What to get next?

[Secret Chimp]

Nah, dawg, I've done my fair share of engines, transmission, heads, cams, headers, manifolds, carbs, etc., and otherwise fully understand the rewards of "actually doing it" (also add to this a house built in 1929 that I've owned for almost 14 years). This is not relegated to classic and exotic cars.

You couldn't rebuild a Thermoquad if it fell out of your ass.

[NomisR]

What about kit cars?  Since you're into building/restoring cars anyways.

[sportyaccordy]

One of the headlight assemblies on the 6 is fogging when I wash the car; must have a small water leak in it.  Never wrecked, never damaged, 4.5 years old, 42000  miles.  If this were a sealed beam it would be a 15 minute replacement job for well under $10.  God only knows what's involved in removing the assembly from the 6 and then looking for a water leak.   

Plus a 5 year old plastic lens light starts to look sand blasted and cloudy.  Spend the afternoon "restoring" it with a $30 kit or spend $10 and 15 minutes replaceing a sealde beam bulb.

And I can virtually guarantee you a fixed in place sealed beam light assembly, including all mounting will cost less than these plastic monstrosities they are putting on cars today.

Maybe Mazda uses shitty plastic. But my buddy unclouded his 11 year old S2000 headlights in about 5 minutes

And while clouding is ugly, barring some extensive clouding the lighting output from your Mazda's halogen projector will be 100x better than any DOT style fluted glass sealed beam.

[sportyaccordy]

My overall point is that it's a fairly "meh" car IMO. PITA to work on, mediocre performance, and neither an exotic nor a classic. Interesting? Sure. Rare? Sure. Will people state? Sure. Just one bloke's opinion. I think you'd be WAY better off accepting that which you are fighting with every fiber of your being (older 911).

You guys don't know how physically ill agreeing with Cougs as much as I do on this is making me. I didn't want to be the one to say it.

Massive support, limitless availability, significantly higher reliability than 99% of other 80s sports cars.

Honestly I would either do that, something less exotic from the 90s, or a brand new kit car (herro FFR)

[Eye of the Tiger]

You guys don't know how physically ill agreeing with Cougs as much as I do on this is making me. I didn't want to be the one to say it.

Massive support, limitless availability, significantly higher reliability than 99% of other 80s sports cars.

Honestly I would either do that, something less exotic from the 90s, or a brand new kit car (herro FFR)

I know how you feel, but think of it this way: if you give a monkey Cougs a typewriter, eventually it will spew out something that makes sense.

I still say go with the Lotus. Don't let other people's fear of "exotic" cars stop you. It's not like it needs to be a DD like my V8Q needed to be.

[Rupert]

Some of you guys are looking at this from the wrong perspective. John doesn't seem to give a shit if the car he buys is rare (that's actually probably a selling point), marginally reliable, not the fastest car for the money, complicated, etc. Dude owned and restored an E-Type, ferchrissakes!

[NomisR]

Some of you guys are looking at this from the wrong perspective. John doesn't seem to give a shit if the car he buys is rare (that's actually probably a selling point), marginally reliable, not the fastest car for the money, complicated, etc. Dude owned and restored an E-Type, ferchrissakes!

Exactly..  but how much of a head turner would an Esprite be compared to an E-Type?

[sportyaccordy]

Some of you guys are looking at this from the wrong perspective. John doesn't seem to give a shit if the car he buys is rare (that's actually probably a selling point), marginally reliable, not the fastest car for the money, complicated, etc. Dude owned and restored an E-Type, ferchrissakes!

I thought E-types were pretty low maintenance...?

And in any case, by nearly any metric... performance, looks, H&H, the Espirit non-turbo seems like a downgrade.

[Rupert]

Uh, no. No old British car is really low maintenance. You don't always need to decisively upgrade your car when you buy another.

[Colonel Cadillac]

After having HID, I could never go back.

Me too


But my left xenon light is starting to flicker which makes me think it needs to be replaced soon--not excited to see how much that will cost.
EDIT: Just looked around the internet and apparently this is a common problem (and common to be on the driver's side). It could be the control module or the bulb. My warranty is up soon, so I'll need to take it in ASAP to see what the dealer has to say and if whatever it is will be covered.

The lights are much better, but they sure a lot more expensive.

[Byteme]

You guys don't know how physically ill agreeing with Cougs as much as I do on this is making me. I didn't want to be the one to say it.

Massive support, limitless availability, significantly higher reliability than 99% of other 80s sports cars.

Honestly I would either do that, something less exotic from the 90s, or a brand new kit car (herro FFR)

All good reasons to buy something I don't want.   

[S204STi]

Me too


But my left xenon light is starting to flicker which makes me think it needs to be replaced soon--not excited to see how much that will cost.
EDIT: Just looked around the internet and apparently this is a common problem (and common to be on the driver's side). It could be the control module or the bulb. My warranty is up soon, so I'll need to take it in ASAP to see what the dealer has to say and if whatever it is will be covered.

The lights are much better, but they sure a lot more expensive.

I have the poor man's equivalent; projectors with 65 watt halogens putting out 2100 lumens each.  Nothing compared to the 3000+ lumens yours put out, but close enough for now till I can afford to swap in some STI lamps.

[Byteme]

Some of you guys are looking at this from the wrong perspective. John doesn't seem to give a shit if the car he buys is rare (that's actually probably a selling point), marginally reliable, not the fastest car for the money, complicated, etc. Dude owned and restored an E-Type, ferchrissakes!

They made about 10,000 of the Espirts in 25 years so they are pretty rare.

What most of you can't seem to understand is the difference between a car to reliably drive and a hobby.  If I wanted something every Tom Dick and Harry with new money has, a Porche or BMW might be a choice (except I have no great desire for a German car).  There is a certain amount of fun in working on a car and satisfaction in rebuilding/restoring one.

To address the points:

Fastest car for the money?  About 5.5 seconds 0-60 for $20K ain't bad. Top speed about 155-160.

Marginal reliability?  Better than marginal, but not the same as a new daily driver or even a daily driver of the same year.  Usual reliability problems are driver or negligence induced.

Complicated?  Not as complicated as a Porsche, and certainly not as complicated as anything made in the past 10 years.  Anything OBD I or older is pretty primative in the automotive world.

E-type complicated and hard to work on?  Oh yeah, expensive too.  I have the scars to prove it.  It was also quite satisfying to work on it.

Head turner?  Everybody liiks to drive a nice looking car.  But I outgrew the "Hey look what I'm driving" need years ago.  I buy to satisfy me.

And not that it matters or was asked but Lotus parts are fairly cheap, especially compared to BMW and Porsche.  Chapman shopped out major parts like the trnasaxle, front suspension, etc.


Sometimes I wonder if some of you guys are really car guys.  

[S204STi]

A lot of these guys can't imagine your situation, I suspect.

[Onslaught]

Exactly..  but how much of a head turner would an Esprite be compared to an E-Type?

Is that important? The only heads I ever wanted to turn are those of young females. And he's WAY TOO OLD to even think about that stuff now.

[NomisR]

Uh, no. No old British car is really low maintenance. You don't always need to decisively upgrade your car when you buy another.

I think that applies to all British cars, not just old ones.

[NomisR]

Is that important? The only heads I ever wanted to turn are those of young females. And he's WAY TOO OLD to even think about that stuff now.

Forgot about the old part.  But I'd definitely choose that car over any Porsche or BMW. 

[Rupert]

Sometimes I wonder if some of you guys are really car guys.  

No kidding. These guys drool over old Accords and Neons.



BTW, it's Porsche.

[S204STi]

[Byteme]

Is that important? The only heads I ever wanted to turn are those of young females. And he's WAY TOO OLD to even think about that stuff now.

Cougars are better anyway.   

[NomisR]

Cougars are better anyway.   

Lotus seems to attract Cougars anyways, because they're the only ones that knows what they are.. young chicks have no clue what a Lotus is.

[Onslaught]

I've got a Lotus.

It's the Lotus cigar cutter. I had no idea it was really made by the car people when I got it. Should've known because it's made out of aluminum.

[Rupert]

I have a Lotus, too. One of my bikes is a Lotus.

[Byteme]

Lotus seems to attract Cougars anyways, because they're the only ones that knows what they are.. young chicks have no clue what a Lotus is.

I once had a teenager (male) ask if the E-type was a Viper.  I was stunned, couldn't even think of a snappy reply.

[Rupert]

I never know what to say on the rare occasion that someone compliments my car. The other day (other week? other month?) someone in an old 911 waved at me, and by the time I realized what was happening, they were gone.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I never know what to say on the rare occasion that someone compliments my car. The other day (other week? other month?) someone in an old 911 waved at me, and by the time I realized what was happening, they were gone.

I have the same problem. Like one time someone asked me if it was fast. I was like, "no, it just looks good"... and even that was a lie.

[Soup DeVille]

I once had a teenager (male) ask if the E-type was a Viper.  I was stunned, couldn't even think of a snappy reply.

You just say "Yes, son, yes it is. It is a 1968 Dodge Viper"

and he'll go around making an ass of himself for years.

[Eye of the Tiger]

You just say "Yes, son, yes it is. It is a 1968 Dodge Viper"

and he'll go around making an ass of himself for years.

Or you talk to him like a little girl and send him running home to mommy.

[Byteme]

You just say "Yes, son, yes it is. It is a 1968 Dodge Viper"

and he'll go around making an ass of himself for years.

I did once tell a guy that it was a 2009 prototype (this was in 2007) over here for hot weather testing and please do not take pictures.   I think he believed me.

[Onslaught]

Cougars are better anyway.   

At your age it's more like saber toothed tigers.