[Tech_KO]

While I'm sure it must be frustrating for those of you who have yet to take delivery of your car, I'm starting to get a little irritated by all the whining and crying I've been reading lately. Everything from maintenance costs to ebay sales. It's just ridiculous.

Even haven taken delivery of my car, I would much rather deal with a few headaches then pay for a real time order tracking system, free scheduled maintenance, and a 100 person marketing team to sell me a car that I know I already wanted.

The point is this guys, you are not buying a Kia, Audi or Porsche. You are buying a low volume hand build sports car from a boutique auto manufacturer. Get this, when I had my problems last week, a rep from LCUSA met me at the dealership. There is no what the level of service could have been delivered by a volume auto manufacturer. Just demonstrate a little patience, everything will work out. . . . .

Flame suit on

 

[Randy Chase]

You're just one of them now.

them=those with cars.

 

[aletes]

Obviously, you are spending too much time on this forum and not enough time driving.

 

[aletes]

I am not sure what is worse, whining or whining about whining.

 

[Stan]

One of my autocross competitors had this on his Type R:

Stan

 

[aletes]

When I get my car, I will come join your camp.

 

[Vantage]

You're just one of them now.

them=those with cars.

Ding.

I agree with you Tech on most of the items (e.g. cost of service, free market purchasing), but the information of when a car comes in is still valuable to both the dealer and the customer, especially when promises are made and then delays occur.

But, then again, there's still no reason why we can't wait patiently and offer constructive criticism!

 

[Tech_KO]

Very well. How much do you think it would cost (both LCUSA and per vehicle) to install a BMW level order tracking system?

 

[MattG]

Your irritation is understandable, and yet, so is much of the behavior that's irritating you. Let's face it, people have been on waiting lists for years, have been faced with several recent delays, and are all anxious to finally receive our cars. Emotions run wild, and tempers thin..

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Poor, poor whinners.

 

[aletes]

Very well. How much do you think it would cost (both LCUSA and per vehicle) to install a BMW level order tracking system?

Why use a sledge hammer on a nail.

 

[zvezdah1]

A system has been installed for info flow, it hasn't been totally worked out yet, it will be tho, six months from now things will probably be much better. Doesn't help for all the early people who've gotten delays, etc.

Beating dead horse mode again, but all the guys who say Lotus doesn't care isn't interested in any of this, look at how responsive they were to Techs issues. Don't know about you but Id much rather have quick response to mechanical issues than to know what day my car is being built, etc. cause in the long run it'll be how well the elise works and how quickly LCU deals with any mechanical issues that arise, so far, I'm impressed. Don't think the guys who got calls from their dealers with the surprise news their cars arrived were complaining because they didn't get advanced notice.

And yes, I know, it's easy for me to say things as I've already got my car.
Chris

 

[Vantage]

Hi Tech,
Not really sure about how much a BMW level would cost, but to suggest Lotus needs something like that is perhaps an exaggeration of needs.

I feel that most of the information that is required is already available, but for some reason or another, some dealers have either not received this information or are not communicating well with their customers.

Good information for a wait-listed customer would be: estimated build date (especially if Lotus has an approximate date for builds within the 2004 year), position on a dealer's list, and approximate dealer allocation.

The last two items are entirely out of Lotus's hands. People who are more than a year out are probably kidding themselves if they are complaining about not having a build date. But consider someone who has been waiting for three years on a waiting list, and should have a build next month, but their dealer still doesn't know anything about the car. I've heard about this situation and something doesn't sound right. Is it Lotus or is it the dealer? I really have no idea. From a build date, you can add 6-8 weeks for delivery time and call it square. No one is asking for a 24 hour guarantee.

Certain people with contacts have been able to gain fairly detailed information about their car's status, such as build date and shipping status. Maybe I am wrong about that. Do you think someone within the Lotus organization can look up right now when the 6th car at medium dealer X will probably be built? If so, the information is already there.

Anyway, it seems to me that Lotus is very close to providing the level of information that people want. I don't need 12 status codes. They seem to be trying to appease a market where expectations are higher than they could have imagined.

Chris,
If order #6 suddenly turned into order #1 due to LSS delays, I wouldn't complain either!

 

[babak]

Why use a sledge hammer on a nail.

Nolite id cogere, cape malleum majorem.

 

[Ground Loop]

Oh believe me.. once I get my car, I won't be at all frustrated about the lack of delivery information either. I'll be right up there with Chris and KO telling y'all to shut yer whining piehole and wait patiently.

Yep.

 

[tidalwdave]

As I've said before....Easy for you to say, you have your car.

Some of us are trying to time the sale of another car that the Elise will replace, the timing of a loan, setting up insurance, making room for the Elise, and even planning trips. I've only been on the wait list for a year or so, but I've had to adjust my plans accordingly. There have been plenty of delays in that time frame.

It takes a lot of gaul from people that have a car to judge others that don't.

It really is getting old.

BTW, congrats on your car at least.

You said your flame suit was on, right?

BTW, I own a Kia, and that was the easiest car buying experience I've ever had.

 

[Tech_KO]

No worries. I was on the list since April of 2002.

I don't have any bitterness or "gall." I'm chillin', trust me.

 

[ivan1]

Can we start a new thread - "A little irritated about people with cars irritated about whining"

 

[tidalwdave]

No worries. I was on the list since April of 2002.

I don't have any bitterness or "gall." I'm chillin', trust me.

Gall, that's it. :up:

 

[ivan1]

I think gaul is the british spelling