Late Excel for auction
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- rbgosling
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2020
- Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2010 22:55
- Model: Lotus Excel SE
- Colour: Midnight Blue
- Year: 1990
- Location: Rugby
Re: Late Excel for auction
Not noticed an Excel coming up at the NEC show auctions before. The auction tends to do pretty well, better prices and a higher percentage of sales than typical, no doubt attracting show-goers in addition to the regular auction attendees. It'll be interesting to see what it makes.
Looks tidy enough, but not much info in the advert. Seats a little worn but OK. K&N air filters, I still don't really understand why people fitting these things think they know better than Lotus' own engineers. Seems to be changing hands frequently - bought 2 years ago, the buyer fixed some stuff up ("restored" seems over-selling what was done), then sold a year ago to a private collection, now a year later it's for sale again.
If anyone comes by our stand at the show wanting to buy one, at least we'll be able to tell them there's one for sale nearby! Maybe one of us should lurk around the auction and accost the buyer, make sure they sign up to our group straight away
Looks tidy enough, but not much info in the advert. Seats a little worn but OK. K&N air filters, I still don't really understand why people fitting these things think they know better than Lotus' own engineers. Seems to be changing hands frequently - bought 2 years ago, the buyer fixed some stuff up ("restored" seems over-selling what was done), then sold a year ago to a private collection, now a year later it's for sale again.
If anyone comes by our stand at the show wanting to buy one, at least we'll be able to tell them there's one for sale nearby! Maybe one of us should lurk around the auction and accost the buyer, make sure they sign up to our group straight away
"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)
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)
- Hawaiis0
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 4588
- Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 18:39
- Model: '86 SA; '89 SA '78 Elite 504
- Colour: BRG; Dirty White
- Year: 1986
- Location: West Oxfordshire
Re: Late Excel for auction
Top spec model
- missing Airbox, Aircon and Cruise Control so well down on Top Spec

- missing Airbox, Aircon and Cruise Control so well down on Top Spec
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!
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Lotus520
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue May 05, 2020 19:18
- Model: Excel SE
- Colour: Blue
- Year: 1990
Re: Late Excel for auction
Tired and messed around with is how I see it, will be a good guide to where prices are heading. £6.5k-£7k in my humble opinion
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Late Excel for auction
As Richard identifies, has been through Mathewson's auction twice in the last couple of years. Sold at just under £7K in March 21, then £9.6K in Feb last year.
Prior to March 21, there's no electronic MOT data, so was either in a collection or just lost in a shed.
Tony
Prior to March 21, there's no electronic MOT data, so was either in a collection or just lost in a shed.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.
- Hawaiis0
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 4588
- Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 18:39
- Model: '86 SA; '89 SA '78 Elite 504
- Colour: BRG; Dirty White
- Year: 1986
- Location: West Oxfordshire
Re: Late Excel for auction
Its Sister car F567OLL was up for 5k in 2017.
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Late Excel for auction
Sold for £8,500 plus 15%buyers premium 

Some chap had a lucky escape posting his 8800 internet bid just as the hammer fell.
Other than 2 rotten window frames, it looked a half decent car until you opened a door, bonnet or boot. Then reality struck.
Tony
Some chap had a lucky escape posting his 8800 internet bid just as the hammer fell.
Other than 2 rotten window frames, it looked a half decent car until you opened a door, bonnet or boot. Then reality struck.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.
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Lotus520
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue May 05, 2020 19:18
- Model: Excel SE
- Colour: Blue
- Year: 1990
Re: Late Excel for auction
Done well to fetch that imo. There is a world of difference between a well maintained and cared for car and what was on offer today. Perhaps some people don’t see it. On a side note, the cherished by enthusiast blue one currently on sale for big bucks has had a slight leek on the PAS for the last two MOT’s
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Lotus520
- Junior Poster
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue May 05, 2020 19:18
- Model: Excel SE
- Colour: Blue
- Year: 1990
Re: Late Excel for auction
The auction seemed slow at best, not advertised well enough or uninteresting cars or people being a bit more careful, or maybe a bit of all three
- Alan_M
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1482
- Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2017 01:17
- Model: Excel SE, Excel SA, Elan SE
- Colour: Red, red, white
- Location: South Wales
Re: Late Excel for auction
Well, even though it reached £8,500 with no reserve it didn’t actually sell??
Sounds like dodgy auctioneer tactics taking bids off the walls!!
Anyway, it’s now available as a buy it now bargain of £13,000!!!!!!!!
https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/re ... 6-nec-0323
Sounds like dodgy auctioneer tactics taking bids off the walls!!
Anyway, it’s now available as a buy it now bargain of £13,000!!!!!!!!
https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/re ... 6-nec-0323
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Late Excel for auction
We thought something was odd. The hammer didn't really fall. It was more of a table tap and some incoherent words muttered.
Why does it appear car adverts fall outside the realms of trade descriptions act? ANYONE who sees this car would know instantly it's not been restored. Someone's trying to fleece a potential buyer. It's a £5k car absolute tops.
Tony
Why does it appear car adverts fall outside the realms of trade descriptions act? ANYONE who sees this car would know instantly it's not been restored. Someone's trying to fleece a potential buyer. It's a £5k car absolute tops.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Late Excel for auction
Just looked at the link again. It is to the original pre sale listing, so maybe it did sell.
Tony
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.
- Alan_M
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1482
- Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2017 01:17
- Model: Excel SE, Excel SA, Elan SE
- Colour: Red, red, white
- Location: South Wales
Re: Late Excel for auction
If you look at the catalogue listings for the day - https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/th ... -2/ipp-100 you will see the sold prices of the lots, except the Excel which has the buy it now price.MetBlue wrote: Wed Mar 29, 2023 07:17 Just looked at the link again. It is to the original pre sale listing, so maybe it did sell.
Tony
Also, out of interest has anyone read the condition report, complete Jackanory!! Almost pristine engine bay
Interestingly the owner is also a classic car specialist for Silverstone auctions https://www.silverstoneauctions.com/about/the-team
Who run the CCA - https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/about/the-team
Don’t think I could ever trust his valuation of a car!!!
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Late Excel for auction
The catalogue started Mr Fox-Edwards as the consignor, meaning he could be the owner, but is more likely the owners representative.
Doesn't alter the fact though, that if he is happy for his name to used on a car so obviously miss represented in its description, it just proves how dodgy the car sales market and auctions area.
Tony
Doesn't alter the fact though, that if he is happy for his name to used on a car so obviously miss represented in its description, it just proves how dodgy the car sales market and auctions area.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.
- MetBlue
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1857
- Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2018 21:00
- Model: Elite 74 & Excel 92 (SEish))
- Colour: Metalic Blue
- Year: 1974
- Location: Northampton
Re: Late Excel for auction
Very good Almost pristine / Mechanically & cosmetically sound / Driven only occasionally / Extensive vehicle history
This is the description for a 4* car from their web site, which the car was generally described as. I'd probably agree with the 'driven only occasionally' part, but you'd think it needs to tick all boxes, not just one.
Tony
This is the description for a 4* car from their web site, which the car was generally described as. I'd probably agree with the 'driven only occasionally' part, but you'd think it needs to tick all boxes, not just one.
Tony
What goes together.... Must come apart.