I'm out - the cancellations thread

[RafP]

Distance selling regs apply with Lotus new sales model so actually you have 14 days to return the car for any reason at all (in U.K. and if private purchase).

 

[Leonard]

Thanks to all for the banter and information over the past few years but today my journey is finished.

I had delivery scheduled for 4th January and, as you can imagine I was excited to finally take ownership of my car.

Waited in all day as I was told it would be delivered at any time throughout the day and they could not give me a time.

By 10pm I thought, humm, I don't think I'll be getting a delivery today.

Next day, I phoned Lotus and asked for an update. Was told the car hadn't shipped because of transport / logistics issues.

When I asked for a manager to get back to me as I wanted to make a complaint, I was then told Lotus had 'just' noticed the car had a paint issue and delivery would be delayed.

I was thinking of writing to Lotus with a complaint, but what would be the point. I'm not interested in investing time explaining why their system is poor, customers are treated poorly and ultimately they are alienating people like me who were wanting to buy their first Lotus.

I am afraid my Journey with Lotus is now at an end as I am simply not Interested in the drama, incompetence and lack of care I have experienced from this buying process.

I just wanted a car, not to buy into a dysfunctional production family lifestyle.

For everyone still here I wish you all the best with your cars but unfortunately I will not ever be driving a Lotus.

For someone with an order for a Nimbus / no BP and alcantara black interior, you are about to get a call from CS. Buyer Beware!

Oh, and I also will be cancelling my Electre order and asking for my deposit back as I won't be engaging with this experience again. Upon reflection, I don't think I am the target demographic for New Lotus.

Really sorry to hear that, such a shame to get that far in the process and then get badly let down on what should be the most exciting day.

The fact that this can happen with zero empathetic and apologetic communication speaks volumes though.

Until Lotus get the pre purchase/purchase and after care CX to where it needs to be they are going to push as many prospective customers away as they will attract... You have to be a brave purchaser to invest in a brand that gets this so badly wrong. And yes mistakes do of course happen, but it's how you as the brand deal with them that ultimately matters.

Wish you all the best with wherever your car buying journey takes you next.

 

[Dommo]

Distance selling regs apply with Lotus new sales model so actually you have 14 days to return the car for any reason at all (in U.K. and if private purchase).

I think the distance selling rules have some caveats. As I understand it, if a car is built to a specific spec that you've chosen (as apposed to one that you don't personally spec) then the distance selling rules don't apply.

However, I still think you have the right to cancel for a full refund if the car is faulty - under consumer law

 

[Magicman]

It would seem rather than learning from thier mistakes Lotus are actually getting worse.

It's beyond bizarre.

I called the other day for an update on my January build and CS had no idea, I've worked in manufacturing over 30yrs and its simply unbelievable that they wouldn't have access to the planning software used by the production line.

 

[lion shf]

I guess SWMBO putting me on the 3 year plan is a blessing.

 

[CarGuy07]

Reading these experiences from others doesn’t bode well for me or Lotus. It irritates me on how bad they can be. Oh the frustration that is to come.

 

[lion shf]

Reading these experiences from others doesn’t bode well for me or Lotus. It irritates me on how bad they can be. Oh the frustration that is to come.

If you’re within an hour from a dealer, I’d continue the process. If I was 90 minutes or so I’d be out. I’m hanging in but driving this in an hour or two

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[Nova]

I think the distance selling rules have some caveats. As I understand it, if a car is built to a specific spec that you've chosen (as apposed to one that you don't personally spec) then the distance selling rules don't apply.

However, I still think you have the right to cancel for a full refund if the car is faulty - under consumer law

I am not taking Lotus' side, but curious how it can be claimed that the car is faulty. There must be one threshold and can't just be a paint issue.

 

[VL3X]

Thanks to all for the banter and information over the past few years but today my journey is finished.

I had delivery scheduled for 4th January and, as you can imagine I was excited to finally take ownership of my car.

Waited in all day as I was told it would be delivered at any time throughout the day and they could not give me a time.

By 10pm I thought, humm, I don't think I'll be getting a delivery today.

Next day, I phoned Lotus and asked for an update. Was told the car hadn't shipped because of transport / logistics issues.

When I asked for a manager to get back to me as I wanted to make a complaint, I was then told Lotus had 'just' noticed the car had a paint issue and delivery would be delayed.

I was thinking of writing to Lotus with a complaint, but what would be the point. I'm not interested in investing time explaining why their system is poor, customers are treated poorly and ultimately they are alienating people like me who were wanting to buy their first Lotus.

I am afraid my Journey with Lotus is now at an end as I am simply not Interested in the drama, incompetence and lack of care I have experienced from this buying process.

I just wanted a car, not to buy into a dysfunctional production family lifestyle.

For everyone still here I wish you all the best with your cars but unfortunately I will not ever be driving a Lotus.

For someone with an order for a Nimbus / no BP and alcantara black interior, you are about to get a call from CS. Buyer Beware!

Oh, and I also will be cancelling my Electre order and asking for my deposit back as I won't be engaging with this experience again. Upon reflection, I don't think I am the target demographic for New Lotus.

Wow, this is horrible treatment. They didn't even contact you to let you know it'd be delayed? This really worries me about future ownership issues (as has this whole order experience honestly). Like I said before, I'll likely be cancelling if the first North America orders (mine) are delayed again. Especially without proper notice. They know by now if there will be delays and it doesn't take months to compose an email or even inform their dealers across the pond. I'm really getting fed up.

 

[Nova]

It would seem rather than learning from thier mistakes Lotus are actually getting worse.

It's beyond bizarre.

I called the other day for an update on my January build and CS had no idea, I've worked in manufacturing over 30yrs and its simply unbelievable that they wouldn't have access to the planning software used by the production line.

In my experience, CS are given very limited access to information. We do that with our CS reps. For software updates for our products, we only let our CS know once the software becomes available for download. We do not want CS seeing our internal software development schedules because that information is not reliable and subject to change.

I will say, we share a lot more with our business customers. It's the end consumers we generally keep in the fog.

 

[VL3X]

In my experience, CS are given very limited access to information. We do that with our CS reps. For software updates for our products, we only let our CS know once the software becomes available for download. We do not want CS seeing our internal software development schedules because that information is not reliable and subject to change.

I will say, we share a lot more with our business customers. It's the end consumers we generally keep in the fog.

That's completely reasonable with software development, yet unacceptable when it comes to a vehicle order. If the customer was told their car would be a January build, and it's now January, both the factory and customer should know if that's happening.

That's like ordering a pizza (or fish and chips) for delivery and they say it'll be there in 30 minutes. 30 minutes later you're hungry and call to see where your food is and they tell you they have no idea and can't provide any updates. Only difference is the Emira is $100k and you've been waiting over a year.

So what's the reasonable thing for the customer to do in this situation? Make something at home or order from a different place.... And likely never order from that incompetent pizza place again and watch them eventually go out of business.

 

[Nova]

That's completely reasonable with software development, yet unacceptable when it comes to a vehicle order. If the customer was told their car would be a January build, and it's now January, both the factory and customer should know if that's happening.

That's like ordering a pizza (or fish and chips) for delivery and they say it'll be there in 30 minutes. 30 minutes later you're hungry and call to see where your food is and they tell you they have no idea and can't provide any updates. Only difference is the Emira is $100k and you've been waiting over a year.

Oh I agree with that, totally. I was just remarking that the CS folks usually don't get any info about what's going on with production and that this is usually a conscious choice.

 

[Cachaco131]

Reading these experiences from others doesn’t bode well for me or Lotus. It irritates me on how bad they can be. Oh the frustration that is to come.

That's why (1) you are better off with a later model that has most issues addressed and (2) the Emira should be a second or third car. I had a 2010 Elise for weekend use and my only issues were a window motor and some lose trim over 5y of ownership. Regardless of the new messaging and equipment , it remains a tiny manufacturer that mostly builds cars by hand.

 

[spice]

Ours is also a 25, arguably not as pretty as Emira, but still a really lovely looking car

The 25 is a very special car

 

[Mistral]

Thanks to all for the banter and information over the past few years but today my journey is finished.

I had delivery scheduled for 4th January and, as you can imagine I was excited to finally take ownership of my car.

Waited in all day as I was told it would be delivered at any time throughout the day and they could not give me a time.

By 10pm I thought, humm, I don't think I'll be getting a delivery today.

Next day, I phoned Lotus and asked for an update. Was told the car hadn't shipped because of transport / logistics issues.

When I asked for a manager to get back to me as I wanted to make a complaint, I was then told Lotus had 'just' noticed the car had a paint issue and delivery would be delayed.

I was thinking of writing to Lotus with a complaint, but what would be the point. I'm not interested in investing time explaining why their system is poor, customers are treated poorly and ultimately they are alienating people like me who were wanting to buy their first Lotus.

I am afraid my Journey with Lotus is now at an end as I am simply not Interested in the drama, incompetence and lack of care I have experienced from this buying process.

I just wanted a car, not to buy into a dysfunctional production family lifestyle.

For everyone still here I wish you all the best with your cars but unfortunately I will not ever be driving a Lotus.

For someone with an order for a Nimbus / no BP and alcantara black interior, you are about to get a call from CS. Buyer Beware!

Oh, and I also will be cancelling my Electre order and asking for my deposit back as I won't be engaging with this experience again. Upon reflection, I don't think I am the target demographic for New Lotus.

That is absolutely shocking Mike. I can understand your dismay and refusal to accept this quite unbelievable treatment. To have a late issue with the car is one thing. To not communicate that to someone who was looking to spend £200k on two cars is beyond words. Good luck with where you place your faith in the future.

 

[Dommo]

I am not taking Lotus' side, but curious how it can be claimed that the car is faulty. There must be one threshold and can't just be a paint issue.

I think from a legal standpoint relating to Consumer Law, if the car has a significant fault when you bought it, then you have the right to a refund within the first 30 days.

If the paint is bad enough for Lotus to delay the delivery (with no notice), then I guess that qualifies as a fault.

 

[TomE]

Thanks to all for the banter and information over the past few years but today my journey is finished.

I had delivery scheduled for 4th January and, as you can imagine I was excited to finally take ownership of my car.

Waited in all day as I was told it would be delivered at any time throughout the day and they could not give me a time.

By 10pm I thought, humm, I don't think I'll be getting a delivery today.

Next day, I phoned Lotus and asked for an update. Was told the car hadn't shipped because of transport / logistics issues.

When I asked for a manager to get back to me as I wanted to make a complaint, I was then told Lotus had 'just' noticed the car had a paint issue and delivery would be delayed.

I was thinking of writing to Lotus with a complaint, but what would be the point. I'm not interested in investing time explaining why their system is poor, customers are treated poorly and ultimately they are alienating people like me who were wanting to buy their first Lotus.

I am afraid my Journey with Lotus is now at an end as I am simply not Interested in the drama, incompetence and lack of care I have experienced from this buying process.

I just wanted a car, not to buy into a dysfunctional production family lifestyle.

For everyone still here I wish you all the best with your cars but unfortunately I will not ever be driving a Lotus.

For someone with an order for a Nimbus / no BP and alcantara black interior, you are about to get a call from CS. Buyer Beware!

Oh, and I also will be cancelling my Electre order and asking for my deposit back as I won't be engaging with this experience again. Upon reflection, I don't think I am the target demographic for New Lotus.

Really sorry to read this Mike. And sadly not surprised. The lack of communication and info sharing between different teams handling the various steps of the process is causing a number of issues. It's draining all the excitement out of what should be the eager anticipation of a new car arriving.

In your case, they presumably had a ferry crossing booked for the transporter for a day or two beforehand, so must have known 24-72 hours beforehand they weren't going to deliver. PDI should have been completed and any paint issues spotted before they scheduled the delivery date.

 

[vision]

I think from a legal standpoint relating to Consumer Law, if the car has a significant fault when you bought it, then you have the right to a refund within the first 30 days.

If the paint is bad enough for Lotus to delay the delivery (with no notice), then I guess that qualifies as a fault.

Sorry, but everyone needs to report all actual facts on this site before you all again go off at tangents! As for moderators you need to establish facts before siding one way or the other.
I don't believe for one moment that an agreed delivery date, car paid for before delivery full check out and no one bothered to called from either the delivery company or Lotus to say there is a delay.
Owner of this car prove on this site I am wrong

 

[Leonard]

Really sorry to read this Mike. And sadly not surprised. The lack of communication and info sharing between different teams handling the various steps of the process is causing a number of issues. It's draining all the excitement out of what should be the eager anticipation of a new car arriving.

In your case, they presumably had a ferry crossing booked for the transporter for a day or two beforehand, so must have known 24-72 hours beforehand they weren't going to delivery. PDI should have been completed and any paint issues spotted before they scheduled the delivery date.

The fact they have paint issues with the new facility and factory QC is unbelievable in itself.
So unbelievable I actually hope the car was damaged in transit or during the PDI period and that nobody had the bollocks to tell Mike what had happened.

 

[Dommo]

Sorry, but everyone needs to report all actual facts on this site before you all again go off at tangents! As for moderators you need to establish facts before siding one way or the other.
I don't believe for one moment that an agreed delivery date, car paid for before delivery full check out and no one bothered to called from either the delivery company or Lotus to say there is a delay.
Owner of this car prove on this site I am wrong

Just because you don't believe it doesn't mean it's not the truth. There wouldn't be much conversation on here if we had to fact check everything that was commented on.