[amcmahon]

I heard they're supposed to get their demo soon. I was just wondering if anyone has gotten their car from there yet?

 

[Ground Loop]

Zero. Big fat zero.

To date, Desert Euro has received NO cars, demo or customer, and no information regarding delivery. Any specific questions are met with "we'll know more soon".

I'm underwhelmed. My fear is that this is an indicator of their future rate of delivery.

 

[Mean TT]

At times like this it makes living in the Midwest almost a benifit! (I grew up in St Louis). I don't know how the allocation process is derived, but Autostrada has goten 7 cars I think, which is really a high allocation from what I understand. Their last shipment was 4 cars I think too, so you could be one shipment from catching up to most of the other dealers. You might want to put another deposit somewhere, and be viligent if there are new dealerships are opening up. I think that a #90 spot is a lot mroe than 12 months away for the record

 

[andykeck]

Re: Zero. Big fat zero.

Any specific questions are met with "we'll know more soon".

Has anybody given you the working definition of "soon" in this case? I hate to hassle these guys, but I'm guessing that their last estimate that my car would be here in August (i.e. right now) could be off by six months or more.

 

[shay2nak]

yeah, no sign. although i'm guessing that it will be no more that two weeks. Pat has told me that the demo should be in next week. I don't know if he's getting any other cars with the demo or not or what the allocation rate is. I do know that there is a GG car that is in the top 5 so I hope Pat gets that with the demo so I can see it.

 

[Ground Loop]

Re: Re: Zero. Big fat zero.

Has anybody given you the working definition of "soon" in this case?

Nope. It's always some point in the near future, usually "30 days" or so. I'm beyond frustrated at the endless stalling and lack of information.

Monday I'll see if I can get anyone at Lotus USA to explain why it is that Desert European Motorcars is the last dealer in the United States to get any kind of delivery schedule from Lotus, or any cars, or any hint of future cars, or any order numbers, or any VIN numbers, or allocation counts.

Someone is not being forthright with necessary and relevent information, and I intend to find out who.

 

[ChrisB]

Desert European Motorcars was a little late to the game becoming a Lotus dealer. They were not involved in the first order batch (first 10 orders), which may explain some of the delay. Lotus may also be exercising some limited control over dealers who are charging markups over MSRP to deposit holders (Nah, probably not...just wishful thinking).

 

[zvezdah1]

Guys,
I think the biggest problem with distribution is the trucking/transport from the distribution facility. Once Lotus releases the cars at the port, it's the transport companies responsibility. Keep in mind too, limited numbers of covered transport trucking/drivers available, this time of year with all the high end mass produced cars coming in (BMW Volvo) I imagine Lotus doesn't carry the weight that these big companies do in terms of who gets what delivered first. Lotus is tiny compared to BMW, Volvo and Mercedes.

Don't think it's any plan to keep dealers from getting their cars it's all down to the transporters.
Just my .02cents.
Chris

 

[Ground Loop]

I'm not buying the trucking/transport justification. Not at all.

If Desert Euro had cars on a truck, they would at least know that much.

They might know how many cars they had been invoiced for.

Or what build numbers had been assigned to their customers.

Or ANYTHING at all about the cars on order.

No, we can't blame this on the truckers. It's either Desert Euro or LCU.

 

[zvezdah1]

Well, Ground you don't have to buy it, and I guess you want someone to blame, so by all means blame LCU, the dealer, Lotus UK, GOD, the elves, the hobbits.........
Chris

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Well, Ground you don't have to buy it, and I guess you want someone to blame, so by all means blame LCU, the dealer, Lotus UK, GOD, the elves, the hobbits.........
Chris

I wouldn't blame it on elves, troll, or hobbits. I'd blame it on the Scapegoats.

When I called Scottsdale, AZ Lotus last Friday before they closed, they said they were suppose to have gotten their demo that day. The sales person said, they had already been invoiced for it and it should be there already. He was very antsy about it as well.

So, I believe, yes, the dealer can tell you if a car's been invoice (but that's up to them if they want to tell you). And, there are delays associated with the shippers. See, everyone's right!

 

[andykeck]

See, everyone's right!

If everyone's right how come I feel so wrong? I just want to know when my car is coming, say plus or minus a couple of months. That shouldn't be so hard, no?

 

[Ground Loop]

Let's compare the Desert European buying experience, embracing the Zero Information / Zero Communication philosophy, with Ivan's HRM experience posted over in this thread:

I am #13 at HRM (no LSS), got an e-mail today that my car is in port. I have had my VIN for a few weeks now, and had my order/production # before that, having been told when my car was on the assembly line...Although I got somewhat impatient (and maybe a little paranoid) from the time I found out my car was being built until finding out it was here today(can't blame them for that delay),

http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=80139#post80139

 

[II-soon]

When I spoke with Gary Hagen, he told me that Desert Euro (Pat Marsh) should know if our cars are being built, on the ship and so forth. He said that he relays this information to them and it's up to them to pass it along to the customers. At this point I don't know who to believe. I just want my FREAKING CAR.

 

[andykeck]

So far, my dealings with DE have been very good. I have a hard time believing that things could have changed so much in so little time. I also can't see any reason at all not to pass along any info given that I've already ordered. It's not like a few months delay is going to change my mind. I wonder if for some reason they really don't know?

 

[II-soon]

Honestly like other members have stated, any info whether it be good or bad is welcomed. I think it's this waiting in the dark that's pissing people off.

 

[Vantage]

Maybe they don't know any information on your car because it hasn't been built yet, or it hasn't been scheduled to be built. Plausible?

Like others have been saying, DE was late to arrive to the scene, and perhaps their first shipments will follow a similar timetable.

 

[Ground Loop]

About the only way to reconcile the conflicting information is by assuming Desert Euro is really truely getting no cars.

Then it all works out..

Lotus has told them everything regarding their (zero) shipment. "Ask your dealer, we told them" isn't helpful, but it's accurate.

If they have no cars allocated, then Desert Euro has been totally honest about the state of their orders -- no idea when delivery can be expected, because nothing has been scheduled for build.

They have no demo, because none has been built for them.

They have no information on delivery dates because there is nothing on the truck headed to them, nothing invoiced, nothing on boats, and nothing on the factory line.

The "should know more soon" because eventually they hope to get a car built for them, and they're hoping Lotus will kindly schedule one sometime soon.

That would all make sense. Of course, it's the worst possible news, which may be why nobody will come out and say it.

Prove me wrong...

 

[amcmahon]

I think you need to look at the big picture. I'm sure allocations are being built and sent to dealers on a first come first serve basis. My understanding is that Desert Euro was in on the action much later than other dealerships. Considering there are still OTHER dealerships that haven't received a car yet it's very possible DE will not get one for another month. Once production catches up I'm sure they'll be rollin to every dealer.

Patience...As bad as I want the car the extra time is just allowing me to squash more bills and make room for my Elise.

 

[shay2nak]

I just got off the phone with Gary Hagan who is the West Coast Sales rep. He is on the road right now and couldn't give me a status check on my car #11 at Desert European. However, he did explain that Lotus USA had requested cars to be built in order of deposit, so that the dealers would get them in order of deposit. However, Hethel can't build one red car, one yellow car etc. So because of the batching of colors the cars may not come out in exact order of deposit. The other thing he said was they had had reliability problems with the wheels on the sport pack and initial orders with sport pack were delayed about 45 days. That problem has been resolved but the early orders are obviously delayed.

I also talked to Pat Marsh at Desert European and he still doesn't have any cars but is expecting the first 3 within 72 hours(their demo plus two others). Gary confrimed this information about Desert European. I will be talking to Gary again on Friday and will report to all any info I find out. Bottom line folks this is all part of growing pains going from 150 cars a year to 2200 cars thats about a 15 fold increase. If I did that with my business I would be buried!!!!