The Evora 400 Diaries

[Danni]

1 hour ago, JayEmm said:

The issue with Lotus dealers is because there are fewer of them. Any other big brand has bad dealers, sure, but there will also be a specialist or another dealer 20 miles away.

When you have one dealer serving a 400 mile area, they need to be up to standard.

Is that easy in Lotus' position? No. But I hope that's where some of this new money goes. The dealers do work hard but haven't always been given the support they deserve from factory.

Good evening JayEmm, 

Just to be sure I've understood correctly. The reason why you've sold your Evora is not the failure of the supercharger but rather the behaviour of your dealer after this happened? 

[Nathan Pitman]

1 hour ago, stephenwhyte said:

My gripe with Lotus warranty claims, is the time it takes to turn an identified problem into a solution - I am told by my dealer that this is Neil Turners remit - surely it can’t all be down to one man🤔

I’ve also been told by my dealer that my current steering wheel issue would be best resolved with a new steering wheel - reported by my dealer to Lotus 2 months ago.......they are apparently still waiting on a response🙄 

I’ve found that I usually get confirmation on the spot or within a day or so that something will be carried out under warranty. I’ve had zero complaints in terms of how the staff at B&C deal with the issues that have arisen.

I have been waiting a good few months for a replacement steering wheel to arrive but I understand that they probably don’t have bucket loads of spares matching the order spec of my car. 

Perhaps B&C just know what does and doesn’t get agreed as a warranty claim, have a more direct line to the factory or someone is covering their failure to act upon your request with a ‘manufacturers fault’ excuse. :?

Out of interest, what is your steering wheel issue?

[stephenwhyte]

It’s Mega squeaky Nathan - it could maybe be cured by taking apart and lubricating or putting some sort of anti-squeak foam in.......but they want to replace rather than do that which suits me fine. Preferably some point this year would be good though👍

[Nathan Pitman]

4 minutes ago, Danni said:

Good evening JayEmm, 

Just to be sure I've understood correctly. The reason why you've sold your Evora is not the failure of the supercharger but rather the behaviour of your dealer after this happened? 

My understanding was that JayEmm just had more pressing financial commitments. 

[JayEmm]

@Danni Neither the supercharger or lack of dealer help were the cause of my sale of the car, that'd be a fairly silly thing to do.

I have been considering selling for a while, and had the opportunity to move the car in  a private sale to another enthusiast. The supercharger incident was certainly a catalyst, but far from the cause.

I'm not going to own a Lotus for a while but will continue to champion the cars, people and dealers.

[Nathan Pitman]

1 minute ago, stephenwhyte said:

It’s Mega squeaky - it maybe be able to be cured by taking apart and lubricating or putting some sort of anti-squeak foam in.......but they want to replace rather than do that which suits me fine. Preferably some point this year would be good though👍

The leather of mine is peeling away which feels horrible on the hands. I could start wearing driving gloves and I guess you could just drive in sport mode with the windows down or the music turned up. 😂

[stephenwhyte]

That sounds nasty and not something I’d accept either. Mine is alcantara which is all good but the wheel feels like it’s distorting every time I turn it which I just can’t tolerate - apart from that the car is fantastic👏🏻👏🏻

[Danni]

42 minutes ago, JayEmm said:

@Danni Neither the supercharger or lack of dealer help were the cause of my sale of the car, that'd be a fairly silly thing to do.

I have been considering selling for a while, and had the opportunity to move the car in  a private sale to another enthusiast. The supercharger incident was certainly a catalyst, but far from the cause.

I'm not going to own a Lotus for a while but will continue to champion the cars, people and dealers.

That's fine JeyEmm! Infact that is what I was thinking about, I mean, wouldn't be a good reason to sell it because of the supercharger failure!! I am facing the same problem with the supercharger and probably I will have to spend quite a big amount of money to fix it! anyway, the idea to sell the evora because of this is still far away in my mind....! And I hope will be like this for a long time! Fingers crossed! 😁😜

[pete757]

2 hours ago, JayEmm said:

I'm not going to own a Lotus for a while but will continue to champion the cars, people and dealers.

... not even your Elise? 

Sorry to hear all of this. Like many have said, your vids are great! Surprise Lotus do not give you a series of 'company cars' to live with, review, break, repeat!

[JayEmm]

@pete757 Lotus do not even respond to my emails when it comes to requests for filming. Every Lotus product you have seen on the channel has been either my own, loaned by a dealer, or a viewer.

The Elise has been gone for a while btw

[pete757]

I am sure your vids have generated some Lotus sales... some on here, including me, grateful for your efforts mate. Thanks :>)

 

[Steffen_Leitgeb-LSWGmbh]

1 hour ago, JayEmm said:

@pete757 Lotus do not even respond to my emails when it comes to requests for filming. Every Lotus product you have seen on the channel has been either my own, loaned by a dealer, or a viewer.

 

Basically this is what I thought are the major problems of Lotus which they themselves didn´t even have noticed until today … they neglect their communication chances in the market and always get overrun by the others who can do.
Also they lack of a professional and good press car preparation in Germany as well - they come to sport auto magazine tests with cars just not set up to the very task (Hockenheim short track or Nordschleife) like the German competition and later everybody including the existing customers is sad … unbelievably carless.

In fact it is still the 1972 problem everywhere - Lotus evolved from that state? Sure. But the others evolved too and even sped up. Distance is the same. Maybe on some areas even bigger.  
That´s why I could accept less than premium service even with a new Lotus and look after it myself as good as possible if it drives that good as it does!
… because this is a nearly impossible job for Lotus and their dealers. They  maybe have a total 1 year budget of the size of the national Audi AG dealer trainings center in Ingolstadt 😉 Or maybe less than Porsche had spent for developing the right door panel in the Panamera 🙂

[RichardC]

2 hours ago, JayEmm said:

@pete757 Lotus do not even respond to my emails when it comes to requests for filming. Every Lotus product you have seen on the channel has been either my own, loaned by a dealer, or a viewer.

The Elise has been gone for a while btw

Lotus have dabbled with YouTubers in the past. But that was Marmite presenter Seb Delaney, which counts as negative publicity in my book! Maybe the new management at at Hethel will up the game when it comes to promoting their products, which would probably sell by the bucket loads if people actually knew they existed and what they are capable of?  At the moment it seems to be Lotus owners themselves who are doing most of the publicity for the cars.

"What's an Evora? Never heard of one" a so-called car nut who has just saved up to buy a Focus RS.

"I didn't know Lotus still made cars" a bloke in a petrol station who actually owned a Lotus in the 1970s.

"Surely there aren't that many Lotuses in the world" contract security person at Lotus 70, amazed at how many cars were turning up.

I could go on...

 

 

[Nathan Pitman]

@Steffen_Leitgeb-LSWGmbh Very good point. The reality is that Lotus has done an incredible job of surviving with so little meaningful investment to date. For that we should be thankful and acknowledge that things will get better. 

 

@RichardC Perhaps Seb does not appeal to the typical ‘current’ Lotus owner but working with content creators like him is a wise long term investment if it increases brand visibility and desire within a younger demographic. Lotus cars deserve to adorn bedroom walls (and lock screen wallpapers) just like Lamborghinis and Ferrari’s. 

[Steffen_Leitgeb-LSWGmbh]

Lotus are building adorable cars which just drive nearly perfect and only they give the analogue feeling while driving.
If they would boost communication (advertising, classic press work, influencers … dealer/reseller marketing) in the "corner-driving-educated" markets only (Europe, USA, Asia) they could offer the actual lineup until 2022 with good or better sales because these cars are timeless and would look absolutely new to many old and new car nuts … they can find new dealers, customers and could hopefully get more profit. Also the used car market would go up and Lotus owners may choose to buy new again? I think the Evora 400 gets a good press in USA by Road and Track at the moment form what I see in Facebook - they love this car and I hope it shows on the sales in the US where this car has fans.
Maybe that is why Lotus discontinues the 400? Hahaha?

Which magazine loves the Evora in Europe? I think none. They forgot about it meanwhile.
From my knowledge German press is asking actively at Lotus from time to time … normally it should be the other way round! Lotus must offer cars for reviews and ideas what to do with these cars in magazines or on TV. 

But I hope JayEmm would have another Lotus soon. It would be just all right.

[scotty435]

They invited one of the better YouTubers to the 70th

 

[RichardC]

1 hour ago, Nathan Pitman said:

@RichardC Perhaps Seb does not appeal to the typical ‘current’ Lotus owner but working with content creators like him is a wise long term investment if it increases brand visibility and desire within a younger demographic. Lotus cars deserve to adorn bedroom walls (and lock screen wallpapers) just like Lamborghinis and Ferrari’s. 

Seb's channel is for kids?! I'm sure that Seb has generated some welcome publicity and maybe some sales, but the guy does annoy a lot of people. It's not just an age thing either. Other YouTubers have even made videos slagging him off, something that JayEmm would never attract. You need to be careful not to devalue the brand. Remember when Dany Bahar got Swizz Beatz involved?! And Vauxhall getting Griff Rhys-Jones to sell the VX220? Shakes head....

[stephenwhyte]

Got to say........I stumbled over the Exige 380 through catching one of Seb Delanneys videos. Yes he can be an annoying spoilt twat but he’s not a bad lad. Certainly I’m thankful to him as I may not have had my Exige otherwise.

[JayEmm]

Personally I think Seb's involvement with Lotus was a good thing, he brought the brand to an audience who otherwise wouldn't care about them - they probably aren't the kind of people who will buy the product but if they can make it an aspirational brand for them, perfect.

And @scotty435 Sam is a great guy and one of the hardest working YTers out there. He did a video on the 400 which was very positive, all good stuff but having spoken to a number of media professionals Lotus is a hard brand for them to support in the face of the ludicrous cash their rivals have for marketing departments. 

Bit of a shame Sam's video at Lotus was a Jaguar review.

[scotty435]

Sam of lately as nothing but good things to say about Lotus, recently his run up the hill at goodwood in the the type 49 Exige,  came with a coment on his own channel as being one of the sounding cars he as ever been with in. Premium brands are bending over backwards to please YouTubers and no disrespect to you, these are the guys that Lotus need to be chasing, Sam as a nearly 400k following and himself and the likes of Mr JWW are the guys that would bring the bigger wide world to Lotus through there great professionalism and  massive following.

[JayEmm]

Hopefully when the next generation of cars begin to appear in a couple of years they will get the support of the established YTers.

It's no disrespect to me, its business. 

[scotty435]

Lotus are not only looking at the next couple of years they are looking at tomorrow under Geely. Not sure if you was down at Hethel for the 70th but after that weekend there can be no doubts they have massive aspirations with the finance to back it. Not saying the guys I have already mentioned in my previous post are the only people that can help Lotus the such likes of Bibs who there can be no doubt without him the 70th would not have happened, the true enthusiasts, guys like him mean a lot to the Chinese. just get the feeling that you have jumped the ship a bit early, under the new management there could have been a space for you.

[JayEmm]

Selling the car isn't any form of indicator of my commitment to supporting the brand - it will continue to appear on the channel with content on cars both old and new.

Bibs is a saint as far as I am concerned and has gone through way, way, way more than I have with Lotus. As have a lot of the owners on here - I've only been involved with the brand for a couple of years. But I've just tried to do my best to fill the gap which existed online for Lotus based content which wasn't in the style of Seb. Not everyone likes it, but nobody's forcing anyone to pick either.

We also have Jonny here who has been making another style of content for years and I'm glad to see him back on YT with his 430.

[scotty435]

Yes totally agree with your comments about Jonny, a true enthusiasts and professiona, his YouTube channel is great and I am sure Geely are taking note, shame he is not posting on the forum anymore he is sadly missed

[Nathan Pitman]

Jonny? Not heard of him. YouTube link?