How much does it cost to own and drive a Lotus Esprit Turbo? Is it a budget supercar?

4 year ownership report of all costs involved in driving a classic supercar, a 1995 Lotus Esprit S4 Turbo... tax, insurance, maintenance, service, repairs. I will show you the exact annual costs and find out, if the Esprit is a budget supercar that breaks the bank or not.
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[@epi2045]

Lotus really got it right in the design department. It’s a head turner then, now, and into the future.

[@CubeofCars]

Totally agreed :)

[@Jack908r]

Agree. They nailed the design. It's timeless.

[@ragequitter]

In my opinion, it aged better than most other exotic cars at the time.

[@canalDLS]

Olá Doan Trinh tudo bem? Eu Sou o Danilo Siqueira, e gostaria de apresentar para você nosso canal de customização automotiva, trabalhamos como toda parte eletrônica, iluminação e etc.. Atendemos a todo território nacional!!!! Segue lá 🙂

[@lear60man]

I had the same car but with the parchment interior. Reliable all day long. Never gave me an issue.

[@ramspace]

From the moment that I saw my first Esprit, it was love at first sight. And the passion has not diminished in 40 years.

[@CubeofCars]

I can totally understand that ;)

[@Hannu_H]

The best video about S4 Turbo ownership so far!

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks a lot! :)

[@Jack908r]

Thanks for the video. Ownership cost is something rarely discussed. And love Lotus esprit. The turbo model was the best one in my mind. Great looking car you have.

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks a lot :)

[@russellking9762]

i remember in the 80's seeing the black and gold John Player Special liveried version at a tribute to Colin Chapman...driven in by Mario Andretti...absolutely gorgeous it was

[@thomasmacken9721]

Loved the Esprit, beautiful car

[@herridge819]

I worked as a tech. at a Lotus dealer for nearly 14 years and it's always good tp see these cars. As with all cars maitenance is key but properly maintained they are fine.

[@CubeofCars]

Absolutely right :)

[@ragequitter]

3:02 to skip to maintenance

[@nickelliot3679]

The Esprit is one of the most under-rated exotics out there. The great thing about them is they were on the market so many years web forums have figured out how to solve or upgrade anything you need to do.

[@RobColbert]

It isn't even that your figures are relevant in the USA, your absolutely perfect delivery of them is what made this such an interesting watch about an interesting car. Do not worry about your English and pronunciation. The entire video was easily understood and your English is nearly flawless.

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks a lot, Rob! :)

[@Joey4420]

Can't wait to get myself an Esprit, I have been wanting one for years and if all goes well before the summer is up I will be driving one.

[@CubeofCars]

Good luck finding a nice Esprit and lot of fun with it later! :-)

[@mysticnomad9129]

My first Lotus was 1989 Turbo in red which I purchased in 2005. The a/c or heater did not work, the brake switch under the brake pedal kept melting and failing, my transmission got stuck in reverse and my headlight switch needed new wiring and the roof leaked in heavy rain. The transmission had to be removed and was found to have a selector gear that was bent and caused it to get stuck. The clutch was also worn and there was a crucial spring or tab on one side of the clutch fork that was missing. I also had to replace the parking brake cable as it was stretched. Frankly I think the car was not driven enough before I bought it. The engine however was excellent. I spent more time fixing it though then driving it and I was begiining to agree with Jeremey Clarkson, LOTUS (Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious) but I still loved the dam car. I had an oppurtunity to purchase another Lotus and it was a black 2001 V8 TT and it has been fantastic. I sold the 1989 well below what I paid for it and realize now I was inexperienced and let the look of it entice me to buy it. This was a mistake because I way overpaid for it but I made up for it with my second purchase which was around the same price. I paid 31,000 Canadian for the 1989 Turbo and paid 33,000 for my 2001 V8TT which was signed by Clive Chapman on the dash in 2001. In hindsight every manufacturer makes good cars and bad cars depending on the day but I really should have got the 1989 car looked over first and I was not familiar with what I was getting into. All that said I love my 2001 Esprit and its value has gone up about 10,000 since I purchased it. I've had it for six years now and have put in a fuel pump $380 Canadian and just recently replaced the radiator at a cost of $325 to rebuild it and 8 hours to remove and replace. To compare the radiator in my 2006 Jeep Liberty cost me $485 and the fuel pump was about $600 so I find that this Esprit is rather inexspensive to maintain compared to my plain old Jeep. The lesson I learned was make sure you do your homework on the car and get it checked out before buying it and don't let the beauty of the Esprit dazzle your senses. Remember guys to also check the tension on your throttle cable. You could be losing valuable horsepower. The car in this video looks like a keeper and owning a Lotus Esprit in general is very special and satisfying. Hope this helps anyone looking for one.

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks for sharing your ownership experiences!

[@ramspace]

An affordable hobby. Why not?

[@Frank-ep8vl]

Great video, your summary was precise and honest. Enjoy that Lotus!

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@expented]

Lovely Lotus Esprit! also my childhood dream! Hope to realitze it one day as well. Thanks for the good report!

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@canitogalicia]

Insurance is so expensive in the states that We are discouraged from owning a exotic cars....but life only happens once, so I’m moving to Germania... excellent video

[@CubeofCars]

Welcome to Germany ;)

[@BenjoC8632]

Extremely fascinating. In the 90s here in the states I worked at a Ferrari dealer that also (at the time while Ferrari allowed it)sold Lotus, and while both brands were a joy to drive I always preferred the looks and performance of the Esprit-so much so that, now that I could afford to own one, I think next year I may seek one out. I thought about the reliability of the Elise with the Toyota engine, but damn it I’ve been in love with the Esprit for so many years! Great video, beautiful countryside!

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks a lot! I would buy a good Esprit... they will never fall in value anymore ;-)

[@epi2045]

Desert Mav Same here. The Espirit still stands out more than the newest Lotuses.

[@benvin10365]

I hit like as soon as I heard the exhaust note in the beginning of the video.

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@awacs87]

The S4 is so much easier to maintain than the V8. The annual €150 you mentioned for maintenance, is just about how much you spend for an oil change on the V8, as the engine takes 10 quarts of oil. I know about it, I own one! Luckily for me, I do my own repairs.

[@CubeofCars]

That's the surcharge for the extra performance ;) Have fun with your Esprit V8!!!

[@Greg_Chase]

I owned a brand new Esprit S4s, the 300hp version that came out after the S4. Never had any maintenance issues with it. Sold it after racking up 22k miles and bought a 2002 Esprit V8 25th Anniversary Edition. When I bought my first Esprit I did ask this maintenance question, reliability, etc. The Lotus mechanic at the dealership said that since GM's ownership of Lotus the car was just as good as any modern auto and he was correct. No issues with my 2002 Esprit V8 either. That being said, if you rely on the Lotus Dealer for oil changes, which I do (the dealer has Lotus trained techs, always, thus peace of mind, and it's worth it) -- the oil changes are not $45 Speedee Oil changes. But for such an exotic, light and powerful beast it's a great reliable daily driver. Lotus needs to introduce a new exotic. And the engine CANNOT BE A JAP ENGINE. If I want a japanese powertrain I know I can get one, and I don't want one, sorry. England is the home base of nearly all Formula One constructors, the locus of engineering cleverness is THERE, not in Japan. If Lotus fails to allow the Braintrust at Hethel to develop their cars INCLUDING drivetrains I'm not buying. Both the S4s and V8 engines were ENGLISH. . . .

[@truantray]

England is also the home of the poorest quality automobiles and the worst electronics ever made, you Brexit Boomer Bonehead.

[@CubeofCars]

Later Esprits were good cars. Maybe not as reliable as a Benz, but compared to other exotic sports cars, there was no reason to hide. Regular maintenance by an expert is the key. But Lotus main dealers don't always have the "old" experts who still know the Esprit in detail. That's at least my experience. And I would also love to see a modern Esprit from Lotus which is as cool and exotic as the old Esprit ;)

[@Greg_Chase]

@@truantray Everyone used to think that but at the exact same time the unions were destroying British auto makers, the Formula One brain trust was (and still is) in England. **LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THE LEFTY LIST** - San Fransisco - LA - New York - Chicago - New Jersey I just left Silicon Valley which is just 1 hour south of San Franshithole and that entire state is fucked. Lefties destroyed it. At the same time Lefty unions ruined British auto makers, Lotus introduced the number one technology that was then adopted, and still in use today, by almost every open wheel racing car: GROUND EFFECTS You can "Lefty" the private sector and kill it (which always happens) but you can't kill the cleverness and ingenuity of those people. Colin Chapman is not the only Englander who made racing what it is today. Frank Williams, Ken Tyrrell, Bruce McLaren (New Zealander but close enough), Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth (Cosworth), etc. You can't really look at the union-ruined British automakers and compare them to F1 constructors. Lotus - Colin Chapman - is/was a Formula One constructor. . . .

[@goldstandardgrooms2156]

Agreed. Im really hoping Lotus reintroduces the Esprit with a LOTUS engine. One can dream. They seem to be focused on the Elise and Evora now, neither of which I like near as much. For God's sake the Evora has a Toyota engine and in it's fastest form barely hits the numbers a stock TT will.

[@goldstandardgrooms2156]

@@truantray That's such a blanket statement. Even if it was true, that doesn't take away from the success of Britians racing scene and history, not to mention the earliest Lotus Esprit Turbo was destroying Ferraris and Lambos, especially in a straight line, for half the price. You want something that's unreliable but looks gorgeous? Go Italian...I AM Italian and wouldn't touch a Ferrari with a ten foot pole, especially the shitty 308 series that can now be had for barely any money. Money pots the whole bunch of them.

[@clemenzharald7041]

Great car in a wonderful landscape! (Where is ist exactly, Allgäu?) I own an Esprit S4 since 4 years now and love it like I did on the first day. Can absolutely confirm the facts of your Review. Go on with producing these impressive Videos!

[@CubeofCars]

This is Berchtesgadener Land/Bayern. Have fun with your Esprit! :)

[@TheValetPRO]

Great video, really good detail. Thank you.

[@paulkennedy667]

Danke schoen ...the car is in excellent shape. Looks good and striking..!..I've always liked this little gem of a sports car. Enjoyable to drive. Nice colour. The Esprite is the best Lotus ever built...cheers...!

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@KIdzvillage1]

Hello, your Esprit looks great, I had the experience of owning a 1997 V8 Esprit one year ago, the price was $36K USD and in my case the expenses to bring it back to good condition costed me another $7K to $8K USD, within the first year of ownership, the compressor needed replacement and it was a nightmare to get to it, there was a leakage of oil in the front and that was also difficult and expensive to fix, the car hesitated a lot and it turned out that the fuel pumps were bad, the car spent months and months in the shop waiting for parts, and I just got tired of not being able to drive it, and sold it, I think you found a really good car, and that is rare,

[@erichoffman2243]

This is a really great video. I've always avoided buying an Esprit because of the maintenance but from this it sounds alot more reasonable than I realized. Great, as if I didn't want one badly enough before. Now I'm gonna HAVE to get one...LOL!!

[@CubeofCars]

Haha... it's great that my video could convince you to finally buy an Esprit ;)

[@erichoffman2243]

@@CubeofCars now i just have to find "the one". Not many of them running around out there.

[@ericgeisen4090]

Hello Mike, thank god you did not vanish totally to Thailand -;) Nice to share this video of you. Indeed the cost of a classic car can be 'normal' provided you don't do stupid things. My Triumph TR6 also had reasonable cost to it during my 20 years of ownership. I think if you buy a good and decent classic you will always have the opportunity to enjoy it without breaking the bank -;) I hope you are well in Berchtesgaden and hope to see more of you soon! Regards, Eric

[@CubeofCars]

Hi Eric, as I love the Bavarian Alps, I will always come back after a few months ;-) Yes, you are right. Better spend a bit more money for a good car when purchasing, this will be cheaper and less trouble in the long run. And investing in regular maintenance. The TR6 is a cool roadster. Do you still have yours? Cheers, Mike

[@ericgeisen4090]

Hi Mike, unforutnately I had to sell it in 2016 but I dearly miss my trips to Italy (Como lake) and France (Monaco)...,It was a lot easier then in the TR3A which is much older.....and has no power steering....

[@CubeofCars]

So you still have a Triumph to play with :)

[@ericgeisen4090]

Unfortunately not. I had to sell all my classic cars (TR3A and TR6). Only my Lancia Kappa 2.0 Turbo is now left as my daily driver which is OK. Better times will hopefully come soon again!

[@CubeofCars]

I had a Kappa 2.4 which I sold in 2015 unfortunately before starting youtube. I still regret that there is no video of my car left.

[@marktisdaleuk]

I had a 1993 S4 as a daily driver for just other two years with no issues. I think i did 30-40,000 miles too. The GM (Calibra) switchgear in the S4 helped a lot. Annual maintenance costs were similar to a flat German sedan.

[@CubeofCars]

Wow, lots of miles! That clearly shows how good these Esprits are :)

[@JuanHernandez-pz2mx]

The Esprit is still very reachable in the U.S. Ive always hesitated to get one because people call them money pits; I am encouraged by your experience

[@CubeofCars]

The key is to find a good Esprit that was well maintained by its previous owner. Better spend a few $ more for the better car, that's cheaper in the long run. And try to find a mechanic who really knows Esprits. Then there should be nothing to stop you from buying an Esprit...

[@AjackLee4]

Glad to see it isn't that expensive yearly! I may be able to afford one. It helps that I'm rather keen on doing maintenance myself.

[@CubeofCars]

The Esprit is not that complicate. So some DIY maintenance should be possible.

[@markletts2000]

Better MPG than the Fiat 130....great channel too,just found you,..the way you refer to Merc, in Thailand as "The Benz", made me smile,.😊🇬🇧

[@CubeofCars]

Haha.... it's really funny that Thais usually call it a Benz only. Germans use the term Benz and Mercedes equally, but would never use the short form Merc ;)

[@lotusesprit38]

Hello Mike, great video and landscape...when do you make a video driving the car there? Keep on the great job on the Esprit. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks! Yeah... a video driving with the Esprit on Bavarian and Austrian mountain roads is part of my plans... but not so easy to get good shots of the car driving without a camera crew. But somehow I will surely manage it ;)

[@austoncurry1076]

Had an 86 Esprit. Cost a fortune. Bought a 2002 Brand new. It was a dream. Bought an Exige. Wife hated getting in and out of it in a dress. The 2002 Esprit was one of the best cars ive ever owned

[@robc9108]

nice car enjoyed your honesty and valued opinions thanks

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks for watching :)

[@sharpiesailor]

Beautiful car and great video! Thanks for sharing.

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@p.b.2023]

Can't possibly be any more than the cost of ownership of my 1985 Porsche 928S. Being handy with a wrench doesn't hurt either.. I hope to own an Esprit S4 some day.

[@CubeofCars]

Yes, right, I know the 928 very well. I had a 1981 model, the only car which I still regret selling. So.... don't sell your 928 when you buy the Esprit ;-)

[@stuartcooke1805]

Great video. Would love to see more of this car 👍

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks! More will come...

[@MrBoboo7]

Hi i have the Lotus esprit 1988, At the moment i'm rebuilding her from top to bottom this lotus is a N/A two twin barrel carbs i would never sale her what a great car a real super car.The amount of people say it's amazing car. This car is 1 of 68 Her number is 62 .When i got this baby she had not been looked after 8 of my friends have them when we put them together we have the S1 ,S2,S3,S3 up grade which is mine and the s4 if you do a good service onces a year the cost is not to bad

[@CubeofCars]

Yes, you are absolutely right! :)

[@tokiorain9151]

Honest review n very nice car.

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@stevegill1611]

Great video, lots of useful information

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@peterk3623]

I had a 1988. They are very affordable to buy, a joy to drive but they can be very expensive and difficult to keep running at 100% ( if I've ever seen one that's completely sorted out) but it's what you would expect from a very small production run.

[@CubeofCars]

Yes, some details can be tricky. Just facing some small problems... time for an update on my video soon ;)

[@ItsTimePictures]

Gorgeous car. Just wonderful, but impossible for an average guy like myself. I myself purchased a grey market 1985 Mercedes 500SEC from the original owner last year. 106k miles and it was maintained nicely, but I knew I'd have to spend a boatload of cash in the first year and I was right. After nearly ten months I have spent $4500. $3200 of that two weeks ago over three days of intense work. Money all well spent and now the car is ready for anything. My family thinks I am INSANE but I know better. Just like I know you made a good purchase and will likely enjoy it for years to come.

[@CubeofCars]

Your Benz is a beautiful car and I think it's a good investment as well!

[@goldstandardgrooms2156]

My dream car ... Someday I will own a Lotus Esprit S4S or Lotus Esprit V8 GT.

[@CubeofCars]

I had this dream for probably 20 years already before finally buying my Esprit ;-)

[@goldstandardgrooms2156]

@@CubeofCars I'm praying I end up like you and get one! Loved your review btw. It was perfect. I've owned a 1994 Ford Probe GT, 2002 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition, 1999 Eclipse GS-T, 2007 Ford Mustang GT, and my pride and joy a 1996 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4. I'm *dying* to get an Esprit and should get one within the next 10 years. I can't decide which one I want more, the S4S or the V8-GT. Thank you for this review

[@CubeofCars]

Impressive list of cars already! I would recommend the S4S. It's more reliable and cheaper to run.

[@goldstandardgrooms2156]

@@CubeofCars Thank you for the info! I love the S4S, after hearing this I love it even more.

[@Pennystockid]

Once my crypto currency takes off I’ll be buying the 2004 esprit and a 2020 Lotus Evora GT 😁

[@iseeolly9959]

Cheers from the UK....still looks like a difficult cam(p)-belt to change!

[@CubeofCars]

Haha... at least I wouldn't want to do it myself ;-)

[@alkevinzmedia]

Thank you very much for sharing this!Super useful.

[@CubeofCars]

My pleasure :-)

[@kass9722]

some nice video work there... good stuff

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks for watching :)

[@the_katman2181]

Man, that's a great looking car.

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks :)

[@godchi1dvonsteuben770]

BTW: If you get one in good shape, fix everything properly before putting it on the road, and perform proper maintenance, the cost of ownership is COMPLETELY reasonable... especially for a car their age... Can get one, in good shape, around $30,000, go for it!

[@CarlBolam]

Being English, the Lotus Esprit has always been my absolute dream car and I am looking to buy a S4 S4S or V8. I now live near Gerolstein in Germany, but I can´t find a Lotus Esprit Specialist nearby for servicing and maintenance. This is preventing me from buying one... Can someone in Germany help me to find one please? Vielen Dank im voraus!

[@anthonymorris5084]

How much to replace the turbo? Mucho I'll bet.

[@CubeofCars]

Never done this research. But maybe one of the viewers here knows it...

[@449Raphael]

About 2000€ by Rammspot und Brandt for a upgraded reliable turbo that gives more power.

[@jazzyonno]

It was very insightful, and thanks very much for this video. I am currently trying to talk myself out of buying a lovely 1990 Turbo SE (which incidentally isn't anywhere as cheap to buy as yours, I cannot find any Esprits in Europe for 21k Euro, they are about double at the moment) and your video is not helping. :-) I am seriously thinking about buying next week. Since you were mentioning Ferraris and being scared of them - my 550 Maranello I owned for 10 years and drove 75.000 kms. Total cost was about €0.96/km. But this includes fuel and tyres. Excluding fuel and tyres, it was about €0.64/km, and this included one €13,000 bill, overall not that much more than your figure per km. I did not include depreciation, but that was €0.33/km. Comparing to your car directly, I worked out what it would have cost if I had only driven 2000km/year: it would have been €1.70 per km excluding fuel and tyres and depreciation. Moral of the story: drive them more! Your man maths will thank you! And so will your car. :-)

[@CubeofCars]

Driving more km really helps to drive costs down.... at least statistically per km.... that's really good advice for everyone! But wow.... a 13,000€ bill for a Ferrari is exactly what would frighten me... That couldn't happen with a Lotus Esprit. Hope you buy that Esprit :)

[@onnotenbrinke5897]

@@CubeofCars it's a matter of financial planning. First you need to have the means to buy the car, of course. But if you can muster that (my personal philosophy, like you, is don't use financing), then you can pay for the ownership as well. The best thing to do is to have a 10k buffer to cover any eventualities but this 13k bill is extremely rare. Normal is around 1k service a year, and 3k every 5 years. If you put away 500 euro a month when you own the car you are covered, so it is fact the same cost as leasing a new small family car. As for the Esprit, it is reserved in my name and I'm having the test drive on Tuesday. It's not a wise financial decision. Kitchen refurbishment or Lotus, well since I'm single.... :-) Where in Germany are you? I'm 10 mins from Aachen. Could be fun to meet up one day, when Dutch people are no longer treated like disease ridden lepers by the German government... :-)

[@onnotenbrinke5897]

To give another example: I bought a low mileage (56.000) 2001 Boxster S in Germany in 2019 for 17k Euro. Original paint, never crashed, as-new interior. Drove it to Switzerland, it drove very well, did about 6k kms and took it to the Porsche dealer. Turned out it had not had a service in 10 years, and some very dodgy repairs on the rear drive train. Total repair bill was 12k, including a new roof for 2.5k as the rear window had turned brittle. My BMW 335i has also seen expensive repairs and the hourly rate for BMW mechanics is higher than my Ferrari specialist. So it is not always the brand. But now, with my little Boxster S, I have a fantastic daily driver that I do not have to worry about for the next 5 years. This is typically what happens to me. I've owned 6 Ferraris (from build year 1966 to 2012). Most of them cost investment to take from 85% reliability to 100% reliability. But after that they are a pleasure to own and costs are quite manageable. Low depreciation or even appreciation, and you drive something special. I expect this period of sorting out will happen with the Lotus too, if I buy it. But maybe I am lucky this time.

[@CubeofCars]

Is the soon to be your Esprit the one offered at Van der Kooi Sportscars? It a 1990 Turbo SE with 51tkm for 44950€ listed on mobile.de. I am located in southern Bavaria... quite a distance to drive which I experienced last month when I bought a Mercedes T1 in Köln.

[@jazzyonno]

@@CubeofCars it is indeed that car. It's on hold for me, thankfully, there is a lot of interest in it apparently. Southern Bavaria is not far, when I took delivery of my 458 I drove it to Italy within the week. :) I certainly plan to take the Esprit down south should I buy it. Inspecting it tomorrow, but I am driving some other lovely machinery this week too. It will be a difficult choice I think. I'll let you know which way the decision went.

[@PeterKKraus]

It would cost a lot more to have comprehensive insurance on it in USA. Maybe 3-4x

[@CubeofCars]

Wow... that's really expensive then :-(

[@opencarry3860]

Depends on state and location within that state.

[@BossHoggJD]

The most Beatiful Car in The planet 🌎

[@jimmybeauxarts]

Thanks for sharing

[@gmoroder]

I don't have room for another car, but the Esprit keeps catching my eye. Not sure if I like the S3 or S4 looks more

[@CubeofCars]

Both are cool. Maybe the S4 is faster and more practical, but the S3 has more pure styling :)

[@gmoroder]

@@CubeofCars do you have an idea of maintenance costs on an S3 Turbo? Looking to get my hands on one, but it's hard to find a G-body Esprit in the US

[@CubeofCars]

@@gmoroder I don't think that an S3 Turbo is much different in terms of maintenance costs. But that's just a guess...

[@robt8620]

Always thought on those turbo Esprits you are supposed to let the Turbo cool down a little before switching off ?

[@CubeofCars]

Yes, that's important.

[@noahderrington5156]

Got to convert it to electric! It’s a perfect conversion car as it’s light and the original engine was always underpowered. 400hp and buckets of instant torque!

[@CubeofCars]

Well,.... I am an old-fashioned petrol head and love the noise of an internal cumbustion engine ;)

[@buzzcrushtrendkill]

An update is needed

[@billybobjoe198]

8:42 There it is boys. No over stressed E sound at the end of Porsche that "cultured" Americans do.

[@RootBeerGMT]

byw Fuck that phony "E". I don't say it with Nike and I'm not saying it for Porsche.

[@srtv8or109]

I would have much preferred one of them over my Audi S8 that I bought they're very reasonable of a Lotus Esprit

[@jimmybeauxarts]

What year is your Esprit ? And did you make any body work ?

[@CubeofCars]

It's a 1993, one of the first S4. Here are the details, if you want to know more: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3Wch3hmgpZshZo Body and paint are original.

[@hansklimmer366]

Hallo, hab dein Viedo mit Interesse angesehen, da ich ebenfalls vor hab, mir einen Esprit zu kaufen. Und da du ja auch in Bayern wohnst eine Frage: wo läst du den Service machen? Vor allem z.B. Dinge wie den Zahnriemenwechsel? Vielen Dank für deine Antwort.

[@CubeofCars]

Hallo Hans, der Mann meines Vertrauens für Esprit ist Herr Burk in Dürnau. Das ist natürlich nicht der nächste Weg, aber Zahnriemen ist ja nicht jedes Jahr fällig. Ansonsten macht das sicher auch Schuttenbach in Anzing. VG, Mike

[@hansklimmer366]

Hallo Mike, danke für deine Antwort. Hab mir heute einen Esprit angesehen, leder konnte ich aber keine Probefahrt machen. Allerdings war mein Problem, dass ich die eng beieinander liegenden Pedale nur schwierig richtig treffen konnte ohne Gas ud Bremse geichzeitig zu bedienen. Evtl.sind meine Füsse einfach zu groß ;-) Es wäre super, wenn wir für eine Kaufberatung mal telefoieren könnten. Wenn du mir an [e-mail] eine Telefonnumer senden könntest, dann würde ich mich sehr freuen, wenn ich dich mal anrufen dürfte! VG Hans

[@CubeofCars]

Das mit den Pedalen ist schon ein Thema. Man braucht auf jeden Fall schmale Schuhe ohne breite Sohlen, sonst verheddert man sich da unten.

[@tonyhaynes9080]

Notice how he didn't mention changing the tyres though?

[@CubeofCars]

Well, Tony, why should I change the tyres if they are still good? Anyway, not really expensive items, if it's necessary one day...

[@BlatentlyFakeName]

No more expensive than any other performance car. For my Elise it's under £100 per tyre (good tyres, not crappy budgets) and I think it actually has larger rear wheels than the Esprit. They also last ages since the car is so light.

[@a68rebel]

One of my favorite cars. I liked the video! But compare it to the same year Corvette. The Vette is faster and most maintenance can be done by the owner. The Vette maintenance is around $200 a year verses over $1,200 a year for the Lotus

[@CubeofCars]

It's surely right that the Corvette is cheaper to maintain. But the Esprit is really not expensive for an exotic sports car. And the Esprit S4 (with less than 1,000 units produced) is very exotic compared to a Corvette C4 with over 350,000 units :-)

[@jerlaine1638]

Comparing a Lotus to a Corvette... Ok dude get back in your trailer park

[@apurugganan]

@@jerlaine1638 LOL Except he has to park the vette waaay over them thar hills =)

[@449Raphael]

The Vette is a nice car, but because it's a big engine I have to pay 2500€ every year on taxes. Also fuel consumption is a lot more than the 4 cilinder. For an Esprit I pay only 400€/year taxes. So the Vette wil cost me 2100€ more per year. Not to mention the fuel and insurance will be another 1500€. Vette in Europe is way more. Expensive.

[@449Raphael]

And also dude, the Vette from the same year is not faster! Not in a straight line, not in top speed, and certainly not on a closed circuit. Do the research.

[@rab2826]

Is this on a classic car road tax in Germany or is it because it is a second car that the road tax is cheap?

[@CubeofCars]

Hi Robert, to qualify for the German classic car flat tax, a car has to be at least 30 years old, which the Lotus isn't. And there are no discounts for second cars. But there are discounts for just using the car between May and October, not all year round. In general, tax depends on engine size and pollution. An Euro 2 car like the Lotus pays 7,36 Euro x 20 for a 2 litre engine = 147,20 Euro /2 for summer only = 73,60 Euro. I think that's very reasonable compared to other countries. What do you think?

[@ThiagoSantos-ml9tk]

One day I will buy one for me… it’s close.💪🏻

[@CubeofCars]

Great :)

[@rebnn4740]

this is fascinating . i dream of buying one :)

[@CubeofCars]

I was dreaming of an Esprit since being a kid of 10 years... really. I took me ages to finally buy one... ;)

[@cryangallegos]

€430 For oil and brake fluid seems crazy expensive. Labor rates must be quite high over there. I would definitely be doing that service myself 😊

[@CubeofCars]

Half of that was material, half labor. If you calculate 2 1/2 hours of work, that's then nearly 200 € in labor costs (75 € per hour). How much per hour would you pay? But you are right. It would be a DIY job, if you have a proper lift in your garage...

[@junkman6456]

Wenn ich über ältere Sportwagen nachdenke fällt mir der Esprit sofort wieder ein. Deiner ist aus der GM ära, wie sind denn die danach? Auf jeden Fall ein geiles Auto!

[@CubeofCars]

Die späteren 4-Zylinder Esprit sind genauso gut und ausgereift wie meiner. Über die V8-Motoren gibt es aber eine Menge negativer Stories im Netz.

[@DavidMacGregor1]

Beautiful car. I recommend you watch Soup Classic Motoring channel on KZbin - great videos - including the restoration of an esprit.

[@CubeofCars]

Hi David, I have subscribed to Soup long time already. Great work! :)

[@jglayden]

Where in Germany are you? That is some beautiful countryside.

[@CubeofCars]

It's in the Bavarian Alps close to Austria :)

[@BSE75]

Wie sieht es denn mit Ersatzteilen aus ? Bekommt man noch alles ?

[@CubeofCars]

Nicht bei Lotus, aber bei den spezialisierten Händlern eigentlich schon, halt ggf. nachgefertigt oder gebraucht.

[@bign3ck]

Amazing car, but that Peugeot gear box, why? It explodes from the power.

[@CubeofCars]

Renault gearbox.... I think the brand sounds worse than it really is. It's not that all Esprits would suffer from broken gearboxes ;)

[@bangerbangerbro]

What about turbo esprit because that actually looks good.

[@CubeofCars]

The Giugiaro-designed early Turbo Esprit?

[@bangerbangerbro]

@@CubeofCars Yes

[@CubeofCars]

There are more problems on older Esprits. Here are two links with a list of things to check: stason.org/TULARC/vehicles/lotus-cars/D11-What-problems-might-I-expect-from-a-Turbo-Esprit.html www.espritfactfile.com/Probs.html

[@geographyinaction7814]

This one is a Turbo!

[@1183newman]

my old cayman s cost me 4500 in 1 year.

[@marcushull12]

Seems a lot for a cambelt , i know resale value always like to see "main dealer" service /maintenance etc but it is a load of rubbish any decent UK mechanic usually does a better job than any main dealer at a fraction of the cost , i would say 99% of cars we get in that have full main dealer service etc have been shockingly maintained , hinges have never been oiled and wheels have never been off . A cam belt is a cam belt you dont need a car specific specialist to change them , my mechanic is an ex RAF helicopter engineer and charges less than £50 an hour , he did my Lotus cambelt , an hours labour and cost of belt and pulleys , only a small back street garage but he has customers with E-types . Bentleys , Lotus Jags , MG , TVR and of course all the usual new mundane stuff . obviously his bread and butter are French and italian cars lol .

[@CubeofCars]

I understand your argument. If you want to keep your car long term, a skilled local mechanic whom you can trust, is the perfect solution. If your focus is re-sale, some brands need main dealer service history. Also "Esprit specialist" doesn't mean Lotus main dealer. I trust my Esprit specialist, but I have mixed experiences with main dealers.

[@hotenhitonokoe2848]

wow

[@Nemoticon]

I refer to my Mk1 MR2 as a pint sized, budget Espirit, lol

[@CubeofCars]

I would love to review a Mk1 MR2 one day :)

[@Nemoticon]

@@CubeofCars Well don't do mine.... it's very old and very tired, lol. Keep up the good work xD

[@Pennystockid]

Where you live?? Lol the roads and scenery are beautiful! Definitely not Louisiana with all that confusing Euro talk🤪

[@CubeofCars]

Well.... it's the Bavarian Alps ;-)

[@MrLampbus]

Nice car - always wanted one so maybe one day ... Thank you for sharing. HOWEVER. please install your gas struts the right way up ! I also noticed the gas spring issue on this video and commented as below : kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpW8k4x4hZaHpbc They have a splash of oil inside them for three main reasons : 1. To lubricate the internals so they operate without stick-slip 2. To lubricate the seals which reduces the leakage of pressurised gas 3. To slow the passage of pressurised gas from one side of the piston to the other ... leading to slower smoother action AND a reduction of speed before hitting the end stops. So in summary - do you always have to replace gas springs that have lost their lift' ? Fix : pop the ends, turn over, pop back on with the FAT part AT THE TOP. (Note that there are some installations where the strut inverts as it passes through it's actuation. )

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks for your comment :)

[@notrut]

Only €74 for 6 month Tax ....! Meanwhile in the rip-off UK it would be £162

[@CubeofCars]

That's bad. But the UK has advantages in terms of tax for classic cars on the other hand, I think...

[@rab2826]

Thanks for the reply. I have C5 and C6 corvettes which are cheap enough to tax in the UK but in Belgium for example they are over 3000 euros which is ridiculous for a second car which you dont drive daily . Their old timer road tax is cheap but it must be over 30 years old and 1980s Corvettes are not so nice. Have always been an Esprit fan and wish I had bought one years ago but now the values are now rising rapidly. I wonder how far their values will go as not so many were built. Wikipedia states only 10,675 cars. So they are a desirable rarity. You may like this video from a you tuber called Harrys Garage if you havent seen it already. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnrRaJp5g5uoeZY 2 parts to watch.

[@CubeofCars]

I think prices will inevitably go higher. The quoted number is the total production in about 28 years. If you break it down to the various different Esprit models it's less than 1000 each. Harry is a legend and his road trips are epic. I have been following his channel for years. His Esprit is really great and he has often said that this Lotus is one of his favourite cars :)

[@davidmg1925]

Interesting you hauled your self up for inadvertently adding a p to "cam" If you hadn't said any thing no one would have noticed. I was thinking your English is excellent in fairness. Oddly i sometimes think back to when my first boss (edit Welsh speaking ) very politely said there is not d on the end of "Crummen"....... spelt phonetically here. The belt looks a horror to change...... engine out?

[@CubeofCars]

Luckily it's not so difficult to change the belt of an Esprit. The engine can stay in the car, but probably some artistic skills are necessary for the job ;-)

[@davidmg1925]

@@CubeofCars I'm not volunteering for the task. :-)

[@fasthracing]

Ze Germans having (much) fun in zi Englander sports car

[@bumblebee9019]

You are lucky that your insurance is only 350 Euros a year ... I pay double that for a normal car.

[@CubeofCars]

In Germany these kind of exotic collector cars are cheaper to insure than normal cars. My dad pays more insurance for his C220 Benz...

[@godchi1dvonsteuben770]

How many times do I have to say it... THE LOTUS ESPRIT IS NOT A SUPERCAR!!! Not even close, it's an "EXOTIC." Exotic SPORTSCAR not a "supercar." Look up the definitions of the two, I'm right, trust me. This guy just calls it a supercar because he owns it.

[@godchi1dvonsteuben770]

My friend, they're exotic sportscars, not "supercars." THEY'RE 220 HP FOR CHRIST SAKE!!! My Nissan 300zx makes 300, and has just as exotic styling as the Esprit, is it a Supercar? Lol!

[@godchi1dvonsteuben770]

I guess the difference is the 300zx isn't an exotic because it rarely breaks, the parts are common, maintenance can be done at home, and the majority are still on the road as daily drivers!

[@johndearden7931]

Why is the tax and insurance so much lower than in Britain? Because our government treats the motorists as cash cows! I envy you!

[@CubeofCars]

How much are tax and insurance for an Esprit in the UK...? And in the US..... I would also be interested to know.... maybe someone can tell...

[@kass9722]

@@CubeofCars : actually for that model in the UK it goes by the age of the car ( any car before 2001 ) & engine size, so any car above 1.4L, the annual tax cost is the same. example the cost for 1 year tax for a 1999 porsche 996 3.4L & a 1994 1.6L opel kaddet is the same... £255. insurance would be like in Germany, classic car, however there is no need to have another car, but most companies in the UK will restrict the annual mileage. The lower the mileage, the lower the cost, for you, it would probably be very low. ( maybe 200 euro ) It would depend on the area you live & you must have at least off road parking. ( although a garage is best )

[@CubeofCars]

Thanks for the info! That's quite ok. Are there limitations for classic cars to drive in the city in the UK? Luckily here in Germany you can drive in restricted city area with an historic (H) number plate, if the car is older than 30 years. Not an issue for the Lotus, of course, because it has catalytic converter anyway.

[@kass9722]

@@CubeofCars : no, the Uk has no restrictions, London has the "congestion charge", but that is for all vehicles... unless exempt. the UK does have the "40yr rule", so any vehicle over 40yrs needs no test & does not pay yearly tax. the UK is actually very good for classics, the problem is other drivers & traffic, especially in London... horrible place to drive, classic or modern.

[@CubeofCars]

That are really very good conditions for classic car owners!

[@449Raphael]

4cilinder is cheap, V8 not so........

[@CubeofCars]

That's true!

[@Maloy7800]

Are you tired of the question "Warum nicht Porsche 911?" :-) Also, how loud do they laugh at the TUV? Hey, das ist der Dumpkopf mit ein Englisher auto! :-))

[@CubeofCars]

Esprit and 911... both of them are good, cool and very different cars. If I had the money, I would put both of them in my collection... and also (again) a 928 which is very different in character but a car with great design and in some terms better than Esprit and 911, like comfort and luggage space for a big transcontinental trip :)

[@juliestonelake7606]

@@CubeofCars yes I love the 928. I actually prefer it to the 911. Good video mike

[@soplim8632]

There is nothing super about a little 4 cylinder turbo engine

[@MyFavoriteDisease]

There is: Weight and efficiency.

[@anthonymorris5084]

Except that 4 cylinder aint that little.

[@saulespino2510]

low mileage Lotus, of course there isn't many problems with it yet, viewers are not that dumb to think it won't have problems later on, goof

[@CubeofCars]

We will see... As I will keep the Esprit "forever", later updates with higher mileage will surely follow ;)

[@TheHomeExpert5]

This car is a really good looking piece of junk.

[@anthonymclean9743]

Yea what you probably can't afford loser...

[@anonymoususer6683]

You drive a Kia right?

[@edwardmonsariste4050]

I agree that it’s a money pit. Beautiful car, but it is ridiculous to have such a high average maintenance cost. I’ve seen the same problems with Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Noble, and other small build low end super cars from that era. But there is no doubt how gorgeous that car is!

[@themysterycook7320]

but dont they break down every 3 seconds? and leak water?

[@CubeofCars]

Not at all :)