I'm an idiot... Exige is gone, need some help (long story)

[RichS]

I actually trusted a dealer and now I'm out of an Exige.

My story starts with a trip to Europe in 1998. I took my girlfriend (now my wife) to Europe. Italy for a week and then Germany for another week. We took the train through the mountains from Italy to Germany. It was a lot of fun. While we were in Germany I saw an S1 Elise. As I'd been driving a Miata for a few years, I thought it was a pretty cool car. When I got back to the US I looked the car up. Fantastic! Light weight, good power to weight ratio, and great looks. Of course it wasn't available in the US.

Fast forward a few years. Car and Driver hints that the Elise might make it to the US. The cost is more than I've ever spent on a car before, but within the realm of possibility. I get a good car allowance for work which would help.

The '05s come in. I go look. I want one. Bad.

In the summer of '05 I 'pull the trigger'. I put down a deposit with Neil at Autostrada in Austin. We order a Canyon Red '06 with Sport Pack, Touring Pack, a hardtop, LDS and starshield. We are expecting the car to arrive in March/April of '06.

Neil calls me a few months later. It looks like Lotus wants to build my car early. Unfortunately I had to buy my wife (and me I suppose) a weekend house in the burbs because our downtown loft was too noisy for her to get any sleep on the weekends. I let Neil know that I probably won't be able to pay for the car until May/June of '06 due to the strain of an additional house. Neil and I decide that he will go ahead and let Lotus build the car. If I can't buy it, or I don't like the color (We still have yet to see an actual Canyon Red car, so I'm not 100 percent sure that I want that color) then he will either sell it to someone else or possibly use it as his demo. If the car is still available when I have the funds, then it's mine.

Lotus builds the car. The car actually arrives in Austin in late Jan! I stop by to look at the car and there is a black Exige sitting in the showroom. Ouch. I love the Elise, but man that black Exige looks even better. I let Neil know that as soon as I have the funds I'll pick up the Elise. I also tell him "If anyone wants the Elise, let them take it and we'll put in an order for an Exige instead."

I go home and start dreaming. About the Exige, not the Elise.

I stop by to talk to Neil a few times and drool over the cars. Neil lets me know that Lotus actually cancelled some Exige orders on him and that they won't be building any more '06 Exiges, so it's a no go on ordering a new Exige if someone buys 'my' Elise.

Six months go by and the funds for the Elise purchase are finally becoming available. I get and accept an offer on the downtown loft, so now we are down to a single house (or will be on the 28th of August) and my month and a half late Q4 bonus is finally going to come in.

I start thinking about how much the car is going to cost and how much I like the Exige vs. the Elise. I look around and find that the is a Black Exige in Waltham MA at Aston Martin of New England. I call them up and we nail down a deal for their Phantom Black Exige with the track pack, lsd, touring, and starshield. Retail on the car is $59,745 and they agree on a $56,400 price. I will have to pay shipping to Austin (about $1400) and tax, title and registration when it gets to Austin.

My conversation with Pat in Waltham on the 4th of August basically goes like this:

Me: "I will buy your Exige for $56,400".
Pat: "Sure. You send us the money, we'll ship your car to Austin by covered truck. You'll be responsible for registration and taxes."
Me: "I'll send you a deposit on the 15th of August."
Pat: "Great."
Me: "If someone comes in and wants to buy the Exige, please call me and I'll figure out a way to get you the deposit before the 15th."
Pat: "Sure".

I break the news to Neil at Autostrada. I can see that he's pretty upset, but he holds it together and remains very nice about the whole thing. I'm really feeling like crap about bailing on the Elise, but at the end of the day it's a lot of money and I should get what I really want. I really want that Black Exige.

After thinking about it for a long time I decide that I'm going to drive the car from Waltham to Austin. I've found a co-driver (very light guy who owns a bar in town) and want to hit Deals Gap on the way down.

On the 11th of August I call Pat.

Me: "Hey Pat, this is Rich in Austin. I want to know the best way for me to get my deposit to you. Should I send it by mail or should we wire it?"
Pat: "What?"
Me: "The black Exige... we spoke last week..."
Pat: "Oh, we sold that car yesterday."
Me: "Uhh... thanks."

I really screwed up on this one. My parents live in New Hampshire and I was really thinking of asking my Dad to stop by the dealership with a deposit but decided that I would just trust the dealer. Bad choice...

So now I need to find an Exige. Neil has a Storm Titanium with LSD, but I'm not really fond of the color.

Neil is looking around for an Exige that he can trade his Storm Titanium for, but some of the dealers are not calling him back. Soo.... I figured I'd turn to the Elisetalk community and see if you guys and gals can help me out. Maybe you know of some Exiges at dealerships around, or possibly you know of someone who is not happy with their Exige and would like to sell it...

Here's what I'm looking for:

Phantom Black Exige, Touring Pack, Track Pack, LSD and Starshield.

I think I'm pretty firm on the Starshield and LSD (I'd like to autocross and there are some tracks where it would be beneficial...), but would probably take a car without Touring and/or the Track Pack if that's all that is available.

Backup Colors:
Aspen White
Nightfall Blue
Starlight Black
Canyon Red
British Racing Green
Laser Blue
Magnetic Blue
Polar Blue
Racing Green

Only as a last resort colors:
Arctic Silver
Storm Titanium
Aubergine Purple (? Not sure on this one)

Definitely no colors:
Solar Yellow
Krypton Green
Graphite Gray
Ardent Red
Chrome Orange
Chili Red
Autumn Gold

[zvezdah1]

Got to say if I was Neil at Autostrada,(is it me or does it sound like Neil is pushing hard for sainthood actually helping you to find another car????) I'd not be eager to help you in anyway. You order a car then it comes in, months go buy still planning to buy the car, then you think you really want the exige, then you go to another dealer and offer to buy their car.

Pretty incredible saga.

[Stormy320]

On a snowy day in January, I'll make a cup of hot chocolate, sit down and read your novel post and get back to ya.

[Go4it]

Moral of the story:

Know what you want before you order it.

Or.

Just get the damn Elise/Exige! They're all great!

[BBExige]

Call Hunting Ridge Motors they have a Ph black Exige ask for MARK STAR.

[NOB]

I'm not sure why the other members seem so bitter, but if thats the case screw them. Get what you want!!! Where you want it. I believe Manhattan Motor cars in West Hampton N.Y. has a black Exige. PM me and Ill get you there number. Also check E bay there are a few on there. Good luck

[ConeFusion]

My dealer (Midrivers Lotus in St. Louis) had 4 Exiges standing around when I was there a few weeks ago. It certainly didn't look like they were selling fast, so I would expect that there are plenty of them sitting around at dealers.

[ivan1]

I agree with getting what you really want....ideally Autostrada would have said "let me see if I can get one from another dealer", and it sounds like they had the chance to do that if they really wanted to, so I wouldnt feel too bad...
If Autostrada does go out of their way to help you at this point though I take my hat off to them.....

[RichS]

When Neil told me that the car was going to come in early I said that I wasn't really sure I wanted to put in the order because we'd never seen a Canyon Red car. We put in the order with the understanding that I'd be under no obligation to actually buy the car. Did I change my mind on the Elise? Yeah, I did. When we put the order in on the Elise I'd never seen an Exige. Stuff happens. I do feel bad about it...

Neil is still trying to get me a car. He'd obviously like to be able to trade his Exige for one of theirs. Most dealers don't want to trade. I'd like for him to be able to trade his Exige also, but at the end of the day I also would like to get the car I want. If Neil can't find a dealer that will trade with him (or sell him a car) then I'll have to buy it myself.

It does look like there are two black Exiges so far: One in Lotus of Greenwich and another at Manhattan Motor Cars. The dealer in St. Louis doesn't have any Exiges in their online inventory as far as I can tell. Thanks for the help so far.

[choi0706]

Have you tried calling Star Motor Cars? Or Gonzba, even Momentum BMW?

Star's website shows a CO exige, and I think they might have a black one..

[LotusFamily]

Fox Valley has 2 for ya one Starlight and one Phantom.

http://www.foxvalleymotorcars.com/

Attachment 33613

Attachment 33614

[RichS]

I've yet to call anyone (will probably do so on Tuesday or Wednesday)

Saw those cars at Fox Valley. The SB one has 486 miles and LSD with no track pack. Looks like a real contender. 486 miles? Demo? Trade in? Who knows. I'll give them a call.

The PB one has Track Pack with no LSD. Anyone have thoughts on this? My thought was that the LSD would be pretty hard to add later but the track pack could be purchased with aftermarket or Lotus parts later.

[LotusFamily]

Talk to little Billy Jr. he's the best we bought 4 Exies and a Final Ed. Esprit off them this year, you will be happy with the way they do business. (Ps. he likes to be called "Sweet buns" and you can dispence with the formalities, just go in grab yourself a little piece of Jr. and squeeze, friends gotta hug) Look at his wea cute little mug

Attachment 33625

Im prob. in a bit of trouble now

[bmbjj]

You are a customer making a purchase. You are allowed to do whatever you want. Dont feel like you owe anyone anything.

[Shiftlock]

Hunting Ridge Motors (a.k.a. Lotus of Greenwich) is an excellent dealership. I would say one of the best for both sales and service. Like one of the other people posted above, call Mark Starr. He will work with you for sure.

This is your car:
http://www.lotusofgreenwich.com/cars...tus&carid=1480

Like someone else posted above, contact Mark Starr ASAP:
markstarr@huntingridgemotors.com
(914) 939-7200

[bruchion]

Your making a mistake! You can't ask for a better guy than Neil or a more professional and knowledgeable dealership, period.

Your in Austin Man!

[avantephoto]

I would recommend Lotus of South Bay here in SoCal. I've heard and seen them go way above and beyond their way to help customers ALL OVER the states.

Mark Nathanson (my dealer at Lotus of South Bay)
310-939-1855
(there's also the 888-YES-LOTUS but the direct line works better)

And there's Abe, who's all over these boards and has a great rep. I don't have his number, but you can probably reach him using the 888 number.

[dododge]

Criswell near DC has several Exiges listed. None in black, but there's an AW with most of the desired features.

[RichS]

Thanks for the help so far. While it doesn't look like we are exactly there, a few of these look promising.

(And I know Neil is a great guy! )

[Iceman-]

Originally Posted by BBExige

Call Hunting Ridge Motors they have a Ph black Exige ask for MARK STAR.

Ok but this time he must go with money ready in hands altought he could do this:

"Hey what's that solar yellow Exige?
I love it! i want it!!!!"

And the story gets a new chapter