I'm out - the cancellations thread

[hagen111]

Sometimes its funny to read people expect Porsche like, Toyota like support levels in terms of parts, dealers, etc from a small traditional manufacturer like Lotus. FFS...this is a small artisan manufacturer. I actually love to steer away from all the controlled environments and go on an Adventure. I dig problems, exclusivity, different approaches. A handbuild product that is not for the masses.

I bought a BMW this summer and went to the dealer yesterday...one in a glass walled building, with plenty of receptionists and office clerks...so an oil and filter change is 620 euros nowadays...end of the day you get a call from a lady who is there just to phone customers their car is ready...its the only thing she does...when asking a question, they have no clue at all what they are talking about.

I asked them to inspect my mirror as it doesn't function correctly...and the answer was...'replace'. Repairs and or taking something apart doesn't exist anymore.

I love my Lotus dealer....they are nice, personal, can actually repair stuff (they need too ;-) ), quote me decent rates, serve me coffee...I feel like a 'good customer'. Thumbs up!

Now I was disappointed in the Emira reviews until Shmee and Seen Through Glass reviews came out....and will definitely take mine, and if needed sharpen it over time. So changed opinion and be patient.

 

[RafP]

Sometimes its funny to read people expect Porsche like, Toyota like support levels in terms of parts, dealers, etc from a small traditional manufacturer like Lotus. FFS...this is a small artisan manufacturer. I actually love to steer away from all the controlled environments and go on an Adventure. I dig problems, exclusivity, different approaches. A handbuild product that is not for the masses.

I bought a BMW this summer and went to the dealer yesterday...one in a glass walled building, with plenty of receptionists and office clerks...so an oil and filter change is 620 euros nowadays...end of the day you get a call from a lady who is there just to phone customers their car is ready...its the only thing she does...when asking a question, they have no clue at all what they are talking about.

I asked them to inspect my mirror as it doesn't function correctly...and the answer was...'replace'. Repairs and or taking something apart doesn't exist anymore.

I love my Lotus dealer....they are nice, personal, can actually repair stuff (they need too ;-) ), quote me decent rates, serve me coffee...I feel like a 'good customer'. Thumbs up!

Now I was disappointed in the Emira reviews until Shmee and Seen Through Glass reviews came out....and will definitely take mine, and if needed sharpen it over time. So changed opinion and be patient.

The irony is my Local Lotus dealer is now a Honda dealer also (so it’s an Honda tech with Lotus training) and the one I used to use (Williams) aren’t great anymore. Last time they damaged my car twice and failed to fix an issue twice.

It gets tiring when you have a 100 mile round trip. Believe me I am a Lotus die hard, had a LE Evora

The artisan days of Lotus are over they now want the glass walled and more expensive servicing approach.

Enjoy the cars I hope to be back in when they bring out a spiced up version and have proven themselves again.

The the annoyance that really got my goat that he reminded me of (brain fogged it out). Was the dreaded brake light switch issue. Dealer had it waiting on Lotus to authorise warranty claim for 2 weeks, then parts would be 1 week. In the end after a week I just ordered part myself had it shipped to dealer same day and paid them to fit it.

Next time I just did it myself (bit fiddly but doable).

That and the fact my old trusted dealer (Williams Lotus) I vowed to never use again after they damaged my car and failed to fix a transmission issue twice.

Final straw for the 410 was Lotus denying an horrific clutch squeak claim (loud enough to be heard over engine with exhaust flaps open). Said wear and tear on a car with bugger all miles on it.

Irony is that leaves my only local Lotus dealer is a joint Honda one and they are shiny show rooms.

Hopefully I check back in next year and they have turned over a new leaf and a spicy version is released.

 

[Tonyshepp]

The irony is my Local Lotus dealer is now a Honda dealer also (so it’s an Honda tech with Lotus training) and the one I used to use (Williams) aren’t great anymore. Last time they damaged my car twice and failed to fix an issue twice.

It gets tiring when you have a 100 mile round trip. Believe me I am a Lotus die hard, had a LE Evora

The artisan days of Lotus are over they now want the glass walled and more expensive servicing approach.

Enjoy the cars I hope to be back in when they bring out a spiced up version and have proven themselves again.

The the annoyance that really got my goat that he reminded me of (brain fogged it out). Was the dreaded brake light switch issue. Dealer had it waiting on Lotus to authorise warranty claim for 2 weeks, then parts would be 1 week. In the end after a week I just ordered part myself had it shipped to dealer same day and paid them to fit it.

Next time I just did it myself (bit fiddly but doable).

That and the fact my old trusted dealer (Williams Lotus) I vowed to never use again after they damaged my car and failed to fix a transmission issue twice.

Final straw for the 410 was Lotus denying an horrific clutch squeak claim (loud enough to be heard over engine with exhaust flaps open). Said wear and tear on a car with bugger all miles on it.

Irony is that leaves my only local Lotus dealer is a joint Honda one and they are shiny show rooms.

Hopefully I check back in next year and they have turned over a new leaf and a spicy version is released.

The aftercare is the main bugbear for me too, i'm not used to it and dont want to get used to lacklustre after care. I've got my checkout email and another test drive on Monday to really convince myself the car is for me and i can cope with the after hassle which will come.

 

[Carbuilder]

Sometimes its funny to read people expect Porsche like, Toyota like support levels in terms of parts, dealers, etc from a small traditional manufacturer like Lotus. FFS...this is a small artisan manufacturer.

Should it depend on the size of the car manufacturer or the price of the car that determines how well the support is? I bought a car from a large manufacturer, but a much cheaper car than a Lotus. The dealer is an hour drive away; there are closer ones, but that is where I bought it. I was told if I had any issues they would come and pick up the car, leave me a loner, and return the car when it was fixed. With China paying the bills, no reason Lotus couldn't offer the same service to those without dealers close by.

And keep in mind how Lotus is going on and on about how the quality of this car is going to be far better than anything they have produced. Shouldn't the level of service go along with that? I don't think Lotus is doing a good job if at this point potential buyers are already expecting it to be an unreliable car with service and dealer issues.

 

[Tonyshepp]

Should it depend on the size of the car manufacturer or the price of the car that determines how well the support is? I bought a car from a large manufacturer, but a much cheaper car than a Lotus. The dealer is an hour drive away; there are closer ones, but that is where I bought it. I was told if I had any issues they would come and pick up the car, leave me a loner, and return the car when it was fixed. With China paying the bills, no reason Lotus couldn't offer the same service to those without dealers close by.

And keep in mind how Lotus is going on and on about how the quality of this car is going to be far better than anything they have produced. Shouldn't the level of service go along with that? I don't think Lotus is doing a good job if at this point potential buyers are already expecting it to be an unreliable car with service and dealer issues.

I'll be honest what happens when the car breaks down - most brands provide a courtesy car - these things haven't been tested yet.

 

[Nova]

I am in the US so the situation is a bit different here because we only have independent dealers. Lotus is in the uncomfortable segment of being a low volume car as well as being relatively affordable - so I don't see how a dealer can have enough margins on it to offer loaner cars, pick-up service, etc, unless the dealer carries multiple other brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren, etc. My nearest local dealer is a brand new franchise, at a location that used to be a used car sales lot, with cracked parking lot pavement and a building that looks like the sort they blow up in low budget action movies. I doubt they can afford to provide high end service levels.

 

[695 to Emira]

Just sent an email to cancel Feb 23 build.

Anyone after manual, Seneca, black wheels, sports, black pack, yellow calipers, alcantara may be in for a treat.

 

[CarGuy07]

I’m going back and forth on whether to cancel now, or wait until March/April for a proper test drive and decide then. The car looks amazing, but the last 10-15 minutes quick drive didn’t do anything for me. Struggling to justify the purchase. I also don’t like having shitty CS so a bit more concerned hearing some of the feedback from you guys regarding after service.

For those that say we shouldn’t expect a boutique automaker to have top notch services, you are wrong. If anything, such companies SHOULD prioritize CS. Think of Amazon, Zappos, etc. All of the startups/small companies I’ve dealt with have always made it incredibly easy should things go wrong with their products. It is absolutely no excuse for Lotus.

 

[Eagle7]

So far Lotus has responded very quickly with any issues, even sending people from the factory to look at an issue if necessary. I'd go with what Lotus is actually doing, instead of listening to negative Nancy's and their caustic negativity.

 

[kitkat]

I’m going back and forth on whether to cancel now, or wait until March/April for a proper test drive and decide then. The car looks amazing, but the last 10-15 minutes quick drive didn’t do anything for me. Struggling to justify the purchase. I also don’t like having shitty CS so a bit more concerned hearing some of the feedback from you guys regarding after service.

For those that say we shouldn’t expect a boutique automaker to have top notch services, you are wrong. If anything, such companies SHOULD prioritize CS. Think of Amazon, Zappos, etc. All of the startups/small companies I’ve dealt with have always made it incredibly easy should things go wrong with their products. It is absolutely no excuse for Lotus.

I forget if you're in the FE first orders or not at Boardwalk -- I share the same struggles as you regarding service. Are they offering a second round of test drives that I hadn't heard about?

 

[Twin Cam]

So far Lotus has responded very quickly with any issues, even sending people from the factory to look at an issue if necessary. I'd go with what Lotus is actually doing, instead of listening to negative Nancy's and their caustic negativity.

Quite agree, an awful lot of hearsay on here from people who wanted to be first to have the car but don’t have the mindset for being an early adopter of a new model coming out of a new factory.
The last of an old model is usually less problematic than the first of a new model, I believe Lotus may be one of the few car producers that this won’t apply to, so I tip my hat to them until it is proven otherwise.

 

[CarGuy07]

I forget if you're in the FE first orders or not at Boardwalk -- I share the same struggles as you regarding service. Are they offering a second round of test drives that I hadn't heard about?

I missed the FE batch. From talking to folks at the last driving event, they mentioned demos arriving in March. I’m not sure if that’s still on schedule or delayed further.

 

[kitkat]

I missed the FE batch. From talking to folks at the last driving event, they mentioned demos arriving in March. I’m not sure if that’s still on schedule or delayed further.

I'm in the first FE batch and demo car (single car in green) they ordered will arrive at the same time. I highly doubt it arrives anytime before July.

 

[Hobiedick]

Quite agree, an awful lot of hearsay on here from people who wanted to be first to have the car but don’t have the mindset for being an early adopter of a new model coming out of a new factory.
The last of an old model is usually less problematic than the first of a new model, I believe Lotus may be one of the few car producers that this won’t apply to, so I tip my hat to them until it is proven otherwise.

I was a pre-reveal depositor and am still waiting for a car which was supposed to originally delivered in April 22, my beef with Lotus is lack of proper communication/truth from their Customer Service Department.

 

[TomE]

Just sent an email to cancel Feb 23 build.

Anyone after manual, Seneca, black wheels, sports, black pack, yellow calipers, alcantara may be in for a treat.

What were your main reasons for cancelling and are you getting something else instead or sticking with what you already have?

 

[Lotustoronto]

I’m going back and forth on whether to cancel now, or wait until March/April for a proper test drive and decide then. The car looks amazing, but the last 10-15 minutes quick drive didn’t do anything for me. Struggling to justify the purchase. I also don’t like having shitty CS so a bit more concerned hearing some of the feedback from you guys regarding after service.

For those that say we shouldn’t expect a boutique automaker to have top notch services, you are wrong. If anything, such companies SHOULD prioritize CS. Think of Amazon, Zappos, etc. All of the startups/small companies I’ve dealt with have always made it incredibly easy should things go wrong with their products. It is absolutely no excuse for Lotus.

So far Lotus has responded very quickly with any issues, even sending people from the factory to look at an issue if necessary. I'd go with what Lotus is actually doing, instead of listening to negative Nancy's and their caustic negativity.

Wanted to reply to the two contrasting views;

@CarGuy07 - You are correct. Boutique anything (hotels, cars, watches, clothes etc.) should in theory provide a boutique customer service experience. Something more personalized and better than say an average/Low end manufacturer. With that said, I do not expect high end boutique experience. This isn't like buying a Ferrari, Aston, Bugatti etc. So my expectation for service is somewhere in the middle.

@Eagle7 - Lotus has responded to forum members differently, even when asked the same question. Just look at @RafP being offered to change his spec with min. delay to take delivery of his Emira, meanwhile @TomE gets put to back of the line for the same question. There has been many instances in which Lotus has dropped the ball on CS Comm's. Also Rafp is speaking of his personal Lotus dealer experience from owning three different Lotus cars, I would place him in a position to give his opinion better than most. Let's not start with the debacle for test drives - where i4 guys got in before V6 F/E for a test drive.

With all that said, It does seem that Lotus is trying very hard to rectify these situations. How well they achieve this is yet to be seen. Until proven that it is improved, I think proceeding with caution and listening to previous Lotus owners about their experiences with warranty claims/service will be more telling than hoping that they do better. I have not seen enough to say they are significantly better than before.

Last note - the US/CAN market and your perception of Lotus CS will be vary dependent on you dealer. Not all Lotus dealers are created equal and the experiences will vary greatly. More so than perhaps any other car dealer/manufacturer I have seen. Some Lotus dealerships look brand new - (i.e. Lotus of Calgary in Canada is attached to lambo, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston) and others well... look a little less impressive. I am sure dealer experiences will vary greatly when it comes to the CS side of things.

 

[Leonard]

Wanted to reply to the two contrasting views;

@CarGuy07 - You are correct. Boutique anything (hotels, cars, watches, clothes etc.) should in theory provide a boutique customer service experience. Something more personalized and better than say an average/Low end manufacturer. With that said, I do not expect high end boutique experience. This isn't like buying a Ferrari, Aston, Bugatti etc. So my expectation for service is somewhere in the middle.

@Eagle7 - Lotus has responded to forum members differently, even when asked the same question. Just look at @RafP being offered to change his spec with min. delay to take delivery of his Emira, meanwhile @TomE gets put to back of the line for the same question. There has been many instances in which Lotus has dropped the ball on CS Comm's. Also Rafp is speaking of his personal Lotus dealer experience from owning three different Lotus cars, I would place him in a position to give his opinion better than most. Let's not start with the debacle for test drives - where i4 guys got in before V6 F/E for a test drive.

With all that said, It does seem that Lotus is trying very hard to rectify these situations. How well they achieve this is yet to be seen. Until proven that it is improved, I think proceeding with caution and listening to previous Lotus owners about their experiences with warranty claims/service will be more telling than hoping that they do better. I have not seen enough to say they are significantly better than before.

Last note - the US/CAN market and your perception of Lotus CS will be vary dependent on you dealer. Not all Lotus dealers are created equal and the experiences will vary greatly. More so than perhaps any other car dealer/manufacturer I have seen. Some Lotus dealerships look brand new - (i.e. Lotus of Calgary in Canada is attached to lambo, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston) and others well... look a little less impressive. I am sure dealer experiences will vary greatly when it comes to the CS side of things.

Consistency

 

[CarGuy07]

I'm in the first FE batch and demo car (single car in green) they ordered will arrive at the same time. I highly doubt it arrives anytime before July.

So basically by that point, I won’t see the car until 2024 if I do decide to spec it out after test drive. Hmm not sure if the car is enough to wait that long. I’ll make a decision in the next few weeks.

 

[695 to Emira]

What were your main reasons for cancelling and are you getting something else instead or sticking with what you already have?

A few things really. Fell in love with the car at Goodwood but maybe I’d have been better off not lurking here too often. When I went for my test drive I was desensitised to the ‘wow’ factor of its good looks then ended up in a traffic jam for an hour. So no idea how it drives, really.

The wife asking me for its use case didn’t help as I work from home

Put an order in for a Carrera T largely as it probably suits me better as a forever car / last of the ICE etc. It was either that or a 997 GTS but I can’t get my head around the price of those for reasons I won’t go in to here.

Got some insane theory that I will never go electric and will be saved by extended warranties and e fuels for the next 30 years before I snuff it.

 

[Tonyshepp]

A few things really. Fell in love with the car at Goodwood but maybe I’d have been better off not lurking here too often. When I went for my test drive I was desensitised to the ‘wow’ factor of its good looks then ended up in a traffic jam for an hour. So no idea how it drives, really.

The wife asking me for its use case didn’t help as I work from home

Put an order in for a Carrera T largely as it probably suits me better as a forever car / last of the ICE etc. It was either that or a 997 GTS but I can’t get my head around the price of those for reasons I won’t go in to here.

Got some insane theory that I will never go electric and will be saved by extended warranties and e fuels for the next 30 years before I snuff it.

Love the wife challenging the use case, I find myself questioning why I need 4 cars plus the Emira to do around 7k miles a year. Did they say when you may get a 911 T?