Delivery Date Moved forward 9 months.

[Nordmas]

Hi All,

Having a small dispute with Lotus today.

I had an email last week saying I had to finalise my order by October 10th, or it would be cancelled.

Most of us I’m sure would be buzzing to hear the news that an Emira could be on your driveway 9 months early. However, I’ve been told since ordering in December 2021 that it would be end of Q1 2024 at the absolute earliest. More likely at the end of Q2 2024.

As a result, I’ve financially prepared for that scenario so the funds aren’t available to free up for this kind of purchase with 4 working days notice.

I’ve reached out to Lotus, who have been less than helpful and are effectively saying, take it or leave it.

I don’t want to drop out, especially after looking forward to it for such a long time and being an existing Lotus owner (S1 Elise for anyone interested) but I don’t know what options I have.

Does anyone have experience of this or similar and any suggestions of what I can do?

No idea how a company can move the goalposts so much at the eleventh hour and get away with it.

Would love to know people’s thoughts.

Cheers All.

 

[dgrace]

I can't think of many goalposts Lotus hasn't moved - it just usually doesn't happen in this direction. Drop out, place a new order, or buy one of the dozens currently in stock. What's the big deal?

 

[DerTheDer]

Typical Lotus. Try and finance till your money becomes liquid and can pay off. The opposite has happened for me. Since the delays I have saved up enough money to pay cash. But I would be upset in your position.

 

[JimH]

Hi All,

Having a small dispute with Lotus today.

I had an email last week saying I had to finalise my order by October 10th, or it would be cancelled.

Most of us I’m sure would be buzzing to hear the news that an Emira could be on your driveway 9 months early. However, I’ve been told since ordering in December 2021 that it would be end of Q1 2024 at the absolute earliest. More likely at the end of Q2 2024.

As a result, I’ve financially prepared for that scenario so the funds aren’t available to free up for this kind of purchase with 4 working days notice.

I’ve reached out to Lotus, who have been less than helpful and are effectively saying, take it or leave it.

I don’t want to drop out, especially after looking forward to it for such a long time and being an existing Lotus owner (S1 Elise for anyone interested) but I don’t know what options I have.

Does anyone have experience of this or similar and any suggestions of what I can do?

No idea how a company can move the goalposts so much at the eleventh hour and get away with it.

Would love to know people’s thoughts.

Cheers All.

The whole UK direct sales process is currently just a massive clusterf*3k. That is all.....

 

[ADC]

Yeah, this pretty much happened to me too - was given a date around April 24, planned finances accordingly (and diverted significant immediately-accessible funds to home improvement), recently got the "good" news my build was brought forward to October, cue lifting all the sofa cushions and getting finance quotes to bridge the situation. I certainly got more than 4 days notice though!

Pretty effing frustrating to be wrong-footed after a 2 year wait, but the alternative of getting back in line for some unknown amount of time and paying another 10 grand on top (for the new order prices) feels like a larger insult to bear. Even the most ardent supporters of Man Maths would be giving me the side eye on this one I reckon.

Dear lord, this better be the greatest car ever, or I'll never hear the end of it... 😅

Edit: if you want specifics, the best figures I came across were through Forza Finance (as recommended by somebody on here in another thread). I can live with financing short term, and I intend to try and settle it as soon as I'm able next year.

 

[ADC]

I can't think of many goalposts Lotus hasn't moved - it just usually doesn't happen in this direction. Drop out, place a new order, or buy one of the dozens currently in stock. What's the big deal?

The main "big deal" in this situation is that you have to eat all the recent price increases if you bump yourself down the queue (by cancelling/reordering).

 

[EyeFour Eemeerah!]

They did the same with me, and as i was already on the fence with pulling the plug (plethora of reasons) this was the straw that broke the camels back. I told them shove it and asked for my deposit back. Yesterday I get an email how they still have “a limited number of i4 slots available. I guess I wasn’t the only that pulled the plug on the whole $hit$how. Took an alternate path instead and so glad I did. Best of luck to you guys though with the cars though. I’m sure Lotus will eventually get it together?? Maybe?

 

[mike 207]

Are the October 23 dates given to both Nordmas & ADC reliable ? Many of us are in the same position with 2021 or 2022 deposits paid, Q2/Q3 2024 delivery dates then out of the blue in Sep 23 told Oct 23 build / Nov 23 delivery. I don't believe there is any chance my car will be available by 30.11.23. Add to this the complication of no demo cars being available potentially before Lotus want you to confirm acceptance the whole process is rubbish. I've made the decision to not even think about withdrawing funds until a) I know the car physically exists and b) I have test driven a demo car . If Lotus do push me for a commitment before either of these then its an easy cancel - which like many of us on here are so close to anyway I think ?

 

[Gridgway]

What does finalise mean in this case? Does it mean go firm on the spec or does it mean it's ready in 30 days so you should pay? That stage is normally (and laughably) referred to as check-out isn't it? If it's just finalise the spec then no additional money or commitment is required. I could be wrong!

 

[PsymonR]

What does finalise mean in this case? Does it mean go firm on the spec or does it mean it's ready in 30 days so you should pay? That stage is normally (and laughably) referred to as check-out isn't it? If it's just finalise the spec then no additional money or commitment is required. I could be wrong!

These are the order stages as described in the e-mail I had when I was asked to lock in my spec. They refer to finalising the order in the checkout stage.

1. Reservation
2. Configure – it's time to confirm your new Emira configuration. Once submitted your specification is locked for production
3. Checkout – when production is complete, we will invite you to finalise your Emira order, select your delivery location and select any finance or insurable products
4. Handover - we will hand over your Emira on a date that works for you

 

[Gridgway]

That's it, so was the OP doing stage 1 or stage 2?

 

[Spindr69]

Hi All,

Having a small dispute with Lotus today.

I had an email last week saying I had to finalise my order by October 10th, or it would be cancelled.

Most of us I’m sure would be buzzing to hear the news that an Emira could be on your driveway 9 months early. However, I’ve been told since ordering in December 2021 that it would be end of Q1 2024 at the absolute earliest. More likely at the end of Q2 2024.

As a result, I’ve financially prepared for that scenario so the funds aren’t available to free up for this kind of purchase with 4 working days notice.

I’ve reached out to Lotus, who have been less than helpful and are effectively saying, take it or leave it.

I don’t want to drop out, especially after looking forward to it for such a long time and being an existing Lotus owner (S1 Elise for anyone interested) but I don’t know what options I have.

Does anyone have experience of this or similar and any suggestions of what I can do?

No idea how a company can move the goalposts so much at the eleventh hour and get away with it.

Would love to know people’s thoughts.

Cheers All.

My order has been submitted to Lotus and will be hitting the line soon according to the dealer. The dealer first told me I would have the car in March 2024, and now I am being told in May. So I went to the UK last month and up to Lotus. After speaking with them the impression I got without any commitment is more like July. They have so much demand so I am not surprised by them telling you take it or leave it

 

[DJS]

If it was me and I didn’t already have an Emira I would definitely be looking to buy a stock new or nearly new car from a lotus dealer, it seems there are some REAL bargains to be had right now when you look at the cost of a brand new made to order car.

From what I’m hearing most uk dealers will be knocking out 20ish cars each in 2024 while Lotus concentrates on other world markets, so i wouldn’t expect the Emira residual to keep falling in fact I can see it going in the other direction.

This won’t be just to do with supply and demand it will also be down to people sussing out what a great car this actually is.