Paint bubbling issues

[Al]

About time I think we started a separate thread for this issue which seems to be growing.  There are 3 or 4 posts here in page 1 of Emira niggles but maybe a moderator can copy them to here to keep all together.  The other Emira Forum that is linked in those posts has a thread on this issue and even a poll of the car age to see if a common theme.

Seems as the cars age some of them are showing signs of paint bubbling on mainly the door tops. 🤬 It appears whether car stored indoors or out and I'm getting the vibe they appear as they start getting to around a year old.  I am fairly sure my car has just started or I'd have noticed this previously and /or the detailer would have, and I have a line of about 5 or 6 bubbles along the top of the nearside door (right hand drive car).  My car is wrapped but not this far back and only G-Techniqued in this position.  

I looked at friends cars last night at a Club Lotus meeting and lo and behold one early car was clear and the other had the same or even worse than me and he hadn't previously seen them.  Both doors.  My car is a 7/23 1st reg but who knows when built, and friends car is a later one.  (he may post up here sometime). Seems the problem is the door manufacture process and the solution is new doors under warranty.  At least that way should be a better chance of a good match ex. factory.  I would post photos if I had any worthwhile but hard to get with reflections.

So my problem is now with the dealer so let's see what happens.  In the meantime I'd advise all owners to give your cars a thorough check! 

[bingoking]

I am one of the friends that @Al mentioned above.

I too have the problem on both doors and I'm far from happy, my car was registered on 1/09/23. 

I have managed to get some photos and have this evening sent those in a long email to the dealer with the problems I have had with the car, Power Steering pump and Air-conditioning replaced before I took delivery of the car and subsequent problem with the Air-conditioning on Day 1 of a 21 day driving holiday in Italy. Driving the Amalfi Coast was no fun especially in 38c heat. 

The car has been back twice to get the Air-conditioning fixed, now this paint problem. What else will go wrong with this car?

 

[exeterjeep]

The pics clearly show the poor finish, was surprised to see how bad this is. I seem to recall that Lotus spent a load of cash on a new paint shop, seems that they should not have bothered.

Hope that you get the cars sorted and that Lotus ensure they get the paint perfect before they leave the factory.

[Bibs]

That will be down to the third party door supplier, not the paint shop. The paint will be perfect when it leaves the factory, this happens very soon after that however.

These certainly aren't isolated incidents, it's sad to see and I hope you get them replaced with the new doors ASAP. 

 

[C8RKH]

@Al - at the Glamis event one of the Scottish owners turned up with his Red Emira. EVERY panel, and I mean EVERY panel looked like it had paint bubbling issues and iirc he was not happy with the support or responses from the dealer or Lotus.

Shit happens, but the real differentiator, or "tell", is how people and companies respond when shit happens. Sadly, this seems to be another instance that is not great.

My 23 year old VX220 has 2 "bubbles" on the passenger door, one by the exhaust outlet. I can forgive it that, as it is 23 years old but I am pretty sure the problem started in my ownership, when probably for the first time in its life it was stored in a heated garage when not in use, as opposed to just being outside.

I hope you all get it sorted, but, this should never be happening on these cars in 2024 in large numbers. Someone, somewhere has failed dramatically, whether in the parts specification and use of materials, or in the manufacturing process and subsequent quality control.

The sad thing is that Lotus has been aware of these problems, and their potential to happen, and has dealt with numerous warranty claims before, for over 20 years iirc.

 

[Nick Sticks]

Regarding the door paint problem modified doors have been fitted at production since 14th June 2023. The new specification doors have a darker black or blue primer inside the door. If the inside is white it's the old specification door.
This was also told to me last weekend at Donington Park Circuit by a Lotus chap on the stand.
As mine is a later car than the above date I'm hoping I won't see the door paint problem but I do have bubbles on the tailgate on one side from delivery. The initial diagnosis is a whole new tailgate which I am still waiting for but not chased up as I want the summer in the car.
Apart from that the car is running great.

[C8RKH]

11 hours ago, Al said:

My car is a 7/23 1st reg but who knows when built

Does it not tell you from the VIN number?

[Bibs]

No, that will only show the Manufacturing Year in digit 10. 

 

[Simon Bateman]

On 13/09/2024 at 09:16, Nick Sticks said:

Regarding the door paint problem modified doors have been fitted at production since 14th June 2023. The new specification doors have a darker black or blue primer inside the door. If the inside is white it's the old specification door.
This was also told to me last weekend at Donington Park Circuit by a Lotus chap on the stand.
As mine is a later car than the above date I'm hoping I won't see the door paint problem but I do have bubbles on the tailgate on one side from delivery. The initial diagnosis is a whole new tailgate which I am still waiting for but not chased up as I want the summer in the car.
Apart from that the car is running great.

I also had a conversation recently with somebody in the know, but I'd rather not say where and when as it may drop them in it. My take was that cars built in most of 2023 would almost certainly have the incorrectly lined doors. There is a possibility that late build 23 cars could have the new doors, but that this wasn't guaranteed. 24 build cars should be OK.

For someone that has flirted with the idea of switching to a second hand Emira, this would be a red line for me.

My understanding is that the original doors were also prone to collecting water, which has also been addressed, but I suspect how the owner stores the car has a big part to play in how quickly the issue materialises and those that use their cars generally when the sun shines and dry store in well ventilated garage will possibly experience the problems further down the line.

The bigger issue for me is what Lotus do in the future. Are they just going to batten down the hatches for a further three years and then wash their hands of it or are they planning to extend paint warranties on all cars affected?

Also, there are a small, but steady number of people coming forward with the same paint issues on other areas of the car. Does this indicate a bigger and more widespread issue associated with paint processes in general?

 

[C8RKH]

It was a well known problem for Lotus for 20 years, I find it embarrassing that they've not addressed the issue with suppliers to make sure it was not an Emira issue.