The Evora 400 Diaries

[JayEmm]

Incidentally, in COMPLETELY unrelated news, @chylld you were right - McLarens are quite nice

[Barrykearley]

Quite nice ....quite nice...... ffs.....

in new news - sex is great

[mik]

Enjoyed that vid James - wanted to see you both pushing a bit harder, but I guess you are limited in what you can do on camera.

 

Had two GT4's with us on a drive up North last year (before I got my Lotus). Very nice (although I didn't desire  one as much as an Evora)

 

[JayEmm]

@mik Yes there is an extremely fine line when driving on public roads and filming it. Obviously I don't want to look like I'm just pootling along, but when you've got a car where it's well known that third = 105, I have to be very, very careful with what I make public

Suffice it to say both cars are fun at "brisk" speed

[JayEmm]

It never rains...

Turns out the sump gasket on the Evora IS leaking, replacement is not difficult but it is certainly odd because that is an item assembled by Toyota

And my O/S headlight washer has packed up and requires replacement, for which the current back order time is four months.

[C8RKH]

I really do think it is time your dealer asked for that car back and got you a new one on a great deal. I think you have strong grounds.

[JayEmm]

Funnily enough @C8RKH the last time I suggested this to them their reply included the famous words "Well it hasn't let you down".

I've sent them the picture of it on the back of the AA truck, as well as a lovely video of it coughing and spluttering whilst trying to keep up with 30mph traffic

I still, honestly, genuinely believe that the 400 is a fundamentally right car. EVERY car maker can have the odd lemon for whatever reason and I think that, sadly, is my car.

I am very hopeful there is going to be a positive resolution for all involved because I'm sure you lot are as tired hearing about me having problems as I am writing about them. It's not a particularly good advertisement for the company as it stands.

[C8RKH]

Agreed. Remind me again who your dealer was / is so I make sure I buy elsewhere.

 

good luck.

[Cypriot]

James, you should definitely push them, and leverage your online presence. If your dealer isn't willing to help, then no one will ever consider buying from them. A bit harsh maybe, but these are not cheap items!

[JayEmm]

I never mentioned it on here previously but I wrote a formal request to reject the vehicle last month. That was after I had been waiting more than three months for replacement seats (after being given a date for fitment) and was not able to get a timetable from Lotus, or a reason for the delay. I submitted it, and it was refused because "the problems I have are normal because the vehicle is hand made" and "The problems are being sorted". (Dealer's words - not Lotus)

Quite clearly, it is not anywhere near normal or acceptable to have this number of issues. Nor, unfortunately, are the problems being sorted. By the time I collect the car on Tuesday, if I get it back then, it will be up to a grand total of 27 days being worked on fixing issues. With several issues still unresolved and with no timetable for fixes.

As I've mentioned above I don't think my experience is representative of the breed, however a dealer has a responsibility for the quality of the goods they sell and presently that responsibility is not being met. If I thought my car was really what all 400s are like, I'd be shouting it from the rooftops. However, they're not, and it isn't in anyone's best interest for me to broadcast otherwise outside of places that know the correct context (like here). I love the Evora 400 and still think it is one of the best cars I have EVER driven but I would like to think Lotus at the very least hold themselves to some sort of standards of quality. If they ever want to shift their reputation and unfortunate acronym, this is not the way to do it.

I had a conversation with the dealer today and reminded them of their obligations, and provided them the list of items that have gone wrong in the month since I asked to return the car. They have escalated it "to the highest levels" but I do not know what will come of it. They agree that it's not acceptable but they can say it's unacceptable all they want. What I care about is what they're going to DO about it.

In the meantime, I will leave this little photograph that I forwarded to the dealer during our last round of discussion. I think that banner needs to be dug out of storage.

[Stuno1]

I would be taking it back as well. Far too many issues now chap.

[CocoPops]

The fact the dealer tried to convince you the car wasn't in their stock as long as it was says it all about their style...

[C8RKH]

This really annoys me @JayEmm and your dealer really needs to step up, in my humble opinion of course. The RETAILER is responsible, not the manufacturer - i.e. the person / org who sold you the car, not the people who made it.

Maybe you and the dealer should brush up on the relevant sales of goods laws. Also, if any finance, then they are equally liable too. Sounds to me, albeit I admit I do not know all the facts, that your dealer is not willing to fully accept their repsonsibility.

However, as I've said, I do wish you all the best and feel the pain you've had. A lesser person would have walked away from the car and the brand by now. So respect for sticking at it.

 

[ramjet]

4 hours ago, JayEmm said:

EVERY car maker can have the odd lemon for whatever reason and I think that, sadly, is my car.

That is very true. Myself and the guys I used to work with at Holden here in Geelong, have all seen the same cars being repeatedly brought back for warranty issues.

The tiler I am currently working with bought a new Barina several years ago. Had an oil leak underneath and took it back to the dealer and was told it had been fixed. 5 months out of warranty and another oil leak (same place on the car) and now the quote was $10,500 for a new gearbox as the old one had a crack in it.

He took the car to another repairer who has replaced the box with a second hand one from a wrecker, replaced the clutch (not sure why) and labour, $1,700 all up. This repairer also told him not to hang on to the car as there is an odd noise in the engine.

Bill won't get another Holden and won't go back to the same dealer.

You do seem to have a lot of issues James compared to other people on here. Maybe your car is camera shy?

[JayEmm]

Thanks Andy. The ball is in their court now and I hope they step up to the plate. Fortunately there is no finance company involved - I bought the car cash. If I was making monthly payments on it and it was in the shop I think I would be incandescent with rage. 

This, to my mind, is where the German brands really actually beat Lotus. A lot of grovelling and a shiny courtesy car can go a bloody long way to making customers feel better.

I really hope for Lotus ' sake the cars going to America are of a much higher standard. I am quite familiar with our consumer laws thanks to a brush with a shifty Alfa Romeo a couple of years ago! But American laws are brutal - lemon laws, class action lawsuits, etc

[C8RKH]

That should say "unfortunately there is no finance company involved".  If I was spending £70k on a car I'd part finance and after 6 months pay it off. You get a huge amount more protection that way.

[Colin G]

I'll be honest, the 400 is my fourth Lotus and there'll undoubtedly be a fifth, but I'll never buy one brand new again.

[Danelaw]

Very sad to hear this. It appears there is little wrong with the parts Lotus make themselves, but seats and engine that are bought in from top brands. OK the headlight washer may be Lotus design, but hardly a big issue. I've been in taxis where windscreen wipers fell off in heavy rain on the motorway so headlight washers I'm sure you'd tolerate for a while. Still it would be good if Lotus held more spares for the car specific parts as a  4-month lead time is a bit long.

None-the-less, problems happen and the measure of the company is how they deal with them. I really hope you have more luck soon. 

[blindside]

+1 on the sympathy stakes James. This is a real catalogue of niggles and the leaking sump gasket could easily have totalled the engine. I hope that you eventually get some satisfaction from the dealer without having to resort to legal action; although by the sound of it you may have to.

[C8RKH]

9 hours ago, Danelaw said:

None-the-less, problems happen and the measure of the company is how they deal with them. I really hope you have more luck soon. 

Let's not forget it is the DEALERS who should be moving heaven and earth to fix this and stand by the car, they are the interface with thew customer and holder of the relationship.

I do believe we are spoilt by our access to the manufacturer, maybe this is why the dealer is not stepping up.

[Danelaw]

I agree, but feel the reality is more complex. Lotus appoint the dealers and if dealers are well-supported by the factory they have more options. That is not to excuse the dealer as they should step-up as you say, just saying it's more likely when the factory expect, push and support.

[CocoPops]

See I would say that the dealer in question is part of a chain that is used to pile em high sell em cheap cars rather than a specialty dealer that loves what they sell.

just an impression I got when speaking to them.

[PaulCP]

@JayEmm a read through this may help if you are not already familiar with it. It has certainly helped a few recently battle their way through problems with JLR dealers not accepting responsibility.

https://www.businesscompanion.info/sites/default/files/The sale and supply of goods_ALL_BIS_GOODS_GUIDANCE_SEP15.pdf

The onus is definitely with the dealer as the contracted party to resolve all issues or provide alternatives. However, I am not sure of what implication there may be, if any, by going direct to Lotus with issues and not your supplier.

[JayEmm]

Thanks Paul. I am very familiar with the Consumer Rights act and in my mind the car fails miserably under the "expectations of quality".

The things that frustrate me more aren't so much the problems, but the way they are being dealt with and the fact that many of them should not have been picked up by myself.

I had a long conversation in which I explained to them the difference between FAULT and RESPONSIBILITY - most of these problems are not their FAULT, but it is their RESPONSIBILITY to sort them out. I am very hopeful they will do so but do not have much faith based on current experience.

Sadly, with it being the weekend, there is nothing that can be done until next week. The moment I have some positive news I will of course update you all. I hope that my car is not a template for the Evora 400 ownership experience.

[Barrykearley]

Fingers crossed for tonight *grips lotto ticket in hand*