A new Lotus you say?
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:58 pm
A short tale in which our hero travels in the wilderness and returns, victorious. With a new car.
(TL;DR I phoned a Lotus expert for advice on buying a Porsche and bought a Lotus from him)
A 911 is not a Lotus
I’ve always wanted a 911, I think ever since seeing the Big Chill where William Hurt drove around in a battered old 911 T targa. Understated cool, although he also had some physiological issues I don’t envy. So when my brother in law told me about a widow of his acquaintance who was liquidating her husband’s estate, which included 997.2 Carrera 2 manual I had to go and look.
Upside, it looks mint, occupying pride of place in a massive under house garage next to equally mint 944 S2, surrounded by all the tools of a devoted polisher. Downside, it’s silver and it’s an auto. So I umm and I ahh* and then arrange for it to be uplifted to a specialist who can tell me if it’s a goer. I’ve bought cars based on shininess before** and regretted it.
"Yeah," says the specialist, then "No. It's not what it looks like and it needs 6k spent on it."
So back to the vendor it goes whilst my dreams of laid back cool go with it.*** Although 6k, I mean it's still a private sale, if I can explain it to the widow, show her the report, turn on my irrepressible charm, maybe get it at a price that suits us both. Problem is it does have more owners than was originally suggested so how much is it actually worth? I'm not a charity after all. And it's not like I know the widow.
"Hey Craig, how's your knowledge of 911 values?"
"Second to none old chap, second to none, what have you got for me?" replies the forum's favourite wheeler and dealer. So I tell him and he is refreshingly frank. "No mate. I'd pass on that one if I were you, but if you're looking for a car I might have just the thing..."
At that moment the door bursts open and in rushes Mrs Pete, "Is that Craig Moncreiff you're talking to? DON'T LET HIM SELL YOU ANYTHING."
Too late.
I'M BACK IN A LOTUS!!!
He's right you know, I've never lost***** money on any of the cars he's sold me!
But this one is really special, and my first EVORA.
2010, 20k miles and wonderful. The ride is insane, soaking up bumps better than anything I think i have driven and cornering just like a grown up Elise. Exactly like all the reviews said it would drive.
Massive thanks to Craig too, as always great to do business with and I don't think I could be more pleased with the car.
* For about a month.
** "Not from me you haven’t.” Neil.
*** "A silver 911 for a man in his fifties in the very opposite of laid back cool." Millie (18)
**** There's a special branch of mathematics devoted to this theory. The word "lost" needs careful definition.
(TL;DR I phoned a Lotus expert for advice on buying a Porsche and bought a Lotus from him)
A 911 is not a Lotus
I’ve always wanted a 911, I think ever since seeing the Big Chill where William Hurt drove around in a battered old 911 T targa. Understated cool, although he also had some physiological issues I don’t envy. So when my brother in law told me about a widow of his acquaintance who was liquidating her husband’s estate, which included 997.2 Carrera 2 manual I had to go and look.
Upside, it looks mint, occupying pride of place in a massive under house garage next to equally mint 944 S2, surrounded by all the tools of a devoted polisher. Downside, it’s silver and it’s an auto. So I umm and I ahh* and then arrange for it to be uplifted to a specialist who can tell me if it’s a goer. I’ve bought cars based on shininess before** and regretted it.
"Yeah," says the specialist, then "No. It's not what it looks like and it needs 6k spent on it."
So back to the vendor it goes whilst my dreams of laid back cool go with it.*** Although 6k, I mean it's still a private sale, if I can explain it to the widow, show her the report, turn on my irrepressible charm, maybe get it at a price that suits us both. Problem is it does have more owners than was originally suggested so how much is it actually worth? I'm not a charity after all. And it's not like I know the widow.
"Hey Craig, how's your knowledge of 911 values?"
"Second to none old chap, second to none, what have you got for me?" replies the forum's favourite wheeler and dealer. So I tell him and he is refreshingly frank. "No mate. I'd pass on that one if I were you, but if you're looking for a car I might have just the thing..."
At that moment the door bursts open and in rushes Mrs Pete, "Is that Craig Moncreiff you're talking to? DON'T LET HIM SELL YOU ANYTHING."
Too late.
I'M BACK IN A LOTUS!!!
He's right you know, I've never lost***** money on any of the cars he's sold me!
But this one is really special, and my first EVORA.
2010, 20k miles and wonderful. The ride is insane, soaking up bumps better than anything I think i have driven and cornering just like a grown up Elise. Exactly like all the reviews said it would drive.
Massive thanks to Craig too, as always great to do business with and I don't think I could be more pleased with the car.
* For about a month.
** "Not from me you haven’t.” Neil.
*** "A silver 911 for a man in his fifties in the very opposite of laid back cool." Millie (18)
**** There's a special branch of mathematics devoted to this theory. The word "lost" needs careful definition.
