Leven Car company goes into administration

[Smapmap]

Just spoke to them - Lotus is part of the Rolls Royce/Aston deal

[Guest]

Brilliant. My dash board spanner came back on last night too on start up for 20s again, car must have a sixth sense, so I’m chuffed to bits for all staff and customers involved. 

[Toeside]

Fantastic news for the staff and us!. Leven Lotus Edinburgh liked a few of my instagram pictures todays so it appears they are back on Grid!😀 

[Smapmap]

Just spoke to Laura - thy are currently in the process of getting everything back up and running so will take a while to get the stock back etc but things are on the up.

Re: 'dealer warranty' it is actually with the car owner - not the dealership so you should be ok. Check your paper work to confirm.

Edited January 23, 2020 by Smapmap

[Guest]

That’s great news. Do you know if or when the workshop is open so they can stick the reader in my car and figure out this spanner I’ve got on start up and clear it?
 

Is there a switchboard number you’ve got or an official email address as I don’t want to bother them On forum messages while they get started back up, I’m sure they’ve all had a shitty stressful time over the last 3 weeks. 
 

I’m meant to be driving it to York and back on Wednesday/Thursday next week and I’m nervous about doing it with this spanner on start up. 

[Alfa2Evora]

On ‎21‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 08:40, C8RKH said:

I'm going for oversight, but if not wonder if the Bank will lend me the cash to open a Lotus Dealership....

You do realise, Andy, that you would have to bring cars into stock that were painted in colours other than red and maybe even some that had (shock/horror) rear seats?

[C8RKH]

21 minutes ago, Alfa2Evora said:

You do realise, Andy, that you would have to bring cars into stock that were painted in colours other than red and maybe even some that had (shock/horror) rear seats?

I can do other colours than red but I absolutely draw the line on +2's. Nope. Never. Yadder. "La la la la I can't hear you!"

If I have +2's then I'll get a load of Farquhar, and Finlays and Alasdairs - "that's d a i r you know!" - in their Harris tweed twin sets!

No. No. No!

 

[Toeside]

Went on the Leven Lotus Web page and selected 'service' and was redirected automatically to a Macklin motors web page. I will try and call tomorrow.

[hedgerley]

Just passed the Bankhead site on the tram - showroom and forecourt devoid of Lotus, although at least the lights are on in the empty showroom. All the branding gone. Just checked the Grange Motors website and they proudly announce their new Rolls Royce and Aston Martin main dealerships in Scotland. But no mention whatsoever of Lotus, even in their marque list. Ditto with the Cambria Group, who own Grange.

I hope Laura is right and we see them back up and running soon. But I remain mildly concerned....

[Toeside]

Spoke with Laura today as I was inquiring about when servicing of cars will resume. 'Kermit' needs his 1K check and set up.

The deal does include Lotus The team are re-establishing links with Lotus with the new owner/management set up. That will cover warranty, servicing and supply of vehicles.

It might be IRO a month before normal service resumes.

The servicing arrangements (If you have paid up front or monthly) still applies as it wasn't connected with Leven and was externally outsourced to avoid this type of situation

After a short chat with Laura, that's how I understand the situation. Clearly its been a roller coaster ride for the staff and I assume some future changes will be made with the set up.

Cheers  

 

[Toeside]

Disappointingly I rang to confirm my on line appointment for the 1K service as the web page had disappeared last night.

The deal has not gone through with Grange and they will not be taking on the Lotus brand after failing to come to an agreement. A buyer is still being chased and the steer is that Lotus still want a dealership in Scotland, so its not over yet.

Desperate news for the staff but something may be rescued for them fingers crossed. If I get anymore updates I will let you know but clearly the situation is pretty complex and fluid

Cheers Angus

[marcfair]

Looks like Hoffman's  might have taken some of the stock from leven, a yellow 410 and 3-11? 

[Smapmap]

😒

[Andrew C]

Went passed today no cars and no signs up. First time in many years that there is no Official Lotus dealership in Scotland. Thank goodness for CMC. 

[Smapmap]

Booked my car into CMC tomorrow to see if he can get to the bottom of my limp mode issue. Haven't been there before- but looking at the reviews seems to be excellent. Fingers crossed.

Must be a pretty big deal for Lotus to lose it's presence in Scotland i think, especially with the new products coming on stream this year.

[marcfair]

Hopefully  they will establish a new dealership  soon up in Scotland and in the northeast, its difficult when you want someone who knows lotus to sort your car,  that why I was travelling  up to leven from Newcastle  as we don't  have a dealership  in the north east either. Interestingly  there's a snippet in Absolute  Lotus mag  regarding  dealerships that they are looking to  expand  the network 

Edited February 9, 2020 by marcfair

[Toeside]

Looks like a trip to Carlisle for me in the mean time

[Edinburgh 111s]

This is terrible news. Both for the staff and the brand In Scotland. 
The nearest dealer is now in Carlisle, who have very mixed reviews. I highly doubt that the dealership will be based i the NE / Aberdeen area. The critical mass of people is in the central belt. Selfishly I hope it remains In Edinburgh. 
 

I note that the Aston Martin and RR dealerships seem to have moved to grange. Does anyone know why the Lotus deal fell through? It looked like it had happened and there was talk of the Lotus cars moving in to the AM showroom and workshops.

a sad day for everyone involved in the brand and of course the good people who will loose their jobs. 

[Toeside]

They (Grange) couldn't agree terms with Lotus that's all the info I was given the detail of which I guess we will never know. 

[Edinburgh 111s]

How very disappointing. Whilst we will likely never know as you rightly say, Lotus are no without a dealership in Scotland. 
 

I fear it may be sometime until we have another. Lotus is such a low volume car manufacturer, with the niche dealerships few and far between in Scotland, it doesn’t bode well. 
 

Macklin motors could always find a corner in the showroom, beside the Kia’s and Suzuki’s 😂😳

[C8RKH]

28 minutes ago, Edinburgh 111s said:

Macklin motors could always find a corner in the showroom, beside the Kia’s and Suzuki’s 😂😳

In some ways I'd prefer no dealer to that!

When Murray's it was one of the best performing dealers of the years, and they have sold a massive (in the context of Lotus) number of Evora's in their time too, they never seemed to have an issue shifting them.

There are a lot of Lotus die hards in Aberdeen and the surrounding area and whilst it's bad enough for me to drive to Carlisle it's bloody awful for them.  Once out of "warranty" my car will be in at Craigs, just wanted the first three stamps to be "official". I've spoken to Craig to see if he could/would be prepared to look in to becoming an authorised Lotus Service Centre. In my mind, that would be the best possible outcome.

[Edinburgh 111s]

9 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

In some ways I'd prefer no dealer to that!

When Murray's it was one of the best performing dealers of the years, and they have sold a massive (in the context of Lotus) number of Evora's in their time too, they never seemed to have an issue shifting them.

There are a lot of Lotus die hards in Aberdeen and the surrounding area and whilst it's bad enough for me to drive to Carlisle it's bloody awful for them.  Once out of "warranty" my car will be in at Craigs, just wanted the first three stamps to be "official". I've spoken to Craig to see if he could/would be prepared to look in to becoming an authorised Lotus Service Centre. In my mind, that would be the best possible outcome.

I agree with your thoughts. The last thing anyone wants is the brand to be devalued and lumped in with the bargain basement brands. Nothing wrong with those brands at all, but the dealer just wouldn’t be right for Lotus and the niche area of the market it sits within. 
 

if Craig became a authorised service centre this would be absolutely fantastic. My car has just ticked over the three year mark so I am not as precious has having main dealer stamps now, it’s just kind of sad that there will be no official Lotus dealer in Scotland. 

[C8RKH]

33 minutes ago, Edinburgh 111s said:

if Craig became a authorised service centre this would be absolutely fantastic. My car has just ticked over the three year mark so I am not as precious has having main dealer stamps now, it’s just kind of sad that there will be no official Lotus dealer in Scotland

Yup, Craig services my other Evora and does service my Type 116 now. As soon as the warranty cover "services" are up it will be in with him.  I'm keeping my fingers cross re Craig and that he goes for it.

[Guest]

I’m booked down in Carlisle two weeks on Thursday for warranty work. What a PITA. 😑.

Chances of Lotus paying for covered transport? Is it worth asking them?

 

[tim_marra]

Hmm, I live in Whitehaven, some 40 miles south of Carlisle and always drive to Edinburgh for servicing etc.

Just sayin'