[MikeAR303]

Over the past week I've started to notice some various issues - the kind that you'd never notice until you got used to the car. None of these are enough to stop me from enjoying the car besides the steering, but I'd like to get everything taken care of regardless. High performance car made by a small manufacturer or not, I still paid >$50k for it and expect it to be mostly perfect while under warranty.

I finally got the car nice and shiny and had it out in the sun today... lots of flaws on top of the mark near the fuel door that I'm just starting to notice.

There is a dull mark that almost looks like the clearcoat was burned off on the engine/trunk cover. It's still green in color, but has no shine to it at all.

There is another spot on the rear of the car that looks like it came from a small air bubble in the paint, and there are several "drips" on the car.

I know none of these flaws were caused by me, so I'll be calling the dealer to see if there is anything that can be done.

The steering wheel must be turned a bit to the right for the car to go straight. I checked my tires (pressure, etc...) and don't see a problem there, and was driving on a perfectly level surface... so that's another issue I'll have to have checked out. This issue is something I'm sure I'd have noticed ealier on, so it has probably developed over the past couple days.

There are a few small gray splatter marks in the clear plastic gauge cover, and a few more on the center of the steering wheel. I've tried to get rid of them but the ones on the steering wheel seem somehow embedded in the plastic and the ones on the clear plastic gauge cover seem to be on the inside.

 

[Rawr]

All sounds like normal Lotus stuff. Take it back to the dealer and shout at them.

 

[MikeAR303]

I plan to (without the shouting)... I was just posting it here for the hell of it, and to see if anyone else was noticing similar issues.

 

[NtflBlueLiz]

it sounds strange to me. As many have noted before the paint job on my car was very good. adn i definetelly don't have any grey stuff on the inside of the gauges etc. By all means bug your dealer!

 

[meat]

TADTS.

 

[MikeAR303]

TADTS.

I'm very accepting of this fact, but when you guys say this, are you implying that I should just let it go and not try to get it fixed?

If so, I disagree strongly.

Things such as rattles I would expect, and I would also expect that they'd be useless to fix as they'd just come back later anyway... but very noticeable paint flaws and having to turn the steering wheel to the right to go straight are not issues I'm willing to just "leave alone" - regardless of who built the car.

 

[babak]

Alternatively it might not be alignment at all but require to center the steering wheel.

 

[rob]

TADTS.

This is my cure-all answer for everything Lotus. I tried to use it at work today, but they just laughed at me.

 

[MikeAR303]

Alternatively it might not be alignment at all but require to center the steering wheel.

That would be my guess...

I'll let you guys know when I bring it in.

 

[zvezdah1]

MIke,
The paint imperfections sound like someone burned it with a buffer, definately bring that up with a dealer perhaps they had an inexperienced guy pdi the car
Chris

 

[Z3convert]

After taking delivery of my car I found some dull area on several sections of the car that was dried (hard) wax. I buffed it (pretty hard) and they came out.

Pretty crappy job waxing my car. Not sure if it was the factory or the dealer. Either way I would skip it all together next time.

 

[europa73]

my dealer did a pretty crappy job waxing my car too. i'm still finding places they missed. there are a few small flaws in the paint, but nothing worse than i've seen in other cars i've bought. they worst part is some spots where the dealer must have "over buffed" and left some noticable swirls. mostly above the gas cap and just to the right of it...before the passenger door. my steering wheel is straight though.

 

[Racer X]

I would be surprised if the factory waxed the car.

I did find wax or buffing compound residue on my car that was not touched cosmetically by my dealer at my request (i.e. even the plastic was left on the seats). So I know dealer did not wax or buff it. It was in the gap around the boot lid and the rear clam.

Greg

 

[Z3convert]

Just to add. I also had lots of dried wax on the black mesh grill areas (front, side, taillamps, engine louvers, etc.).

I went back to the dealer and they got a handful out but there were plenty left. I asked for a small bottle of the solution and was able to get the rest of them out with a toothbrush from home. I asked three times what the cleaner was, but there was a language barrier and I did not understand them ( or maybe they didn't understand me).

Point is, there is a cleaner that will remove wax from our black areas.

 

[pinmagic]

The steering wheel must be turned a bit to the right for the car to go straight.

I recently posted about this same thing on my car. The car doesn't pull -- it track straight (unlike me! ), but the wheel is turned just a few degrees to the right. Haven't had it checked yet.

 

[NtflBlueLiz]

regarding the black plastic smeared with wax, I finally cleaned everything with 303 Aerospace proctectant. It cleaned and shined all the black plastic nicely.

 

[Stan]

The best glop I have found for the as-delivered wax on the engine cover grills is Plexus. It has something that lifts out contaminants from the pores of the plastic. And it leaves behind some protection. It's also the recc'd product to use on paint film accoring to Armorfend/Armorglove. The Plexus seems to have eliminated most of the stains - a few come back after about 3 weeks. I'll have to redo them again.

 

[zvezdah1]

The cars aren't waxed in UK or the distribution center, this is supposed to be done by the dealer.
Chris

 

[Thomas Praetzel]

My car came over on the barge from Honolulu, no cover and in bad weather. It cleaned up nicely with a quick wash. My only problem thus far is with the AC. It shuts itself off every now and then, and on Maui, you definitely need AC.

Aloha,
Thomas Praetzel

 

[NtflBlueLiz]

My car came over on the barge from Honolulu, no cover and in bad weather. It cleaned up nicely with a quick wash. My only problem thus far is with the AC. It shuts itself off every now and then, and on Maui, you definitely need AC.

Aloha,
Thomas Praetzel

I'm so surprised with this AC thing. My car's AC is positevely cold! when it cools off a bit like two days ago (it got into the 70s and raining) I actually had to turn the knob towards the red and turn the vents away from me because i was cold. Before anyone asks, The AC is useless with the top down.