Which dealers have received a "gift" from Lotus?

7880 Views 129 Replies 38 Participants Last post by perryeyges, Aug 9, 2004

cantwaitforelise

Discussion Starter · Aug 4, 2004

I thought I'd start this thread to see if any other dealers have been as lucky as Overseas Motors. As stated on other threads, they have received a storm titanium elise with red interior which Lotus called and asked them if they wanted an extra car. They say they did not order the car, it is not there demo nor a customer car. So, it's up for grabs. I didn't ask how much. Anyway, I was told this won't affect their allocation as this was an "extra" car. I asked if they were expecting any other "extra" cars and he said no. I hope not or this just moves me further down the list. Until this point, I felt that they were being honest but just didn't have a lot of information. Now I wonder about that.

I have a friend who is not on the list and they called him right away to tell him about the car but never called me and I doubt any other deposit holders.

1 - 20 of 130 Posts

raggedy1

· #2 · Aug 4, 2004

gift?!

gift?
like Lotus has assembled so many extra cars that they can gift them to their dealers? this isn't GM were talking about! Every Elise currently being made is already spoken for!
sounds like another example of a shady dealer making an extra dollar(s) on a hot product at the expense of their obligation to their deposit holders.:no:

Randy Chase

· #3 · Aug 4, 2004

Magic 8 ball says - "Seems very unlikely"

Allan Gibbs

· #4 · Aug 4, 2004

Strange how some dealers can get a "gift," while other haven't even gotten their demo cars yet. I suspect the giver of the "gift" is not Lotus N.A.

huggy bear

· #5 · Aug 4, 2004

I'll go out on a limb and be less PC than Randy.

Overseas is lying!

raggedy1

· #6 · Aug 4, 2004

some may forgive this as "the american way," but i see this as sheer GREED

dealers were more than happy to take our deposits (2K for me) and earn interest on that money for however long the deposit had been taken, and now they (some) see an opportunity to make MO' MONEY on a hot product.

this stinks.

this is NOT the american way

GREED only breeds contempt

Paul MD

· #7 · Aug 4, 2004 (Edited)

Lying, cheating, bastards - and you can quote me on that.

It is abundantly clear that some dealers are 'padding' their lists and/or bumping listees to create 'unassigned' cars. They'll never admit it, it's hard to prove and evidently Lotus have no interest/benefit in stopping it.

Alas some dealers are run by honorable gentlemen and some by scum. Others, the jury is still out on.

:huh:

jml1952

· #8 · Aug 4, 2004

Perhaps they bought it at auction on the "open market" when Fox got their extra car?

Repeat after me: "It's not my car. I wasn't going to get that one anyway. It has no effect on my position on the waiting list."

If you say it often enough, you may even believe it in time.

roadrunner

· #9 · Aug 4, 2004

Get the VIN.

Hey, cantwaitforelise, can you get the VIN number of the "gift" car? Perhaps we can use that to figure out where it REALLY came from.

perryeyges

· #10 · Aug 4, 2004

Sorry to once again try to make you believe in human beings,
BUT.
Distributors like Porsche, Audi, Lotus, etc. do in fact give extra cars to dealers all the time. They may have requested a few cars for an upcoming event only to realize that they didn't need that many cars. We are gifted approx 12-15 Audis a year and approx 10-15 Porsches a year. REALLY...
Please believe that if the distributor asks Hethel to wedge in a few extra cars they surely will do it.
Looking out from the inside. They are just trying to make an honest living under a barrage of suspicion...

Paul MD

· #11 · Aug 4, 2004

Mr Runner is right of course... but now what's gonna happen is the bastard dealers are gonna start filing them off!!!!!

Paul MD

· #12 · Aug 4, 2004

perryeyges said:
Sorry to once again try to make you believe in human beings,
BUT.
Distributors like Porsche, Audi, Lotus, etc. do in fact give extra cars to dealers all the time. They may have requested a few cars for an upcoming event only to realize that they didn't need that many cars. We are gifted approx 12-15 Audis a year and approx 10-15 Porsches a year. REALLY...
Please believe that if the distributor asks Hethel to wedge in a few extra cars they surely will do it.
Looking out from the inside. They are just trying to make an honest living under a barrage of suspicion...

In a moderately mature market perhaps... but not when other dealers have no friggin' cars atall... that is deluded...

perryeyges

· #13 · Aug 4, 2004

As far as interest on deposits goes: If we did in fact put the $ in a long term interest bearing account what do you think we would get? Very little on a $ deposits 2000.
The fact is that dealers float the $$ in their checking accounts and make no interest on the $$ at all but if you ask for the $$ back then the state law says we have to re-imburse you for lost interest.

Donovan

· #14 · Aug 4, 2004

Are you serious!? - believe me they are earning ALOT of interest on those deposits - and it isn't 2000 bucks - try (at my dealer anyway) 2500 times 130 deposits.

Even if this dealers story was legit (which it isn't) they should offer that car to a deposit holder first. If I don't get or am offered the 39th car that comes to my dealer per my contract I am going to freak out.

Doomed.

perryeyges

· #15 · Aug 4, 2004

PAUL MD
Do you really believe that the distributor has to wait in line like the rest of us ? Ah, NO.... They CAN and do get extra cars when ever they want them, I can guarantee it..

Donovan

· #16 · Aug 4, 2004

I assume Paul doesn't disagree that the Lotus NA distributor can get an extra car - but giving it to a dealership as an "extra" when many dealerships have no cars is just stupid business.

perryeyges

· #17 · Aug 4, 2004

DONOVAN,
You are right you should be offered the car at market value. If you choose to wait then you should for sure get the car that you ordered at the agreed price.
Have you called them to make an offer on the gift car, after all this obviously is a car wih no ones name on it..
In fact give me the dealer info , I may want to make an offer...

Donovan

· #18 · Aug 4, 2004

No I haven't, I am holding out for Aztec Bronze

But PLEASE don't call it a "gift car" It's a "liars car"

huggy bear

· #19 · Aug 4, 2004

perryeyges said:
after all this obviously is a car wih no ones name on it..

No, this is not obvious at all. The only thing obvious is that something fishy is going on.

m100 Sean

· #20 · Aug 4, 2004 (Edited)

THAT BETTER NOT BE MY MF'n CAR!!!

1 - 20 of 130 Posts

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