MAG Lotus

[Zmillz17]

Has anyone placed a deposit through MAG in Columbus? I did back in July but wanted to know if anyone had experience with them. Seem Great. I live in Cincinnati so this or Gator Motors are the closest and Gator quoted me 2 years while MAG quoted me about a year.

 

[deadcruiser]

Do dealers even actually get them independently? As in will deliveries be distributed proportionally/equally across dealers? So one dealer with a short list can get you one faster than one with a longer list, assuming you put down a deposit today?

Or will the cars just be delivered according to a national/global order list, so some dealers won't get deliveries until others are fulfilled, etc.?

 

[TomE]

Each dealer gets an annual allocation. It's roughly based on previous sales performance, so varies by dealer. It's possible in more normal times to shop around and find some dealers have fully sold their allocation while others still have spots left.

For the Emira, all dealers have sold their 2022 allocation (delivery now delayed into early 2023). Beyond that they are all keeping lists of deposit holders but don't know what their allocations will be for 2023 or 2024. Some have a rough idea and some are guessing.

Usually allocations for 2023 would be sorted in Q4 2022, but with the rollover of 2022 allocations into early/mid 2023 deliveries, I suspect new allocations may only be confirmed early in 2023. Lotus will also hold back some allocation for planned new dealerships.

Deliveries are usually in monthly blocks, so dealer A has (for example) 48 cars allocated and gets 4 cars each month, while dealer B might have 24 cars and get 2 delivered each month.

 

[deadcruiser]

Each dealer gets an annual allocation. It's roughly based on previous sales performance, so varies by dealer. It's possible in more normal times to shop around and find some dealers have fully sold their allocation while others still have spots left.

For the Emira, all dealers have sold their 2022 allocation (delivery now delayed into early 2023). Beyond that they are all keeping lists of deposit holders but don't know what their allocations will be for 2023 or 2024. Some have a rough idea and some are guessing.

Usually allocations for 2023 would be sorted in Q4 2022, but with the rollover of 2022 allocations into early/mid 2023 deliveries, I suspect new allocations may only be confirmed early in 2023. Lotus will also hold back some allocation for planned new dealerships.

Deliveries are usually in monthly blocks, so dealer A has (for example) 48 cars allocated and gets 4 cars each month, while dealer B might have 24 cars and get 2 delivered each month.

Ah gotcha. So I'm split between two dealerships when it comes to putting down a deposit this week. I'm looking at Lotus of Naples and Lotus of Atlanta (MotorCars). For a deposit made this week, Naples claims Q3/Q4 2023 delivery, and also that they're the biggest Lotus dealer in the nation by volume. MotorCars says Q1 2024. I'm going to assume that both will be delayed though.

Do you think there would be a tangible difference between the two in this case then? Or should I just check who has the longer order list and go with the shorter one?

Do you think I should ask each dealer what their allocation sizes are too? And just go with the one with a bigger allocation in 2022/2023 since it should carry into the next year?

I guess I'm in the same predicament as OP in this case.

 

[dgrace]

If memory serves, Naples got 50 FEs, which are optimistically set for delivery March-June 2023. They should be able to tell you how many deposits ahead of you in line, then divide by 17/mo (or higher if you believe Lotus can ramp up production). IMO, I’d be pretty skeptical of that Q3/Q4 2023 promise. Bellevue (2nd biggest dealer) has 200 deposits on the books.

 

[EspritGuy]

Ah gotcha. So I'm split between two dealerships when it comes to putting down a deposit this week. I'm looking at Lotus of Naples and Lotus of Atlanta (MotorCars). For a deposit made this week, Naples claims Q3/Q4 2023 delivery, and also that they're the biggest Lotus dealer in the nation by volume. MotorCars says Q1 2024. I'm going to assume that both will be delayed though.

Do you think there would be a tangible difference between the two in this case then? Or should I just check who has the longer order list and go with the shorter one?

Do you think I should ask each dealer what their allocation sizes are too? And just go with the one with a bigger allocation in 2022/2023 since it should carry into the next year?

I guess I'm in the same predicament as OP in this case.

Compare the length of the deposit list (for V6 MT or auto, or i4), where you would fall on it ... against their allocation. That translates to your wait. Your patience will be tested regardless..
The wait is part of the journey..

 

[centerpunch]

I’m also in Cincinnati.

I initially had my deposit at MAG, they seemed fine. But when Lotus was touring the Emira prototype to dealers around the US last fall, I asked MAG if they would have the car, and they said no. I assume that’s because Lotus has never been a big part of their business.

Gator is a very Lotus-centric dealership and was going to have that car to view last December, so I transferred my deposit to Gator.

I’m not sure which dealer might have a car sooner for a new depositer though.

 

[Zmillz17]

I’m also in Cincinnati.

I initially had my deposit at MAG, they seemed fine. But when Lotus was touring the Emira prototype to dealers around the US last fall, I asked MAG if they would have the car, and they said no. I assume that’s because Lotus has never been a big part of their business.

Gator is a very Lotus-centric dealership and was going to have that car to view last December, so I transferred my deposit to Gator.

I’m not sure which dealer might have a car sooner for a new depositer though.

MAG told me they anticipate having their demo Emira around October 28th which seems good. Just was hoping to get one quicker than the 2 years at Gator.

 

[deadcruiser]

Compare the length of the deposit list (for V6 MT or auto, or i4), where you would fall on it ... against their allocation. That translates to your wait. Your patience will be tested regardless..
The wait is part of the journey..

I put down a deposit at Naples today. We’ll see if the 2023 estimate holds. I doubt it, but we’ll see.

I just hope it isn’t 2 full years lol and more like Q1 2024/April 2024.

 

[mjw930]

If memory serves, Naples got 50 FEs, which are optimistically set for delivery March-June 2023. They should be able to tell you how many deposits ahead of you in line, then divide by 17/mo (or higher if you believe Lotus can ramp up production). IMO, I’d be pretty skeptical of that Q3/Q4 2023 promise. Bellevue (2nd biggest dealer) has 200 deposits on the books.

Naples told me they got 70 FEs. I have my deposit there since March. They still say Q3/Q4 for a base V6 at my spot in line. (I don’t know the exact slot number, they won’t tell anyone that specific number unless you are a long time customer, friend of the owner, etc.)

 

[deadcruiser]

Naples told me they got 70 FEs. I have my deposit there since March. They still say Q3/Q4 for a base V6 at my spot in line. (I don’t know the exact slot number, they won’t tell anyone that specific number unless you are a long time customer, friend of the owner, etc.)

Interesting. They told me that they have 250+ deposits and will be able to fill all of them next year. They also said they can take a lot more deposits and still fill them.

When I asked for my number they told me they don’t know the exact number and FE/V6/I4 orders are all mixed in together.

 

[mjw930]

Interesting. They told me that they have 250+ deposits and will be able to fill all of them next year. They also said they can take a lot more deposits and still fill them.

When I asked for my number they told me they don’t know the exact number and FE/V6/I4 orders are all mixed in together.

They were around 170 when I placed mine and claim Lotus has told them they will be able to fill all their existing deposits. I suspect the more correct statement is Model Year 2024 which will span at least 18 months starting in January 2023, not delivered in 2023 but I could be wrong. Besides, what Lotus says today will mean nothing next year when the world economy is in a free fall.

Honestly, at this point if I get a chance to order one great, if not I’ll just enjoy the hell out of my Spyder. BTW, the salesman was pretty insistent to not sell the Spyder until the car actually lands at their store. That statement alone tells a lot about their real confidence in Lotus.

 

[deadcruiser]

BTW, the salesman was pretty insistent to not sell the Spyder until the car actually lands at their store. That statement alone tells a lot about their real confidence in Lotus.

In a good or bad way? Lol

 

[mjw930]

In a good or bad way? Lol

I guess it depends on your perspective. Bad from the perspective that regardless whatever promises Lotus makes there’s still a big question mark when they will deliver. Good from the perspective that they appear to be open and up front about the situation.