Petition To Keep Lotus Trim Shop Open

[nichop]

Hi fellow lotus owners. If you frequent Seloc then you may have already read this in which case, apologies.

Bell & Colville a few days ago confirmed that the Lotus trim shop is to close which I think is very bad news. The existence of a trim shop at the factory is quite unique to Lotus and sets them apart from other sports car manufacturers. I'd also personally much rather have my refurbs done at the factory than an independent.

We have started a petition which I will very shortly be sending to Lotus. If you feel the same as the 122 other Elise and Elan owners who have already signed the petition, please add your vote and comment to the online petition, found here :-

http://www.myonlinepetition.com/petition/340/Keep+Lotus+trim+shop+open/

thanks

Nick

[Loose Cannon]

Done.

[red vtec]

Done

[martynv]

Done.

[Guest mkelite]

Done. DC.

[Advantage]

I wonder if Mr Baha will take 5 or 10 seconds to click 'delete'?

[Choppa]

Done

[TAR]

I would like to add my name to the petition but..... it is highly unlikely that I would ever use their services.

Asking them to keep a facility which I won't use may not be wise, given the current economic climate.

[Paul C]

I wonder if Mr Baha will take 5 or 10 seconds to click 'delete'?

Course it won't mate. He has a history of selling bits off, making money, and moving on. In five years time he'll have left the company an even wealthier man than when he joined it, as thats what he does, Thats all he does, You can't stop him! (err that might be the terminator but you get the idea, thats what his career is built on).

I voted for the trimshop anyhow, while it might not save them, a big petition will look good on their CV.

[rocket63]

I may be cynical, but you might be better engaging their services en masse if you want to make a difference. Its a business not a charity ! I wonder just how many of us would use this as an after market facility ? If not, what are you petitioning ?

[rogerch]

I've signed, not because I will ever use it but because it'll be the service centre next, and all the things that say Lotus care about the ongoing ownership of their vehicles.

[obione]

I will not bother to sign this – they have clearly made up their mind to close the trim shop, and a petition will just be a waste of time I’m afraid...

[Beaujolais Dom]

Very sad news, and as a previous post said, the loss of one of the unique facets of Lotus.

Have the trim shop guys considered an MBO?

[Kimbers]

Sadly, I think this could be the tip of the iceberg. Whats next? Service Centre? Engineering? Out sourcing parts again?

I have signed the petition. It's a shame that no attempt to market the trim shop globally, has been made. It's easier to say something doesn't work, and blame economics, when you haven't even tried to build it as a business. Engineering started small like this and is now a global leader of Engineering worldwide.

I don't think Mr Bahar will listen in the slightest, like Paul says, he is there for one reason only and it has nothing to do with Lotus History, keeping jobs in Norfolk and the UK, or developing the company. It's all about one thing.

[OwenGT3]

Spoke to a guy at last Sunday's Henham Wings & Wheels about this, his Esprit HC apparently was the last car to trimmed fully (looked absolutely fantastic), he said they were stopping. Apparently all work from what he said will be directed to people like Nick Fulcher.

[Bibs]

Anyone who hasn't signed this, please do so now. I'm going to send a email to every one of our members shortly, all 8,300 of them!

[bingoking]

Although I don't need trim work done on my cars at this time if I did the Lotus trim shop would be my first port of call. They might not be the cheapest, they might not be the best but I like Lotus and that's why I bought the cars, they might not be the cheapest, they might not be the best but I like the brand and always have.

It is probably down to economics but if this closes what will be next, the service department, driver training and will they stop the Factory visits and gatherings.

[Bibs]

You'd be very surprised at the prices, they are very reasonable in fact.

[bingoking]

Maybe they are too reasonable if it is an economic decision to close.

[yeller77]

Signed.

Apparently all work from what he said will be directed to people like Nick Fulcher.

Could be worse, good for Nick, I suppose.

[trackmagic]

Dear Lotus,

Focus on the customer and the dollars will flow. Focus on the dollar and the customers will GO!

Best,

Jeff

[Günter]

would say: *The new Lotus CEO should think about what handcrafted British Automobile manufacturing stands for...*

[andydclements]

I'm with Paul, the only way to keep a service like this open in a commercial organisation is to have it make profit, or at the least, make such a small loss that it is out-weighed in the benefit it gives to other aspects of the company by its presence.

Lotus will probably just out-source trim work, so I'm sure those in the trim shop will be OK, and I really hope that is the case.

[Paul C]

Like i said, i signed as i think a list of thousands of people saying how good you are is a good thing for the guys to have on their CV regardless of what happens to the trim shop (my money is it will be axed to fund a really swanky desk/ swivel chair combo for the new CEO's norwich penthouse).

My Elise S1 is not going to keep the trim shop busy for more than five minutes anyway. But the fact they offer GOOD prices should be shouted about more (by them) as people, as on this thread, assume the factory shop will be an expensive option. The new owner of my old S3 shopped around suffolk for retrim prices, tried Lotus last, and took it to them as they were cheapest.

Excellent job they did too.

[Tony K]

Bibs --

I don't know if they already do this, but in order to keep it open, offer a program similar to the "Sonderwunsch" (sp?) department at Porsche, where they will do just about any interior for a customer for a price. In other words, if you don't like the colors offered for a 911, Cayman, whatever, you can pay big money to have them do it any way you want. Ferrari does this for some of their customers, too (hint hint, Dany-boy). Porsche does it for paint and interior; Lotus trim shop could become the factory special shop for made-to-order interiors.

- Tony

p.s. will sign petition this evening . . .