The "when I placed my deposit thread"...

[JimH]

2 hours ago, 390ja said:

That’s what I was thinking, I’m right at the bottom but have already passed up a v6 slot ages ago. I’m very interested to see how many people ended up opting for the i4

i4 first builds are (currently planned for) November 2022, delivery December 2022 (UK cars) - configs and 2nd deposits for early depositors started being taken in early April...

[TomE]

Most people on the list haven't updated their original info, so it's not very reliable now as an indication of engine choice or expected delivery date.  July should see V6 FE deliveries for deposits through to about 7/8 July 2021 and December should be deliveries for i4 FEs up to a similar point.

Each day of Goodwood adds about a month to delivery month, then deposits 12 July onwards post-Goodwood should be roughly month to month (ie August deposits = one delivery month).  it depends a bit on level of cancellations, UK/ROW split and second shift productivity. 

[390ja]

My email is fairly vague. Order was placed late October.
I read it that I could be anywhere in 2023, but they will give me a clue earlier in the year.

Suits me as I really need a test drive before I commit to changing.

“Your Emira is scheduled to be completed in 2023, we hope to be able to confirm an estimated month early 2023.”

It could also read that I’m looking at an early 2023 slot though… 🤔

[Cooper]

Just got a call from Lotus.  Car being built in July, August delivery (although it said July in the recent email).  Absolutely fine/exciting, factory collection.  Also opening a dealership franchise in Dublin, can't find out much about that for the moment.

[PJS]

Had the call. 8th July deposit, Car Built July for Aug delivery. If it's late August then I can drag it to Sept for the new plate. Might not be news to many of you but factory handover the most popular. I selected home delivery - confirmed covered transport. Finished cars are send to Oxford for PDI before being sent to Factory/Home/Dealer. Finance options/payment very vague - await further call. I'm in phase 2 of deliveries putting me in the first 500. Note to others select home delivery and it's likely to be the quickest way to get your car. 

[Bravo73]

1 hour ago, PJS said:

 Finished cars are send to Oxford for PDI before being sent to Factory/Home/Dealer.

 

Hang on. Some of the cars will be built in Hethel, transported to Oxford and then transported back to Hethel, for handover. Really??!?

[PJS]

Yes that’s my understanding from that call 

[Bravo73]

That sounds effing daft to me. I wonder why the cars can’t be inspected at the factory. 🤷‍♂️

[exeterjeep]

Don't think that Lotus do everything logically.

So cars being handed over at retailers will have their PDI done before reaching them, would you expect the retailer to also check that the car is ok. Imagine a car having completed PDI at Oxford getting a scratch in transit and the dealer/retailer not checking?

[Beady]

Also had a call today - 9th July (8am) deposit. Advised August 22 delivery - and circa number 450 in the queue.

Also said factory delivery most popular so choosing home or dealer delivery would be slightly quicker due to logistics.

I am away for 2 weeks in August so asked about delaying delivery to early Sept and was told this would be ok.

I asked about factory PPF (if collecting from Hethel) and was told this was NOT available but ceramic coating was expected to be offered (for this reason i decided dealer collection so i can get PPF applied before I drive it home).

Also mentioned that all cars were being transported to the PDI centre in Oxfordshire and seemed to suggest that the ceramic coating would be done there (if selected).

I was also told August deliveries generally covered deposits between 7th-9th July and any change to spec would now mean delivery delayed until 2023 - so i am sticking with DV 😎

 

[Whitey]

My deposit was 10th July morning, but my delivery on the last email still stated August, so will have to wait and see……. Hopefully I will get a call this week.

[Badger77]

Apparently I got a call today according to a email sent… but amazingly there are no missed calls on my phone !?

#not the best customer service!

[TomE]

On 24/05/2022 at 15:38, Bravo73 said:

That sounds effing daft to me. I wonder why the cars can’t be inspected at the factory. 🤷‍♂️

I believe they awarded the contract for PDI etc to BCA before they'd considered factory collection as an option, and so also didn't establish a capability at Hethel.  So yes, they are left with a daft situation.

It's 100 cars a week on single shift, with second shift starting almost immediately, so I imagine it isn't something they can just squeeze in a Hethel with current staffing.

[TomE]

Had my call last week.  Confirmed I'm in the July delivery batch.  Delivering to dealer (B&C) so they can sort the PPF as factory can't do it.  May mean I get it slightly quicker but I'm on holiday for part of July and so it may sit at B&C for a week.

My deposit was end April so I'm somewhere in the first 30 UK deposits.  Not clear if they're being delivered exactly in deposit date order, but will be July and that's fine.  Wish it could have been  June in time for Goodwood and Lotus in the Peak, but they'll be just as fun in the Exige.  Should know the exact date in 2-3 weeks.  

Lotus are still looking at how to do test drives for the July delivery batch people, as dealer demo cars won't be delivered until July with the first customer cars.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Wow potentially 200 cars per week. That equates to about a year’s worth of Evora output every two or three weeks. These Emiras are going to be everywhere! 😀

[390ja]

…another reason I’m apprehensive of trading the Exige in for one 🤔

[Whitey]

15 hours ago, TomE said:

Had my call last week.  Confirmed I'm in the July delivery batch.  Delivering to dealer (B&C) so they can sort the PPF as factory can't do it.  May mean I get it slightly quicker but I'm on holiday for part of July and so it may sit at B&C for a week.

 

Do you know, or anyone know if the factory are putting on any PPF at all?  The Evora had the the most vulnerable areas covered by the factory so I would hop that the Emira is similar?

[Emiralust]

16 hours ago, TomE said:

Lotus are still looking at how to do test drives for the July delivery batch people, as dealer demo cars won't be delivered until July with the first customer cars.

Thanks for being the middle man still Tom. Do we have any idea what this could be, how or when they will announce it?

I can let the absence of any communication to us actual customers (not shmee etc) slip since at the end of the day I would still have the car at the end of it and that will no longer matter. But what I can't stand is feeling rubbed up the wrong way. 

We are theoretically 5 weeks before a first delivery and 1 week away from commitment to purchase and they can't offer me a test drive before my delivery for less than £720 for 40 minutes!😂Where was our email offering the July people the 20 minute test drive as a priority? It's not rocket science to have offered this. There wasn't one and now it's fully booked before my delivery date. When I phone to ask what the crack is surrounding a test drive for July they read from a script saying "we're desperate to give the early deposit holders a test drive, we can't figure out how to but we will let you know soon" When I pressed more and asked whether that was going to be this week, next week, 3 weeks? She said she had no idea. Well how can you say soon then if you have no idea. As above they have less than 1 week to offer the first deposit holder a test drive, when you look at it like that It is just hilariously appalling.

There is not a lot more frustrating than feeling helpless and unable to communicate with a company when you have a problem and the only person you can talk to is a minor employee who has no authority or ability to provide a solution, If this is the way it's going to be when trying to get hold of Lotus after they've had my £80,000 it is seriously worrying and I don't want to be involved with Lotus at all.

[390ja]

Having a brand new model goes hand in hand with buying blind. I’ve had it many times, mk4 golf r32, Bmw 335d xdrive, gr yaris.
Even the Exige 390 to a degree. if a drive up front is crucial to you, you generally have to give up being a first.

[Emiralust]

oh for sure I don't disagree, I'm using the test drive as an example. I am aware of being a first delivery, I've been through it before and the test drive isn't crucial for me. I'm not touching on new ground here, we all know the customer engagement has been terrible, they've had time to sort this out. Don't tell me you're desperate to find a way to provide a test drive to those in July that want one then sell 40 minute test drives for £720 to people at the back at the queue. Offering the first customers the 20 minute drive would have resolved the problem of it being a lacklustre experience and would have given something back to those who were first whilst providing a test drive. It's not rocket science and just another mistake which was obvious to me

[390ja]

Ahh, yes, I totally understand your point.  I had a similar gripe with Tesla about the model 3. I waited 3 or so years for my “reservation” to come up, just to be ignored when I asked about certain details. As a test,  I emailed them from my wife’s email as a new customer and got an instant reply. I cancelled my reservation a few seconds later.

 

[TomE]

5 hours ago, Emiralust said:

Thanks for being the middle man still Tom. Do we have any idea what this could be, how or when they will announce it?

I've not heard anything more specific, just that they have been considering getting pre-prod cars to some dealers (ie not the dealer demo cars) or using a few motor circuits or other test facilities, or inviting people to Hethel.

When I put my deposit down I knew I was very near the front of the queue and accepted it would mean significant compromises, including potentially having to buy the car without a test drive.  But from the reveal, Goodwood, the dealer roadshows and my factory visits I got a chance to see pre-prod cars several times and sit in them.  I've seen and read reviews, heard the cars on track.  And I know the Lotus team and trust that it's going to be the best car they can design and build.  It'll handle like a Lotus.

But the test drive situation has been frustrating, alongside the "when do we get proper photos of the colours" issue.  The original purchase process was going to be 3 deposits, with the 3rd one making it non-refundable and locking in the spec.  That meant it was 100% clear you'd have to commit without a test drive (or press reviews for early people like me).  Then Lotus changed approach, I assume due to concerns about people cancelling if pushed into committing with so little info available.  So we didn't have to place a 3rd deposit but did have to lock in spec.  Or rather, Lotus locked in the spec we'd already provided as indicative and told us our cars would be delayed if we made any changes.  They said we could cancel any time up to the final payment, 30 days before delivery.  They also said dealers would have demo cars before that point.  So from about Jan onwards even the very earliest adopters have thought they'd get an opportunity to test drive before commitment.

It's the uncertainty around it that's now so frustrating.  If they'd said back in Jan we were going to have to commit without test drives, then we'd have made decisions on that basis.  Having strung us along for 4 months with "we'll sort test drives but we can't tell you how or when" they really need to sort this ASAP.  If it means a day at Hethel, many of us can't just drop everything and take a day at short notice to do that.

I'm still OK to take the car without a test drive.  But I'm nervous about the seat still going through multiple iterations at this late stage and pictures of poorly built ones.  That's one thing where it's very personal and I can't just rely on the reviews coming out on 7 June.

The Customer Service team are really helpful, but their answer to most questions is "we're waiting on information from the factory on that".

[Whitey]

On 24/05/2022 at 21:12, Whitey said:

My deposit was 10th July morning, but my delivery on the last email still stated August, so will have to wait and see……. Hopefully I will get a call this week.

Had my call today and my delivery is now Sept. Asked about ppf and was told there will be none fitted as standard by the factory - strange that all recent Lotus models come with some. Price for Ceramic coating option not yet known. Service package pricing still not known either. I’ve opted for home delivery.

[Sizona]

I have spoken to CS a few times and they are as helpful as they can be. I double checked my spec today just in case! All seemed fine, no nearer knowing actual del date but will be July fingers crossed! (as opposed to the original June del)

I wanted to talk to the Lotus finance team to discuss the PCP's etc they are offering and some general but important questions. Especially with the supposed delivery getting much nearer. CS have no phone number for Lotus Financial Services, anyone have a contact number please?

They gave me an email address to use but despite me emailing the financial bods no reply yet.

[Denno]

For a 12th July deposit last year, should I have been chased for the second deposit by now? It’s gone awfully quiet.