[smura]

I'd like people to reply to this thread that have a deposit at Park Place in Bellevue, WA. If you could put your # in line and when you placed your deposit that would be great.

There are some concerns of deposit shuffling and since we can't seem to get accurate info from the dealership I'm opening it up to everyone on the board.

Once I get some replies I'll follow up with a PM.

Thanks,
Steve

#32, $1K deposit on 11/8/02

 

[andykeck]

I placed a deposit there April 24, 2003. I was told several times that I was #39. Over the next few months, I started to suspect that something wasn't quite right. After I heard about the supposed shuffling and got no replies to my emails or phone calls, I moved my deposit to Desert European.

 

[Donovan]

Me and my brother both have deposits there. From our PM's you know the story. As you know we have gotten conflicting information on why our spots on the list dropped down. One employee says its for M250 deposit holders, another employee says that the 1st few cars are going to employees.

Order placed November 8 '02 - number 37 in line....apparently subject to change. I was initially in the 20's.

I think you may have done the right thing Andy. No way were you #39. My brother placed his deposit in January '03 and he is now 46. He was originally told 32.

Either way we all have been bumped 10-15 spots.

 

[CDubYa]

Park Place

I approached Park Place over a year ago and was told I would be "in the mid 50's and couldn't expect a car until summer '05. I immediately considered other options (Tonkin - glad I didn't; Vancouver BC - They're not geting it, at least YET) and wound up depositing at Silicon Valley in Los Gatos. Started out at "mid-twenties" and, judging by the 'Silicon Valley List Collated' thread and my order placed on March 1st I believe I'm now about number 15, 16 or 17...

 

[andykeck]

I think you may have done the right thing Andy. No way were you #39. My brother placed his deposit in January '03 and he is now 46. He was originally told 32.

I feel pretty good about the decision. Even though I've got the added hassle of transporting the car up from So. Cal., I'm much less worried about my spot in line. I'm pretty confident that my new #20 spot is solid.

 

[cbolz]

I put $4000 deposit in Oct 2003 and have signed document that I am #47. I have had subsequent confirmation that I am still #47 on the list at Park Place.

 

[Donovan]

Thanks for the reply - I would bet that you are no longer at 47. My brother but his deposit down 10 months before you and he is now at #46.

Check your PM.

 

[cbolz]

Very interesting and upsetting. I have emailed Park Place to determine where I am in line and to ask them about the legal contract we had that listed me as #47.

 

[Ridgemanron]

Very interesting and upsetting. I have emailed Park Place to determine where I am in line and to ask them about the legal contract we had that listed me as #47.

I'm sure they have it in the 'Lost File'.......that will never see the light of day.

 

[tylers65]

I went into Park Place on May 15th. Although I do not have a deposit in, I did niquire about a couple of things.

1. How deep is the list?
Answer = Well over 100 on the list to date.

2. What are you doing with the spots in line if someone drops off?
Answer = the car will be sold at a premium to the first buyer and the list will remain the same. If you were number 31 then, you will remain number 31 after that person drops off of the list.

3. What kind of premium will you be charging for the cars that were forfeited?
Answer = We will charge whatever someone is willing to pay. We will probably have an auction of sorts.

So, there you have it. Those were the words of Renee at Park Place on May 15th 2004

 

[smura]

I don't have a problem with the dealership selling cars to the highest bidder if someone drops off the list. Hopefully they don't push everyone back 10 spots to auction off the first 10 cars. I guess we'll just have to wait until mid June and then count the cars as they roll off the trucks.

 

[SSflanker7]

I don't have an issue w/ Park Place using drop offs to sell off the floor...........as a matter of fact I hope they go well over MSRP.
What I have an issue w/ is the manipulation of the list..........which is happening here.

Ghost people (who will drop off) moving into the list for dealer sales.
People working at the dealership being put ahead on the list (for either personal, or more probable, dealer sales).
People bidding over MSRP to be put higher on the list.

All open for speculations........but why? Because the list is being manipulated at Park Place and it is not what I consider dealing in "Good Faith". Being giving the run around is synonymous with being lied to, which in my book is unprofessional and tacky.

Jan 02 deposit......#32 to #40 to my current #46.

 

[Edelman]

I placed my deposit on 12/15/99 and received a confirmation letter showing me as #9 in line.

Over the years I would touch base every 6 months or so just to see how things were going and all seemed well. But the last time I checked yielded an unpleasant surprise. They had no record of my order, no indication I had a deposit with them, I was not on the master list and the person who had taken my order was no longer with the company. Needless to say I was less than happy.

I was put in touch with the Dave Duncan who asked for copies of my confirmation letter and my visa slip (which I had) from charging the deposit and assigned me #12 rather than #9. This pushed me from the first group of cars to the second. At first I was less than happy.

However Dave was very forthright and took the time not only to explain what happened but provided the information to convince me that they were being completely ethical and fair.

The problem was that the salesman had been less than completely careful over the years when logging in deposits. Along the way some had been assigned the same number and at least one (mine) was lost completely. Dave told me that when he came on board it fell to him to fix the mess and he decided the right way was to take everyone in exactly the order the deposits had been received.

He tells me they did this creating a new master list. In some cases peoples numbers changed because of duplicate numbers but I think the effect was a few slots at most. Given the orginal mistakes I would have to agree this was the right thing to do.

Other than this problem my dealings with them have been great. Given the problems people have had with them it would appear they are not doing a good job of communicating and I would encourage anyone to Dave a call and see what he says or if it sounds like a snow job. For what its worth I think he is on the up and up.

I should point out that my written confirmation of slot #9 probably gave me the legal right to that position, but the error seemed genuine and it didn't seem right to push the point since it would only hurt someone else. My take was they are good guys who just messed up and the way they dealt with it seemed fair.

Steve

 

[smura]

Steve,

I hope you're right. Whenever I call, they won't give me an answer as to my place in line. If they do have a master list, then it's even more perplexing that they won't give me my place. I have #32 written down, but from what you've said it seems that probably has slipped a bit.

I just wish I could get a direct answer. Every time I ask about allocation they say they don't know. They've also said they've only place the first 10 orders. I find both of those hard to believe.

 

[Edelman]

I would give Dave a call and clearly express your frustration. If they are just disorganized this should be a wake up call that they need to get their act in order.

My theory in dealing with businesses is that people make mistakes, so if I run into a problem I call someone in a position of authority and calmly (well usually calmly) let them know what the issue is and give them a chance to make it right. I figure the real test of an organization is not do they ever screw up but how they react when they do.

BTW they placed their orders for both the first and second batch of cars. I know this because I spoke to Lotus directly on a question I had and they confirmed that the second set was due and had been received. Not sure what number that took them to but at least #12 since that was mine.

Steve

 

[SSflanker7]

I just didn't make a call.
In the last 6 months I have been down there in person 3 times to get clarification on my place in line. Each time they get in a big huddle, go to the back room and say they went over deposit times and are positive this is the correct placement. Every time it changes with a rationalized answer......every time they are amicable, polite and act sincere. I walk away shaking my head.
Maybe being w/in the top 15 or so makes it a little harder for them to shuffle. But people farther down the list appear more susceptible to manipulation on the list.
Right now I am in the mindset that I am 40-50 so I will just wait, why ask the question of exactly where I am at if I have to listen to another story. The way I look at it is if this is the biggest concern in my life then I have life made.....so no big deal. I will get my car eventually......and I would rather have it in early spring 05 then late fall 04.
I do have it in writing I am #2 for the exige if and when it comes so at least I have that.

 

[cbolz]

I just got off the phone with Dave Duncan. He reconfirmed that I am indeed #47. He seemed very professional and was very reassuring that they are dealing with me fairly and with integrity. He could not tell me when my car would arrive, which is not surprising.

I understand the anticipation and excitement for this car. I share that. But some of the posting on this site is really out of hand. Many people have no idea what they are talking about and are doing nothing more than spreading misinformation. We all need to take a deep breath, read the car mags, and clean out the garage while we wait patiently.

 

[Donovan]

Who is spreading misinformation? On this thread people are just posting their experiences, be it good or bad. I will call Dave and try to get some answers. It seems odd that you are 47 and my brother put his deposit down 10 months before you and is 46.

 

[Randy Chase]

Many people have no idea what they are talking about and are doing nothing more than spreading misinformation.

In a lot of cases, they are just conveying what their contact at the dealer told them. And often that is indeed misinformation.

Everyone needs to look to the source of any data. The closer that source is to England... the better.

 

[andykeck]

Who is spreading misinformation? On this thread people are just posting their experiences, be it good or bad. I will call Dave and try to get some answers. It seems odd that you are 47 and my brother put his deposit down 10 months before you and is 46.

I gotta go with Donovan on this one. I think the folks posting here have been very reasonable given the major inconsistencies in what we've all been told. Either due to an honest mistake or general shadiness, there are several of us that have been given inaccurate information and have had a hard time getting it cleared up.

Imagine my surprise that a month after grabbing spot #39, I run into a guy who got #40 five months before me. Imagine my even greater surprise that I never got any response to my queries at all.