Hi from Yorkshire

[PJS]

Hi, long time lurker on here - what a great source of info you've all been . Got a DV arriving soon (Did Checkout on Friday 20th Jan ).
Spec is Touring, Red Callipers, Alcantara with yellow stitching, Full Black Pack, Alcantara wheel. Had test drive at JCT600 in December and a factory tour last May. Simply can't wait. First Lotus, wanted one since I was a youngster.

 

[Toomanyloti]

See for below for a v friendly local bunch..
https://www.nyloc.org/

Mines the orange Exige front and centre (ish)
If my car ever turns up might see you there...

 

[TomE]

Congratulations and welcome to official membership. Look forward to hearing your ownership impressions.

Worth signing up for this event to join probably the largest UK Lotus gathering (depending on what Lotus organise for the 75th Anniversary) - great roads, great scenery, friendly owners, lots of Lotus cars:

Lotus in the Peak

Lotus in the Peak. 1,304 likes · 68 talking about this. Welcome to Lotus in the Peak Facebook page. LitP is an event for owners of all Lotus motor cars

www.facebook.com

 

[PJS]

See for below for a v friendly local bunch..
https://www.nyloc.org/

Mines the orange Exige front and centre (ish)
If my car ever turns up might see you there...

Nice one , will give one of the Motorist visits a try once I've got the car

 

[PJS]

Congratulations and welcome to official membership. Look forward to hearing your ownership impressions.

Worth signing up for this event to join probably the largest UK Lotus gathering (depending on what Lotus organise for the 75th Anniversary) - great roads, great scenery, friendly owners, lots of Lotus cars:

Lotus in the Peak

Lotus in the Peak. 1,304 likes · 68 talking about this. Welcome to Lotus in the Peak Facebook page. LitP is an event for owners of all Lotus motor cars

www.facebook.com

Thanks Tom

 

[Snakes]

I may as well piggyback this post to add my name to the "have just paid my deposit" group (and as I live in North Yorkshire).

Right from the first reveal I have fancied one and whilst I wish I had paid a deposit at the start I had to wait for the "stars to align" (i.e. to pick the moment when I could be pretty sure that the missus would agree!) before us going to see the demonstrator in the flesh (at JCT600 in Bradford).

We were both very impressed and we paid our deposit on the 19th of January so now, no doubt, have a long wait before taking delivery. The only saving grace may be that the initial niggles that owners are posting about on these forums will have been resolved by then.

We currently have a fleet (!) of Nissan Qashqai (workhorse and my wife's car), BMW 435d X Drive Cabriolet (great for trips in the sunshine and my daily driver) plus TVR T350C (fun car for special events). The latter two will have to be sold to partly fund the Lotus and hopefully, it will be an everyday car as it's purported to be.

Slightly concerned by the reports that communications between Lotus and owners and prospective owners aren't good. Does anyone on here know if anyone within Lotus reads the forum posts? If there isn't would it be worth someone who has been involved in setting up this site approaching them?

 

[supersix]

Welcome to the forum @PJS - Glad to see you join the group!

 

[TomE]

I may as well piggyback this post to add my name to the "have just paid my deposit" group (and as I live in North Yorkshire).

Right from the first reveal I have fancied one and whilst I wish I had paid a deposit at the start I had to wait for the "stars to align" (i.e. to pick the moment when I could be pretty sure that the missus would agree!) before us going to see the demonstrator in the flesh (at JCT600 in Bradford).

We were both very impressed and we paid our deposit on the 19th of January so now, no doubt, have a long wait before taking delivery. The only saving grace may be that the initial niggles that owners are posting about on these forums will have been resolved by then.

We currently have a fleet (!) of Nissan Qashqai (workhorse and my wife's car), BMW 435d X Drive Cabriolet (great for trips in the sunshine and my daily driver) plus TVR T350C (fun car for special events). The latter two will have to be sold to partly fund the Lotus and hopefully, it will be an everyday car as it's purported to be.

Slightly concerned by the reports that communications between Lotus and owners and prospective owners aren't good. Does anyone on here know if anyone within Lotus reads the forum posts? If there isn't would it be worth someone who has been involved in setting up this site approaching them?

Welcome and congratulations on the deposit.

Some of us have been discussing with Lotus for over a year above improving comms and customer service. This included Ade (Evotion) and I visiting the factory last Jan to meet with Lotus MD Matt Windle and Head of Sales Geoff Dowding. Sadly there has been very little improvement since then. Lotus have chosen their strategy for customer care/comms and appear to have little interest in feedback from customers.

I think they view forum members as a small but vocal internet minority, so they have decided to ignore most of what goes on here. Traditionally they have not had any formal arrangements with most forums (a few are Official Community Partners) and staff are discouraged from participating in forums in an official capacity.

But I do know many Lotus staff read the forum, including senior managers, the PR and social media teams and Customer Care (hi folks!). I get some comms behind the scenes about specific topics, which I feed in where I can.

 

[Snakes]

Welcome and congratulations on the deposit.

Some of us have been discussing with Lotus for over a year above improving comms and customer service. This included Ade (Evotion) and I visiting the factory last Jan to meet with Lotus MD Matt Windle and Head of Sales Geoff Dowding. Sadly there has been very little improvement since then. Lotus have chosen their strategy for customer care/comms and appear to have little interest in feedback from customers.

I think they view forum members as a small but vocal internet minority, so they have decided to ignore most of what goes on here. Traditionally they have not had any formal arrangements with most forums (a few are Official Community Partners) and staff are discouraged from participating in forums in an official capacity.

But I do know many Lotus staff read the forum, including senior managers, the PR and social media teams and Customer Care (hi folks!). I get some comms behind the scenes about specific topics, which I feed in where I can.

Thank you for the welcome and for the explanation about the current position regarding communication channels with Lotus.

In respect of the latter, that seems a real shame and a missed opportunity for Lotus to allay fears and win the hearts and minds of owners and prospective owners.

For what it's worth, I feel that is a door you should keep pushing on in the hope that some progress can be made.

On another topic, coming from the world of TVR where there was a nationwide/worldwide club with a monthly magazine and regional clubs with their own Regional Organisers, does such a thing exist for Lotus owners?

 

[PJS]

I may as well piggyback this post to add my name to the "have just paid my deposit" group (and as I live in North Yorkshire).

Right from the first reveal I have fancied one and whilst I wish I had paid a deposit at the start I had to wait for the "stars to align" (i.e. to pick the moment when I could be pretty sure that the missus would agree!) before us going to see the demonstrator in the flesh (at JCT600 in Bradford).

We were both very impressed and we paid our deposit on the 19th of January so now, no doubt, have a long wait before taking delivery. The only saving grace may be that the initial niggles that owners are posting about on these forums will have been resolved by then.

We currently have a fleet (!) of Nissan Qashqai (workhorse and my wife's car), BMW 435d X Drive Cabriolet (great for trips in the sunshine and my daily driver) plus TVR T350C (fun car for special events). The latter two will have to be sold to partly fund the Lotus and hopefully, it will be an everyday car as it's purported to be.

Slightly concerned by the reports that communications between Lotus and owners and prospective owners aren't good. Does anyone on here know if anyone within Lotus reads the forum posts? If there isn't would it be worth someone who has been involved in setting up this site approaching them?

Hi Snakes, i very much need the Emira to be fit for a daily driver too and i'm coming from a succession of bmws over the last 20 years. Having had a 335d I know you've already got a great daily. Comms for me have been fine if you use a combo of email and phone calls with cs.

 

[Snakes]

Hi Snakes, i very much need the Emira to be fit for a daily driver and i'm coming from a succession of bmws over the last 20 years. Having had a 335d I know you've already got a great daily. Comms for me have been fine if you use a combo of email and phone calls with cs.

Good to know and thanks.

 

[Forlorn]

Thank you for the welcome and for the explanation about the current position regarding communication channels with Lotus.

In respect of the latter, that seems a real shame and a missed opportunity for Lotus to allay fears and win the hearts and minds of owners and prospective owners.

For what it's worth, I feel that is a door you should keep pushing on in the hope that some progress can be made.

On another topic, coming from the world of TVR where there was a nationwide/worldwide club with a monthly magazine and regional clubs with their own Regional Organisers, does such a thing exist for Lotus owners?

You need to join Club Lotus quarterly magazine and regional meets.

 

[TomE]

Thank you for the welcome and for the explanation about the current position regarding communication channels with Lotus.

In respect of the latter, that seems a real shame and a missed opportunity for Lotus to allay fears and win the hearts and minds of owners and prospective owners.

For what it's worth, I feel that is a door you should keep pushing on in the hope that some progress can be made.

On another topic, coming from the world of TVR where there was a nationwide/worldwide club with a monthly magazine and regional clubs with their own Regional Organisers, does such a thing exist for Lotus owners?

Sadly we have been trying to get engagement with Lotus for many months but with very limited success. Ade did get a second invitation to the factory and an opportunity to video his test drive of a production car and all the different First Edition colours.

There are several Lotus clubs, the main UK-wide ones with a published magazine and regional groups are Club Lotus and Lotus Drivers Club. There are also several regional forums/owners clubs that organise events (eg NYLOC for North Yorkshire, MLOC for Midlands, SELOC for South East) and The Lotus Forums for (mainly) UK, Europe, US and Australia.

 

[fatjase]

Hi, long time lurker on here - what a great source of info you've all been . Got a DV arriving soon (Did Checkout on Friday 20th Jan ).
Spec is Touring, Red Callipers, Alcantara with yellow stitching, Full Black Pack, Alcantara wheel. Had test drive at JCT600 in December and a factory tour last May. Simply can't wait. First Lotus, wanted one since I was a youngster.

Welcome to the forum, I'm up in Yarm but get out and about quite a bit in the Dales and Moors driving so you might see us out and about in our Emira in June if all goes to plan

 

[Snakes]

Welcome to the forum, I'm up in Yarm but get out and about quite a bit in the Dales and Moors driving so you might see us out and about in our Emira in June if all goes to plan

Yarm! Just round the corner from us in Ingleby Barwick!

Let me know when it arrives so we can take a gander!

 

[EspritGuy]

Welcome and congratulations on the deposit.

Some of us have been discussing with Lotus for over a year above improving comms and customer service. This included Ade (Evotion) and I visiting the factory last Jan to meet with Lotus MD Matt Windle and Head of Sales Geoff Dowding. Sadly there has been very little improvement since then. Lotus have chosen their strategy for customer care/comms and appear to have little interest in feedback from customers.

I think they view forum members as a small but vocal internet minority, so they have decided to ignore most of what goes on here. Traditionally they have not had any formal arrangements with most forums (a few are Official Community Partners) and staff are discouraged from participating in forums in an official capacity.

But I do know many Lotus staff read the forum, including senior managers, the PR and social media teams and Customer Care (hi folks!). I get some comms behind the scenes about specific topics, which I feed in where I can.

Interesting background. Did they happen to remember your Anniversary? Get something nice?
We might be small and vocal but we have reach. Guests visiting the Forum usually outnumber registered members.
So the theme might be Brand Influence.

 

[TomE]

Interesting background. Did they happen to remember your Anniversary? Get something nice?
We might be small and vocal but we have reach. Guests visiting the Forum usually outnumber registered members.
So the theme might be Brand Influence.

There are a lot of “emperor’s new clothes” situations at Hethel.

The new direct sales model cannot be criticised. It’s the future don’t you know?

It’s convenient for some of the internal narratives for people to claim some things on forums as only being a small vocal minority. Meanwhile, customer feedback in surveys is apparently positive - has anyone on here filled one out? Never mind that customer feedback via dealers and Lorus staff is ignored.

And they can always fall back on the argument of “things can’t be bad, just look how big our order book is”.

 

[fatjase]

Yarm! Just round the corner from us in Ingleby Barwick!

Let me know when it arrives so we can take a gander!

Brilliant, when it arrives will be more than happy to let you have a look.

 

[Snakes]

That's a deal. Can't wait. I'm going to the NYLOC meeting on Sunday in Leeds. Are you? Could give you a lift if you fancy going.

 

[fatjase]

That's a deal. Can't wait. I'm going to the NYLOC meeting on Sunday in Leeds. Are you? Could give you a lift if you fancy going.

Sadly not as the eldest has football on Sunday so that is my morning / afternoon taken care of as he is playing at Newton Aycliffe. Let's keep checking in though as I'm sure we can meet up for a coffee and some car chat before June