[Bobby]

There were 2 auctions that just ended on ebay where the reserve was not met.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...&item=4506996239&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...&item=4505948790&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT

I'm rather surprised that these cars are not selling for mid to high 40's. As tempting as it is to purchase one of these cars, I'd still rather wait for that faithful call from my dealership and establish a relationship with those folks.

Seems like the majority of people are still unaware of the Elise and its minimal configuration limits perspective buyers.

 

[Stan]

I think it's more a matter of ebay itself. I and some others purchased early cars at a premium and didn't do a thing with Ebay. Plus many parts of the country are heading into real Winter conditions.

 

[kidcool]

I think the fact that neither car has the Touring Package or the Hard Top may shy some bidders away. I drove a Black Elise with Biscuit interior yesterday at Lotus of Atlanta and the leather seats looked great. That hard top really makes the car look more finished off - - albeit hard to get in and out of.

 

[grudkin]

As I've posted elsewhere, I think that the true demand for the car is lower than most think. Thus the lack of sales at a premium.

The 'lists' suggest a huge demand, but they are artificially long due to the presence of multiple deposits, and what seems to be dealer inflation (dealers placing orders for cars to sell 'off the list'); these dealer cars are not 'pre-sold'

If the demand was really high, the cars on E-bay would be disappearing overnight. I know several guys who have bought cars on E-bay, and I think it's actually a VERY popular way of buying high-end cars. So, I disagree that lack of sale is due to an 'E-bay phenomenon'

Sure, there are some 10K over sales that we hear about, but there is always some wealthy guy willing to pay up for an impulse buy. And factor in that dealers are likely to tell you that the car sold for 10K over even if it sold for 1K over. They want to pump up the hype. Don't buy in. The only good info on premiums come from the mouth of the buyer, and even they have a vested interest in stating that the car is worth more than they paid.

 

[Allan Gibbs]

One othe thing about eBay is the ad periods are very long. I think one Elise only ran for two or three days and the other one was for seven days.

It's possible that potential buyers just weren't looking on eBay during the week these cars ran.

 

[Randy Chase]

I have been told privately by a number of people, that they purchased premium cars out here on the west coast, at a very small premium. I am assuming that the dealer did not want the amount made public knowledge. This goes back to August too.

I think if someone wants a brand new car ts MSRP, it can happen with some patience and searching. If they want a car at $2-4k over, that should be easy.

 

[babak]

We've always speculated that the over MSRP was going to be short lived. Looks like we were at least partially right. I agree with above that the winter months (for most of us) are making a difference.

 

[LNZ_YELO]

I know several guys who have bought cars on E-bay, and I think it's actually a VERY popular way of buying high-end cars. So, I disagree that lack of sale is due to an 'E-bay phenomenon'

I might agree with you in the 'old days' but not anymore. I listed a pristine (and rare) SLK32 AMG twice on Ebay, for 10 days each time, and never got a bid that even was as high as CarMax would give me for the car. I also listed a heavily modded Audi TT coupe that was absolutely beautiful (and well known among the TT crowd for how meticulously it was kept) and it never met the reserve. Both cars had less than 15K miles. I sold both cars outside of Ebay. The only thing I got out of the auction was some exposure for the cars. It ain't worth it anymore for the money they charge. I found very few serious bidders.

(Five years ago, and then again four years ago I sold an SLK230 and a TT roadster on Ebay, and it was a much different experience.)

Ellen

 

[Bobby]

I've heard others say that selling high end vehicles on ebay is not as easy as it once was.

Mid to high 40's is about what a new Elise would cost and the folks that are selling are trying to get what they paid out-the-door for it.

I agree with the comment above that there's less of a demand for the Elise than what we anticipated. I only wish that this equated to me receiving my car that much sooner.

 

[LNZ_YELO]

I agree with the comment above that there's less of a demand for the Elise than what we anticipated. I only wish that this equated to me receiving my car that much sooner.

And I guess that's where the disconnect is, at least in my mind. Everyone says the cars are coming in faster than they were, that there isn't the demand for them that was anticipated, yet I don't hear about anyone moving up on the list. The car I'm expecting next week was within the top 20 on Criswell's list from the start, 2.5 years ago.

 

[grudkin]

But I think there is a 'lag' here in matching supply and demand

1) Dealers are holding out to see what the market will bear

2) Supply end is slow in delivering cars, especially on the West Coast, where L.A./Long Beach ports are BADLY backlogged. Cars are not coming faster, but we are starting to see the effect of full production levels, albeit in a delayed fashion

Factor in limited information exchange between Lotus/dealers/end user, and disparate allocation, and there you have it

 

[LNZ_YELO]

But I think there is a 'lag' here in matching supply and demand

1) Dealers are holding out to see what the market will bear

2) Supply end is slow in delivering cars, especially on the West Coast, where L.A./Long Beach ports are BADLY backlogged. Cars are not coming faster, but we are starting to see the effect of full production levels, albeit in a delayed fashion

Factor in limited information exchange between Lotus/dealers/end user, and disparate allocation, and there you have it

Well, (and just to play Devil's Advocate to a certain extent) I'm talking about the situation on the east coast. I've got car #13 coming in to Criswell hopefully next week. That's an east coast dealer and that doesn't exactly sound to me like cars pouring in. And the last cars they got unexpectedly sold for $5K over list within a couple of days of their arrival. I'm not sure things really are as backlogged on the east coast, and I'm not sure what you mean by dealers holding out to see what the market will bear. Criswell is selling every car they get ahold of.

 

[Bobby]

The sale process Lotus has chosen reminds me a lot of Yamah's approach to selling their FJR1300 motorcycle. Like the Elise, you have to order one through a dealer. There's no overstock with this approach and dealers will always have someone cancelling out on an order which gives them a chance to display it in their showroom and possibly receive a small percentage over list.

 

[mact3333]

yeah, the other saffron elise with touring/starshield barely cracked 45K and didnt meet reserve..I do think the demand is slowing abit..seems most willing to pay msrp or barely over now.

 

[biobaggie]

I don't consider the Elise to be a high-end car, except in looks, therefore I don't consider the e-bay/high end car relationship to be valid.

I think it is more down to the fact that the Elise is still not that well known to the mass population and is therefore still a niche product, that is not 'searched' for on e-bay. Most of the people who know of the Elise's existance have probably already placed their deposits and are waiting for their dealer supplied car. I think that 6 months from now when the warmer weather arrives and the Elise has had more exposure on the streets you will see the an increased demand on e-bay.

If you don't think that the general population are still not aware of the Elise, why then does the Elise still get so many looks and admirers on the street and in the parking lots.

Alan

 

[Bobby]

I think it is more down to the fact that the Elise is still not that well known to the mass population and is therefore still a niche product, that is not 'searched' for on e-bay.
Alan

I agree that a lot of people are unaware of the Elise. I also believe that once they are, many will consider it a minimalist car and purchase something else for $40k+. Because of its lack of amenities and poor ingress/egress, many buyers in that price range will seek something else.

 

[grudkin]

not sure what you mean by dealers holding out to see what the market will bear

Just referring to the fact that reserves are high on some E-bay sales (some posted by dealers) -- they are trying to push the envelope on what the car is 'worth'

I don't consider the Elise to be a high-end car

Most of the population would think otherwise. Do you consider it 'low end?' 'Middle of the road?' Perhaps 'economy?'

 

[Cisitalia]

I agree that high premiums are over. At least by my experience. I just bought one for $500 over MSRP, without much haggle.

 

[mact3333]

I agree that high premiums are over. At least by my experience. I just bought one for $500 over MSRP, without much haggle.

from a dealer or private party???

 

[Cisitalia]

Dealer.