I'm out - the cancellations thread

[VL3X]

It reminds me a bit of my old Integra Type R......on paper it was slow as sh*t and many of my friends just didn't understand it, but take it to the right place for a drive and it was driver's heaven for me.

I remember when I had my Integra Type R with all the fancy suspension mods (coilovers, traction bars, etc.) and used to say things like... "It's not about big power. It's all about handling." Then one day a buddy said "it's not hard to handle well when you're going slow." It was soon after that I sold it and upgraded to my first STI.

 

[Pops68]

I remember when I had my Integra Type R with all the fancy suspension mods (coilovers, traction bars, etc.) and used to say things like... "It's not about big power. It's all about handling." Then one day a buddy said "it's not hard to handle well when you're going slow." It was soon after that I sold it and upgraded to my first STI.

Yep my lowly 100hp Datsun 510 was one of the most fun cars I have ever owned. Took all afternoon to see 100mph but did perfect 4wheel drifts..

 

[Dommo]

I remember when I had my Integra Type R with all the fancy suspension mods (coilovers, traction bars, etc.) and used to say things like... "It's not about big power. It's all about handling." Then one day a buddy said "it's not hard to handle well when you're going slow." It was soon after that I sold it and upgraded to my first STI.

Yep, I also had an Impreza RB5 tuned to 330bhp, and that was a quick car at the time. And look where we are now....400bhp is considered slow

 

[VL3X]

Yep, I also had an Impreza RB5 tuned to 330bhp, and that was a quick car at the time. And look where we are now....400bhp is considered slow

Isn't that crazy? My protuned stage 2+ STI put down 335WHP and felt really fast... way more power than I needed on the street. And my 300ZX with basic bolt-ons (stock turbos) and put down something like ~380WHP. So assuming ~20% drivetrain loss, that's ~475 crank, right? That car was insane at 20PSI and wayyyy more power than I ever needed on the street or track.

It's the power delivery of the supercharged 2GR that isn't exciting. Especially when you're used to low end turbo torque.

 

[Mctaff]

I drive like I'm on a track most of the time anyway , so the power delivery from the Emira should suit me well!

I think (and hope, I'm right to think) that the point many people may be missing with the Emira is, that it doesn't have to feel eye popping'ly fast to be enjoyable once it's on the right roads because the rest of the package will form the basis for a proper driver's car. And a proper driver's car that can be daily driven too. It reminds me a bit of my old Integra Type R......on paper it was slow as sh*t and many of my friends just didn't understand it, but take it to the right place for a drive and it was driver's heaven for me.

I guess we'll only know once we have our own to drive properly...

Yeah when I was ripping it over those speed bumps on the Bristol test drive I was blown away by the low speed feedback

 

[Dommo]

Yeah when I was ripping it over those speed bumps on the Bristol test drive I was blown away by the low speed feedback

The Bristol test route was horrendous to be fair!

 

[Lotus64]

It's the power delivery of the supercharged 2GR that isn't exciting. Especially when you're used to low end turbo torque.

They can both be exciting but have to be driven differently to extract full excitement potential. High revving motors have fun when revved out to peak hp at redline, whereas torquey engines have fun in the midrange after peak torque is available.

Keeping a turbo at redline or a peaky engine in the midrange would diminish each experience.

 

[lion shf]

This is a main reason why the industry is moving away from peaky engines that have long been favored by BMW, Honda, Porsche, Ferrari... The low end power delivery of torquey turbos / EVs is preferred by the mainstream. It's more accessible in everyday driving situations as opposed to having to wind the car out to get to the power, which is more suitable to the track yet feels less urgent and more laborious in every day driving.

Yep my lowly 100hp Datsun 510 was one of the most fun cars I have ever owned. Took all afternoon to see 100mph but did perfect 4wheel drifts..

Imagine how fun at the ranch…

 

[Kingslim]

I like to give props to people when they do right and here's to Nikki at EurocarOC who, after talking me off the fence once promptly credited my deposit back to my card on my final decision to cancel. I'm bummed but I'm thinking this is the best for 2 reasons: first I get to retire $3k in credit debt and second if I decide I still want an Emira later on it might be "debugged" and have the power upgrades everyone is talking about...

Can we persuade Nikki to provide some much needed customer care training to Lotus?

 

[Boombang]

Email update just in.

For reference I cancelled 12/12/22. On my first email I mentioned the payment method may not be available (as have moved bank / card provider) but I worked out what card it was finally (forgot deposit was £2k back then so was looking for wrong value!) and confirmed to them via phone then email (16/12/22) that account was still open.

"Thank you for your email and feedback.
I have now actioned this for you and requested a refund to be processed by our finance team.
Please allow up to 14 business day for the funds to reach your original payment source."

Think that takes me up to Friday 13th Jan - if beyond that I'll speak to my credit card company.

I still am not sure I did the right thing in cancelling, it was virtually all on the seats with a further concern at expecting issues and dealers beign over an hour away. I'm wondering if, given enough time, I might have foudn comfort in the car - no more opportunity to do that however so it's done and I'm out.

 

[digilotus]

Email update just in.

For reference I cancelled 12/12/22. On my first email I mentioned the payment method may not be available (as have moved bank / card provider) but I worked out what card it was finally (forgot deposit was £2k back then so was looking for wrong value!) and confirmed to them via phone then email (16/12/22) that account was still open.

"Thank you for your email and feedback.
I have now actioned this for you and requested a refund to be processed by our finance team.
Please allow up to 14 business day for the funds to reach your original payment source."

Think that takes me up to Friday 13th Jan - if beyond that I'll speak to my credit card company.

I still am not sure I did the right thing in cancelling, it was virtually all on the seats with a further concern at expecting issues and dealers beign over an hour away. I'm wondering if, given enough time, I might have foudn comfort in the car - no more opportunity to do that however so it's done and I'm out.

If you’re on the fence and potentially having regrets then call customer care and cancel the cancellation. When was your estimated delivery date?

 

[Boombang]

If you’re on the fence and potentially having regrets then call customer care and cancel the cancellation. When was your estimated delivery date?

A fence might be more comfortable than the seats! Jokes aside I left the test drive so disappointed and I think a couple of weeks has mellowed the negative feelings, I'm pretty sure going in the car again would bring them right back.

I was a fairly early with deposit (pre-Goodwood 21) but always for an I4 car, so my delivery was last stated at September 23.

 

[digilotus]

A fence might be more comfortable than the seats! Jokes aside I left the test drive so disappointed and I think a couple of weeks has mellowed the negative feelings, I'm pretty sure going in the car again would bring them right back.

I was a fairly early with deposit (pre-Goodwood 21) but always for an I4 car, so my delivery was last stated at September 23.

Plenty of time to cancel down the track then!

 

[Boombang]

Plenty of time to cancel down the track then!

Nah it's done until Lotus start doing proper drives, ideally 24 hours or a weekend.

 

[Mctaff]

I wish! I’m still teetering, but a longer test drive is really what I need given the other one was beyond a joke…

 

[lion shf]

Nah it's done until Lotus start doing proper drives, ideally 24 hours or a weekend.

Lol in what world?

 

[Boombang]

Lol in what world?

Porsche, BMW, Merc, Audi all can - maybe relucantly but if that's what it takes to sell a car it will happen with the right dealers.
Some might limit that to a few hours or put restrictions around it, but I've never experienced anything quite like the Emira test drive. As an example BMW gave me the keys to a car and asked me to be back by 4pm the next day. Porsche were less flexible and instead gave me the keys and I followed the salesman on a lovely cross country test route (he was in a Taycan S and not holding back) - they then invited my back to try the other model I was considering either for an afternoon or to do the same depending what I wanted.

To drive the Emira I turned up to the Hyundai dealer, went into the small Lotus side building and waited for 10 minutes for someone to appear. Did paperwork, they drove the car for the first few minutes and we swapped. The route was crap, 30-40 mph limits through towns and villages with a few miles of slabby concrete national speed limit A road near the end. Salesman (if they are called that now) was perfectly nice but he didn't have much info and it felt simply like he was there as a chaperone.

I'm not one for coffee with the Audi logo in chocolate dusting on the top, but a warm showroom where you get offered a drink is nice, and the opportunity to really drive the car is essential.

 

[Tonyshepp]

If you’re on the fence and potentially having regrets then call customer care and cancel the cancellation. When was your estimated delivery date?

Yeah just delay delivery, kick it down the road until things settle and Lotus matures in its customer servicing

 

[Cachaco131]

Porsche, BMW, Merc, Audi all can - maybe relucantly but if that's what it takes to sell a car it will happen with the right dealers.
Some might limit that to a few hours or put restrictions around it, but I've never experienced anything quite like the Emira test drive. As an example BMW gave me the keys to a car and asked me to be back by 4pm the next day. Porsche were less flexible and instead gave me the keys and I followed the salesman on a lovely cross country test route (he was in a Taycan S and not holding back) - they then invited my back to try the other model I was considering either for an afternoon or to do the same depending what I wanted.

To drive the Emira I turned up to the Hyundai dealer, went into the small Lotus side building and waited for 10 minutes for someone to appear. Did paperwork, they drove the car for the first few minutes and we swapped. The route was crap, 30-40 mph limits through towns and villages with a few miles of slabby concrete national speed limit A road near the end. Salesman (if they are called that now) was perfectly nice but he didn't have much info and it felt simply like he was there as a chaperone.

I'm not one for coffee with the Audi logo in chocolate dusting on the top, but a warm showroom where you get offered a drink is nice, and the opportunity to really drive the car is essential.

You should see test drives in the US. Unless it's a used car, generally limited to 10min of mostly highway driving. Regardless of Porsche, BMW, etc.

 

[TomE]

Porsche, BMW, Merc, Audi all can - maybe relucantly but if that's what it takes to sell a car it will happen with the right dealers.
Some might limit that to a few hours or put restrictions around it, but I've never experienced anything quite like the Emira test drive. As an example BMW gave me the keys to a car and asked me to be back by 4pm the next day. Porsche were less flexible and instead gave me the keys and I followed the salesman on a lovely cross country test route (he was in a Taycan S and not holding back) - they then invited my back to try the other model I was considering either for an afternoon or to do the same depending what I wanted.

To drive the Emira I turned up to the Hyundai dealer, went into the small Lotus side building and waited for 10 minutes for someone to appear. Did paperwork, they drove the car for the first few minutes and we swapped. The route was crap, 30-40 mph limits through towns and villages with a few miles of slabby concrete national speed limit A road near the end. Salesman (if they are called that now) was perfectly nice but he didn't have much info and it felt simply like he was there as a chaperone.

I'm not one for coffee with the Audi logo in chocolate dusting on the top, but a warm showroom where you get offered a drink is nice, and the opportunity to really drive the car is essential.

This is exactly why several UK dealers want to buy some of these early Emiras off customers so they can run demo cars on their own terms, without them having Hethel trackers fitted.

I know at least two who are trying to do this, also because Lotus can't supply them with a second demo car and they have 100s of non-deposit people waiting for test drives (= possible new sales).