest and true!) I've tentatively increased my self-valuation to £9.5K (please moderate this value as necessary).

My Excel is 1985 LC Calypso Red with pretty well all mechanicals dismantled, restored or replaced.
Engine with rings, bearings, conrod/piston full balancing,full head renewal. Interior headlining renewed and half leather restored to very good.
There is not much not brought up to A1.
Roof paint needs smoothing.
All original RHD.

In Spain the Excels go for €15000 to €22000 but as there are only some five Excels in Spain no-one knows what they are and assume Ferrari type bills to maintain. Not many owners here are DIY. Conesquently there is no market and cars up for sale simply do not sell, at any price.

I intend to keep the car until UK prices improve as it costs nothing to keep in a humidity free climate and it allows me to participate on this Forum. I take the car to Classic car club meets a couple of times each year and calculate that prices in UK will rise over the next three years.
In three years time at my age I could not give the Excel justice, otherwise it would not be up for sale then.

In the UK a buyer for my car would be someone who wants a Classic with no need to consider further work.

For such a buyer I would value my car today at 7-8K pounds to acheive a sale in a reasonable timespan, a consideration I need to account for as I live in Spain. Could be 10000 p.s. in three years.

For a restorer a project might cost 4000 p.s. but material costs would easily cost 3000 p.s. and labour a fortune. A proper repaint I see is 2 to 3K due obviously to labour cost.
A restored car in UK by a known restorer I estimate today at 10 to 14K p.s. and would not have received the time consuming attention of a competent DIY restorer who may spend moths/years to get it right.

If the Forum offered condition appraisal without cost/price assessment it may bring a realistic understanding of the value of our cars.


Dave the cog.

87 SE. 121000 miles daily driver, recoloured leather interior, have a go hero paintwork refurb wheels new tyres.
I’d like to think £4K, but prob £3600.

POD2100 wrote:87 SE. 121000 miles daily driver, recoloured leather interior, have a go hero paintwork refurb wheels new tyres.
I’d like to think £4K, but prob £3600.

Sounds low?

I don’t think so, needs a re-spray (one not done by myself) and we all know the costings for that. It runs well enough but would benefit from a carb tune and there’s a minor oil leak somewhere around the steering.
All of which is minor in itself but would cost to sort combined with 121k on the clock puts it in the less desirable bracket.
Obviously it would depend on what else is on the market at the time.

89SE - 112k
Engine rebuild in March this year as the nikasil liner on one had failed..
I have an agreed valuation of $9.5k with Footman James.

Interesting thread, Peter!

1990 SE, 112k miles.

Good bits:
Professional respray in Calypso Red 4 years ago, still looks as new apart from a couple of stonechips.
New headlining
Windscreen replaced (so no leaks or clouding)
Water pump, alternator, and starter recently rebuilt
Folder full of history going back to mid-90s, all MOTs
Full Leather Interior in very good (comensurate with mileage) condition
Replacement window frames (not fitted)

Not so good bits:
Although the engine is running fine and has good oil pressure, if I was buying the car now with this mileage, I would be asking the question about how long I have until the £5k+ rebuild. Steering rack and suspension bushes etc. also original.

The thing which attracted me to this car was that it was very original and unmolested, and I've tried to keep that going. The paint job and headlining have all been done as closely as possible to factory spec.

Currently insured for £9.5k agreed value. Realistically, if I was selling (which I'm not!) in the current climate I would ask for £8k and would not expect to drop.

Any thoughts / comments? Are we indeed doing ourselves a dis-service?

3rd production SA from 129 made. Priceless.

Hawaiis0 wrote:3rd production SA from 129 made. Priceless.

But perhaps slightly less priceless than No1 and No2 SA?

Thinking about this though, would also be interesting to identify individual unique /landmark Excel's with premium intrinsic values.

Eg. 'A' list = 1st and last production line examples, development cars (obviously therefore not scrapped after the process). 'B' list = owned by significant beings like Colin, Hazel, Lotus Directors, Graham Arnold etc.

A quick look in last weeks Classic Car Buyer and Excel values are as so:

Listed as : Eclat Excel, Excel SE/SA

• • Con 1 : 1st Class, well cared for (Not Concours) = £8000
    (Elite/Eclat = £10,000) (Esprit S3 = £12,500) (X180 = £25,000)
    
    Con 2 : Good, with MOT on the road, may require TLC = £5250
    (Elite/Eclat = £5000) (Esprit S3 = £9000) (X180 = £13,000)
    
    Con 3 : Needs work- usually major (i.e. - L.O.T.U.S.)! = £1500
    (Elite/Eclat = £1500) (Esprit S3 = £5000) (X180 = £4000)

So these are the values to CHALLENGE! Or are we just going to cave-in and agree?

Any Forum contributor out there with Excel (This time spreadsheet) willing to collate all this posting´s comments?
If I gather up patience to find out how to post photographs I would suggest that our car descriptions might include a couple of pics.

Dave the cog.

Here we go then.....86 Monaco white excel se, 73000 miles, no history pre 2012, car recommissioned by South west lotus centre inc respray, restored by me blue half leather interior, everything works even mirrors!! Every bit of history and paperwork since 2012.

To me......priceless.....to anyone else, perhaps 5k?

DavidOliver wrote:Any Forum contributor out there with Excel (This time spreadsheet) willing to collate all this posting´s comments?
If I gather up patience to find out how to post photographs I would suggest that our car descriptions might include a couple of pics.

Dave the cog.

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