Pelican Parts
Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   Pelican Parts Forums > Miscellaneous and Off Topic Forums > Off Topic Discussions


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread
Author
Thread Post New Thread    Reply
meister member
 
speedracing944's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Evansville, Wisconsin
Posts: 3,349
Garage
What is the expected fully depreciated value of Lotus Elise?

How low is it going to go? I have watched Lotus Elise used values for the past 3 years and the good 20K miles examples have been holding strong at $28K-$31K for the past couple years. Do you expect the values to drop much further or will they continue to hold as long as the cars are maintained?

Have they hit the bottom of the curve where only mileage and condition are factors?

Speedy

__________________
1983 944 guards red with 16" Fuchs, Host of Wisconsin area timing/ balance shaft belt tensioning party
1987 944S Purchased from Legion. Corvette LT-1 V-8 conversion with Mega Squirt II
Check on progress ---> www.porschehybrids.com/gallery/speedracing944
Favorite Road = www.tailofthedragon.com 318 turns in 11 miles (11 min 20 sec best run)
Old 09-03-2011, 08:12 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #1 (permalink)
Registered
 
Jim Bremner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Fullerton,Ca
Posts: 5,463
I've been watching them as well with a buy in the $15k kinda mind.

The Corvette and the Lotus have fallen about the same.
__________________
" Formerly we suffered from crime. Today we suffer from laws" (55-120) Tacitus
Old 09-03-2011, 08:17 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #2 (permalink)
ZOO ZOO is offline
Registered
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,513
They don't seem to be falling much below $35000 in Canada. Elises and Exiges are specifically excluded from Canada's importation list to (presumably) protect the Canadian dealers. This means that Canadian cars are holding their value nicely because less expensive US cars can't be imported and registered for the street.

Lotus isn't building any more -- and they are exceptional machines. I love mine, and have put almost 8000 kms on it since April. I don't regret what I paid for it, and it is likely worth the same now as when I purchased it, despite almost doubling the mileage to date.
Old 09-03-2011, 09:24 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #3 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,384
Prices are still too high. You're not getting much for your dollar at the current used prices.
Old 09-03-2011, 09:30 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #4 (permalink)
Unregistered
 
sammyg2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: a wretched hive of scum and villainy
Posts: 55,652
Quote:
What is the expected fully depreciated value of Lotus Elise?

It's british after all.............................
Old 09-03-2011, 09:31 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #5 (permalink)
Registered
 
6e0ff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 128
Garage
I would expect nice low mile examples to be available for the mid to low 20s in another couple years with higher mile worn out cars in the high teens. The SC cars will always bring a premium of course. There just aren't enough Elises out in the market to get to the mid teens, in my opinion. In 10 years, who knows what will happen with them? Even in the mid 20s for a nicely cared for Elise with 30k miles, I think they are a hell of a bargain. Consider the money that people are still getting for low mile, well cared for Honda S2000s and an S2000 will never have the name premium that a Lotus does.
Old 09-03-2011, 11:28 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #6 (permalink)
74 911Ebay
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 1,035
Depends on the year. The 05's are about 3-5K less than the 06's. There are some minor differences between the 05's and the 06's (Led tail lights, DBW throttle, seats). I have driven both and am not sure the 06 is worth the premium (even though I own an 06).

I suspect a well maintained, clean NA Elise will hover in the mid to low 20k range. The supercharged cars more.

Watch out for wreck repaired cars as the car has an aluminum monocoque that is glued together and expensive/impossible to fix.
Old 09-04-2011, 07:59 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #7 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London Ont Canada
Posts: 3,120
They also might go the way of other fine cars like a 944 turbo which was raved about in mid/late 80's and are now $3-10?. A 911 of the same vintage has held up much better.
I don,t know anything about the Elise but how reliable/durable have they been?
The 944T was/is fast but thet turned out to be more expensive to maintain than a 911. A Honda S2000 is as reliable as a Civic . If the Elise is as fragile as earlier Lotii then they will continue to drop in large amounts compared to new.
__________________
1980 911 SC 3.6 coupe sold
1995 993 coupe
1966 Mustang Shelby clone
1964 Corvair Spyder Turbo gone
2012 Boss 302
Old 09-04-2011, 03:11 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #8 (permalink)
Registered
 
Racerbvd's Avatar
Quote:
Originally Posted by doug_porsche View Post
Depends on the year. The 05's are about 3-5K less than the 06's. There are some minor differences between the 05's and the 06's (Led tail lights, DBW throttle, seats). I have driven both and am not sure the 06 is worth the premium (even though I own an 06).

I suspect a well maintained, clean NA Elise will hover in the mid to low 20k range. The supercharged cars more.

Watch out for wreck repaired cars as the car has an aluminum monocoque that is glued together and expensive/impossible to fix.
I know of an Elise with a "Rebuilt Title" that sold in FL in the past few months for $19K but if you want a very clean & maintained 05 one with the sport opt. my B&B partner might let his go for around $30K
__________________
Byron

20+ year PCA member

Many Cool Porsches, Projects& Parts, Vintage BMX bikes too
Old 09-08-2011, 08:27 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #9 (permalink)
Checked out
 
McLovin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: On a beach
Posts: 10,127
Quote:
Originally Posted by speedracing944 View Post
How low is it going to go? I have watched Lotus Elise used values for the past 3 years and the good 20K miles examples have been holding strong at $28K-$31K for the past couple years. Do you expect the values to drop much further or will they continue to hold as long as the cars are maintained?

Have they hit the bottom of the curve where only mileage and condition are factors?

Speedy
Hold values of $28K-$31K, forever?

Not likely.

Almost all cars eventually become $5,000 cars. Even $90,000 928s.

Elise, being a pretty cool car, may be more like an SC/Carrera, and keep more value than $5K. But eventually it will be a $10-$12K car.

I don't know the production number of Elises, but my guess would be tens of thousands. Plenty of supply for the relatively limited demand for a car like that. Values are still fairly high, but they are all still fairly new cars. Lots and lots of depreciation left in them.
Old 09-09-2011, 10:50 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #10 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London Ont Canada
Posts: 3,120
They will probably follow cars like the Boxster . When fairly new then fairly desirable. The boxster held strong for many years now you can buy some under $10K
__________________
1980 911 SC 3.6 coupe sold
1995 993 coupe
1966 Mustang Shelby clone
1964 Corvair Spyder Turbo gone
2012 Boss 302
Old 09-09-2011, 12:37 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #11 (permalink)
Registered
 
enzo1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: OK
Posts: 12,730
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnsjmc View Post
They will probably follow cars like the Boxster . When fairly new then fairly desirable. The boxster held strong for many years now you can buy some under $10K
yeah but the Boxster has the potential RMS problem hanging over it's head where the toyota engine should be bullet proof or at least easier to fix and maintain???
__________________
76' 911s Signature Edition
Old 09-09-2011, 12:44 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #12 (permalink)
 
Registered
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: London Ont Canada
Posts: 3,120
Quote:
Originally Posted by enzo1 View Post
yeah but the Boxster has the potential RMS problem hanging over it's head where the toyota engine should be bullet proof or at least easier to fix and maintain???
Yes but a Lotus is still an English car. I had an Elan briefly in the late 60's . Even with a Toyota engine there is a lot more to go wrong with a car other than the engine.
__________________
1980 911 SC 3.6 coupe sold
1995 993 coupe
1966 Mustang Shelby clone
1964 Corvair Spyder Turbo gone
2012 Boss 302
Old 09-09-2011, 12:59 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #13 (permalink)
74 911Ebay
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 1,035
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnsjmc View Post
Yes but a Lotus is still an English car. I had an Elan briefly in the late 60's . Even with a Toyota engine there is a lot more to go wrong with a car other than the engine.
I have had mine for 2+ years. It has been very reliable. Starts, runs, nothing falls off, 20+ MPG, keeps up with 99% of ALL the traffice situations I have been in; All at totally legal speeds mind you.

I think I have challenged more than one persons view of: "its a cute little British toy, it will fall behind or break and we will not have to worry about it anymore".


Old 09-09-2011, 01:07 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #14 (permalink)
Registered
 
enzo1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: OK
Posts: 12,730
hmm, 2 different points of view here...nice side by side shot
__________________
76' 911s Signature Edition
Old 09-09-2011, 01:36 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #15 (permalink)
Checked out
 
McLovin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: On a beach
Posts: 10,127
You have to remember all Elises are still late model cars, most with low miles.

Time and miles kills the value of just about every production car on the road. A 15 year old Elise with 130,000 miles on it is not going to be a $20K car.
Old 09-09-2011, 01:40 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #16 (permalink)
Registered
 
racer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 3,347
Yes, but I don't think Elise's rack up the miles that much. I think of them as "motorcycles" and most owners of Elise's have 1,2 or 3 other cars in which to use. heck, my '87 944 only has 45K miles and its 24 years old.

The price for damaged/repaired cars will drop since repairing them properly is very expensive (whether its the aluminum or the body work).

Production numbers are small but suprisingly, because of the Toyota sourced motors, they shouldn't have any real reliability issues.

Part of their resale value will also depend on whether the repalcement model meets/exceeds the Elise's current performance and price value.
__________________
1970 914-6

Past:
2000 Boxster 2.7, 1987 944, 1987 924S
1978 911SC, 1976 914 2.0, 1970 914 w/2056
Old 09-09-2011, 03:17 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #17 (permalink)
Registered
 
enzo1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: OK
Posts: 12,730
new cars? maybe a face lifted Elise in the video?... Lotus Cars - Frankfurt International Motor Show 2011

__________________
76' 911s Signature Edition
Old 09-10-2011, 07:34 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #18 (permalink)
Reply


 


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:37 AM.


 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page
 

DTO Garage Plus vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.