Getting deposit back

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Also on this, it was suggested by someone previously that if you are going to pull your deposit, you could perhaps somehow switch your slot with another TLFer. I don’t see this being possible. It also wouldn’t be fair on those already in the queue.

[C8RKH]

35 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

It also wouldn’t be fair on those already in the queue.

And yet this is common practice on some prestige brands.  I think with the Emira Lotus are moving into a market that longer term customers might not recognise - waiting lists, retail partners as opposed to dealers, etc.  It's a brave new world I guess.

[TomE]

1 hour ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

Also on this, it was suggested by someone previously that if you are going to pull your deposit, you could perhaps somehow switch your slot with another TLFer. I don’t see this being possible. It also wouldn’t be fair on those already in the queue.

And it was ruled out in the T&Cs deposit holders signed up to.  I'm sure someone could figure out a way round that if they wanted.  Other marques also use contractual terms to try and prevent flipping but it's difficulty to enforce.

[Escape]

Is there anything in the T&Cs preventing someone from selling his/her Emira without registering it? If there isn't, that would seem like the easiest way to transfer the deposit. Make a sales contract, get a deposit equal or higher than what you put down and let the new owner decide the options, color etc, to take ownership as soon as the car is delivered.

As a bonus, you'd still get to see the Emira up close, keep informed and might even get a testdrive. Downside being the very real chance you realize you DO want one and so need to get out of the sales contract. 😄

[R8]

Hi just found this forum tonight. I placed my £2k deposit but considering requesting back. I couldn’t attend the viewing, nearest to me would be a 4+ Round trip. Asked garage for a video said they would but never received. I received my call 13th Oct which I couldn’t take and they haven’t even bothered trying to contact me again. My last 3 cars: was new BMW M4, V10 610bhp Audi R8 and BMW I8. I simply can not buy a car without seeing and driving as will I be disappointed after my R8 ??? So far they have created no excitement for prospective customers at all IMO. How many orders do Lotus have ? Claire 

[DarrylV8]

@R8four times I’ve missed telephone call on the two occasions that Lotus call centre have tried to call me indeed I missed two calls Friday morning however each time I have received an email letting me know Lotus CustomerCare have tried to contact me. On the first occasion about six weeks ago I said I was undecided on V6 manual or the i4, caller said they would call back nearer to November 5th, Friday morning I confirmed i4 and was told Lotus would be back in touch when further details of i4 were released end of year/early next year.

on each email the customer care team stated the number I could call them on 03300948047 Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm

all I will say is Lotus have a good number of UK orders Claire, and if you are serious about owning an Emira then please call the number above or email them customercare@lotuscars.com 

[Mitch Foden-Clarke]

Be patient….. all good things come to those who wait 😁

(written by the least patient person in the world) 🙈😂😂

[aEdMIRA]

Hi R8. I believe you will be disappointed after a V10 plus R8. I'm not saying the Audi is better because I don't think it is  My friend has an R8 and it is fast and it is smooth and it is a quality product. The Lotus cannot compare, it is 80k vs 160k so only compare apples with apples please. If they did the R8 as a manual (like they used to) and maybe got rid of the heavy and complicated 4wd (like they did once!), I wouldn't think twice about buying one instead of the emira because both are incredibly good looking machines. You will not get porsche/audi refinement from an emira if that is what you are after. Regarding comms, I wouldn't judge the product by dealer or manufacturer quality of service, if everybody did that, nobody would buy an Audi

[Bibs]

Just to say following on from a recent thread which was reported and removed, it's not possible to sell your slot or transfer it to anyone else. This is in the Terms and Conditions from Lotus so we will not allow anyone to do that on here. 

If you'd like a refund, contact Lotus and you'll have your money back in around a week. If you have someone who would like your build slot, it's not transferrable so contact Lotus and you'll have your money back in around a week. 

[C8RKH]

On 30/10/2021 at 23:41, R8 said:

So far they have created no excitement for prospective customers at all IMO. How many orders do Lotus have ? Claire 

I think a simple read on here will show you that they have, for many prospective owners, created a huge amount of excitement. In terms of orders, don't know the exact number but so far build slots for 2022 (first year of production) are sold out in UK (and most everywhere else) and I believe if you were to join the queue now you'd be looking at mid 2023 delivery in the UK.

Just imagine what it would be like if they had created some excitement for prospective purchases.

I doubt you'd be disappointed coming from an R8 to honest. Whilst the Emira does not have the gorgeous V10 engine, it does/will handle considerable better on UK roads so whilst the R8 may have it in a boring straight line duel, I doubt the R8 would keep up on the twisties, and in trying to do so, you'd definitely lose some of your dentures

 

[Loquacious Lew]

They don’t need any more excitement around the Emira here.   An order placed today won’t reasonably be delivered for two years as we won’t be getting cars in numbers to satisfy orders for at least that long.  This assumes that orders so far In place aren’t pulled by impatient buyers but the surplus of demand over supply is so strong that it is even raising used prices on Evoras here as people who never considered Lotus are suddenly salivating all over the marque.  But of course the vast bulk of the heat is directed at Emira.  
 

Even so, an unbalanced supply/demand situation can also be extremely difficult if not dangerous for a manufacturer as more time passes.  I could explain this further but the reasons why being unable to supply the market with enough product is unhealthy are self evident.   
 

The “big brass” tours currently underway here have been very well received overall but they seem more goodwill hunting than necessary sales events. We simply won’t get enough cars fast enough to meet what seems to be a very strong tide of demand.  

There is no way to compare owning a Lotus here to owning one on your fair islands.  We have many fewer trusted dealers and service and parts support, however good or bad you think it is in GB, is woefully inadequate for the USA.  Even so, demand for Emira is surely something Lotus has never experienced here, or at least hasn’t had since the first Elise sales in 2005.  I’m waiting to order mine until I can determine what the development arc of this car might be but if I was on the list, I’d stay there for now.  However Lotus must surely be aware that not all pre orders will remain on the books if delivery time remain as they are.  

Edited December 11, 2021 by Loquacious Lew

[Bibs]

2 hours ago, Loquacious Lew said:

An order placed today won’t reasonably be delivered for two years as we won’t be getting cars in numbers to satisfy orders for at least that long.

Where did you get this info from Lew, a dealership? If so, would you mind letting me know which one (by PM if you prefer). Thanks

[Loquacious Lew]

Bibs, check your PMs.   Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you.  We've been traveling (family business) and I've been a bit at loose ends.  

Edited December 14, 2021 by Loquacious Lew

[Cdm2018]

I wonder if the cost of living going through the roof uncertainty in Europe etc if generally car prices will start to fall ?

I know in my life  my household costs going up by £2k alone so if I was in market for a car I would have that burden in costs before walking into a car dealership ? 

[Graham Ridgway]

It seems that way to me.  But I know nothing!  But with inflation zooming up, maybe that'll be on car prices too.

I spoke to a car salesman this week as I've cancelled my order on a new Alfa.  I asked him if he'd sold it yet and he said that car sales had stopped like a tap being turned off.

[Rambo]

I wonder how many people will cancel their nice shiny new Emira?

[Cdm2018]

I can’t blame them as this rise in cost of living was to certain degree unseen and also effects from this conflict wasn’t on cards year ago ? 
But then saying that if you can afford a brand new £70k car you might have spare capacity in terms of spending ? 

[jep]

Emira = Emira thread. Back on topic please.

[C8RKH]

Emira = Evora with a new frock 

[pete]

3 hours ago, Rambo said:

I wonder how many people will cancel their nice shiny new Emira?

Not many

[Barrykearley]

4 hours ago, C8RKH said:

Emira = Evora with a new frock 

Oh dear - off to the naughty step to think about your behaviour 🤣

[TdM]

It's a really complicated picture. Supply, especially raw materials, will have problems which could increase prices. New car prices could increase with inflation as margins get squeezed.

People can't afford new cars as easily with an energy crisis and buy used, squeezing dealerships even more and pushing used prices up. High inflation can push up all 'solid' tangible assets.

Then what happens with interest could also have an impact, high inflation low interest? Used cars probably increase in price, interest rates rise sharply? People start to hoard cash which can have the opposite effect.

In summary, too complicated to call!

[exeterjeep]

5 minutes ago, TdM said:

In summary, too complicated to call!

Plus any action to curb the increases in covid that is underway in most areas,

and of course a major threat from further away in Eastern Europe.

[Phaeton91]

Has anyone successfully received their deposit back?

I placed mine in July 21 but given the Emira delays ended up buying an Evora in 2022.  I’ve now concluded that I’m going stick with the Evora and in February requested my £2k back. Was contacted soon after and told it would be with me in 10 days or so.  

3 months, multiple emails and almost zero communication from Lotus later, I still haven’t got it.

It’s gone far beyond the value of £2k for me now and is exasperation about being ignored and much as I like Lotus, my options are narrowing down.

Is this a common experience?  

[Frickin_idiot]

Yes - dead straightforward and according to plan. I did speak to Lotus CS around two weeks after applying for my refund. Was told that the refund had been made and that there was a banking error. Sure enough, spoke to my bank and it was in a holding state as I had been issued with a new card since initially paying. The hardest and longest wait was with the bank getting themselves in gear.