lotusespritparts.com

[Simon350S]

I'd take all the dealings above as a "don't go near him with a bargepole"

[nic996]

Indeed. If I receive my part afterwards my barge pole will be fully armed with a diamond tipped shity stick.

[marcbria]

Darn, sorry to hear about your bumper troubles nic! Nothing worse than when you want to give someone money for a product and they don't deliver, literally in this case! What are the SJ bumpers made of?

 

Brian

[nic996]

Hi Brian, just to be clear so that people don't misunderstand/get upset, I am waiting for a Heater/bulkhead cover to be delivered. The bumpers arrived from SJ in very good time. They are made of Glassfibre as the originals. Very good too apart from a flaw in the rear one. Hence my little quibble in the post. Only a minor issue compared to the bulkhead cover fiasco

[marcbria]

I thought the original bumpers were made of foam/vinyl cover? Or were they different on an S3?

[Tony K]

Brian,

 

   The Federal/North American cars had larger bumpers that were foam with a thin skin on them.  To answer your previous question, both front and back were the same when new -- soft with the same flexible skin.   If one of yours is brittle, it is just aged worse.  It sounds from your description like someone may have tried to refurbish it or smooth it out or something.

 

    The UK/European/Rest-of-World bumpers were smaller.  The rear is a fiberglass shell with the mounting plank on the back side made of wood.  The SJ reproductions are, for all intents and purposes, exact.  The front, if I am not mistaken, was originally plastic like the tail lamp surrounds, and reproductions are fiberglass.  I am pleased with the look of the SJ front bumpers compared to the photos I've seen of the lotusespritparts ones -- SJ's look more exact/original to me.

 

 - T

[nic996]

In addition to Tony's information, the S3 bumpers are fibreglass on both ends stuck to a planks of wood. I am converting mine to S2 bumpers and indeed the SJ front bumper is a very good imitation of the original.  I forgot that the original front was not fibreglass. Sorry for the confusion.

[Franky]

I've just seen on the web the job list, and my parts seem to be finished and shipped, but I haven't received anything yet!

 

Also sent an email to Mike to know exactly when the parts were sent and no response...this guy must be very busy!!!!!!!

[brian.harper@netassoc.net]

Mike makes the lotus parts out of love of the marquee. He does not have any help, and currently works 7 days a week with two other jobs too, to pay the bills. I believe he will deliver whatever you have ordered, but if you are in a hurry, maybe look around. He is doing his best, and it would be a loss to the lotus community to lose his services and skills. So cut the guy a break.

Brian

[Franky]

Hi Brian,

 

First of all I'm not in a hurry but 7 months is time enough to start worrying if you get no response at all to any emails after at least 4 months of silence (I didn't say anything 'till then)...so I did not make any pressure at all to Mike untill now.

 

He could be making Lotus parts out of love of the marquee as you say, but he gets paid for that (full pay in advance before even thinking starting the job) and if he has so many jobs, either don't take them or make a real bussiness with that (taking more people to help, etc...).

 

He could also ask for the payment once he can start the job...that could be as well a solution, so people don't get ungry waiting for too long for the parts.

 

I also think he should stay on this bussiness (I've been looking for a pair of mirrors for my S2 since I bought the car and Mike is the only one who gave me a solution), but call it as it is and do it properly. As you say, he can be really good and will be a big loss to lose his services, but you can lose it yourself if you don't do it properly...that's all.

 

Maybe is just a problem of comunication...you see, I'm getting nervous because after 7 months I have no idea of what's up with my mirrors, and now it seems like they are done and on the way home...

 

...or maybe not?

[nic996]

Cut some slack? In a hurry? You're joking aren't you? I want parts for the marque I love from a professional or semi professional not from a charity!! The part wasn't free 8 months ago when I paid for it! Having not complained once in 8 months is not cutting a little slack. That kind of slack would let my neigbour's dog run to the North Pole before the leash went twang!!

If he had been honest in the first place I wouldn't be complaining but he wasn't and his lack of contact has been more than frustrating and unprofessional. The reality is that if he had been honest he wouldn't have a business to pay his bills. I don't mind cutting people slack who work in a cottage industry but I am not here to be taken for a mug either.

[Bibs]

I don't even known the guy and he sounds like a joker to be avoided. Passion or not, he needs to provide as service as a business, end of story.

 

I'd suggest perhaps he changes to the usual cash on despatch to give his customers some assurance their money isn't disappearing into a black hole, as evidenced by most of this thread.

[marcbria]

For those of you who were interested in what was going on with my odd rear bumper I've stated another thread with my findings.

 

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/58324-rear-bumper/

 

Brian M.

[johnpwalsh]

^{Mike at Lotusbits is a very helpful guy and full of knowledge but the downfall is his website, don't email if you want a reply, take the time and call him. I once spent 8 hours at his workshop waiting on a bottom end engine rebuild and all his guys were very professional and helpful and I couldn't believe just how busy the place was.} 

Edited June 25, 2013 by johnpwalsh

[s1guy]

i ordered an s1 front spoiler in may,,paid in full,,still havent recieved it either,,,i know fr a fact how long it takes to make this part and it dont take this long fr sure,,,this mans business is pretty much finished,,,i have friends in california,,law enforcement btw,,i will have his home address and "business" address shortly,,,

Edited August 21, 2013 by s1guy

[mdw]

Your not alone, I ordered a horn pad end of may and was told 3 weeks. Still no sign and no reply to emails.  Didnt see this thread until after I had paypaled the money.  I just hope its too smaller a comunity to last long doing this sort of thing. I might try  getting the money back via the credit card or paypal but not sure if this would work across boarders.

Edited August 21, 2013 by mdw

[jimblob]

If you have paid with a credit card you can claim the money back after 30 days for paypal open a dispute.

[marcbria]

Hey Guys,

 

I emailed him regarding a Federal S1 rear bumper and he replied within a day with a quote and cost of shipping. Including a warning that it would like be several months before I received anything given his back long. He is either scamming people outright or so back logged hes taking forever to process orders. Not replying to emails isn't very good business sense though.

 

He mentioned that he will be partnering with another company on the east coast of the United States so maybe that will reduce his turn over time. His website also now says that he has partnered with Euro Dynamics.

 

So once again, has anyone actually received anything from this guy?

 

Brian M.

Edited August 22, 2013 by marcbria

[andydclements]

And also worth noting that debit cards (certainly VISA but you'll have to check with the others) have a charge-back system which can enable you to claim the funds back in certain circumstances, but there's a time limit on how soon you have to claim after becoming aware of the issue with the transaction (i.e. not receiving goods and start believing they will not be received).

[Freemason]

I've emailed enquiring about a new S2 front bumper but so far received no response. Judging by the experiences on this thread this is probably a good thing, there's no excuse for the run-around people on here have been given. 

 

Has anyone actually ever received a product from this joker?

[auto]

I order a pair of wing mirrors, very friendly with the emails, had to pay upfront for the mirrors I was told there was a 3 months wait, nearly 3 months and I started emailing him and had no reply. pay pal didn't want to know told pay pal they shouldn't do business with him, got most of my money back from my credit card. I would advise no one to do business with this man.    

[philleech]

...And now the website is available to buy. Looks like my wing mirrors wont be arriving after almost 9 months. Paypal dispute dept here I come.....

Phil

[marcbria]

Wow, thats crazy. I'm glad I never ordered anything from them. Sorry for those of you who have and never received anything.

 

Brian

[mdw]

Yep 9 months on my horn pad.  Think you like me are way out of time on paypal.   I assume I wont get the money back but will do what ever I can to warn others.   I am quite amazed as from what he showed he made I would have thought he could have made a tidy profit  from a totally legit business without being a scam merchant. 

Never did get anywhere chasing the east coast whatever partnership he posted about.   What was the muppets name incase he pops up in another reincarnation .  Was it Mike Wagner??

Edited November 30, 2013 by mdw

[marcbria]

That was the name he gave me when I inquired about a new bumper a few months back.

Brian