Help, Who Are The Trustworthy Dealers ?

[thor]

Am buying a +2S from abroad, and will probably get a lovely one from the states. But in case i don't sell my b**** Triumph and he has to sell it to someone else, i'm buying in the UK, which I've done before with great success.
But the +2 market is unsafe territory for me.

There is a certain dealer in Kent that always seem to have a good stock of cars at quite good prices, the company name starting with the letters u and k...

Seems to me safer than dodgy ebay., and here there aren't many cars out.

Any experience here on Elans from this place? I'm not being suspicious, just want to make sure...

Cheers,
Thor

[M100]

Your best bet is to ask the same question on an Esprit list or indeed on the main yahoo lotus list - the company you mention definitely doesn't have a particularly good reputation among Esprit owners but nor do many so called "specialists"

Classic car mags, the Club Lotus mag or just word of mouth will probably find you something better.

try

<a href='http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lotus-cars' target='_blank'>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lotus-cars</a>
<a href='http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lotuselan' target='_blank'>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lotuselan</a>

and for a view on "uk s*********

<a href='http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKLotusEsprit' target='_blank'>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKLotusEsprit</a>

[pereirac]

Peter Day in Cabridgeshire is good (but you pay for what you get)

[thor]

Have they got a website?

[pereirac]

I don't think Peter needs to advertise, he always seemed to have 'enough' customers.
I found this telephone number on another web site.

Peter Day in Burwell. 01638 744002

Carl

[hatman]

My car, prior to my acquisition of it, was almost exclusively serviced and maintained by the trader to whom you refer. I have no inclination whatsoever to follow suit.

[M100]

I almost bought some Elan rear uprights and outboard drive shafts from Peter Day back in the 80's. Despite them advertising in the Club Lotus magazine they refused to discount for Club members by anything at all saying "our customers prefer it this way" - The items weren't in stock there but were at Lotus. I was in no particular rush and made that clear so when they were placed on a stock order rather than VOR he would get full Lotus parts discount (then normally 35%) So all in all it would have been an easy profit on a 600 quid order for two minutes on the phone and writing my details down - but would he give me 5 or 10%? would he hell!

Needless to say I bought them from another Lotus dealer at 15% off list, since then that dealer has probably seen around 100k's worth of business in cars and parts from me.

The quality of his restorations seems good though from what I hear.


Something else to mull over though, no names or anything.....
There were allegations a few years ago that someone attempted to buy an immaculate one owner full service history Elan for peanuts from the widow of an owner - the owner having had it serviced by the local "friendly" Lotus dealer for years and years and so it was her first port of call as she thought he could be trusted to give her an honest valuation.

Luckily when a friend heard how much she had been offered recommended she get a second opinion from a Lotus owner who directed her towards Club Lotus where Graham Arnold quickly told her the cars true worth. The car was I believe sold to someone other than the Lotus dealer for around five times their original offer.

[Si_130/5]

Personally speaking, the Kent dealer to whom you refer is best avoided.