[jjb]

You guys are going to love this. I call Overseas Motors in Dallas (a dealership with a notoriously bad rep) and ask for the price on their Elise indoor dust cover. He tells me $448. When I explain that I have seen it listed on the various other dealer websites for $315, he then recalulates the amount and tells me $342. I asked about the $315 number and he explains that $315 is merely "Lotus' suggested retail prices, much like with their cars."

So the parts guys even think that they can gouge us due to demand. I will take my demand out of state just as I did on the car and get a cover at MSRP or better. What a joke. I guess that I could not expect more from a dealer that sold a bronze car for an reported $10K over. Hah!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. My car should be here tomorrow so it should be a very happy one for me.

jjb

 

[J-Son]

http://www.sector111.com/exterior2.html


check that site for nice dust covers.

 

[James A]

Call Wally at Star Motor Cars in Houston, he is has the covers and they are at list. He is at 713-868-6800 or www.starmtorcars.com

 

[babak]

How do these guys stay in business with behavior like this?

 

[jjb]

My prediciton is that they will not

With many more clients now that Lotus has the Elise, complaints will come in much quicker against delaers that practice business like this. I only hope that I do not have the same experience come time for service. It would stink to have to ship my car away when it is in need of service but I would do it if this is the treatment I will get from that department as well.


jjb

 

[xxxotic]

I thought that having a Toyota engine would mean less expense or at least thats what Lotus led us to believe.

Dealers have always marked up parts, but seeing that people are posting that they are getting charged $30 for an oil filter...give me a break. Its a Toyota oil filter that you can probably get at Pep Boys for about $5

I get my oil changed on my Cougar at the dealership for $25, and there are local garages that will do it for $10.

How much does an oil change on an Elise cost? I know it uses more expensive oil, but this should only be a a few dollars more.

Are we going to get raped by the dealerships because it takes an extra 15-20 minutes to remove the rear panel and take off the wheel to get to the filter?

$1400 for a replacement softtop is another rip off. A good canvass shop should be able to replace it for a few hundred.
You can buy a hardtop for a Corvette for less than that.

Next they will be charging $400 for tires that you can get at Tire Rack for $150.

I hate it when manufacturers make up manuals that list recommended shop time hours to charge people and they always list the time as twice as long as it really takes to do.

Bring your car in at 9AM and having it finshed at 9:45 and getting charged 2 Hours for labor does not add up, but I have been to repair places where this has happenned.