LOL, when put that way it does appear to be quite outrageous.pinmagic said:I'm amazed that I can ship a package by UPS or FedEx, and be able to get online and track it in 30 seconds. Not only that, but those companies will give me an "expected delivery" date -- almost always accurate. All for a $5 package.
But when it comes to a $45,000 car, Lotus can't really say with any accuracy whether it's even been shipped. :huh:
No No No... You misunderstand, I'm not talking about cars that are on ships, I'm talking about cars that are on trucks supposedly on there way to the dealer. My dealer told me his cars left by truck last week Friday, but as of yet no cars have showed up... WTF!Randy Chase said:Back that waaaambulance up a second.
Lotus UK has a lot of information, but they are not responsible for contacting you. They sell cars to Lotus USA.
Lotus USA does know where the cars are in shipment. They know where the ships are. I mentioned yesterday where two of the west coast ships were.
Does Lotus USA have a large wallmap with individual pins showing your name on it being moved across the sea? No.
I think the disconnect is that for most people, hearing "your car is being built in July and will be here in August" is enough information, or it's perceived as enough. For us waiting list nuts, of course we want to know which day, what time will it come out of the container. When will it get signed off by customs. When will the transporter load it. When will it arrive at my dealer.
Bah.. I've been driving around Code 3 lights ablaze since MayRandy Chase said:Back that waaaambulance up a second.![]()
Fair enough.Lotus UK has a lot of information, but they are not responsible for contacting you. They sell cars to Lotus USA.
Right. Except I have no idea what's on those ships, and don't have a contact at Lotus USA to tell me. I'm constantly reminded that my contact is the dealer, and the dealer is saying quite clearly that Lotus is not telling them anything. If I am to believe them, they check the front porch for a delivery truck each day.Lotus USA does know where the cars are in shipment. They know where the ships are. I mentioned yesterday where two of the west coast ships were.
Effectively, I believe they do! Not a colorful wall-map of the glorious 50 states, but it's a list in their computer for sure. Each car has pre-ordained fate, and they have access to it. A database query would print a mighty interesting list. The only alternative would be that their deliveries are in complete disarray, left to the whims of someone late in the delivery chain, and they won't be able to schedule or bill correctly.Does Lotus USA have a large wallmap with individual pins showing your name on it being moved across the sea? No.![]()
Enough? I would cry with delight! Such commital and precise information is the stuff of fantasy. All I have now (and I'm guessing it's the same for many of us, not just me) is a rough guess based on rumors, leaked information, and dealer optimism. And it changes depending on what the dealer hears through the grapevine. It changes often, and the dealer has such low confidence in the guess that it's always couched in warnings and disclaimers. The last guess was "Probably in August, maybe September, maybe later, we'll see."I think the disconnect is that for most people, hearing "your car is being built in July and will be here in August" is enough information, or it's perceived as enough.
True. But that's just something to pass the time. I would be able to relax and feel much better with just the "arrive at my dealer" part, accurate to within 30 days, and with some confidence that it's meaningful information. I'm still hoping we get that by the end of the month. If not, the my waambulance will be back into gear.For us waiting list nuts, of course we want to know which day, what time will it come out of the container. When will it get signed off by customs. When will the transporter load it. When will it arrive at my dealer.
I hear ya, but its more than a week since they left. How many cars can fit on one transporter. It just seems a bit ridiculous at this pointRandy Chase said:I have this picture of the car transporters with WAAAAMBULANCE on the side, lights flashing and siren wailing, hurrying to get these cars to their owners.
It seemed that Lotus USA did not know much about the cars once they leave the distribution centers. Just that they were going on closed transporters that included other vehicles and it could take a while.
I did hear that Lotus USA was working to tighten up the shipping and distribution process and that they have made some progress so that it will be faster now.
The transporters are not exclusively carrying Elises. They carry all makes and models of cars. They don't go directly to Lotus dealers, they most likely make a circular route that takes them to several dealers in various locations and return back to the distribution centers. The truck carrying a car to Virginia could easily make the trip to Connecticut by way of Pennsylvania first - we don't know.Derek said:I hear ya, but its more than a week since they left. How many cars can fit on one transporter. It just seems a bit ridiculous at this point![]()
Yes, I think that could be right. I guess it did not mean that 10 trucks were loaded with Elises and ready to go as soon as the paperwork was printed out. Heck, maybe some trucks make a route and come back and get a new load. That might make sense.pinmagic said:
Or maybe their definition of "shipping" is turning them over to the trucking company, which starts moving them in some order, with a limited number of trucks. But that's not really the same thing, and I just wish they'd said that.
Ground Loop said:The July 7 letter promised detailed delivery updates for every dealership by the end of July. I'm curious to see if they live up to it. After that, ff I can't get a delivery estimate for a car that should arrive in less than a month, something is still very wrong.
I'm sorry, was this another Bitch About Lack of Information thread, or something different?![]()
I know the transporters are not exclusively carrying Elise'(Look at the picture), But even fully loaded with other cars and only carrying one Elise it should take no more than a week to get the car to it's designation.TimMullen said:The transporters are not exclusively carrying Elises. They carry all makes and models of cars. They don't go directly to Lotus dealers, they most likely make a circular route that takes them to several dealers in various locations and return back to the distribution centers. The truck carrying a car to Virginia could easily make the trip to Connecticut by way of Pennsylvania first - we don't know.
As for up to date tracking along the likes of UPS or FedEx; Well, those companies don't do that tracking for us. It's part of their business methods so that they can track their activities and process things more efficiently. A nice side benefit is letting the customer "see" the info, but they certainly didn't create the system for "us". The trucking company does their business in the way that is most profitable for them and I highly doubt that they are the need or resources to put everything on the web for the impatient few...
"All things come to those who wait"...
Tim Mullen