Emira Update from Lotus

[Evotion]

Lotus are not making excuses - they are saying almost nothing.

I get the market issues - just so frustrated that the summer is disappearing.   I had no choice but to buy something else and now I am not even sure I will keep the Lotus. I don't think about it much anymore when it used to consume me daily.   I know it is coming but trying not to stress about it and have moved on with my life.

[Graham Ridgway]

It feels like I am the antagonist on this thread, must be a mid-life crisis I am happening, apologies, but it's just a car and it's delayed like every other new car!

[ramjet]

3 hours ago, Evotion said:

Lotus are not making excuses - they are saying almost nothing.

I get the market issues - just so frustrated that the summer is disappearing.   I had no choice but to buy something else and now I am not even sure I will keep the Lotus. I don't think about it much anymore when it used to consume me daily.   I know it is coming but trying not to stress about it and have moved on with my life.

Well if nothing else, you would probably get a prize for being the most prolific poster in your first week of being a member. 

[Graham Ridgway]

Very good point, but it might be slightly longer than a week!

[ramjet]

You are right.

@Evotion has been here longer than that. It is just that he had a fair crack at it in his first week.  

I mean there was the topic on:

What colour exterior?

What colour interior?

V6 or i4 or both?

Black pack or not?

Which suspension?

Which tyres?

LHD or RHD?

Automatic or manual?

Do you like it or not?

Clothes to wear when driving vs clothes to not wear?

Where are you picking yours up?

Where are you on the depositors list?

Can you wait or can't you wait?

There was probably others as well.  

 

[Bibs]

Can't see anything wrong with that. Who wouldn't be excited about a new car?

[MJON]

I’m not, I may crack a smile when it arrives 😊 my grandson however will be very excited but he’s just two 🤭

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Yeah but how old will he be when it arrives? 😄

[ramjet]

22 hours ago, Bibs said:

Can't see anything wrong with that. Who wouldn't be excited about a new car?

Certainly.

I just thought that @Evotion was the most prolific topic starter in his first week. If we gave out awards, he'd be right up there.  

[Evotion]

Thank you all. All awards gratefully accepted.

Just no slapping me up on the podium.

 

😀

[ramjet]

I'm not slapping your podium no matter how much you ask me to.

[KennyN]

I have just called customer services, as it is 2 weeks to the day that they told me I could expect to receive a call in the next week or two to take the final payment and confirm delivery of my car, as it was being built this month to be delivered in August.  Surprise, surprise, this is complete nonsense and nobody seems to know how I could have been told this.   Apparently, I can expect a September delivery.

Am I surprised?  Unfortunately, no.  Am I disappointed? Yes.

I have been fortunate enough to have bought quite a few new cars from most of the big players, but never have I been subjected to the consistent level of sheer incompetence that Lotus have managed to bring to this buying experience.  So far, they have managed to miss every self set milestone with no communication to advise on the delay.  Even when a customer chases for an update they provide information that is incorrect.  They really need to get their act together!

[ramjet]

I am really struggling to understand why this keeps happening?

I could understand it if we were talking about 100's of 1000's of orders, but we're not.

 This really should be such a simple thing to get right. Oh ok, let's say it is a little complicated with downline suppliers not meeting ETA's and other things happening, just be honest and keep in touch with people.

How many deposits are there? Does anyone know?

[Graham Ridgway]

even I'm finding it hard to defend Lotus' competence any more!

[KennyN]

1 hour ago, ramjet said:

I am really struggling to understand why this keeps happening?

 

My take on it is nothing more exotic than incompetence.

Sure, bringing a car to market in today's world is challenging, but communicating progress, or lack of progress is really not difficult at all.

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

So what happened to the RHD nimbus grey car Matt Windle was proudly standing in front of on the 16 June update video? It was allegedly the first customer car, so should surely have reached him/her by now? Or not…?

[exeterjeep]

1 hour ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

so should surely have reached him/her by now?

Can't have got to a real customer or even a dealer, so may be its just going to the driving academy.

Must be time for another video from Matt to explain the seeming lack of news plus when cars will get to the retailers.  

[chipp]

5 hours ago, KennyN said:

 Apparently, I can expect a September delivery.

 

Don't shoot me down if i'm wrong but chatting to Scott at the weekend he did openly mention that they should start delivering in September.

Some of the supply problems are really small mundane items but essential all the same as the cars can't leave the factory without them attached.

 

 

 

 

[Graham Ridgway]

Why don't they just tell us that then?

[Mctaff]

Graham I don’t think you quite realise how difficult it is bringing a new car to market!

😉

[Graham Ridgway]

Touche!!!

[TomE]

8 hours ago, KennyN said:

I have just called customer services, as it is 2 weeks to the day that they told me I could expect to receive a call in the next week or two to take the final payment and confirm delivery of my car, as it was being built this month to be delivered in August.  Surprise, surprise, this is complete nonsense and nobody seems to know how I could have been told this.   Apparently, I can expect a September delivery.

Am I surprised?  Unfortunately, no.  Am I disappointed? Yes.

I have been fortunate enough to have bought quite a few new cars from most of the big players, but never have I been subjected to the consistent level of sheer incompetence that Lotus have managed to bring to this buying experience.  So far, they have managed to miss every self set milestone with no communication to advise on the delay.  Even when a customer chases for an update they provide information that is incorrect.  They really need to get their act together!

Similar to the response I've been getting.  Say one thing, promise a timeline for updates, don't meet that, need to chase them, they change what they previously said.  Rinse and repeat.  They still can't tell me if I'm in the September batch or if I might be in the small number in August, or tell me when they will have more info or when they'll be able to tell me a delivery date.  Yes there's lots going on in the world and lots of moving parts to getting cars delivered, but the lack of comms and regular "we're sorry about the delay but we'll give you an update soon" script from Customer Care is hugely frustrating.

If serial Lotus owners and enthusiasts are running out of goodwill, what hope for the folks new to the brand who are equally fed up about the lack of comms but aren't now likely to see a car delivered until winter or into 2023?

In theory tomorrow is the first day of LDA running with Emiras.  Looking forward to some feedback from those attending.

Anyone going to the Hendy Thruxton event on Sunday will get a chance to ask Scott about what's happening.  Please report back!

[Wake]

I emailed Customer Care last week as I’d not heard from them since they told me I was due to expect the car in July (which was 01 Feb). I knew there were delays which is fine because I had been led astray by a red Type R that caught my eye, but the lack of comms has been fairly crap. I’ve now been told October now but I’ve only had that info because I asked for it. 
 

Disappointed that Lotus aren’t being proactive with the information. It’s getting annoying because I am weak and at this rate I will get something else. I am trying to be strong but my brother keeps sending me GT4s, Morgans, Vantages and it’s getting harder! 

[TomE]

In the Matt Windle delay email/video just before Goodwood they said they’d  contact people individually “in the next few weeks” about specifics of delays and new delivery months.  And at Goodwood they said they’d be contacting people over the following two weeks. 
 

They haven’t done either, and the only updates people have got have been by phoning or emailing Customer Care.  There was a generic post-Goodwood email but nothing individualised. 

[ramjet]

6 hours ago, Mctaff said:

Graham I don’t think you quite realise how difficult it is bringing a new car to market!

😉

The difficulty doesn't matter.

We're talking about the company letting people know what is going on and that it will be worth their hard earned to wait and be patient.