[relise]

Just talked to my dealer. He said that no dealers anywhere really know how many cars they are getting yet and the forum info is speculation.

Also, they have a big sales training launch event coming (next month I think) at Barber Motorsports where all the sales people will get to drive the cars on the track and learn about the car and how many will be available.

He said he took 8 orders just to gauge how the cars would be ordered and that the sports package is on most.

I am #23 on the waiting list and in his opinion, he would expect I would get a car this year, maybe late summer.

 

[mikester]

Interesting. The part about everybody just speculating is in line with what my dealer has been telling me, as well. The dealer introduction program sounds very similar to what BMW did for their MINI dealerships. This sounds encouraging.

 

[huggy bear]

Just talked to my dealer. He said that no dealers anywhere really know how many cars they are getting yet and the forum info is speculation.

Also, they have a big sales training launch event coming (next month I think) at Barber Motorsports where all the sales people will get to drive the cars on the track and learn about the car and how many will be available.
.

A) We must have the same delear because I was told the samething

-or-

B) Corroborating information from two separate honest dealers.

 

[Derek]

Cool

 

[OneFastLotus]

so the dealers who called us and told us we had to have our orders in by a deadline were lying?

 

[fjungman]

Lead time

Here is what the Director of Sales and Marketing at Lotus had to say about leadtime:
"Thanks for you interest in the Lotus Elise. We plan to
go on sale with the Elise in June of 2004 in the US market. Lotus USA plans to import about 2200-2400 cars per 12 months, so I think that you would certainly be able to take delivery of a car in 2005 with that production schedule. Things are a bit vague about exact production numbers since we are some months from Elise arriving on these shores, but your wait will certainly be very much on the short end of your suggested range! I advise that you stay in close contact with your dealer, as they will be receiving information from Lotus on an ongoing basis. We anticipate that demand for the Elise will continue to be quite strong through the second year based on the feedback that we have been receiving from dealers and the public, so putting a deposit in with a dealer soon may be a good idea to assure your place."

I had asked if being #80 on the list would make it a one year wait or a ten year wait.

Hope this is new info for you guys and gals.

 

[huggy bear]

so the dealers who called us and told us we had to have our orders in by a deadline were lying?

A dealer lying? No that can't be!

Seriously though, I don't think they were "lying" about a deadline for the fist 10 orders (minus demo). Maybe Lotus wanted to take 10 orders from each dealer vs. (for argument's sake) two from each dealer to get a larger statistical cross section to forcast the type of inventory they need to fulfill the options request. That being said, the next batch of orders might not even be the next 10 but rather 2 or three at a time. Who knows...I'm just making stuff up too.

 

[Randy Chase]

Re: Lead time

Here is what the Director of Sales and Marketing at Lotus had to say about leadtime:
"Thanks for you interest in the Lotus Elise. We plan to
go on sale with the Elise in June of 2004 in the US market. Lotus USA plans to import about 2200-2400 cars per 12 months, so I think that you would certainly be able to take delivery of a car in 2005 with that production schedule. Things are a bit vague about exact production numbers since we are some months from Elise arriving on these shores, but your wait will certainly be very much on the short end of your suggested range! I advise that you stay in close contact with your dealer, as they will be receiving information from Lotus on an ongoing basis. We anticipate that demand for the Elise will continue to be quite strong through the second year based on the feedback that we have been receiving from dealers and the public, so putting a deposit in with a dealer soon may be a good idea to assure your place."

I had asked if being #80 on the list would make it a one year wait or a ten year wait.

Hope this is new info for you guys and gals.

Thanks for that info and welcome to the forum. Jealous of your Aston.

P.S. I have not seen any "forum info" on how many cars are being allocated. Just some discussion about numbers being based on prior Esprit sales or geography or other such stuff. Nobody knows what the real numbers are going to be, I don't think Lotus knows.

All we do know is that Lotus USA asked the dealers to send in their first 10 orders. Does not mean they will get a shipment of 10 cars off the bat.

 

[OneFastLotus]

A dealer lying? No that can't be!

Seriously though, I don't think they were "lying" about a deadline for the fist 10 orders (minus demo). Maybe Lotus wanted to take 10 orders from each dealer vs. (for argument's sake) two from each dealer to get a larger statistical cross section to forcast the type of inventory they need to fulfill the options request. That being said, the next batch of orders might not even be the next 10 but rather 2 or three at a time. Who knows...I'm just making stuff up too.

I dont think they were lying either. My dealer has been EXCELLENT...which is why I dont understand all the other dealers who seem to know nothing at all...or throw out completely different info.

 

[huggy bear]

I dont think they were lying either. My dealer has been EXCELLENT...which is why I dont understand all the other dealers who seem to know nothing at all...or throw out completely different info.

The dealers that seem like they don't know anything at all are probably erring on the safe side by not to make any claims until it's "official" by LotusUSA. They don't want piss anyone off by making false promises etc. I think the ones that do this are honest and know how inconsistent Lotus is because they probably have sold a few Esprits in their time. The other guys succumb to their customers' clamoring for information so to satisfy the tide they make crap up and speculate. They probably believe that they are doing a service for their customer. I have said it once and will say it again. It all boils down to lack of direction and timely information for the top that's why the disparity of information from dealers.

 

[mikester]

I think that Huggy has done a good job of articulating the stance of many dealers, at least this seems to be my dealers' stance.

 

[ivan1]

Here's a project for you. Go to SELOC and do a search on "americans" if you can find ONE thread without negative/bashing comments I'll give you $5.[/B]

Will it still count if I start the thread myself????

 

[zvezdah1]

The ten orders being in by a certain date was a fact, not just dealers wanting to placate customers.
Chris

 

[fjungman]

Symbolic

Deposit at Symbolic Motorcars, Beverly Hills !

I hope you don't mind the drive to San Diego, they closed the Beverly Hills location. The San Diego Symbolic is bursting at the seams with Lambos and Rollers...

 

[JonOrangeElise]

The dealer introduction program sounds very similar to what BMW did for their MINI dealerships. This sounds encouraging.

If it is like the MINI program, it will lead to some fantastic sights. I can remember that when that program was going on, I would see caravans of MINIs outside my window at work: literally 10-20 fresh new MINIs in a row, honking their horns and screaming up the street. It was a great opportunity to see various color schemes, wheels, trim levels, etc.

This went on for about 10 days, seemingly every work day from what I remember. Our entire office would congregate around the window and gawk at the MINIs. One day, coming back from lunch, I was able to pull up beside one of the cars. I asked what the deal was, and the woman in the passenger seat said they were all dealer employees involved in training, and that the cars were being shuttled from one BMW dealer to the other.

She told me, "It's a great car! Buy one!" and I told her no thank you, I'll keep my M3.

 

[OneFastLotus]

Volvo does that too....but they just fly/drive their employee's to a proving ground area. No parades.

 

[mikester]

Re: Symbolic

Deposit at Symbolic Motorcars, Beverly Hills !

I hope you don't mind the drive to San Diego, they closed the Beverly Hills location. The San Diego Symbolic is bursting at the seams with Lambos and Rollers...

No, I don't, and yes I know !