[Impatient]

Picked up my car on last weekend from Manhattan MC in NYC. The word from the dealership is that I received the 30th car they delivered. Dealer claimed they were at the head of the allocation.

Quick bit of info for those on any list. I put my order in at the end of March 2004 just before the NYC auto show. At the time they told me to expect an October delivery (picked it up on the 30th). They never would give me a list number or much information, other than it was on time. I believe I heard some posters drop because of the lack of infomation. With that information I assumed a late spring delivery, but they delivered for me just as claimed. So for those who are frusterated with the lack of information hopefully can draw on this as a "hang in there" type experience.

 

[Ground Loop]

Thanks for the timeline and info about MMC. 30 cars is awesome. (I think most westcoast dealers are still in single-digit deliveries.)

March '04 to October '04 is probably a candidate for "shortest wait". Straight MSRP or +$Premium?

 

[Impatient]

Straight MSRP.

 

[Donovan]

Wow! Happy for you. Tough to "hang in there" however when I placed my deposit in 2 years before you. Jealous? Absolutly I am.
My dealer is at 3 customer cars and a demo.

 

[Ground Loop]

I think we have a winner for the 2004 EliseTalk Lucky Dog award! Nice. Here on the left coast, we pay $2500 extra for the privilage of waiting.


Lotus hates me. :wallbang:

 

[LotusLust]

imp, which car was yours? i took deliver last friday at manhattan. i saw a red, a silver and a couple more storm titanium cars upstairs tucked in among all the lambos and bentleys. congrats and post pix

john also told me they had the largest allocation. that makes them the third dealer to tell me that!

 

[Impatient]

Mine was the red, touring one. I actually came in on Friday to see the car and am pretty sure I saw you drive out with you Silver/ Sport Pak. I should of said something, seeing you posted that you would be picking up on that day, but didn't want to make a fool of myself.

Congrats!

 

[LotusLust]

yep, imp i left with the storm titanium just before 3pm. should have come over and chatted

 

[JonOrangeElise]

This is demoralizing. I don't mind if there is some favoritism to some dealers, but Lotus seems to be absolutely screwing the west coast. I put my deposit down in Oct 03 (at #40), and I'm not projected to receive a car until Feb, March or April.

If this was a matter of your dealer buying auction cars and selling them at a premium, I could swallow that. But 30 cars delivered? I think SVAG just delivered #6.

 

[Maverick1]

I have my deposits at dealers in the east but live in the west....

I found out which dealers got the largest allocation and put my 2 deposits with them. I will get my car at least 6 months to a year ahead of those dealers in the west, however the downside is that I will either have to drive it across country to California or have it towed. No big deal because I want it badly.
Cheers
p.s. I gave my deposits in May 04 and was told I will place my final order in December 04, or January05.

 

[LotusLust]

and how did you learn which dealers had the largest allocation? also, the ones commonly thought to have the largest allocations also have very long wait lists...and have had long lists for quite some time.

 

[Ridgemanron]

In November of '03' I was told by Manhattan Motors that the next available reservation was #29 by a salesman named Quinones. Since Valenti in Ct. had
a #13 available, I went with them instead. My car is being built this month
(Nov.) and I may have it by late next month or 'early to mid' Jan. at the latest,
making my 'start to finish' time being 13
to 14 months. Perhaps some people at
Manhattan Motors dropped out along the
way, speeding their numbers up. Still, I'm
quite happy with the way things turned out. Back then it was 'pot luck' deciding
on who to go with, never really knowing
anything about differences in allocations.
I just figured, how bad could #13 be at
any dealer?

 

[Graydon]

Here's the story with MMC, as I know it....

I was putting down my deposit almost the same time as Impatient, and had to decide between HRM, MMC and several other dealers in the area. I ended up going with HRM since they had the biggest allocation/wait list ratio and a great reputation, meaning I should get my car sooner than any other place. The lone exception was MMC, and the reason was many people on their list wanted to drive the demo first before ordering to determine whether they wanted LSS or not, or even wanted the car at all. There were no demos at that time, but they were expected in April so most people on the list chose to hold off on ordering so they could drive it first. So, MMC told me that if I was ready to order right then, they could have my car here by October. At the time I was very skeptical of several of the dealers around here, and thought they were full of sh*t, so I put down a deposit at HRM and that was that. Apparently, they weren't full of it and delivered on their promise - good stuff.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that's the deal. Impatient, can you verify any of this? Did you order ahead of others on the list because the others were waiting to drive the demo?

 

[mikester]

Wow! Happy for you. Tough to "hang in there" however when I placed my deposit in 2 years before you. Jealous? Absolutly I am.
My dealer is at 3 customer cars and a demo.

Donovan, I think you misread the original post a bit; Impatient placed his ORDER in March O4, not his deposit. I actually misinterpreted it the way you did as well, for some reason, and had to re-read it. BTW my order also went in to Lotus in March (been on the waitlist since approx. February 2002, deposit placed in Jan. 2003) and I believe my car will be built in December, so either way Impatient is a pretty fortunate individual.

 

[Graydon]

Donovan, I think you misread the original post a bit; Impatient placed his ORDER in March O4, not his deposit. I actually misinterpreted it the way you did as well, for some reason, and had to re-read it.

As I understood it at the time, he could've placed his deposit at that time and had his car in October for the reason above. I'm guessing this is the case, but could be wrong.

 

[Impatient]

Just to start off, I just started this thread to assist with the transparency of information which we have been lacking.

On the ordering, I was told my order was put in as soon as I put my deposit down. At the time of the process I did not fully understand all of the ins and outs of the ordering vs. waitlisted, but I do think what Graydon is stating makes sense, although I can't confirm.

 

[Graydon]

Just to start off, I just started this thread to assist with the transparency of information which we have been lacking.

On the ordering, I was told my order was put in as soon as I put my deposit down. At the time of the process I did not fully understand all of the ins and outs of the ordering vs. waitlisted, but I do think what Graydon is stating makes sense, although I can't confirm.

OK, well I will confirm what I stated earlier... when I was about to put down a deposit, MMC said that I could order right now because everyone else on their list wanted to wait to drive the demo... so I can confirm that what I stated earlier is true with 99% accuracy .

The only reason I didn't go with MMC (besides the great reputation of HRM) is that I wouldn't have been financially ready to take delivery this fall (and still am not).... so I'm still glad I went with HRM and will get mine next aprilish...

edit to say: OK, nevermind, I wish I had it right now...