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

[TomE]

On 24/09/2021 at 18:32, Cathalm said:

Returning to the Lotus fold here after quite a while. I put down a deposit with B and C in February- and I haven't had a call. Took the advice on here and used the online chat function to chase it up and I got a very concerning answer. 

The chat rep told that the early dealer deposits are not being honoured for places in the queue and that your place in the line is determined by when you placed the deposit with Lotus after the reveal. Apparently if you're not happy about that then you need to send your confirmation numbers for each deposit to customer service and ask for them to be linked. They will consider moving your place in the line after that. Seems like cobblers to me. 

Needless to say I am going to make a stink about this and hope that the chat rep miss-spoke. The fact that I haven't had a call with a Feb deposit isn't encouraging though. 

Maybe that's useful for somebody else on here anyway. 

As Bibs says, this is incorrect.

There's been some confusion and misinformation on here and various other forums over the last week about queue order.  Not helped by what the Lotus team calling deposit holders have told people.

I followed up about it with Lotus and have confirmation of the position.

Your place in the queue (UK only) is based on the date of your first deposit.  So the date you paid the dealer if you did that pre-reveal or the date of the first £2k deposit if you paid post-reveal.

The date pre-reveal dealer depositors paid their £2k direct to Lotus post-reveal is irrelevant (but seems to be what the calling team are using as the sequence to call people in this exercise).  The date you pay your second £3k is irrelevant too.

The only caveat is if you don't pay the £3k second deposit by 5 Nov then you'll drop out of the V6 FE queue (even if you've told Lotus you want a V6 FE).  You'll then go into the i4 FE + Own Spec queue until a second round of calls opens up to ask about i4 FE versus Own Spec decisions.

Clearly if you don't opt for a V6 FE and intend to go for i4 FE or Own Spec then you slip down the running order.  But then your place in the i4 FE queue or Own Spec queue will still be based on your first deposit date.

So, all entirely fair and sensible.  They need to tell the calling team the correct info!

I gather so far the people the UK calling team have spoken to are split almost 50:50 between V6 FE and i4 FE + Own Spec. So if you were #500 in the queue before the calling exercise and have gone for a V6 FE you're now probably #250 in the queue.  It won't all get defined until November, so no point asking where you are individually just yet, but hopefully gives you an indication.

[DJW]

Thanks for confirmation @TomE

[Emiralust]

They're ringing "without being too specific, less than 100 people per day" (quoted from live chat.) It is only a couple of people apparently so they will get to you we just have to be patient  I for one am very excited to lock my spec in so i can stop changing my mind! I am going for yellow, or blue, no actually green looks nice. 

The number they will call from is 03300 948 047 and they are working 9am-5pm mon-fri (information given to me by the live chat)

[Evotion]

15 hours ago, Emiralust said:

03300 948 047

Ajh jeezuz I cannot unsee that.

Remember in 'Bottom', Rik Mayall is just about to finally lose his V-Card and then has a heart attack.

That will be me if I spot that bloody number appears before I answer it...

[The funniest thing I have ever seen, along with the Fawlty Towers 'Germans' Episode]

 

[Mctaff]

On 25/09/2021 at 22:40, Emiralust said:

They're ringing "without being too specific, less than 100 people per day" (quoted from live chat.) 

Well they are either doing it in a total random order or I’m waaay further down the list then I’d hoped!!

phone me phone me mr lotus… cmon you know you want to!

[Emiralust]

My feelings exactly! I was a 3/4pm 7th July deposit and no phone call yet, they started ringing 7th july depositors on Friday based on others who have posted in here. It is quite disheartening, i hope we do find out sometime not too far in the future roughly what delivery date our slots put us in too.
If anyone who was after 7th July gets a call let us know!

[Emiralust]

I got my call this morning took 5-10mins  (7th July 3/4pm deposit) All straight forward as others have said, I do feel for the 2 people doing the calls as they have their script to read out 50 times each a day.

[Evotion]

Yeah, I am now not worried at all. I was confirmed as early enough to get my cars.

It is just down to staff shortage and they are trying their best.

There was a form at B&C where we were invited to say "Yes, I definitely want the car - CALL ME!!"

I put my name down but no worries.

[Jimbobc]

I just had my call after placing a deposit around 11pm on 7th July.  Despite the wealth of info on here I asked the same questions and said I would go AMG route.  I was told if I do want to configure a V6 I have until the 5th November to decide.  I reckon I would be in the top 600 or so but clearly waiting for an AMG probably means Spring 2023 at the earliest.  Currently drive an Alpine so looking forward to trying one as may decide to keep the Alpine.

[philnotts]

Just had my Lotus call. For reference i placed my deposit 7th July 4-5pm ish.... They confirmed before me asking that you have until the 5th Nov to submit your spec (V6)  and pay the 3k via the link they are sending to me through email without effecting any position in the queue.

[Evotion]

Interesting. Has anybody asked, or found out, what the rationale behind the order of calls is?

We can all relax - just wondering.

[AZD]

I placed my deposit on 11/7/21.

No contact so far.

[Mctaff]

I missed my call today (deposit 8th July)… then they just resorted to emailing me a link asking for 3k!!

Hmmm….

Edited September 30, 2021 by Mctaff

[Beady]

I was 8th too, 8am…getting excited now 

[Evotion]

Got the email.

No missed call.

[marclurr]

I wonder if they're now forgoing the phone calls due to the sheer numbers vs the small staff doing the work. Or maybe they noticed that everything they've been saying has been parroted on here multiple times so no need to phone anymore?  

[Johnhoward]

If that turns out to be the case, it will be disappointing as it seems to contradict the view that Lotus are trying to move into a different marketing strategy that will pitch them amongst the higher volume competition. My biggest concern remains to be the servicing side and how this will be improved. I waited for six weeks in the summer to get the orange spanner light checked and cleared on my Evora and am now waiting seven weeks to get a red airbag warning light looked at. This does not fill me with confidence buying a new car that if there are any issues, that they could take weeks to resolve. I love the look of the car and everything about it and want to buy one with funds in place, but the servicing/repairs are a nagging issue for me.

[Mctaff]

Oh god it hadn’t even occurred to me that the dealers are unable to service customer cars!!

wtf, is this a common experience??!

[Evotion]

You make a very fair point.

We won't really know the answer until the cars are out or Lotus puts out a statement on how they will support these increased car sales in the Emira.

It will be tough, nee impossible , without partnerships at some level. 

However, Lotus are indeed growing and they will have formulated a  plan to have  a robust service and support infrastructure. 

[JimH]

Maybe there will be a move to variable mileage/condition-based service intervals with the new electrical systems (and especially the i4 engine) as opposed to the archaic fixed annual service / fixed mileage interval regime of the past?

[Evotion]

I suspect you are right.

We still need to know they will support owners when things do go wrong.

Personally, I am not worried. I am not far from B&C who do servicing and they will be on top of this, given their excellent history and relationship with Lotus HQ.

[Wake]

On 30/09/2021 at 20:19, Mctaff said:

I missed my call today (deposit 8th July)… then they just resorted to emailing me a link asking for 3k!!

Hmmm….

That’s comforting to know actually. I just want a link to pay the 3k, I’m away at the moment so wouldn’t be able to take a call. 
 

Placed my deposit at Goodwood on the 8th

Edited October 1, 2021 by Wake

[bbpxbbpx]

Looks like they are still doing up to 8-Jul after 2 weeks. I placed the deposit in late Jul, probably another few weeks before I get the link...

Really unsure when my car will go onto production line. Not having an idea how long the queue is and how long the wait will be does not help. 

[Cooper]

For ref - place deposit late in the day on 8th, just got my call.

Adaptive Cruise, the answer was surprisingly yes for the launch car.  No yellow stitching on alcantara wheel.  

[Emiralust]

Hi All, please see below regarding changing your lotus specification after placing your 2nd deposit. Customer care also disclaimed afterwards: "Please note that we would not necessarily encourage customers to change their configuration, as this is not a quick process. We would absolutely recommend submitting your preferred configuration and keeping it this way. The opportunity to change your configuration is to be used in cases such as yours when you've realised after the fact that you need to make a change."

 

Edited October 5, 2021 by Emiralust