Has the waiting list pretty much evaporated?

[Magicman]

Seems to be a huge amount of people on face book groups that have only recently put deposits down, some as recent as a few weeks ago, and are being asked to lock their spec in for build in the next few months. So there's no real waiting list for a v6 fe now it appears.

 

[VL3X]

Seems to be a huge amount of people on face book groups that have only recently put deposits down, some as recent as a few weeks ago, and are being asked to lock their spec in for build in the next few months. So there's no real waiting list for a v6 fe now it appears.

Note to self: Never pre-order a new Lotus ever again. It's been 21 months since my deposit and I still have at least another 9 to go... 😡

 

[TomE]

I see lots of people being asked that, but they are not being told when their build slot will now be.

Has anyone with a deposit placed in the last 6 months been given a target build month or quarter, either previously or as part of this week’s process? Most UK people were being told 60 weeks from deposit to build when placing deposits at end of last year.

 

[DJS]

One thing is for sure there has been a mass of cancelations and the days for the Emira overs is now officially "OVER"

The car may well hold its value it may not we will just have to wait and see, I'm also hearing that cancelled cars that are built are getting offered to people not even in the queue which is a complete piss take, I guess they just don't want to end up with load more cancelled cars.

So being in the fast lane was always load of bollocks as it has now turned into a lottery.

For Lotus business is business I suppose 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[DerTheDer]

People are still hyped for it, the forums are an extremely small percentage of the buyers.

 

[SteveB]

Does seem the wait between 1st deposit and confirming spec is reducing rapidly. I placed my first depisit Sept 2021 and only asked to lock in my spec earlier this month with a June 2023 build.

However, while there may seem limited options for the FE, in total the number of different combinations is considerable, even just for the V6:

2 suspension choices
2 transmissions
6 paint colours
2 black pack options
2 tyre choices
3 wheel options
4 caliper colour options
7 interior trim options
2 steering wheel options
2 options for homelink
2 options for tracker
2 options for privacy glass

Total no combinations = 129,024

So given the number of drop outs Lotus are probably struggling to find buyers for cars with the specific options that are locked into their current build planner. This would explain why recent first depositors may be fast tracked to the front of the queue if their choices match those of cancelled orders.

 

[DJS]

People are still hyped for it, the forums are an extremely small percentage of the buyers.

100% not knocking the product other than a few glitches it should be bang on.

Let’s hope the car itself delivers and in turn it holds it value 👍🏻

 

[centerpunch]

However, while there may seem limited options for the FE, in total the number of different combinations is considerable, even just for the V6:

Total combinations = 129,024

.
Well, kinda. The majority of the options are simple, bolt-on parts.

BOLT-ON COMPONENTS THAT PROBABLY DON'T AFFECT ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILD
2 suspension choices (THE ONLY CHANGE IS DIFFERENT SPRING/SHOCK ASSEMBLY, RIGHT? POSSIBLY SOME BUSHINGS ALSO.)
2 tyre choices
3 wheel options
4 caliper colour options
2 steering wheel options
2 options for homelink
2 options for tracker

MEANINGLESS OPTION THAT SHOULD BE CANCELLED
2 options for privacy glass

COLOR CHOICES- SHOULDN'T BE HARD IF YOU BUILD IN BATCHES
6 paint colours
2 black pack options (IE, BLACK ROOF OR NOT)

COMPLEX OPTION THAT REQUIRES PERFECT BUILD QUALITY
7 interior trim options

COMPLEX OPTION, THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ONLY OFFERED MANUAL V6 CARS AND DCT I4 CARS
2 transmissions

 

[action_turtle]

Does seem the wait between 1st deposit and confirming spec is reducing rapidly. I placed my first depisit Sept 2021 and only asked to lock in my spec earlier this month with a June 2023 build.

However, while there may seem limited options for the FE, in total the number of different combinations is considerable, even just for the V6:

2 suspension choices
2 transmissions
6 paint colours
2 black pack options
2 tyre choices
3 wheel options
4 caliper colour options
7 interior trim options
2 steering wheel options
2 options for homelink
2 options for tracker
2 options for privacy glass

Total no combinations = 129,024

So given the number of drop outs Lotus are probably struggling to find buyers for cars with the specific options that are locked into their current build planner. This would explain why recent first depositors may be fast tracked to the front of the queue if their choices match those of cancelled orders.

This was what always confused me, I posted here about it too. Seems bizarre to take people's spec, and not lock the money. They build the car, ask for the money and then allow it to be cancelled. Thousands of people could have picked a spec and had a car built, then just cancelled the order for a deposit refund and left Lotus with a car. It's not like it's a Ford Fiesta where millions of people will be in the market for one... plus the market is even smaller now that interest rates and the cost of living have rocketed.

The Autos are even more of a puzzler, as on top of the above, the majority of them have been pushed into the price increase window, meaning they are building the most expensive models (cost to buyers), with no firm buyers, taking up build slots for manuals. Then when trigger time comes and the Auto buyers also cancel over the next few weeks, they will have stacks of those too lol. Also, I don't think they will offer them to existing deposit holders, just new ones so they can still charge the 6k hike with no blowback from the community by random people getting £6k off!! So some guy who puts down a deposit today has a chance of delivery before someone such as myself who has been waiting years... piss take imo, but here we are.

 

[Cwolf]

Note to self: Never pre-order a new Lotus ever again. It's been 21 months since my deposit and I still have at least another 9 to go... 😡

Exact same with me. Put money down July '21, #4 in line in my State and told October at earliest. I have since got in line for a 911T which they say will take a year, but I bet gets here quicker.

 

[action_turtle]

That guy you are referring to is probably me!

If they didn’t mess about so much on the refund front I’d place another order today. My concern is interest rates going up again before I sign

 

[Porter]

I suspect the reason for the mass reorganization of build slots is that their US regulatory delay has shifted the start of production for those cars back significantly, and they are trying to fill the production queue in the time window they had originally allocated for North American builds.

 

[BeHappy]

I was one of the pre reveal dealer deposit holders, oct 2020! Got fed up with delays and be sucked around so cancelled, got my refund pretty much straight away. Having seen a few and driven a few i put another deposit down 4 weeks ago, same spec and auto. I have just bought a brand new Emira which I will get in a week or so, got offered it on Monday, and had the email to lock the config on the auto. Was in the Toyota dealer this morning, they’re doing 2.9% on new cars!!

did you manage to bag a cancelled order ? so your wait time has been 4 weeks ? Whoosh 💨 👏 and at curent price rather than price rise price

 

[BeHappy]

Just to clarify, my order is for an auto and still in place, I have taken a manual directly from a dealer not from Lotus. And at list price.

Well done 👍 manage to bypass any waiting list all together - intriguing as Lotus dealers are pricing any cars they have above RRP and if non Lotus then you would of thought someone must of taken a loss somewhere 🤔
Enjoy your imminent collection ☺️

 

[Silver Storm]

Well I'm still on the wait list, and I don't expect any movement anytime in the near future.

 

[John777]

.
Well, kinda. The majority of the options are simple, bolt-on parts.

BOLT-ON COMPONENTS THAT PROBABLY DON'T AFFECT ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE BUILD
2 suspension choices (THE ONLY CHANGE IS DIFFERENT SPRING/SHOCK ASSEMBLY, RIGHT? POSSIBLY SOME BUSHINGS ALSO.)
2 tyre choices
3 wheel options
4 caliper colour options
2 steering wheel options
2 options for homelink
2 options for tracker

MEANINGLESS OPTION THAT SHOULD BE CANCELLED
2 options for privacy glass

COLOR CHOICES- SHOULDN'T BE HARD IF YOU BUILD IN BATCHES
6 paint colours
2 black pack options (IE, BLACK ROOF OR NOT)

COMPLEX OPTION THAT REQUIRES PERFECT BUILD QUALITY
7 interior trim options

COMPLEX OPTION, THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ONLY OFFERED MANUAL V6 CARS AND DCT I4 CARS
2 transmissions

I was told by a dealer that the stick shift viewing mess underneath, would be an option going forward or might only be available on FE cars.

That should be a standard design element. Hope lotus doesn't start nickel and diming us for that .

 

[VL3X]

That should be a standard design element. Hope lotus doesn't start nickel and diming us for that .

I agree, but we've also seen the block off plates there on some early Euro deliveries. I wouldn't be surprised if it's an option on base spec models.

 

[kitkat]

Note to self: Never pre-order a new Lotus ever again. It's been 21 months since my deposit and I still have at least another 9 to go... 😡

This whole thing makes me angry.

 

[VL3X]

This whole thing makes me angry.

Even angrier when I remember saying this same thing 1 year ago. It never ends.

 

[kitkat]

Even angrier when I remember saying this same thing 1 year ago. It never ends.

It’s more than that, I’m just salty at people waiting a few weeks and going to get their cars before us… just absolutely ridiculous.