At $13,500, Would You Mud Off Your Checkbook For This Grungy 2004 Panoz Esperante GT?

The one info offered for as we speak’s Good Value or No Cube Panoz is that it has 13,000 miles and, in keeping with its vendor, is a “Superdeal!” Let’s resolve collectively whether or not this fallow fellow lives as much as that assertion.

Do you hear that? That is the inexorable sound of time marching on in its practically silent stocking ft. Typically elusive however persistently an agent of change, time is essentially the most impactful and arguably affected person power in nature.

Within the automotive world, time takes its toll on quite a few techniques, kinds, and consumables, which way back led to the maxim of “use it or lose it” changing into a rule of thumb for staving off the ticking clock. With over 200K beneath its belt, lack of use wasn’t a problem with the 2003 BMW 540i M-Sport we thought-about final Friday. These miles and the automotive’s age (tick, tick, tick) affected opinions about what to anticipate for the following proprietor, as the vendor was not forthcoming in regards to the time and age-related repairs and upkeep which may have already been accomplished on the automotive. That conspired to name into query the validity of the vendor’s $10,988 asking value. When it got here time for the votes to be tallied, the Bimmer fell in a 65% ‘No Cube’ loss.

OK, we won’t focus on as we speak’s 2004 Panoz Esperante GT with out first speaking a bit about smoking cessation. Panoz was based by Dan Panoz in 1989 as an automotive specialty builder. One of many firm’s traders was Dan’s father, Don Panoz, who had made his fortune in Prescription drugs, most notably by way of the invention of the time-release transdermal patch, one among whose makes use of is nicotine supply for people who smoke making an attempt to kick the behavior.

Panoz (the corporate) has dabbled in each efficiency street-car constructing and in racing, each automobiles and collection. The corporate continues to be round as we speak, though operations appeared to have hit a snag with the passing of the senior Panoz in 2018 from pancreatic most cancers.

The entire firm’s merchandise are promoted with the daring tagline. “Sounds Like Thunder, Goes Like Lightning.” Notably, the Esperante nonetheless options prominently in Panoz’s portfolio of fashions, regardless of the unique manufacturing run spanning 2000 to 2007. Over that point, solely 234 Esperantes had been constructed, making them exceptionally uncommon as we speak. The Esperante’s successor, the Avezzano road/race automotive, seems nonetheless accessible for these with hefty financial institution accounts and a bent for the off-kilter.

Panoz is predicated in Braselton, Georgia, and in the engineering of the Esperante, the corporate leveraged the abilities of the aeronautics industries that additionally name the realm residence. Just like the previous AIV (Aluminum Intensive Car) Roadster, the Esperante leans closely into alloy. Comprising 5 modules bolted and bonded collectively to kind a single stiff framework, the two-seat convertible additionally options aluminum bodywork that sits atop that structure.

Beneath and amid all which are a number of elements sourced from the SN95 Ford Mustang. These embrace the instrument cluster, which within the Panoz has been moved atop the middle stack, the seats, switchgear, and airbags, and most significantly, the 305-horsepower 4.6-liter Cobra V8 and its associate in crime, a Tremec five-speed handbook gearbox. Disc brakes with ABS present fashionable stopping energy, whereas the totally unbiased suspension and limited-slip diff provide each race-car dealing with and bragging rights at social gatherings.

Sadly, this 13,000-mile Esperante seems to have fallen on arduous occasions. Lined in mud and shot in what seems to be to be a personal assortment (take a look at the Pantera and Jag XJ Coupe!), it involves us with completely no backstory and even assurance that it’ll run. Naturally, that makes it all of the extra fascinating.

Not solely is the automotive lined in a grey layer of dingy mud, but it surely seems to have additionally suffered the ignominy of somebody rubbing by way of the blue paint on the hood, maybe to verify that it’s, the truth is, aluminum beneath. There are two patches the place the paint is gone, so that they clearly felt the necessity to test their work.

The rest of the bodywork seems unmolested, and the highest seems intact, though the plastic rear window has turned the colour of a cup of airport convention heart espresso.

The inside, which, on the plus facet, is riotously purple, suffers from the identical indicators of disuse as the outside. Its solely saving grace is that it seems to be merely soiled relatively than damp and moldy. I would wager an hour with a rag and a bottle of Febreze would do it wonders.

Does the automotive run? What is the title standing? Are there any again charges piled up on the registration? The advert, in typical Fb Market trend, is not of any assist. It solely gives the mileage, the colour, and the peace of mind that the automotive is paid off. Nicely, la-di-dah to that.

With all that unknown now identified, we will must exert some uber effort in deciding this Esperante’s destiny. This is the factor, although: the vendor is asking $13,500 for the automotive. Should you go searching, you will notice that is nearly 1 / 4 of what an honest driver at present goes for. Given the automotive’s distinctive and fascinating historical past and present-day desirability (these are a hoot and a half to drive), its shortcomings could be ignored. Plus, the Ford components are all pretty frequent and never terribly costly, so resurrection possible will not drain the following proprietor’s checking account.

What’s your tackle this thriller Panoz and that $13,500 asking? Does that really feel like a siren’s music to make a questionable choice? Or, all issues thought-about, is it finest to let this sleeping canine lie?

You resolve!

Good Value or No Cube:

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