❔ QUESTION Who do I call to change my "locked-in" spec?

NicolasB

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After finally getting some leaked photos of different colors and pictures from people's tours or driving academy days, I've decided to go back to my original spec of magma with full black pack. I tried calling the US customer service line twice and leaving a message for some guy who's apparently the field operations manager, but I have gotten no response. I am in the states, of course, but should I be trying to call up Hethel? I feel like if I call my dealer he'll just tell me that I cannot change it or he won't be able to do much himself anyway.

For anyone else who's in the same boat, I will document the process and let you know what effect this may or may not have on my delivery date. The last I knew was about 3 months ago when my dealer told me that I could probably expect my car sometime in the spring of '23. I'm guessing that it has moved back to mid or late summer at this point, so I feel like changing my spec a year in advance should I have absolutely no effect on delivery.

Cheers
 

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After finally getting some leaked photos of different colors and pictures from people's tours or driving academy days, I've decided to go back to my original spec of magma with full black pack. I tried calling the US customer service line twice and leaving a message for some guy who's apparently the field operations manager, but I have gotten no response. I am in the states, of course, but should I be trying to call up Hethel? I feel like if I call my dealer he'll just tell me that I cannot change it or he won't be able to do much himself anyway.

For anyone else who's in the same boat, I will document the process and let you know what effect this may or may not have on my delivery date. The last I knew was about 3 months ago when my dealer told me that I could probably expect my car sometime in the spring of '23. I'm guessing that it has moved back to mid or late summer at this point, so I feel like changing my spec a year in advance should I have absolutely no effect on delivery.

Cheers
Good luck! I tried to change my tire selection and was told the change would delay my car over a year. As a bonus it would be switched to base model. This was at Lotus of Boston.
 
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NicolasB

NicolasB

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You can try Lotus Cars USA rather than your dealer. Contact Tammy McKenzie - she is Emira Customer Relationship Manager for the US, based at Hethel: [email protected]
Thank you; my email has been sent to Tammy and tried to be considerate/respectful/hopeful that she could help me out. 🤞
 
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NicolasB

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Auto-response email 😞😤😥

I am currently out of the office and will reply to your email upon my return on Wednesday 10th August, if your enquiry is urgent please contact my colleagues at [email protected]



Tammy McKenzie


I just sent the same email their way to see what happens.
 

Lowtush

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Auto-response email 😞😤😥

I am currently out of the office and will reply to your email upon my return on Wednesday 10th August, if your enquiry is urgent please contact my colleagues at [email protected]



Tammy McKenzie


I just sent the same email their way to see what happens.

Please keep us in the loop on what their / her response is. I'd be curious to know as well.
 
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NicolasB

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Yeah... I agree. I utilized the Chat feature on the Lotus website. First they could not find my info which is concerning... then they redirected me to Tammy. She wrote me an email basically saying that allocations are independently handled by each dealer in the USA... which I know, but that wasn't my inquiry. I replied to Tammy again with my March order details and got another vague email just about orders stating at this time USA orders are not delayed and only UK and Europe orders are at this time and more details are coming. No comment on changing my order. Based on this reply, I gave up trying. Lotus doesn't know their head from the arse at the moment. That or they do and just don't to share because it is worse than we think.
Oh boy...
 

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If you emailed at 3.30pm UK time on Friday then it's unlikely the relationship managers were still in the factory. Hethel shuts at lunchtime on Fridays and half the US RM team are actually based in the UK.
 
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NicolasB

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If you emailed at 3.30pm UK time on Friday then it's unlikely the relationship managers were still in the factory. Hethel shuts at lunchtime on Fridays and half the US RM team are actually based in the UK.
True, I guess we will see what happens Monday
 
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NicolasB

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"Morning Nick,



Thank you for your enquiry.

I have passed your request to our Operations Manager. As soon as I have a reply from him I will confirm back.



Kind regards,

Isabelle"
 
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NicolasB

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Ok, today I was at work when I got a call from my dealer (first since my lock-in around the middle of May). Here's what he said:

"Nick, I got a call from Lotus that you wanted to make a change to your order? Do you remember when I locked in your spec back in May and I told you after the 20th that there could be no more changes? What's the story?"

(It kind of sounded like I was in trouble and an adult was correcting me! He was ok, but that's just the feeling.)

"So, what's up? You want to change caliper color or something?"

I said: "Yes, and also the color of the car itself"

"You want to change the color of the car too?!"

Me: Yes, and I agree about the spec being locked in, but I recently saw pictures of Dark Verdant and it is not really that green, but more black, and not what I was hoping for, so I would like to make a change."

"So what is the plan?"

"I want to change from DV to Magma and red calipers to yellow" (This was my original spec I was going to go with)

"Ok, red with yellow calipers, what about the interior, same?"

Yes

"Wheels?"

Same

"Ok, well I will contact them about this and see what they say, I don't know, but they have been experiencing delays, so maybe it will go through, I don't know."

Yes, I figured they are having so many delays I am still almost a year from getting my car, so I don't see how changing the paint color could affect that, especially since they didn't publish photos of the colors and have made everyone's choice that much more difficult.

"I will let you know when I hear anything back."


-----------------



So, that was it; I guess it was ok. Hoping Hethel just changes the little color choices in their spreadsheet or whatever and moves on, as it will have zero effect on them at this point in the game, but will be a big deal to me. Oh well, fingers crossed I guess.
 

Wizardwings

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Ok, today I was at work when I got a call from my dealer (first since my lock-in around the middle of May). Here's what he said:

"Nick, I got a call from Lotus that you wanted to make a change to your order? Do you remember when I locked in your spec back in May and I told you after the 20th that there could be no more changes? What's the story?"

(It kind of sounded like I was in trouble and an adult was correcting me! He was ok, but that's just the feeling.)

"So, what's up? You want to change caliper color or something?"

I said: "Yes, and also the color of the car itself"

"You want to change the color of the car too?!"

Me: Yes, and I agree about the spec being locked in, but I recently saw pictures of Dark Verdant and it is not really that green, but more black, and not what I was hoping for, so I would like to make a change."

"So what is the plan?"

"I want to change from DV to Magma and red calipers to yellow" (This was my original spec I was going to go with)

"Ok, red with yellow calipers, what about the interior, same?"

Yes

"Wheels?"

Same

"Ok, well I will contact them about this and see what they say, I don't know, but they have been experiencing delays, so maybe it will go through, I don't know."

Yes, I figured they are having so many delays I am still almost a year from getting my car, so I don't see how changing the paint color could affect that, especially since they didn't publish photos of the colors and have made everyone's choice that much more difficult.

"I will let you know when I hear anything back."


-----------------



So, that was it; I guess it was ok. Hoping Hethel just changes the little color choices in their spreadsheet or whatever and moves on, as it will have zero effect on them at this point in the game, but will be a big deal to me. Oh well, fingers crossed I guess.
Hope it works out for you. Your dealer seems miles more accommodating than mine. Mine wouldn’t even entertain the idea of a change 😭
 
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NicolasB

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Hope it works out for you. Your dealer seems miles more accommodating than mine. Mine wouldn’t even entertain the idea of a change 😭
I think since I went directly through email to Hethel, and they reached out to him, is the only reason he considered allowing it. We will see if it goes through!
 

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Ha... I reached out to my dealer inquiring if changes are possible due to the known delays and this was my response:

"Good morning. Hope this email finds you and yours well also! Noted… understand. Unfortunately, allocation submissions (client spec's) are locked 15 days after submittal. Thank you… enjoy your day."

🤷🏻‍
I was told 7 days LOL
 

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They just make it up as they go along. It's the car business, that's the norm in that industry (at least in the US).
 
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NicolasB

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Here is the latest this morning from Isabelle:

"Morning Nick,



Sorry for the delay in answering your question.



I have forwarded your request to our Sales Operations Manager and Regional Manager.

They have confirmed to me that Matt at Lotus of Western New York is being contacted an should be reaching out to you shortly.



Should that not be the case, please let me know.


Kind regards"


I emailed her back to let her know there was no need to apologize for a delay in her response, and also to inform her that my dealer had called me about it Tuesday (2 days ago). I will be interested to see where it goes from here.
 

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