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Daewoo Esperos


hammy

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I've long admired the original Daewoo range launched here in 1995. I even managed to convince my dad to test drive an Espero from the 'motorshow' in Bristol in 1996.

Today I took delivery of three of the few surviving Esperos left in the UK. 

The silver N reg is a lovely original car with loads of history. Not mint but hopefully easy to bring it up to scratch, the P reg will be a parts donor as it has structural damage that won't repair.

The green N reg is well known on the 'socials, bring a ULEZ survivor rescued by Jude Currie. It's tatty in places but too good to break up. Realistically it'll only be staying with me briefly as I have other projects that need my time and money. 

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Welcome along. Jude has done some great work at saving old nails from the bailer. Looks like you’re doing your bit too!

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I used to work on these quite often. I’m sure at the time Daewoo had a deal going on with Halfords garages to do the post sales services and repairs. The AA (who I worked for) then bought most of Halfords service centres and traded as AA service centres who inherited the customers… and with it the Daewoo’s! 
These early one’s always seemed pretty robust and trouble free, it was the later models that we had much more trouble with!

Didnt these Espero’s have a modification on the bulkheads? I’m sure they used to crack near the steering and there was a mod to fit some sort of bracket to spread the load and stop them cracking. Pretty sure it was common to certain other GM/Saab cars of the time too.

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My Uncle was part of the R and D team at Daewoo U.K. in Worthing when Daewoo launched in the U.K. I will ask if he has any information or anything that could be of interest 

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I really liked these when they came out; a giffer neighbour had a moderately high-spec example in that nice metallic red, and I thought it looked ace. 

And you've just had three arrive!

More power to your elbow, sir.

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I remember talking about cars after a circuit class years ago - a woman who did the class raved about how quick her car was.

She drove an espero.

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14 minutes ago, egg said:

What's the collective noun for 3 Esperos?

Great work. 

Esperii?

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36 minutes ago, egg said:

What's the collective noun for 3 Esperos?

A shot of Esperos  

 

EDIT: Congratulations @hammy. This kind of behaviour is exactly why I visit his forum.

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Glad someone is saving these, in Norway they are extinct the last one I saw was around 15 years ago.

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Good Ole' Jude Currie, he's done some fantastic work in the past and looks like he's done it again! Look forward to seeing what will become of these lovely motors! 

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3 hours ago, egg said:

What's the collective noun for 3 Esperos?

Great work. 

Mis Esposas? 😅

["My wives" in Spanish for those who don't know :)]

 

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  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, sierraman said:

Banger racers will be all over that! 

Hopefully not, but I don't have the time or money to save it. I'm focussing on the tidy silver N reg. 

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From a long time ago... pretty sure this one is extinct now.

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The green car is running, new battery fitted and it's starting and running up.  It can't stay in my collection so it's currently on eBay. 

The N reg I'm planning to keep, not so happy. It's turning over but not firing. Futher diagnosis required but I think it might be a fuel pump issue. 

Had an afternoon breaking up the accident damaged silver P reg. Still a lot to go on it as I lost a lot of time trying to get the crumpled bonnet open. 

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I bought my son a Daewoo Nexia, which was basically a dressed-up Astra. It was very well equipped for a '96 car, electric windows all round, central locking, air-con, alloy wheels, central locking. It had the 1.4 twin cam engine so went well. All in all, a proper little bargain.

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On 04/04/2024 at 17:56, danthecapriman said:

The AA (who I worked for) then bought most of Halfords service centres and traded as AA service centres who inherited the customers… and with it the Daewoo’s! 

Funny enough, I worked for Halfords in the service centre reception (having migrated from the parts department), when the AA took over and rebranded us. @Datsuncog is also ex-Halfords

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I can remember lots of "That would will be the Daewoo" TV ads & print ads explaining how everything was included in the list price.

I've heard the ABS sensors can give trouble & led to many being written off.

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I remember reading the trade didn’t like them as a part chop. I think it was the Lada situation again, you had to go back and chop it against another to get anything like a proper price for it. 

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11 hours ago, Richard_FM said:

I can remember lots of "That would will be the Daewoo" TV ads & print ads explaining how everything was included in the list price.

I've heard the ABS sensors can give trouble & led to many being written off.

ABS pumps are the issue, very expensive to fix. 

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