[Genjuro]

This is my post/complaint to Lotus:

Would you please give us some information as to where our damn cars are? I don't think it would be to flippen hard to walk down to the factory floor and ask the foreman what # they are at! Simply tell us how many US spec cars have been produced, then separate them by what stage they are at (In US being staged, on a boat, waiting to be shipped). I mean honestly, this is absurd that you can't give us one bit of information.

For one, I'm trying to lock-in on my finance rate, and I only have a 90 day window.

I've been waiting for 2 years and 4 months and my dealer is 150 miles away. The absolute LEAST you could do is to grant us some sort of information on our cars.

I'm tired of everyone asking me 10 times a week, "where is your car?"

Anyone else feeling the same?

 

[ivan1]

I am waiting patiently, but I agree it would be very helpful to arrange for financing to know approx when the car will arrive - capital one I believe gives you a check that is good for 45 days....

 

[Vangman]

Abso-freakin-lutely :clap: :bow: :bow: :bow: :clap:

Thank you for stepping up to the podium and posting this thread. Lotus could really capitalize on all this anticipation for the car. This is 2004, they could do something on their website, through these sites, whatever. But just do something. Why is it such a military secret?

Come on LOTUS, respond to us. We're the one's who are speading the joy of this car to our friends. We're carrying you. Throw us a bone!

 

[Later Apex]

Lotus may not know these answers if they don't have modern computer systems. I mean this is a company that has been eeking by for years, I wouldn't expect them to be as advanced as other car makers who when you give them a VIN can look up in the computer and tell you exactly where your car is at.

heck they may not even have phones on the factory floor for you to call that person building the cars...

If you send them a written letter, they may be able to handle your request in a fashion they are used to dealing with i.e. pushing paper...

 

[Genjuro]

Lotus may not know these answers if they don't have modern computer systems. I mean this is a company that has been eeking by for years, I wouldn't expect them to be as advanced as other car makers who when you give them a VIN can look up in the computer and tell you exactly where your car is at.

heck they may not even have phones on the factory floor for you to call that person building the cars...

If you send them a written letter, they may be able to handle your request in a fashion they are used to dealing with i.e. pushing paper...

.....If Lotus doesn't even know how many US Spec cars they have built, then I'd say we are all up a creek.

I mean, they (Lotus) can go count the paperwork that has the rubber stamp on it that says: BUILD FINISHED. Know what I'm saying?

 

[Later Apex]

YES BUT...

Someone must first file form 94 to requisition a body to look through paperwork. That person needs form 712 to count completed build orders (known as form 994). The answers are then returned via form 18-C. In which case someone else is requisitioned via form 210-E to write you a letter answering your build question.

In other words, they aren't reading this and answering you here. They don't have the form for it!!!

 

[Robert Puertas]

I can tell you that when I was at Hethel last Wednesday, May 19th, I saw cars numbered in the high 80's on the production line. You can estimate 5 or 6 Fed cars per day and extrapolate from there.

85 done + 5 cars X 7 days = 120 cars

divide that by 40 dealers gets you 3 cars per dealer are finished and on their way. 3-4 weeks later they should be here.

In case you haven't heard, these cars are totally hand made, so all of the above are rough estimates and there will be slight variations as certain demands and needs change within the factory. For instance, when I was visiting there was a big push to complete a bunch of Exiges for a European race series. This meant that there were a few more Exiges on the line than normal, and so maybe 4 Fed cars were built that day, or maybe more Fed cars because they were concentrating on Toyota powerd cars. Who knows? It's a very dynamic place and things are constantly moving.

We've waited years for the Elise to come to the states. What's the big deal about another couple of weeks? This car is not your normal automotive experience. Embrace that idea and you will be a happy person.

 

[Genjuro]

I think they are reading it..... Or at least the car rags are reading this message board. If everyone posts agreement and questions where the cars are, then perhaps we could get a more formal announcement.

Also, with recent comments by Hale and the new man in charge in ATL, they should be able to provide this information. They claim they want to take it to the next level... well if they can't even figure out what cars are produced and where they are, then I think it'll be a cold day in hell before they reach.....'the next level'

 

[Genjuro]

I can tell you that when I was at Hethel last Wednesday, May 19th, I saw cars numbered in the high 80's on the production line. You can estimate 5 or 6 Fed cars per day and extrapolate from there.

85 done + 5 cars X 7 days = 120 cars

divide that by 40 dealers gets you 3 cars per dealer are finished and on their way. 3-4 weeks later they should be here.

In case you haven't heard, these cars are totally hand made, so all of the above are rough estimates and there will be slight variations as certain demands and needs change within the factory. For instance, when I was visiting there was a big push to complete a bunch of Exiges for a European race series. This meant that there were a few more Exiges on the line than normal, and so maybe 4 Fed cars were built that day, or maybe more Fed cars because they were concentrating on Toyota powerd cars. Who knows? It's a very dynamic place and things are constantly moving.

We've waited years for the Elise to come to the states. What's the big deal about another couple of weeks? This car is not your normal automotive experience. Embrace that idea and you will be a happy person.

I am a happy person...see look at all these... ... ; however, if you were at the factory last week, and you can post that kind of information off the cuff, then why can't the company do so?

And yes, I know they are hand made.... smartass....


For example, the BMW Z3 was about 80% handmade... each car had an order sheet attached to it with a barcode. A simple scan of the barcode, and you knew where the car was. It's really not that difficult. $10 buys you a barcode reader that will hookup to any laptop computer.. some opensource software and a guy that simply scans the paperwork wouldnt' take that much time.

Would it?

 

[Eddie Haskell]

Would you please give us some information as to where our damn cars are?

X Eleventybillion....


Financing, insurance, scheduling time away from work to pick the car up (200 miles away for me), finding someone willing to drive me up there, etc.

And let me clarify, it's not having to wait additional time to get the car, I've had money down since January 2002. I miffed because they won't tell me when MY car is going to get to MY DEALER.

 

[zvezdah1]

Read my post on English interview I'm about to post
Chris

 

[Genjuro]

Chris,

I will read your post on English, as long as the post is in English, so that I will be able to understand the post.



Sorry.. it's a Friday and in 40 min I can leave!!!!!!!

 

[TimMullen]

You may have to think from the "other side"...

What if Lotus had to announce that there would be a three month delay (not that I think there will be). How many people would cancel their order and buy something else? Nobody knows, especially not Lotus - nor can they risk it.

Now, if everything is going smoothly, they could tell us, and there would be no problem. However, if there was suddenly a problem, and they clammed up, everyone would know there was a problem because of the sudden change in information flow. The solution is to just keep quiet on all details - "No Comment".

We may not like it, but there's more than one company that's out of business because of customer's over reactions...

As a side note...

Back in the early days of the cold war, the "bad guys" could tell when our missile systems went on alert. They couldn't tell what was being communicated because it was all encoded, but when the messages traffic suddenly increased by a factor of 2 or 5, they knew something was going on. The solution? There is a constant amount of encoded communications at all times. Most all of it says "this is a test", but there is no way to detect an increase in meaningful messages to indicate the alert status.

Kind of like how the Pentagon had to change their late night pizza orders, because the news media (and who knows who else) figured out that lots of late night pizzas indicate something big is about to happen...

I'm sure that Lotus' "No Comment" policy is to protect their business - not that I'm happy with it either...

Tim Mullen

 

[Ground Loop]

Just adding my "Aye!" to the above rant.

I simply do not accept the "No Info Available" excuse. You know, "they're a small company of elves, hand-carving magic cars out of poplar and emeralds.." No.

They're computerized. They're inventoried, and the builds are planned, and they, the factory planners/foremen, DO have the information we crave. It would be impossible to run a business otherwise. The don't just stick them in crates and let the ships captain roll dice to figure out where they go. Once a car has a VIN (likely sooner), its future is preordained.

I just don't see how it benefits them to keep thousands of their most enthusiastic and vocal buyers COMPLETELY in the dark regarding specific delivery, when it is rumored to be about a month away.

I've said before, I'm cancelling summer vacation trips so that I can stand by the phone and wait for the call "between June and September". I don't appreciate the silence -- it has a real cost. It's burning up goodwill and Lotus gets nothing in return. I'm not asking for the moon and promises here.

Here's another thing: It exposes Lotus to increased Dealer shenannigans. If Lotus stays mute, keeps the dealers in the dark, customers out of the loop, and then cars arrive on a truck at the dealership... there will be significant $temptation$ to sneak a few out the back for a cash bump. "Good to hear from you, Mr. MSRP. Yep, no word from Lotus yet; you know how they are. Maybe October."

 

[Ground Loop]

Coded traffic analysis.. heh..

How about this modest proposal: Lotus could fax the dealership a list of cars that have just finished being built and will head their way.

"Lotus UK is happy to report that Your Customer "Mr. Otto X Enthused" will be receiving Elise VIN#20349823049. The car is on the finished lot for delivery by ship, arriving in the next 3 to 4 weeks."

That would mean the world. Assuming the dealer passes it on, it would mean I could plan a window of about two or three weeks to be in town, have finance and insurance ready. The potential for delays at that point is pretty small.

I can't plan around a four-month window starting in "June".

 

[Genjuro]

You know, "they're a small company of elves, hand-carving magic cars out of poplar and emeralds.."

LMAO.. must breathe.. need air..


damn. that was funny. My co-workers think I've lost it.

 

[Lotus F1]

Some people keep replying to us wanting more information with "whats a few more weeks when we have all been waiting years"? We'll thats just it, it is the very last few weeks that are most important. So much needs to be organized before getting the car. Who cares really if it's a year out or more. Nothihng needs to be done at that point. Now is the time to get us the information! Not because we are just curious or impatient, but because we actually need it to do things that will effect of finances and shedualing. It think its down right inconsiderate. I don't care how great the car is. I'm still paying for it as its not being given away, and as such I think we should be given the minimum consideration as a paying customer should recieve. Everyone throws accolades about the engineering minds at Lotus so please don't believe for one second they cant figure out a better communication system for their customers. It's more like they don't care to. :no:

 

[Randy Chase]

Yeah, for what it's worth. They are computerized. They do know a bit about the cars. The buyer's name is attached to the builds. That information could be relayed if they wanted to, but there seems to be a corporate fear of getting slammed for saying too much, and no corporate urge to convey this data.

Individually, everyone I have talked to from Lotus is not like that at all as far as privately giving me information. But for public consumption? Different story.

 

[smoseley]

My company makes solutions for companies to do exactly this: customer relationship management from Manufacturer -> Distributor -> Retailer -> Consumer and back. I want to make a proposal to Lotus, because I know we could help them, but at the same time there's a conflict since I'm their consumer. What to do?

 

[Lotus F1]

That information could be relayed if they wanted to, but there seems to be a corporate fear of getting slammed for saying too much, and no corporate urge to convey this data.

What is the fear about anyway? The car has been totaly released and examined. If not that then It would appear that Lotus dosen't want us to know when we are getting the car? If that is the case then they really have some weird issues over there