I appreciate this is always a tenuous question and normally demands responses of �100k etc. but after more false starts than I care to recall, (marriage, baby 1, baby 2, house builds, recession - does it ever end!) and 10 years of waiting I am sitting (finally) with the cash in the bank and looking for an Exige. And with spring around the corner guessing a few more will come onto the market - but interested in peoples thoughts as to genuine value, head rather than heart (!).
Personally I no longer think S1 Exiges are depreciating, but unsure their appreciating at any great rate either (yet), more hovering a base which in the future will see the start to increase in value annually. I know this isnt a rare type of post, but with almost no cars on the market its hard to guage.
I d value S1’s �22-25k garage queens, low mileage, ultra clean cars. �18-21k the norm, sensible/average mile clean cars. �16-17k higher mileage/more used examples.
I m only really looking at a standard car, so no idea ref Audi/Honda car values, or if after market performance improvements such as pads/disks etc add any value or are just the norm for the car?
I ve been here a few times before and ended up at the last minute being lurred away by an M3 or an RS4 or similar and spending about 4 weeks happy and 6 months regretting it. So determined its my moment to join the ranks - and it’ll be a keeper…
I,ve also been looking at values …
Over the last 18 months since I bought mine , I,ve yet to see a similar spec’d car as mine for anywhere near what I paid …
As with all previous Elises I ve run, mainly on the road, but I ll certainly run on track, I ve only track day’ed with LoT in the past but enjoyed the road trips to the European tracks, probably 6+ times in a year and probably 4+ times in UK mainly because Silverstone is local.
My ideal would be a 190 k series with MS seats and harnesses, and I d keep the car for all its +'s and -'s pretty standard bar the braking side of things.
I ve driven the Honda demo car at Brook Kensington and absolutely loved it, put with so few original Exiges around, I d like to leave “mine” (when I find one) pretty standard and maybe take that route, money allowing, with a more track focused Elise. I had a Sport160 last which I would of loved to of converted - its now running in the LoT series, I built it ready but a baby arriving intervened entering .
I’d say prices are about to rise sharply… simply because they don’t come up for sale any more.
Couple of years back there was 8-10 for sale at any one time in the UK… now you’re lucky to find 2.
Getting a low mileage one with good spec (sports seats/harnesses etc) you could wait a year or more for one to come up… even longer if you want a specific colour.
All the ones heading offshore are going to collectors so won’t be back, most of the ones selling in the UK are going to collectors who, like you, want to hang onto the car as a long-term toy.
The fact that they’re still one of the most raw road-cars ever made, still look good ensures they’re in increasing demand.
I’d not be surprised to see a mint low-miler that’s been pampered selling for $30k, especially since they’re a car where you want to avoid sheddy examples like the plague.
If I was selling, I don’t think I’d part with it for less than about 40k, but then mine’s going to be about the closest thing you could buy to a new S1 Exige. Dreaming? Maybe But then, I’ve spent about 20k on mine since buying it and over 1500 hours, so it works out to be a bargain
I m certainly vigilant! And whilst prices are stuck I dont think they are shooting up, I do watch the market VERY consistently, cars are harder to come by, but on the basis people are now buying “keepers” and those coming onto the market during our recession with the failing � were very attractive to stronger middle eastern markets so sold quickly, so the numbers have depleted which will effectively drive the market up but we’re not there yet…
Confident the right car at a realistic price is still out there…
You’re probably right, you’ve just got to be really eagle-eyed. I’m guessing it’ll get to the stage where a lot of cars don’t even get advertised. My car wasn’t even for sale when I bought it… the owner was merely thinking of selling. It was a WTB thread I posted that brought him outta the woodwork.
Exige prices have held or gone up slightly over the last 2 years. I think i paid �16000 for my old red one on 30,000 miles about 4 years ago. Although the s1 Elise’s have done the same there holding the money or going up slightly so its not just the Exige. There used to be 10 exiges for sale on piston heads and over 100 elise’s now you only find the odd Exige and 40ish Elise’s. I think you’ll still find cheap Exiges as they wont all be really good condition and low miles its just a case of waiting.
True… but as we all know, getting a poor condition Exige to be presentable or reliable could be a very false economy… as I said I’ve spend probably close to 20k to get mine back to showroom condition and a nice reliable VHPD 220+bhp.
It’s still worth paying the ~4k or so premium for a good one if you can.
Yours is far “better” than new , & I say that with no disrespect to the factory.
I know I’m biased/totally blinkered, but there aren’t many cars that are in the same league as an S1 for looks alone. Even after 9 years of ownership, I’m always delighted by the way they make me, & the public at large, smile. Chuck in the way they perform…priceless!
yours is Honda though so thats cheating (performance wise) and again if thats what you wanted to do with an Exige i wouldn’t pay the extra for a mint one.I think the s1 Elise and Exige will hold/go up in value.
Chris, actually I wasn’t just referring to “converted” cars when I said performance. Factory spec S1s perform superbly well, they may not be the fastest on track, but credit where credit’s due, mate, Lotus designed & built a fantastic car for the money!
They do and i still think they sound the best to in standard form. I doubt there will be many for sale any time soon so it will be hard for people to find the exact car they want for money they want to spend. Ive swapped mine lots of times but always come back to Lotus as i agree there isn’t really anything out there to compare with them for the money.
eh - I don’t care about prices going up or down, as I’ll keep mine anyway Every day I get my daily driver off the garage, the Exige sitting next to it gives me a smile and makes my day. Only driving the Exige it is better
.
But then, I’ve spent about 20k on mine since buying it and over 1500 hours, so it works out to be a bargain 
, & I say that with no disrespect to the factory.
Every day I get my daily driver off the garage, the Exige sitting next to it gives me a smile and makes my day. Only driving the Exige it is better 