Help to understand ownership experience before purchase

[PGL]

Hello. Just joined the forum. I’ve recently placed a deposit on an unregistered car listed on the Lotus website. Advised it was built in June 23 so I was hoping early built issues would have been resolved and the car updated accordingly. The car is due for delivery end of month (May24).
Having now spent some time reading threads on this forum I’m having regrets about the potential of an ownership nightmare and wondering if I should pull out. The car will be a second “fun” car but the material I’m reading doesn’t sound like there is much fun in ownership.
Would current owners mind by helping me out in understanding whether what I’m reading is a true reflection of what the majority of people are experiencing or just some unfortunate exceptions? I appreciate this is highly nuanced and the questions are broad and simple. But here goes…

 

[Speedluvver]

most people have nothing or minor niggles - remember - owners with no issues won't post.... The car is epic...

 

[scc.131.fe]

I get what you're trying to suss out, but we don't know what your risk/reward experience has been whith other sports cars. What else have you had, and what did you like/dislike? What else are you considering and what could you spend?

 

[seriously]

Being a second car mitigates issues quite a bit. Personally I am expecting to spend the first year to get everything sorted for what is otherwise an epic car. That’s what I’m signing up for at least. I am buying a lotus after all. It’s an exotic really, not a mass produced Porsche. If I have no issue then fantastic.

Buying as your only car feels risky to me as it could be at the shop waiting for parts or getting work done.

 

[Blackthought_]

Being a second car mitigates issues quite a bit. Personally I am expecting to spend the first year to get everything sorted for what is otherwise an epic car. That’s what I’m signing up for at least. I am buying a lotus after all. It’s an exotic really, not a mass produced Porsche. If I have no issue then fantastic.

Buying as your only car feels risky to me as it could be at the shop waiting for parts or getting work done.

I hope so too but here if my fear. This car has been released for 2 years now outside of the US and there are still the exact same issues that have plagued those cars. This may be a situation where it’ll be similar to the other lotus cars like the Evora with cracking headlights and years later, no permanent fix just keep replacing them until you’re out of warranty smh

 

[PGL]

I get what you're trying to suss out, but we don't know what your risk/reward experience has been whith other sports cars. What else have you had, and what did you like/dislike? What else are you considering and what could you spend?

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Bit of background to the question. I don’t think what I’ve owned recently could be qualified as sports cars in the true sense but my last cars over 20 years have been an S2000, Z4M, F Type and currently M4comp. Always manual transmission, typically sorted handling through a specialists but generally don’t touch anything else. I’ve had trouble free motoring with all of them. I‘ve driven all the cars on track/Nurgurgring but it’s not a regular pursuit as I track a bike as a hobby (currently on a R1). I‘m no racer I simply enjoy getting out onto some decent winding roads for a blast to enjoy the physical business of driving.
With regards to vehicles under consideration there’s not a lot of choice in terms of new with manual transmission. i don’t want to be spending more than £100k without a really good reason. I’ve test driven both a Cayman GTS and 992 T. They didn’t feel as special as the Lotus and felt more GT car than pure sports car (very subjective). Also, if I want new I’ll now be waiting for 992 Gen 2 with it’s price increase.
I’ve always hankered after a Lotus (I placed an order for the Lotus M250 in 99 without knowing what it would have been like) but the other models, whilst hugely desirable and great to drive, were all a bit too focused for what would be driven 95% on roads. I’ve arrived at the Lotus Emira with it intended as my final opportunity to enjoy a new manual ICE vehicle before the world ends! I spent hours watching YouTube and reading auto publication reviews and on balance all seemed positive. My two test drive were fantastic. I loved how the car behaved on the road, the fit and finish and the incredible looks. Not so impressed with my interactions with Lotus the company but the desirability of the car has maintained my momentum. I am happy to take on some risk with regard to niggles either design based or faulty parts etc as long as the manufacturer and dealer deal with them promptly but I don’t want my last experience and investment in an ICE car to be one of me sticking tape around the bonnet vents or having door replaced because the paints bubbling. Hence asking these questions. I arrived at this site (late unfortunately) and it seems a great resource but I was seeing more bad news than I’d expected and that’s where I am and hence trying to divine a consensus from those in the know. So I’m a little bit concerned that the risks are greater than my appetite. Sorry this is longer than I anticipated but hopefully answers the question.

 

[MikeR]

8,000 mile of driving driving joy. Just 1 minor item properly fixed by dealer.

 

[Speedy Emira]

Hello. Just joined the forum. I’ve recently placed a deposit on an unregistered car listed on the Lotus website. Advised it was built in June 23 so I was hoping early built issues would have been resolved and the car updated accordingly. The car is due for delivery end of month (May24).
Having now spent some time reading threads on this forum I’m having regrets about the potential of an ownership nightmare and wondering if I should pull out. The car will be a second “fun” car but the material I’m reading doesn’t sound like there is much fun in ownership.
Would current owners mind by helping me out in understanding whether what I’m reading is a true reflection of what the majority of people are experiencing or just some unfortunate exceptions? I appreciate this is highly nuanced and the questions are broad and simple. But here goes…

Welcome to the forum PGL, I am waiting for the AC fix, was locked in and soon to get a new door from blistering. So far any issue they have been no trouble to deal with and want to keep me happy. I love the car and have done 400 miles this weekend and 100% glad that I bought it. Even this afternoon I stopped at the A43/M40 services and when I got back the local Sirocco club owners were having a good look round it and couldn't wait to ask loads of questions. They drive great, sound great (especially without the 3rd cat) and look better that just about everything on the road. The good points out weigh the bad points by far.
If you dated super model you wouldn't kick her out for not emptying the dishwasher.

 

[PGL]

Welcome to the forum PGL, I am waiting for the AC fix, was locked in and soon to get a new door from blistering. So far any issue they have been no trouble to deal with and want to keep me happy. I love the car and have done 400 miles this weekend and 100% glad that I bought it. Even this afternoon I stopped at the A43/M40 services and when I got back the local Sirocco club owners were having a good look round it and couldn't wait to ask loads of questions. They drive great, sound great (especially without the 3rd cat) and look better that just about everything on the road. The good points out weigh the bad points by far.
If you dated super model you wouldn't kick her out for not emptying the dishwasher.

Thanks for welcome. You are clearly smitten and enjoying the benefits ownership. I’m still trying to figure out whether I could make the adjustments you are making for those failings. Do you mind sharing the build date of your car? I ask as you’re a fairly recent joiner to the forum and I wonder if you have a recent build. The idea of having paint issues does fill me with dread and I don’t think 2 years into production it should be a thing in the 2020’s. On the supermodel analogy, unfortunately the supermodel wouldn’t be so super once I’d discovered she had disfiguring skin complaint…

 

[PJS]

Hello. Just joined the forum. I’ve recently placed a deposit on an unregistered car listed on the Lotus website. Advised it was built in June 23 so I was hoping early built issues would have been resolved and the car updated accordingly. The car is due for delivery end of month (May24).
Having now spent some time reading threads on this forum I’m having regrets about the potential of an ownership nightmare and wondering if I should pull out. The car will be a second “fun” car but the material I’m reading doesn’t sound like there is much fun in ownership.
Would current owners mind by helping me out in understanding whether what I’m reading is a true reflection of what the majority of people are experiencing or just some unfortunate exceptions? I appreciate this is highly nuanced and the questions are broad and simple. But here goes…

I'm 18000 miles in, a Feb 2023 delivery, so quite an early one. Had some niggles, hvac replacement being the most serious, and thought they'd all been ironed out and now my washer jets have stopped working! Just got back from a Scottish road trip and it's been awesome, even in this company. It's my daily, and replaced an M5, before that an i8 and M6. As a second/fun car than it's surely worth the risk.

 

[Wiz33]

This will be like a grown up version of a S2000 but still have all the great handling characteristic. My other fun car is a 2024 718S and the driver engagement factor is night and day between the 2. It's been years since I drove a hydraulic rack and I didn't realize I missed it so much.

 

[PGL]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. Your votes and feedback have made me feel more comfortable about my prospective purchase and so I’m pressing ahead. Taking delivery at the end of the month and looking forward to some great driving and a (hopefully) positive ownership experience. Cheers

 

[Wiz33]

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. Your votes and feedback have made me feel more comfortable about my prospective purchase and so I’m pressing ahead. Taking delivery at the end of the month and looking forward to some great driving and a (hopefully) positive ownership experience. Cheers

Good luck and have fun!