I'm out - the cancellations thread

[Lotustoronto]

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.

Even worse if you are ordering a GT product... unless there is a used one on the lot - never heard of GT3/4 test drives. People order blindly. I guess just getting the ability to order one is a big deal tho.

I will add that it seems Lotus CS is getting worse, not better at the moment. If we thought they were overwhelmed with just depositer's inquiry's... Imagine trying to juggle warranty claims, fixes on production line on the fly, depositors, delays and now controlling the flipper market so that the residual values don't plummet. I don't know if they are up to the task on a world wide scale.

 

[Leonard]

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).

If id known that they could have had mine and I could have still driven 'my car'

 

[BeHappy]

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

Exactly even spending like a third of that on a Mini your offered a 24 hr demo ride to gel with the car and build a connection. We are spending £80k and all that Lotus are willing to offer is a limited drive few even very poor routes which does not allow the car to excel in its areas of strength, hands down Lotus are losing sales

 

[lion shf]

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.

So bmw gave you a brand new car with 25 miles on it and you brought it back with 250? Where’s my buddy skeptical hippo? I’ll look

 

[Mctaff]

Plenty of uk dealers offer you long, unaccompanied, and even 24 hour test drives.

 

[BeHappy]

Lol in what world?

Plenty in UK offer this - I’m very used to get handed keys and come back when I’m ready ( of course not taking advantage) I’ve brought cars back home to see that they fit in my garage ( I8 with the flippy out doors ) and remember I’m from Venus so some dealers don’t think we buy sports cars let alone heaven forbid we actually make the car buying decisions

 

[lion shf]

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

Imo, the sales experience is 2% important. I def don’t need a BJ from the showroom. THIS guy is what it’s all about.

And I can buy my own coffee thx

 

[Mctaff]

Old article but you get the drift

10 cars available with 24-hour test drives - Car Keys

Here are the models available with extended test drives.

www.carkeys.co.uk

 

[Boombang]

So bmw gave you a brand new car with 25 miles on it and you brought it back with 250? Where’s my buddy skeptical hippo? I’ll look

No need to be a dickhead about it.

It was one of their staff cars, most big dealers will ensure their employee cars offer a really good representation of the full range. If they lend 'their' car out to a customer they use one of the other demos.
In my case it was an X3 M40 with a few k miles on it. Full tank of fuel, set of keys, see you tomorrow.
Really really not that unusual for premium cars, hell even Ford gave us a 24 test drive in a Kuga a few years back.

If you are happy that's great, personally I couldn't get on with the seats on the restricted Emira drive so I chose not to buy. Had I had longer maybe I would have found comfort, maybe not. So be it, that's Lotus' choice.

 

[lion shf]

No need to be a dickhead about it.

It was one of their staff cars, most big dealers will ensure their employee cars offer a really good representation of the full range. If they lend 'their' car out to a customer they use one of the other demos.
In my case it was an X3 M40 with a few k miles on it. Full tank of fuel, set of keys, see you tomorrow.
Really really not that unusual for premium cars, hell even Ford gave us a 24 test drive in a Kuga a few years back.

If you are happy that's great, personally I couldn't get on with the seats on the restricted Emira drive so I chose not to buy. Had I had longer maybe I would have found comfort, maybe not. So be it, that's Lotus' choice.

Yo bro I’m coming at you completely diff if you stated up front it was a demo. Don’t be daft

 

[kitkat]

It really sort of depends on the market at the time, during slower market times some dealers will offer an overnight loaner on more common cars. I don't see this happening with Lotus' smaller market cars -- but hey could be wrong.

 

[lion shf]

Plenty in UK offer this - I’m very used to get handed keys and come back when I’m ready ( of course not taking advantage) I’ve brought cars back home to see that they fit in my garage ( I8 with the flippy out doors ) and remember I’m from Venus so some dealers don’t think we buy sports cars let alone heaven forbid we actually make the car buying decisions

You’re a GIRL?

 

[kitkat]

You’re a GIRL?

Keep it in your pants old man.

 

[lion shf]

Old article but you get the drift

10 cars available with 24-hour test drives - Car Keys

Here are the models available with extended test drives.

www.carkeys.co.uk

Brand new or demos? Who here is buying an $80k new car with 250 miles and a weekend test drive under its belt?

 

[BeHappy]

You’re a GIRL?

Last time I looked girls can drive fast cars with plenty bhp ( I wud be excluding Emira from the list lol )

 

[lion shf]

Last time I looked girls can drive fast cars with plenty bhp ( I wud be excluding Emira from the list lol )

I wish I had a pic of me on my bike. I use to ride around my toll brothers hood on a Honda 70 pit bike no shirt cigarette and a six pack. 6 1 225
not unlike this

 

[Hobiedick]

Even worse if you are ordering a GT product... unless there is a used one on the lot - never heard of GT3/4 test drives. People order blindly. I guess just getting the ability to order one is a big deal tho.

I will add that it seems Lotus CS is getting worse, not better at the moment. If we thought they were overwhelmed with just depositer's inquiry's... Imagine trying to juggle warranty claims, fixes on production line on the fly, depositors, delays and now controlling the flipper market so that the residual values don't plummet. I don't know if they are up to the task on a world wide scale.

I agree Lotus Customer service is rubbish and it concerns me about getting faults fixed under warranty. Today is 1 month from completing my checkout email and still no hint of a delivery date, according to LCS the car has been in PDI now for over 2 and a half weeks, I just hope that it is not a pile of junk when they do finally deliver it!!!

 

[Kingslim]

For those waiting for deposit returns who have closed credit card accounts. I dropped Matt Windle an e-mail this morning expressing my frustration, in the politest terms I could muster. I had a pretty much instant response, followed up with a call - they requested a bank account and driving licence screen shot and just like that the £5k is now sitting back in my account. Its a complete mystery why CC couldn't have done this anytime in the last 2 weeks, but hopefully they will now expedite for others in the same position.

 

[Leonard]

For those waiting for deposit returns who have closed credit card accounts. I dropped Matt Windle an e-mail this morning expressing my frustration, in the politest terms I could muster. I had a pretty much instant response, followed up with a call - they requested a bank account and driving licence screen shot and just like that the £5k is now sitting back in my account. Its a complete mystery why CC couldn't have done this anytime in the last 2 weeks, but hopefully they will now expedite for others in the same position.

Unbelievable that all these things are possible. If escalated... Its not a good look and must be chaos for Lotus internally

 

[Kingslim]

Unbelievable that all these things are possible. If escalated... Its not a good look and must be chaos for Lotus internally

The even better news is it arrived in time to part fund my new Ducati DesertX that arrived this morning.