[Lotus F1]

HondaHookup Forums

"my girl and I put money down on a 2005 Lotus Elise II and thanks to her father's influence (mafia.....jk), we were placed #1 on the list to receive the 1st Elise with the package we requested to arrive"

HondaHookup

"As some as you know, my girlfriend (future fiancee) is selling her 93 NA 300ZX and ordered a 2004 Lotus Elise. Well, her dad was talking to the dealer and since they're friends, they bumped her up to get the first Lotus that arrives in the color she wants. Which means instead of waiting a year+, we'll have the Lotus by May/June! She ordered one in Arctic Silver with all black leather interior. Here's a link to her model:"

 

[smoseley]

He's 22 years old, lives in Weston, CT, and attends Roger Williams University in Newport, RI (www.rwu.edu). He drives a 1998 Integra GSR with a cat-back exhaust, and plays paintball competitively in CT, RI, and NY.

I think with a little more reasearch someone can find which dealership they're getting the Elise from.

All I did is google his name and look for similarities.

 

[Lotus F1]

Might be a little harder since it's his girlfriend that is actually getting the car....But I think your region is right on.

Probably could just post and ask him where he's getting the car. Not that it would do much good but it's still interesting to know which dealer

 

[elisespeedster]

wow thats crazy....must be super nice to have the hook ups....i have to wait 14 months.

Oh well....hope you guys enjoy. ........

think you could sneak me in as #2

 

[shay2nak]

unbelievable... the guy lives in New York, so I don't have anything to worry about. Glad to hear it's not my dealer. They don't seem shady anyway.

But isn't it interesting that she was able to order her color/options this late for the #1 car. That order was put in Jan ~28th at my dealer. He told me if I wanted to change anything after placing my order, I would have approximately 30 days to do it. What's going on here? She took another customer's order? What about that customer, will he be getting a call again to put in an order? Seems too complicated to pull off, IMO.

 

[Patricko]

Here's some cool features about the Elise in case you don't already know:
The engine is a Toyota Celica GTS engine bumped up with an all new valvetrain, intake, header, and exhaust system to make 197 hp instead of 180. The suspension is a bilstein setup with electronically controlled motorized anti-roll bars that adjust the car's balance depending on G-Force. I thought this feature was especially cool to help pull this 1850 lb car through tight corners.

That is very funny stuff

 

[Ridgemanron]

I do know that Mr. Miller, who owns Manhattan Motorcars and the one in Eastchester, N.Y., was at the NY Show.
I overheard him talking to a guy who just had to have a Bentley.....which they do sell amongst an array of high end cars.
He (Miller) also mentioned that he would be setting up a dealership in 'The Hamptons' making him the only dealer between the furthest tip of Long Island,
that being Montauk, and New York. Betcha' he could sell a zillion Elises to the
scads of millionaires up in that neck of the woods.

 

[atyclb]

don't believe everything you read on internet forums

 

[Patricko]

He seems to be completely wrong on the details of the car...he may be just as wrong on he details of his delivery

 

[Lotus F1]

He seems to be completely wrong on the details of the car...he may be just as wrong on he details of his delivery

Could be, but a delivery of "May\June" seems like like a pretty low number to me.

 

[Patricko]

Could be, but a delivery of "May\June" seems like like a pretty low number to me.

it could be May/June 2005

 

[Lotus F1]

The person really effected by this isnt the #1 or 2 in line. Its gonna be that person on the the line between orders. This is the person thats gonna get bumped a month. It will continue to trickle down to the next so on and so on. I would hate to be the person left to hold the bag and now have to wait for summer "holiday" break to be over

 

[Lotus F1]

I do know that Mr. Miller, who owns Manhattan Motorcars and the one in Eastchester, N.Y., was at the NY Show.
I overheard him talking to a guy who just had to have a Bentley.....which they do sell amongst an array of high end cars.
He (Miller) also mentioned that he would be setting up a dealership in 'The Hamptons' making him the only dealer between the furthest tip of Long Island,
that being Montauk, and New York. Betcha' he could sell a zillion Elises to the
scads of millionaires up in that neck of the woods.

I really don't think the people up in that part of the woods are going to be to impressed with the sparse amenities of an Elise. The NYC area really isn't much of a minimalist mindset

 

[Randy Chase]

If he was taking on the first spots, wouldn't those people have already put in their orders?

 

[agent.5]

If he was taking on the first spots, wouldn't those people have already put in their orders?

Unless there is a way for dealers to do last minute changes or even swap cars.

 

[Randy Chase]

Or if the dealer was giving up one of their spots that thye had reserved as some dealers have done.

Symbolic told me up front over 2 years ago - "A buddy comes in or a long time customer and wants a car, we will try to accomodate them."

 

[agent.5]

I don't know what people think and I am going to put on my flame suit and pour water on it before typing the rest:

I think this whole Lotus ordering experience sucks. I just have that eerie feeling that I will be royally screwed sooner or later. Information and facts are either recklessly or purposely misrepresented. A price is not a price but an abstract interpretation of the seasonality of the market forces. Nothing is what it seems. Trust no one, I suppose.

And this is for Randy: Hope is fine, but blind hope is the first step that evil leads the sheep to slaughter.

 

[Randy Chase]

Actually hope is the thing one uses when you have no data. The sig is intended to be a bit sarcastic.

And you know what? I agree with you 100% on the Lotus Experience so far. Great car. Can't wait. But the entire dealer experience and lack of information sucks big time. I really hope they improve it. Eventually the new car thing will not be as big a deal, and there will be other cool cars entering the market.

I have met some great people associated with Lotus, but there is a lot to be desired here. And they can't just point fingers at the dealers and say it has nothing to do with them.

 

[azstar]

If the story is true I'll bet what happened is that someone in the first batch ordered a car and now is unable to buy it for whatever reason. The dealer now has an "available" car and is selling it to his friend for his daughter. You may feel that the dealer should give other people on the list the first opportunity to buy this "available" car, but from the dealer's perspective he doesn't care who buys it as long as it is sold.

 

[smoseley]

But the entire dealer experience and lack of information sucks big time. I really hope they improve it.... I have met some great people associated with Lotus, but there is a lot to be desired here. And they can't just point fingers at the dealers and say it has nothing to do with them.

Sounds like something Hale might want to change.