I think that Lotus leaves a couple of parts out of each car, so by the time they have produced 100 cars or so they have enough spare parts to put together a "gift car" which they send to their favorite dealer.
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The sudden arrival of "unallocated" cars while top-of-the-waiting-list customers... are still waiting for their cars (which are "held up in delivery" or whatever), is in my legal view, a load of bullsh*t.Genjuro said:
First, the dealers have every right to maximize their profits. The dealers also have a legal right to bypass people on thier waiting lists by selling off these cars to "distributors." Take a look at your purchase contract - does it say in clear language that X dealer will sell you, Mr. Purchaser, at Y price, the Zth car that is ALLOCATED to that dealer? Or does it just say what number you are on a waiting list? Thus, Mr. Purchaser gets in his view screwed because he thought, and the salesman probably told him, that he was getting X dealers' Zth ALLOCATED car. Mr. Purchaser is now understandably pissed that he will instead be the Zth person on X dealer's list to get a car, but that in the meanwhile some ALLOCATED cars of dealer X have been sold to other dealers/whoever at a markup.
Second, does Lotus USA even have independant distrubutors??? I didn't think so, but I could be wrong. I know that it has been the prior practice of many small car companies like Subaru to have independant distributors between the US distribution/manufacturing company and the dealers, but this practice is becoming increasingly rare as these companies vertically integrate. If Lotus used independant distributors in the sales channel between Lotus USA and the authorized dealers, I could see "unallocated "cars suddenly showing up at dealers where the distributor is trying to make a higher margin for himself on such sales. Can't blame Lotus or the dealers in that case.
That not being the case, it currently appears as if some dealers are selling their ALLOCATED cars to other dealers (maybe even directly to customers) before they are filling the orders on their waiting lists. Again, they have every right to do so unless they have contracted with customers not to do so, but it ethically sucks eggs. When you, X dealer, have told your customers otherwise, you can expect to have some livid customers on your hands who will: (1) buy their next exotic car from someone else, and (2) tell everyone they know how you screwed them over for a buck. IF X dealer was upfront with their customers about their intention to sell a few ALLOCATED cars to the highest bidder before/while they are delivering cars to customers on the list, as they have every right in the world to do, then I'm sure we waitlisters would understand - and be glad that they were making their margins off someone else.
The current situation has an appearance of impropriety to me, not to mention folks like Sean who thought that by being near first on the waitng list it meant that they would be among the first to get their cars. The hard part is to figure out what dealers have been selling cars "off" their list (where an actual customer didn't drop out), and then figure out where those cars went. Lotus USA, with their new Commodore 64 computer system,
probably couldn't figure it out either.
Ok, so it's probably not Sean's car if Sean knows his VIN, and RacerX, you say it doesn't match.
Sorry, I didn't know that Sean knew his VIN.\
I'll send the $100 with the same trucking company that is delivering the cars... I'm suuuuurrrre you'll get it ASAP.
In summary, I feel the same as coulthard fan.
*sigh*
Sorry, I didn't know that Sean knew his VIN.\
I'll send the $100 with the same trucking company that is delivering the cars... I'm suuuuurrrre you'll get it ASAP.
In summary, I feel the same as coulthard fan.
*sigh*
I still feel optimistic, but if Lotus did offer pickup in the UK directly from LotusUSA, I'll go that route.
What a better way to enjoy this car by 1st driving it around Europe
What a better way to enjoy this car by 1st driving it around Europe
Genjuro said:Ok, so it's probably not Sean's car if Sean knows his VIN, and RacerX, you say it doesn't match.
Sorry, I didn't know that Sean knew his VIN.\
I'll send the $100 with the same trucking company that is delivering the cars... I'm suuuuurrrre you'll get it ASAP.
In summary, I feel the same as coulthard fan.
*sigh*
I expect the check will show by year end.... 2006
If, of course, it doesn't get delivered to someone else, with their name on it. If someone else gets that check could you endore it over to me and then send it on to me? I an interesting note (at least to me) is that the car that went to Overseas Motors reportly came of a truck were all the other cars were Lamborghini's (all delivered to a dealer in Dallas), no other Lotuses (Loti?).
Greg
Re: racer...
Now if an Aubergine car shows up at my dealer (possibly any dealer) I will get suspicious (sp?). I know my dealer has no other Aubergine cars on order. If I had a Storm Ti/Red car on order(1-30) from Overseas, I would be calling them. Ok I still call them, just not about that car I did see the sticker, it was an Overseas Car, not wholesaled from an other dealer.
It could be a car from a depositor who dropped.
Greg
I understand, but I expect to have the eighth (including demo) car ordered, not delivered. It is clear Lotus is not delivering them in order number sequence.raggedy1 said:
Now if an Aubergine car shows up at my dealer (possibly any dealer) I will get suspicious (sp?). I know my dealer has no other Aubergine cars on order. If I had a Storm Ti/Red car on order(1-30) from Overseas, I would be calling them. Ok I still call them, just not about that car
I did see the sticker, it was an Overseas Car, not wholesaled from an other dealer.It could be a car from a depositor who dropped.
Greg
Re: Re: racer...
again, you're missing my point. you are assuming that overseas is currently being suspected of selling off customer ordered cars. my point is that they (overseas) has placed ordered for themselves in whatever color/options they chose.
so the ST car they are selling is not assumed to be a customer ordered car, but rather a car that they had ordered for themselves (in front of the waiting list).
this practice would have been fine if the dealer had stated to the depositors up front that they would be ordering X number of cars for themselves before placing customer orders....
we are only assuming and suspecting here....
Now if an Aubergine car shows up at my dealer (possibly any dealer) I will get suspicious (sp?). I know my dealer has no other Aubergine cars on order. If I had a Storm Ti/Red car on order(1-30) from Overseas, I would be calling them. Ok I still call them, just not about that car
It could be a car from a depositor who dropped.
Greg [/B]
again, you're missing my point. you are assuming that overseas is currently being suspected of selling off customer ordered cars. my point is that they (overseas) has placed ordered for themselves in whatever color/options they chose.
so the ST car they are selling is not assumed to be a customer ordered car, but rather a car that they had ordered for themselves (in front of the waiting list).
this practice would have been fine if the dealer had stated to the depositors up front that they would be ordering X number of cars for themselves before placing customer orders....
we are only assuming and suspecting here....
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