A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Dear Lotus, I love my Artic Silver Elise which I bought from you (full sticker) in June of 2005, and I love my 06 Aspen White Exige which I also purchased from you (full sticker) this year. By the way, I still have both, and enjoy them very much. You might even say that I love the cars so much I am a Lotus fanatic. It is always Lotus this and Lotus that with me. I bore my family and friends with Lotus talk and Lotus news. I am on Elisetalk at least two times a day, and when I went to Europe this summer I brought a laptop with me just so I could keep up with all the Lotus news on Elisetalk. I also really enjoyed the factory tour you gave me, and it only reinforced my love for you and your cars.
In fact, I ordered my exige very early, just after you announced that you were going to send them to us. Even though you screwed up the order and built my Exige as an Elise! Of course no one caught the mistake until it arrived here, and you were so gracious to offer to build me another one. And I, being in love with my Elise, agreed, since you said you would rush it out, build it in the next few days and send it right over. GREAT! Who could turn down an offer like that. I still kept up the love when the car was delayed, and even though everyone who wanted an Exige already had their cars, I smiled and said I knew mine was due any minute. I even got over that there were so many Exiges around by then that the dealers had several and were discounting them.
However, when I would inquire about my car and you had no idea where it was, then you found it and said it was at the port (for 4 weeks?), I began to wonder if the love affair was a little one sided. Could you just get it to me before the last Exige is delivered? I really don't want to wait until the very end. I guess you figured absence makes the heart grow fonder! Well, I waited and waited while you got your paper work in order, found the car, and prepped it for another week or so. I feared my dealer did not want to answer their phones, because every day I would call asking if my car was here, or had they heard anything, and they never had news.
Well, just before I fell out of love, feeling like a rejected lover, you found the car, and got it to me. Just in time, too. Well, all was forgotten, and the love blossomed again. Lotus this, Lotus that, I was like a teenager in love all over again, and now I had two cars to love!!! Could life get any better? I certainly thought no.
But then you did it again, with the rumors of the Exige S. Now there is a car that I MUST HAVE!!! If only Lotus would bring it over and share with us. I know you said no, but when you are so smitten as I was, you don't take no for an answer. No sir, not me. My favorite car company won't let me down, they will find a way to get it here. After all, we have a relationship! I already have the two best cars made in the world, why should I not have the three best. Lotus will do it. I call my dealer (Lotus of Portland) and tell them "put me on the list, I want the first one!" to which they said, what list? Lotus is not going to import them. I insisted they start a list and put me on it. They agreed.
Four months later, Lotus sends me the love, and announces the S is coming! Could it be true? I am so excited, again it is ""Lotus this, Lotus that", till my family can't take any more. I live and breathe Exige S. Finally, I have the first order, and it is placed even before the car is announced officially. How excited I was knowing I would have one of the very first to arrive. My experience with my first Exige now long forgotten, it was only excitement for the Exige S.
Well, Lotus, it seems you like to test our relationship, because you have not delivered my car yet. Remember the first order placed, long before you announced the car, by that Lotus nut who already owns two them? The guy that does nothing but talk about your cars and how great they are? The one that bores his family and friends with Lotus talk constantly? He is still waiting for his car. It was nice of you to send unordered cars to all the other dealers, I know they appreciate it, and one is even selling one on ebay right now for sticker or best offer. Did you forget the Lotus guy who ordered many months ago? I did not forget you. Was I wrong to have such devotion to you and your cars? I fear that by the time you find my car, dealers will be discounting, and everyone who wants one will already have one.
When I called the factory 6 weeks ago to find out if I could tour the factory the day my cars is assembled, you told me it was already built and in a container at the port leaving the next day. So, where is it??? The trip does not take that long, and all the unorderd cars are arriving.
Lotus, I am not feeling the love. In fact, I think you really don't like me, and our relationship in one sided. You keep dissapointing me. Are you trying to tell me you don't love me back? Because that is the way I am feeling. Like a rejected lover. You even insult me by delivering more cars to more dealers, and not a word on mine. I think I need to wake up and take the hint. You really don't care for my love, or the money I have already spent with you. In fact, you seem to not want to even do business with me anymore. I am rejected and insulted. Go ahead and take care of all those new buyers, forget about me. I guess I should find a new hobby, or a new car company that really appreciates me, as I am so not feeling the love from you.
Well, as rejected lovers can get bitter, I guess I am feeling a little bitter and neglected! In fact, in the last week I have questioned my sanity about owning three of your cars. No one wants a one sided love affair. I feel it may be time for me to move on, and clean out the Lotus'. Cut my loss. End the affair. Find something new to occupy my time. I was spending way too much time on you anyway. My family will be happy, I won't bore them with Lotus facts anymore, and think of all the money I'll save by not buying the car! Or all the stuff to go with it. You don't love me anyway. When you do find it, put my car on someone's lot somewhere, and let it sit until you find a new person to sucker into a new one sided love affair. Your friend, Pete
PS. Sorry to bore everyone. Breaking up is hard to do.
A:
Don't ever lose the Lotus love.
A:
Well said!
For a car company that is catering to car enthusiasts the lack of information from the factory is pretty strange.
Maybe they should just ship the cars by FEDEX or UPS. That way there would be tracking number and we could look everything up online!
A:
Didn't I read somewhere on Elisetalk that a dealer was saying if you're interested in an Exige S and bought and Exige, let him know and he'd try to help out?
A:
I'm sorry for your neglect. I ordered a car once. Never again. They figure they got your sale in the bag. They move on to the next prospective buyer. I got a call yesterday from a dealer telling me they had two....maybe you should just get one of the ones out there already. Since I vowed never to order again, I don't know the details of ordering from Lotus. Do they take a deposit (refundable) or do you have to have all financing in place before hand?
A:
sounds like you need a better dealer!
But don't lose the love because of this!
A:
Originally Posted by Aedo
sounds like you need a better dealer!
But don't lose the love because of this!
The dealer is really great. Lotus won't tell them anything, or produce the car.
A:
The way I see it, if I ordered a car at full sticker and it was continually delayed until such time as the rest were long since getting discounts, a serious restructuring of the price is in order or void the sale. If they can't get the job right either go somewhere else (different dealer) or to something else (say, a nicely equipped Ariel Atom is in the same price range). I love my car dearly, but I wouldn't put up with it. This reads more like something Ford or Chevy would do.
A:
Six weeks is about the time for the car to be transported from Hethel to the west coast. It should be here or very close to here.
As I am sure Pete knows, there is a long history of the lack of communication from the factory to the end buyer. There are certain people who know... and many people who don't know. There have been changes at Lotus Cars USA, including some very recent ones, so I frankly expect the lines of communication to be a little more strangled for now.
A:
Im waiting for mine as well. It's not the dealer. 65K buys a lot of love at the corvette dealership.
A:
I love Lotus but, I think one of the things that needs to change is their delivery process from port to dealer because that's where the hold up is at. Being with BMW for a long time, I can tell you that if a car is at port, 9 times out of 10, it will show up at the dealership within 3 days...not the case with Lotus. Don't worry Brian, like I said earlier, I'll do something special for you.
A:
it will be interesting to see how many 'S' show up built wrong. it seemed like 20% of the NA exige were incorrect on delivery.
A:
I feel very bad for you. Rest assured Todd in Portland is doing the best he can. From what I understand the whole update process is different than when I ordered my car earlier in the year. I must admit, I would feel more than neglected and would write the same letter to Lotus USA...Hethel...God. Remember the movie "Miracle on 34th Street?" Great quote when Natilie Wood finally decides not to believe in Santa...her mother says, "You have to have faith! Faith is believing in something when common sence tells you not too!" This would apply here. Keep the faith brother!
A:
Pete -
This is terrible behavior and you certainly shouldn't be treated this way.
Have you called Atlanta? Your dealer needs to pressure them. The dealer may be very nice to you, but are they exerting all the pressure they can? Passivity won't help.
I would try calling the damn factory at this point, or fax them.
Someone in the chain will see what is going on with you and will take action.
A:
Pete,
I think you need a hug.
I enjoyed reading your entreaty though. It read like something I would write.
Good Luck. It will be worth the wait. Again...
z
A:
Keep the love. Keep the faith. Good things come to those who wait. Lotus has never been known for free flowing information. Part of the perks of ownership. Though admittedly back in the Arnie days, things were run more smoothly. Let's hope the new leader in arms turns it around. Come on, just think...EEEXXXXIIIIIIGGGEEE SSSSSSSSSS.
See, you feel better.
A:
Screw em. Get a GT3 RS.
A:
Originally Posted by Allan Gibbs
Didn't I read somewhere on Elisetalk that a dealer was saying if you're interested in an Exige S and bought and Exige, let him know and he'd try to help out?
Yeah, the 'help' is give me 20K and your Exige and I'll give you an Exige S.
That's the kind of help I can do without...
I'm stupid enough to do a 10K upgrade, but at 20K I'll wait until a nicely used Phantom Black Exige S ends up here.
By the end of the 2007 model year there will be plenty of Exige S's sitting at dealerships and more than a few lightly used S's for sale. Chances are the prices will be plummeting as the newly announced Exige S+ will be coming for 2008, destroying the resale value of the Exige S.
A:
The Exige S is an awesome testament to Lotus and their engineering capabilities. The car exceeds everyones expectations who drives it. It is truly a fantastic product.
Regarding ordering, you must realize that the cars which are arriving in the first batch are assigned/ spec cars, not customer orders. Lotus sprung the availability on dealers with a much shorter lead time versus the Elise or the NA Exige. There was no option to order the initial cars for specific individuals. This position was a bold move as by the time the car was announced to the North American press, the first batch of cars were already built and on their way. This eliminated much of the gouging and "re marketing" which occurred with the Elise in 2004. The down side is that ordered cars are taking longer to reach their intended homes. Expect to see the first batch by early to mid December.
The procedure was done to stabilize the market and it has worked exceedingly well.
A:
Originally Posted by wallabyguy
Regarding ordering, you must realize that the cars which are arriving in the first batch are assigned/ spec cars, not customer orders. Lotus sprung the availability on dealers with a much shorter lead time versus the Elise or the NA Exige. There was no option to order the initial cars for specific individuals. This position was a bold move as by the time the car was announced to the North American press, the first batch of cars were already built and on their way. This eliminated much of the gouging and "re marketing" which occurred with the Elise in 2004. The down side is that ordered cars are taking longer to reach their intended homes. Expect to see the first batch by early to mid December.
Sorry, but this does not apply in my case. When the launch cars were announced to the dealers, my dealer already had my order and my car is the one that should be with the launch cars. Other dealers did not have an order ready and ordered one for stock with their launch cars. All this happened before the car was announced.