Paint bubbling and out of warranty!

[kitkat]

The dealer said the new part number was something only very recent, within the last 4-6 weeks I think he said.
Dealership is Hendys in Eastleigh

The other aspect of this is dealerships will say literally anything in order to make you feel better or get you off their backs.

 

[Beachbum]

The other aspect of this is dealerships will say literally anything in order to make you feel better or get you off their backs.

Not really relevant in my case, as I have no paint bubbling.............. yet
It was just a conv I was having with the guy about ongoing issues. The DCT sticking to 2nd gear too long on occasion being the other subject.

 

[SimonT]

Small update.

Still no nearer with the promised door and rear 1/4s, dealers parts depot have the door and fittings and 1 1/4 panel. 4 months on and no one appears to know what's happening, I was informed 10 days ago by Lotus CS that all parts were with the dealer, they aren't.

The guy I was dealing with 'is no longer with the team' and I've been informed in no uncertain terms that only the dealership will deal with the matter. Still waiting for info from them.

I wonder if I'll get the car sorted before Lotus go belly up. Terrible CS and now with attitude.

 

[geoffbland]

Still no nearer with the promised door and rear 1/4s, dealers parts depot have the door and fittings and 1 1/4 panel. 4 months on and no one appears to know what's happening, I was informed 10 days ago by Lotus CS that all parts were with the dealer, they aren't.
The guy I was dealing with 'is no longer with the team' and I've been informed in no uncertain terms that only the dealership will deal with the matter. Still waiting for info from them.

All warranty work is handled by the dealerships and the work has to be done by a bodyshop approved by Lotus for the work as far as I understand. First time it took 4 months from me reporting the issue to Lotus Silverstone for the doors to turn up before the body shop could do the work. This time it again took around 4 months for the bodyshop to receive the panels ready to do the work. It's been a fairly painless experience for me but it has taken many months to be resolved, I don't know if that helps you, it's just what I have experienced.

 

[SimonT]

The door has been with them since April, 1 panel mid May, Lotus confirmed in an email 2 weeks ago all panels/parts had been delivered and to contact Lotus if nothing heard from the dealers. 2 days on still waiting for dealership to get back to me after I reached out.

I know it is normally a 4 month parts wait but being told the parts were sent/delivered 3 weeks ago and haven't been raises hopes up.

 

[Beachbum]

Whilst 4 months is a crazy amount of time to have to wait for any part, in this case it may be the dealership that is causing the issue this time round.
Which dealership is it? Maybe others could comment on their experiences with them

 

[SimonT]

Jct600 Bradford.

 

[virtualmacho]

I notified my dealer about paint blisters in Nov. 2024, and got them replaced in Feb. 2026. That's a 15 month wait. 4 months is all but a blink of an eye.

 

[SJM]

I’m in Australia. First reported June 25 for both doors and finally had them replaced May 26.
I blame the dealer as doors were approved and available from around December 25.

 

[cst]

What model year are your cars that have bubbled?

 

[SJM]

10/2023

 

[Beachbum]

What model year are your cars that have bubbled?

TBH, the date seems to be irrelevant, many cars from first to current seem to get hit with the issue
A previous poll showed about a third of all cars were affected

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

10/2023

SJM are you aware of any other Australian deiivered cars that have this problem? Or are you the first here in Aus?

 

[Ralph2025]

To be clear, this is not a 'Goodwill gesture'. The panels are faulty, not the paint, hence the panels are covered under the 8/12 Yr warranty, depending when manufactured.

I'm waiting for a door and both rear panels to be delivered and fitted, my 3yr warranty expired Jan 2026. Lotus are naming the replacements as a 'goodwill gesture', it isn't. They are replacing to avoid threatened litigation. The bubbles on both my rear panels have got slightly larger and more visible, the heat may have increased the amount of gas released in the panels.

8/12 years?

 

[Beachbum]

8/12 years?

Yes, as its the body work thats the issue, not the paint

 

[geoffbland]

8/12 years?

Early cars got 12 years body panel warranty, later cars 8 years.

 

[Ralph2025]

Early cars got 12 years body panel warranty, later cars 8 years.

View attachment 83250

Does this count as corrosion?

 

[geoffbland]

Does this count as corrosion?

As fibre-glass can't corrode like a metal panel can - I guess it counts. Lotus do seem to be honouring this for cars now out of warranty.

 

[Steve Tillett]

Does this count as corrosion?

Interesting, Reading good old Google's description "Usually a metal" suggests that the meaning of the word might be used to describe the fault as corrosion. You could argue that the trapped styrene and organic peroxide in the resin reacts with the compressed air bubble left behind and assists it out of the panel.
(Corrosion is the natural, gradual deterioration or destruction of a material (usually a metal) caused by a chemical or electrochemical reaction with its environment. It breaks down the material's structural integrity, causing it to weaken, crack, or flake.)
Certainly why would Lotus use the word corrosion for the body panels if it didn't apply, as they are obviously not metal.

 

[Nelumbo nucifera]

Early cars got 12 years body panel warranty, later cars 8 years.

View attachment 83250

Geoff, is there a definitive date (month/year) of vehicle manufacture when the change of warranty period came into effect?