Poll for Those with Paint Blistering / Bubbling Defect

[Nick in Sydney]

Lotus should have ZERO Paint issues. Yet clearly they have a paint problem....
And why do you discount all the Emira owners that do not follow this forum that have Paint Blistering issues? I would estimate it's about 20% of them!

There are thousands of owners on this forum and most haven't bothered to respond to the poll at all. You can be pretty confident that all the members with paint blistering have responded . . . so the poll does not represent a realistic picture of the overall ownership group.

I'm not arguing that the paint blistering is somehow acceptable— of course it isn't. But we shouldn't be exaggerating the problem and implying it is impacting a massive 20% of cars.

 

[981KMAN]

Maybe someone should email these guys who wrote the article / Teijin and show them this forum thread. There is a good discussion about how this product is made to prevent paint bubbling.... they say it is caused from micro cracks.

Teijin Supplies Eye-Catching Exterior Components of New Lotus Emira

The panels are manufactured using Teijin’s TCA Ultra Lite material, which is up to 43% lighter than traditional composites.

www.plasticstoday.com

So the author of this article, Mr. Moore, has contacted me and indicated that he will do a follow-up article covering the Paint Blistering issues Lotus has encountered with panels from this plastics technology. He asks for some clear photos of the Blistering.

So if anyone wants to provide photos, here is your chance. I think it might be best to provide links to the high resolution files of your pictures (Google Photos, Drive, etc...).

Once I have a few, I will reply to Mr. Moore.

 

[Lotustoronto]

So the author of this article, Mr. Moore, has contacted me and indicated that he will do a follow-up article covering the Paint Blistering issues Lotus has encountered with panels from this plastics technology. He asks for some clear photos of the Blistering.

So if anyone wants to provide photos, here is your chance. I think it might be best to provide links to the high resolution files of your pictures (Google Photos, Drive, etc...).

Once I have a few, I will reply to Mr. Moore.

Great Job!

 

[Yas.totti10]

This was my driver's door

 

[FlashingBlade]

My car had it's first service on Monday and the dealer confirmed it had blisters on passenger door, apparently Lotus have no spare doors to sort this problem so there will be a long wait. The crap Customer Care continues!!!!!

I dont buy the 'no doors' excuse. Its not as if Emiras are flying off the production line. Sounds like they're trying to cost manage the repairs.

 

[JimH]

I dont buy the 'no doors' excuse. Its not as if Emiras are flying off the production line. Sounds like they're trying to cost manage the repairs.

Emiras are currently being produced at the full rate of 22 cars per day at Hethel. Ordering and parts supply to production and aftersales have always been different processes - this is more likely the issue.....

 

[Nick in Sydney]

I dont buy the 'no doors' excuse. Its not as if Emiras are flying off the production line. Sounds like they're trying to cost manage the repairs.

Sorry, but that's totally wrong. Emiras are "flying off the production line." Hethel is working at capacity to meet the still significant backlog of orders. The problem is that they never expected to need a bunch of extra doors and they don't want to mess up the already delayed production schedule by 'stealing' them from the factory.

 

[Porter]

I dont buy the 'no doors' excuse. Its not as if Emiras are flying off the production line. Sounds like they're trying to cost manage the repairs.

I took this as a typo, to mean that since Emiras ARE flying off the production line, they must have plenty of doors.

 

[Fasttoys]

Their could be problem when adding a new door to the Emira. When cars are produced on an assembly line and doors are fitted they typically have to sand and align everything to match up to that car. A new door will not always align and sanding will need to be performed. Chime in for those who had their doors replaced, Also when painting a door they will need to blend the paint on the corresponding panels. This is not something that typically would be sent back to the factory but a body shop that performs these functions. This is how it’s done in the USA.

 

[Hobiedick]

Sorry, but that's totally wrong. Emiras are "flying off the production line." Hethel is working at capacity to meet the still significant backlog of orders. The problem is that they never expected to need a bunch of extra doors and they don't want to mess up the already delayed production schedule by 'stealing' them from the factory.

That's probably true they dont care about people with defects, they can wait we have already got your money attitude!!!

 

[FlashingBlade]

I don't see the evidence for that.

Emiras are being offered to trade dealers at 20k off list price straight from the factory. There's over 100 available on Autotrader in the UK at the moment and Lotus went through another round of redundancies earlier in the year due to 'identifying efficiencies'. They also got rid of agency staff and I'm being sent regular emails telling me I can choose from a range of cars immediately/shortly available and also they're offering 0% finance now.

Where are these sales? Because I cant see a country other than maybe the US where the demand is there at the moment.

And this is before we discuss last years £600m loss at Lotus and issues with Geeley and China in general.

I don't want to come across as a doomsayer but I think there are big problems at Lotus.

 

[Nick in Sydney]

I don't see the evidence for that.

Well, just go and take the factory tour. It may not last, but at the moment they are running the Emira lines at something close to capacity.

BTW, I agree with you that Lotus has got serious issues. I think they've screwed up the BEV strategy and it will probably fail, and the rollout of Emira was a comedy of errors.

Once Lotus has finished with the US order backlog we might well hear that production volume has slowed down. Then again, Emira production probably only has about 24 more months to run before they switch to the TYP 135.

 

[Porter]

Their could be problem when adding a new door to the Emira. When cars are produced on an assembly line and doors are fitted they typically have to sand and align everything to match up to that car. A new door will not always align and sanding will need to be performed. Chime in for those who had their doors replaced, Also when painting a door they will need to blend the paint on the corresponding panels. This is not something that typically would be sent back to the factory but a body shop that performs these functions. This is how it’s done in the USA.

It's a molded plastic panel. These panels don't have the thickness variations that stamped steel or aluminum panels do.

 

[Wonza]

It's a molded plastic panel. These panels don't have the thickness variations that stamped steel or aluminum panels do.

When I had my door changed. I often wondered if they just changed the door skin. Not the whole door itself. Is this possible?

 

[Fasttoys]

It's a molded plastic panel. These panels don't have the thickness variations that stamped steel or aluminum panels do.

Understand, but no car door is a perfect fit from one car to the next. Also, they will need to paint the door to match the paint that is on the car and blend it with the panels next to the door. I had a red high-end sports car that had a small issue the paint specialist said it could have 11 different shades & they always blend all cars they have to paint. Call your local high-end body shops, this is not Lego's even though that would be cool.

 

[Speedluvver]

 

[Nick in Sydney]

View attachment 41921

Bugger. That sucks. I keep nervously checking mine but (after a year) so far so good.
Is it on the door? That seems to be the most common location for these blisters.

 

[Speedluvver]

Bugger. That sucks. I keep nervously checking mine but (after a year) so far so good.
Is it on the door? That seems to be the most common location for these blisters.

yup - on drivers door - noticed it yesterday, and only saw it as the light was hitting it the right way. Its very small - but if it has that one blister....

 

[freefall_junkie]

Bugger. That sucks. I keep nervously checking mine but (after a year) so far so good.

Same here. Had the car for just over a year, fine so far, but of all the Emira defects reported this is the one which would bother me the most. I noticed yesterday that the Lotus extended warranty specifically excludes paint or bodywork defects, so if any of us get these blisters after 3 years we are screwed.

 

[Wonza]

Bugger. That sucks. I keep nervously checking mine but (after a year) so far so good.
Is it on the door? That seems to be the most common location for these blisters.

Bugger. That sucks. I keep nervously checking mine but (after a year) so far so good.
Is it on the door? That seems to be the most common location for these blisters.

Bugger. That sucks. I keep nervously checking mine but (after a year) so far so good.
Is it on the door? That seems to be the most common location for these blisters.

I would bet that these are weather/country dependent, also depends if it’s stored outside or inside. It’s a matter of time, eventually they will appear if the panel has a defect.