Putting up for sale my Emira

[SimonT]

Thoughts on expected price via dealer and/or advertising on Autotrader?
1st Edition, manual, Sport suspension, Cup 2 tyres, ice grey interior.
1,350 miles (1st service done, Lotus dealer not recommending 2nd until Jan '26)
2023 reg
All updates and recalls done
Both doors and tailgate replaced and full machine polished 2 weeks ago.
Full bodykit
3rd cat delete (cat included)
5 months warranty remaining and a promised 1 year extended from Lotus to come.
Current Lotus price for the spec is £106,750.

What do we think as a collective on price? UK based, Yorkshire. Once we have a few opinions I'll give the view of a couple of dealers.

 

[MiamiBlue]

£60K?
Only one service in 2 1/2 years will put people off. It is low mileage, but it's still technically an incomplete service history. I'm surprised a dealer encouraged this. Body kit mods will also put some buyers off. If it won't sell try returning the car to stock.

 

[SimonT]

£60K?
Only one service in 2 1/2 years will put people off. It is low mileage, but it's still technically an incomplete service history. I'm surprised a dealer encouraged this. Body kit mods will also put some buyers off. If it won't sell try returning the car to stock.

In storage for for 14 months with 24 miles on it, at dealers for 7 months, dash saying 2nd service in Jan '26. Body kit is marmite.

 

[MiamiBlue]

The dash just shows from when it was last reset. It doesn't matter if the car was in storage or at a dealer. Service history is defined by mileage AND time. The car technically has an incomplete service history. You've got a good justification as to why it has a missing service history, and buyers may accept that (though being at a dealers for 7 months will be it's own red flag), but none the less it doesn't meet the Lotus criteria (every 10K or 12 months, whichever comes first). I've had cars that have barely been used over a 12 month period, but I still get them serviced to the manufacturers schedule.
Bodykits are indeed marmite. But many buyers won't buy a car with a bodykit, but nobody is going to refuse a car because it's stock. If you can find the right buyer that's great, but you'll significantly increase the pool of buyers with the bodykit modifications removed. Also dealers don't like buying modified cars. It's just increasing your options, that's all.

 

[netsinah]

Perhaps "invest" in a second service now (at least an oil/filter change), if there's some decent mileage put on, since the first one. That will show a better level of care to prospective purchasers and partially address one of the concerns of MiamiBlue.

As for pricing, a typical starting point is what you paid, rather than the current replacement price, IMO. You've got a 2023 MY which has had some warranty work. I'll leave it to others in your area, to comment on a reasonable asking price.

I'd ask the dealer if the body kit, will decrease your chance of a sale. Some dealers may know of potential purchasers in your area, and their tastes. Typically though, you need to find "the right buyer" when it comes to any modifications. One option is to try and sell it with that kit, indicating what it cost you, to see if you get any bites...and consider indicating as well that you'll remove the kit upon request and if that's done, discount the price by "X", which will reinforce its added value as part of your sales pitch. You could then be stuck with a used kit, to try and sell, but may be able to recoup some money that way. That assumes you're looking to sell it privately on Autotrader, which I think best, to avoid the "dealer profit" reduction.

Some ideas for you to consider and up to you, what level of "hassle" you're prepared to endure, with the sale. Best of luck!

 

[SimonT]

The dash just shows from when it was last reset. It doesn't matter if the car was in storage or at a dealer. Service history is defined by mileage AND time. The car technically has an incomplete service history. You've got a good justification as to why it has a missing service history, and buyers may accept that (though being at a dealers for 7 months will be it's own red flag), but none the less it doesn't meet the Lotus criteria (every 10K or 12 months, whichever comes first). I've had cars that have barely been used over a 12 month period, but I still get them serviced to the manufacturers schedule.
Bodykits are indeed marmite. But many buyers won't buy a car with a bodykit, but nobody is going to refuse a car because it's stock. If you can find the right buyer that's great, but you'll significantly increase the pool of buyers with the bodykit modifications removed. Also dealers don't like buying modified cars. It's just increasing your options, that's all.

7 months having all the known problems sorted, waiting for parts etc.

 

[SimonT]

Perhaps "invest" in a second service now (at least an oil/filter change), if there's some decent mileage put on, since the first one. That will show a better level of care to prospective purchasers and partially address one of the concerns of MiamiBlue.

As for pricing, a typical starting point is what you paid, rather than the current replacement price, IMO. You've got a 2023 MY which has had some warranty work. I'll leave it to others in your area, to comment on a reasonable asking price.

I'd ask the dealer if the body kit, will decrease your chance of a sale. Some dealers may know of potential purchasers in your area, and their tastes. Typically though, you need to find "the right buyer" when it comes to any modifications. One option is to try and sell it with that kit, indicating what it cost you, to see if you get any bites...and consider indicating as well that you'll remove the kit upon request and if that's done, discount the price by "X", which will reinforce its added value as part of your sales pitch. You could then be stuck with a used kit, to try and sell, but may be able to recoup some money that way. That assumes you're looking to sell it privately on Autotrader, which I think best, to avoid the "dealer profit" reduction.

Some ideas for you to consider and up to you, what level of "hassle" you're prepared to endure, with the sale. Best of luck!

350 miles since the first 1,000 mile service done.

 

[Steve24]

The dash just shows from when it was last reset. It doesn't matter if the car was in storage or at a dealer. Service history is defined by mileage AND time. The car technically has an incomplete service history. You've got a good justification as to why it has a missing service history, and buyers may accept that (though being at a dealers for 7 months will be it's own red flag), but none the less it doesn't meet the Lotus criteria (every 10K or 12 months, whichever comes first). I've had cars that have barely been used over a 12 month period, but I still get them serviced to the manufacturers schedule.
Bodykits are indeed marmite. But many buyers won't buy a car with a bodykit, but nobody is going to refuse a car because it's stock. If you can find the right buyer that's great, but you'll significantly increase the pool of buyers with the bodykit modifications removed. Also dealers don't like buying modified cars. It's just increasing your options, that's all.

Agree.
Some of the years I had my old Ferrari I’d barely taken it out of the driveway but every year it got serviced.
Stamps in the book (and condition) were everything when it came time to sell. It sends a message to the buyer. I’m not saying this is right or wrong, just the way it was with those cars.
That said, this is my first Lotus and maybe Lotus buyers are different?

And if you can, return it to stock and sell the body kit separately.
You’ll increase the pool of buyers and get something back for what you paid for it.

 

[SimonT]

Confirmed with Lotus dealer that 2nd service is due December, they have it down that the car was in storage for its 1st 15 months, so records have been amended with no problem.

Price, 1 non Lotus dealer has offered £56k as is, another offered £45k as, I quote, 'manuals and sport suspension just don't sell' . He stated he would also remove the bodykit.

Lotus dealer offered £55k if I removed the bodykit. WBAC offered £52,950 last week, body kit would of course be removed.

 

[MiamiBlue]

Dealers want to turn around a decent profit. Perhaps privately you'll get closer to £60K.
£45K is a joke! and 'manuals and Sport suspension don't sell' sounds like BS to knock the price down. If anything manual is going to be the easiest to sell, certainly on the V6!

 

[SimonT]

Dealers want to turn around a decent profit. Perhaps privately you'll get closer to £60K.
£45K is a joke! and 'manuals and Sport suspension don't sell' sounds like BS to knock the price down. If anything manual is going to be the easiest to sell, certainly on the V6!

Just what I thought. I expected around £56/7k from a dealer as they'll put it up at £63kish make a bit of profit and look to sell the finance to purchase, no problem with that.