USA/Canada Delivery Thread

[Lotustoronto]

I am not sure why they are telling you that you won't receive a car in 2024. Just as we don't know when we will be getting our cars, we also don't know when we will NOT be getting our cars. For all we know, once the cars starts flowing they will be able to quickly deal with enough orders to get to most/all depositors from 2021 and some de 2022. I would at least wait until the cars starts shipping and the situation to clarify a bit before making decisions one way or the other.

Well - if they give out allocations 6 months prior to a build date, which I believe this is a confirmed practise, even if I receive an allocation in January, earliest build month would be July and add two more months for shipping and delivery. This would be my absolute best case scenario at this point. Fall delivery in Canada isn’t exactly exciting BTW. This is also assuming they will be handing out more V6 F/E 2.0 allocations. Which I don’t think they will be in the new year. If I am expected to wait for a base V6, I wouldn’t hold my breath for a 2024 delivery of a base V6 Emira. They will offer i4’s to people for the next 6 months instead. It is just sad.

 

[benjh1028]

Naples Motorsport is still taking deposits now for March 2024 delivery. According to them.

I would say they are jacking people around. Well, maybe for an i4

 

[tvs_1320]

Incredible if true…

I was assured by Lotus USA that where I placed my deposit didn't matter, and that cars would be built/delivered according to the deposit order with Lotus UK. I had my doubts since I was pretty sure it would be done via allocation so I pushed back and was told the same.

That's obviously not the cases - I4 orders are jumping the line it seems, and the new Lotus dealers will deliver cars "out of order" as well.

Pretty much have given up on this car. If my dealer asks me to configure a car at some point in the future, I'll decide if I still want it. The lack of/inaccurate/misleading comms from both Lotus and the dealers has been a big negative so far. Not expecting the ownership experience to magically improve.

 

[silent cilantro]

I was assured by Lotus USA that where I placed my deposit didn't matter, and that cars would be built/delivered according to the deposit order with Lotus UK. I had my doubts since I was pretty sure it would be done via allocation so I pushed back and was told the same.

That's obviously not the cases - I4 orders are jumping the line it seems, and the new Lotus dealers will deliver cars "out of order" as well.

Pretty much have given up on this car. If my dealer asks me to configure a car at some point in the future, I'll decide if I still want it. The lack of/inaccurate/misleading comms from both Lotus and the dealers has been a big negative so far. Not expecting the ownership experience to magically improve.

@tvs_1320 You are also a 2021 deposit holder and your dealer has not submitted your order? V6 or i4? What dealer? I am also in Texas.

Sounds like this dealer allowed people to cut in line, maybe for a price... I placed my deposit on July 7th 2021 and my order was submitted to Lotus May 22 2022.

 

[Lotustoronto]

I was assured by Lotus USA that where I placed my deposit didn't matter, and that cars would be built/delivered according to the deposit order with Lotus UK. I had my doubts since I was pretty sure it would be done via allocation so I pushed back and was told the same.

That's obviously not the cases - I4 orders are jumping the line it seems, and the new Lotus dealers will deliver cars "out of order" as well.

Pretty much have given up on this car. If my dealer asks me to configure a car at some point in the future, I'll decide if I still want it. The lack of/inaccurate/misleading comms from both Lotus and the dealers has been a big negative so far. Not expecting the ownership experience to magically improve.

It seems we are in a similar boat… and not the ones with Emira’s crossing the Atlantic.

From various discussions I have had, it’s become fairly clear that we have been jumped over. Just ask the question if anyone on this forum deposited in 2022 and received a V2 F/E V6, which I am certain a few have. No need to wonder if your order / submission ID means anything…

 

[4MIR3]

Maybe... but you must also account for the fact that not all dealers receive the same amount of allocations. The April 2024 allocation Im sure is for the I4 not V6. Also when in 2021 did you submit your deposit? Which dealer? Or the size of the dealer? My dealer only had 40 FE's and roughly 40 more 2nd editions. they had 150 people with deposits over a year ago. So that's 70 people without orders.

 

[Lotustoronto]

Maybe... but you must also account for the fact that not all dealers receive the same amount of allocations. The April 2024 allocation Im sure is for the I4 not V6. Also when in 2021 did you submit your deposit? Which dealer? Or the size of the dealer? My dealer only had 40 FE's and roughly 40 more 2nd editions. they had 150 people with deposits over a year ago. So that's 70 people without orders.

@tvs_1320 was told it did not matter what dealer the deposit was made at by Lotus USA. They would issue the allocations based on submission date. I was stating that is obviously not the case.

Did you dealer have 80 deposits in 2021? Or are those 70 ppl from 2022/23.

Either way it does not matter and the allocation system isn’t going to change over here anyways. I will give Lotus one more day to produce some type of news, if not my next post is on the I’m out thread….

 

[silent cilantro]

Canada also received a smaller number of allocations right? 70 or so? Could it be possible your deposit came after those slots were filled?

I feel you though man, 2.5 years waiting.. it sucks, I'm sorry.

 

[Lotustoronto]

Canada also received a smaller number of allocations right? 70 or so? Could it be possible your deposit came after those slots were filled?

I feel you though man, 2.5 years waiting.. it sucks, I'm sorry.

Well it is proportionate - we would get less deposits than you guys… I’m at 2.5 yrs without any idea of when, that’s my problem.

Waiting for a base Emira is more like 3.5 years total. I would be embarrassed for myself to wait that long. I could raise a newborne, teach them to walk and enter pre-school before Lotus can deliver me a car.

 

[EspritGuy]

Well it is proportionate - we would get less deposits than you guys… I’m at 2.5 yrs without any idea of when, that’s my problem.

Waiting for a base Emira is more like 3.5 years total. I would be embarrassed for myself to wait that long. I could raise a newborne, teach them to walk and enter pre-school before Lotus can deliver me a car.

So the common denominator will be Teething issues, eh?

 

[silent cilantro]

Well it is proportionate - we would get less deposits than you guys… I’m at 2.5 yrs without any idea of when, that’s my problem.

Waiting for a base Emira is more like 3.5 years total. I would be embarrassed for myself to wait that long. I could raise a newborne, teach them to walk and enter pre-school before Lotus can deliver me a car.

I get you on it being proportionate, but it is a very popular car. My dealer's list was close to 100 names long less than a couple of weeks after the car was announced. They only got 15 allocations. When in 2021 did you place your deposit?

So two things are possible:

1. Dealer skipped you and possibly sold spots to those willing to pay
2. Being a 2021 deposit holder you may have JUST missed the cut. Any idea how many allocations Canada will get in 2024?

But yeah, waiting with not even a estimated date is frustrating to say the least.

So the common denominator will be Teething issues, eh?

 

[NicolasB]

Well it is proportionate - we would get less deposits than you guys… I’m at 2.5 yrs without any idea of when, that’s my problem.

Waiting for a base Emira is more like 3.5 years total. I would be embarrassed for myself to wait that long. I could raise a newborne, teach them to walk and enter pre-school before Lotus can deliver me a car.

From my (unpopular) post over a year ago, made after canceling my 2021 order:

#bulletdodged

 

[Porter]

Waiting for a base Emira is more like 3.5 years total. I would be embarrassed for myself to wait that long. I could raise a newborne, teach them to walk and enter pre-school before Lotus can deliver me a car.

I've literally done that exact progression while waiting for this car.

 

[Aero]

Fixed their logo

 

[benjh1028]

I’m thankful that my dealer - Charlotte - was truthful when I put my deposit down in Jan 22. Told me then that all FE’s were accounted for and that I was #15 in the queue for a base. Fast forward and because of cancellations I’m in the 2.0 pool and submitted my build two months ago.

It’s easier here in the states having several options for dealers. Lets you “interview” and decide where to place your money. I’m actually located 30-min from Lotus Atlanta - whom I bought my Elise from - and didn’t get a good feeling about what they were telling me. So, went 3-hrs north to place my order.

I really wish you guys in Canada had the same opportunity. Hopefully your dealer will do the right thing.

 

[EspritGuy]

I've literally done that exact progression while waiting for this car.

A lot of folks felt like they got screwed by this experience.

 

[Nova]

I was assured by Lotus USA that where I placed my deposit didn't matter, and that cars would be built/delivered according to the deposit order with Lotus UK. I had my doubts since I was pretty sure it would be done via allocation so I pushed back and was told the same.

That's obviously not the cases - I4 orders are jumping the line it seems, and the new Lotus dealers will deliver cars "out of order" as well.

Pretty much have given up on this car. If my dealer asks me to configure a car at some point in the future, I'll decide if I still want it. The lack of/inaccurate/misleading comms from both Lotus and the dealers has been a big negative so far. Not expecting the ownership experience to magically improve.

I'm pretty sure something got lost in the translation there. What they probably meant was that once the official order went in, the build sheet with the buyer info, specifications, and MSRP printed at the end, they would then build those cars in the order that the build sheets are received, regardless of which dealer they came from.

If I remember correctly, at the very start, the allocations were given to dealers in rough proportion to their prior sales volume with other Lotus models, with some padding for small and new dealerships. If I had to guess the ratio of deposits to allocations was much worse for large and small volume dealers, and the medium volume dealers had a better ratio to work with. Of course, as we went through FE 2.0 and FE I4 allocations, we have no idea how that was given out.

 

[Nova]

@tvs_1320 was told it did not matter what dealer the deposit was made at by Lotus USA. They would issue the allocations based on submission date. I was stating that is obviously not the case.

Did you dealer have 80 deposits in 2021? Or are those 70 ppl from 2022/23.

Either way it does not matter and the allocation system isn’t going to change over here anyways. I will give Lotus one more day to produce some type of news, if not my next post is on the I’m out thread….

Unless you have another car you immediately want to get in the next 2-3 months, I would recommend that you hold on for a little longer...

Someday, somebody's gonna make you wanna turn around and say goodbye
Until then, baby man, are you gonna let them hold you down and make you cry?
Don't you know?
Don't you know things can change?
Things'll go your way
If you hold on for one more day
Can you hold on for one more day?
Things'll go your way
Hold on for one more day

But seriously, I've seen people who canceled and regretted their decision, including the guy I received my spot from. Step away from everything for a bit and enjoy the holidays with your family.

 

[Lotustoronto]

I know the allocation game well, in dealing with Porsche over the years I get how annoying the process is. But there is waiting for an allocation with a timeline and then there is blindly waiting with a swing of another 1.5 years.

But my main issue is not with the Emira, it is with the dealer network at the moment. I have other cars and toys to enjoy, but I can no longer overlook the multiple red flags.

 

[Nova]

I know the allocation game well, in dealing with Porsche over the years I get how annoying the process is. But there is waiting for an allocation with a timeline and then there is blindly waiting with a swing of another 1.5 years.

But my main issue is not with the Emira, it is with the dealer network at the moment. I have other cars and toys to enjoy, but I can no longer overlook the multiple red flags.

I know what you mean, and you'll have to assess what your risk tolerance is going to be. For me, my risk tolerance is pretty high - I placed a deposit when the closest dealer to me was 250 miles away knowing that the car would likely have issues. If it's purely a waiting consideration, I would recommend waiting a bit longer. If it's a larger concern with the quality of the car and questionable factory support for quality issues, then that's a different calculus and your comfort level rules supreme in this context.