hi everyone......
I write to share that I'm out.
I won't rehash the reasons, as they've been articulated eloquently by others already. Here is my letter to my SA, Ken Scott, at FlowLotus in North Carolina.
-----------
Hi Ken,
Hope you are well.
I’m writing to let you know that I have decided to withdraw my deposit for Emira and to look elsewhere to scratch my sports car itch. As much as I was excited by the prospect of a new lotus in my stable, I am that much more disappointed with the way the experience has turned out since placing my deposit. Lotus’s approach to the customer experience has been horrific, and I have lost faith that the company will deliver on its promises. Indeed, it seems they have already failed to do so on multiple occasions and I don’t feel like I have been treated fairly, or with even a modicum of respect as a depositor/buyer. It actually makes me sad to write this message. I was hoping for so much more, but I can not imagine a greater cluster in an automobile roll out than this one has been. With such an atrocious experience, I really do fear for the Lotus brand in America. What a shame.
I am formally requesting a return of my deposit so I can move on to an alternative car. I’m forwarding separately the email you sent confirming my deposit back in July, 2021 to facilitate this transaction. My configuration code is --------. Please let me know if you need anything else to make this happen expeditiously. If someone from Lotus USA or Lotus corporate wishes to speak with me about my experience, I am happy to provide direct feedback to them. My cell phone number is ----------. I don’t feel any ill will toward you or your dealership. I recognize fully the box you have been in. But at this point, I have lost all enthusiasm for the car, and more importantly, the company. Again, what a shame.
Thanks for sharing the journey. I imagine it has been as frustrating for you as it has been for me and countless others who are canceling their Emira deposits.
Please ping me back so we can conclude our business together.
Best,
Mike
------------------
I mean it genuinely that I am sad for this outcome. I've been saving for much of my adult life for a car like this, and have never purchased a new car before. Other things were always a higher priority. But this was to be a gift to myself and I have imagined myself driving my Magma Red V6 down the backroads of Virginia on and off for the last 18 months. But in the end, I'm not getting any younger, and I'm not the type to sell cars. I become attached to them and the experiences they represent. Returning to those memories with a drive in a given car is something I cherish. But this experience, beyond interacting with folks around the globe on this forum, has been so supremely disappointing that I doubt I would feel good about the car when ultimately I had it in my garage. So I'm looking elsewhere.
I'm grateful for the banter on this forum. thank you all, even those who gently pushed back against some points I might have made, for the kinship around what should have been a magnificent experience. I hope that will be true for all of you one day when your cars finally arrive.
God speed.
Mike