[Win]

John English stated that small dealers willl get 12 car for a whole year while Mark O"Shaughnessy 'forecasts existing order banks to be filled by the end of the first quarter 2005'.

I believe most or all dealers have taken orders for the first 30 (some only the first 20) orders.

 

[Hans Stuck]

John English stated that small dealers willl get 12 car for a whole year while Mark O"Shaughnessy 'forecasts existing order banks to be filled by the end of the first quarter 2005'.

I believe most or all dealers have taken orders for the first 30 (some only the first 20) orders.

It makes total sense to me. The 1st statement is to make sure the dealers have some "realistic" info. The 2nd statement is for the benefit of the customers. The fact that the statements can't both be true shouldn't bother Lotus. They'll just jerk the customers along until they finally deliver the cars.

What're you gonna do? You've waited this long already. You're only going to buy something else if they tell you it's going to be a long time until your car is ready. Hence, Lotus will never say it's going to be a long time. They'll let you twist a while and they know they'll get your money just as soon as they're ready to take it.

Just like home construction -- "It'll just be another 2 weeks"

 

[Ridgemanron]

Recently announced 'projection' by Valenti has them saying that they expect, if all goes well, 19 cars by end of Dec. Add the dealer demo and 20 cars are accounted for. If other dealers announce their 'projected' expectations, with regard to the amount of cars due in by year's end, then customers would be able to have a good idea as to if they are in that 'year's end' allotment of (approximately) 1,100 cars that O'Shaughnessey mentioned.

 

[Sownman]

John English stated that small dealers willl get 12 car for a whole year while Mark O"Shaughnessy 'forecasts existing order banks to be filled by the end of the first quarter 2005'.

I believe most or all dealers have taken orders for the first 30 (some only the first 20) orders.

Other than one word (which may be your error) I see no contradiction.

"Small dealers will get 12 cars for this (2004) whole year."

That jives pretty much with what Steve Harris (small SLC dealer is saying)

"Existing order banks to be filled by the end of first quarter 2005" (March)

Most dealers have turned in 30 orders those 30 will be delivered by March 2005. Small dealers will get cars 1-12 in 2004 and cars 13-30( or 18 more ) in Jan,Feb,March. Large dealers may get more, but I've seen no sign of that yet and as far as I can tell that is nothing more than wishful thinking from people on long lists.

Regards

Steve

 

[Win]

Here is the quote from the newsweek article -

The largest dealers are expected to sell 100 to 140 Elises a year, and the smallest about 10 to 12 cars, English says.


So I am taking this to mean 1 full year, not till the end of 2004.

 

[Sownman]

Here is the quote from the newsweek article -

The largest dealers are expected to sell 100 to 140 Elises a year, and the smallest about 10 to 12 cars, English says.


So I am taking this to mean 1 full year, not till the end of 2004.

I see the error now and it is yours

you reported English to say

"small dealers will get 12 cars for a whole year"

He said nothing like that.

What he actually said was they are "expecting them to sell"
10-12 cars

What they expect in sales and what the allocation is have nothing to do with each other. Don't you see the difference ?
To say they expect them to sell 10-12 doesn't limit them to 12, if they sell 50 they can probably get 50. When you say they will only get 12 that is a very limiting statement, thats not what English says.

Regards

Steve

 

[LarryB]

Believe not all dealers put two batches of orders in. It may be the smaller ones only have ten in. Note Mark comment is a "forecast" not a statement of fact. In any case does that mean a small dealer if they place the first 10 orders will get them by the end of Q1 '05, maybe. Once a small dealer has there yearly allotment of 12 cars (even if 12 months hasn't pass) would they get anymore for the rest of the year, maybe not. My take on "existing order banks" is the orders already placed. What if, could be, maybe....

 

[Knute]

Re: Re: contradictory statements....

"Small dealers will get 12 cars for this (2004) whole year."

That jives pretty much with what Steve Harris (small SLC dealer is saying)

DOOMED! :wallbang:

(#37 at Steve Harris- deposit went in mid November last fall...)


Well, at least by the time I finally get mine, (assuming it happens before the 2007 model change) they'll have worked out all the bugs, right?

-K

 

[jdl8r]

Ridgeman, this ain't good... I'm number 20 at Valenti. I want my car darnit! Before the 1 year anniversary of my deposit... I was told from Bill, that all they were expecting [and knew] was 8 cars by the end of September.

 

[adamant]

Re: Re: Re: contradictory statements....

DOOMED! :wallbang:

(#37 at Steve Harris- deposit went in mid November last fall...)


Well, at least by the time I finally get mine, (assuming it happens before the 2007 model change) they'll have worked out all the bugs, right?

-K

K
<sarcasm>I suggest that you do what LCUSA want put down a deposit at 5 different dealers! Then when the first one shows up just pull the others </sarcasm>
It appears this is what LCUSA want people to do if they can't distribute cars fairy to people that have patiently waited their turn. Sorry you are going to be screwed by them. Steve Harris are a very nice bunch of people to work with. Too bad LCUSA wants to supply cars to dealerships that want to mark them up and flip them. It is good to know that they encourage these bad practices. In case you don't know Steve Harris are expecting their demo to arrive this weekend but now with no customer cars!! We don't know whwne their first customer car will arrive. Sorry for any typo's but I am pretty pissed at LCUSA at the moment...

 

[Sownman]

Re: Re: Re: Re: contradictory statements....

In case you don't know Steve Harris are expecting their demo to arrive this weekend but now with no customer cars!! We don't know whwne their first customer car will arrive. Sorry for any typo's but I am pretty pissed at LCUSA at the moment...

Sorry to hear that. I hope your car comes soon. It certainly does seem LCUSA has no interest in the Central/West coast customers.
In LA we have no demo yet, and no date for one.


Regards

Steve

 

[jdl8r]

I feel the worst for people who've placed deposits and haven't even received a number... which I believe is the case with many at Symbolic Morons er... Motors. My number isn't great, but at least it's mine.

 

[toyopet]

let's just hope for the best guys.i'm mid 40's at foxvalley and they say expect the car by november.

 

[MattG]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: contradictory statements....

Sorry to hear that. I hope your car comes soon. It certainly does seem LCUSA has no interest in the Central/West coast customers.
In LA we have no demo yet, and no date for one.

While it does seem that the east coast has been favored when it comes to initial allocations, I wouldn't place all the blame on LCUSA. Evidence indicates that Lotus UK did not build the cars in the order that LCUSA intended.

Or, to put it another way, "what we've got here is...failure...to communicate."

 

[Sownman]

let's just hope for the best guys.i'm mid 40's at foxvalley and they say expect the car by november.

Have you asked Foxvalley how many cars they've delivered to date ? Have you asked them how many orders they've sent to factory. AFAIK from posts here, no dealer has ordered more than 30 cars. It seems to be about 6 weeks from build to USA delivery.

I assume they have not delivered their entire first batch of cars #1-9 yet and those were ordered in January. After that comes the 2nd load of 20 cars that were ordered in March. I doubt any of that batch is built yet let alone delivered.

I really think cars in mid 40's in November is un realistic.


Steve