Pitting

[edwardbradley]

Had my Emira shipped to me. NJ to Maryland yesterday. Question One: Engine block, manifold and other aluminum parts are "Pitted" Do i have a complaint? Should I care?
This is a brand new car.
Also no battery maintainer, should this have been installed by the dealer?
Thanks

 

[SJones]

Had my Emira shipped to me. NJ to Maryland yesterday. Question One: Engine block, manifold and other aluminum parts are "Pitted" Do i have a complaint? Should I care?
This is a brand new car.
Also no battery maintainer, should this have been installed by the dealer?
Thanks

Welcome to the salt air effect. They sit a a lot waiting to shipped and once unloaded get another batch of salt air when they arrive. Doubt the area or container they were transported in were airtight. Ours was delivered in the same condition. You can, like we did apply Boesheild T9 to everything. Goes on as a fluid and after a couple of days it turns waxy. Was developed to preserve military aircraft on aircraft carriers have used it for decades in the marine world. It will kill the corrosion pits and stabilize the surface. By the way, my wife’s Jeep was delivered in the middle of winter, the transporter obviously was on salted roads and the frame and aluminum parts were coated much like the Emira. A couple of cans of T9 and the problem was solved

 

[Green]

At first glance I was like whatever it’s just some oxidation. Then I clicked the third picture and was like WTF! That’s ridiculous for a 100k car, sorry this is not a jeep.

 

[SJones]

At first glance I was like whatever it’s just some oxidation. Then I clicked the third picture and was like WTF! That’s ridiculous for a 100k car, sorry this is not a jeep.

No, you’re right it’s not a jeep. A jeep is built much better

 

[crestima]

Now, now guys, take it easy.

No need to take comments out of context and escalate in to a non-constructive argument. I read SJones' reply as a useful and constructive suggestion and I, for one, will keep the Boesheild T9 in mind for a future application for salt pitted metals.

As for Green's Jeep remark, I also don't think it was intended as an insult to Jeep owners. Green's point, if I read in to it correctly, was that, for the premium paid on an Emira, one would expect Lotus to ensure better transportation protection for their cars and I certainly agreed with that.

SJones, if you truly believe that Jeeps are better built than Lotus cars, then to your satisfaction, you can buy 2 to 3 of them for the price of an Emira.. Unless you regreI having purchased the Emira, I suspect that you do indeed see value in it for whatever reasons motivated you to buy one.

Personally I don't see the point in comparing built quality on 2 very unrelated vehicles and, regardless of built quality of any type and at any price, salt air is not going to be biased or forgiving to any vehicle.

 

[SJones]

Now, now guys, take it easy.

No need to take comments out of context and escalate in to a non-constructive argument. I read SJones' reply as a useful and constructive suggestion and I, for one, will keep the Boesheild T9 in mind for a future application for salt pitted metals.

As for Green's Jeep remark, I also don't think it was intended as an insult to Jeep owners. Green's point, if I read in to it correctly, was that, for the premium paid on an Emira, one would expect Lotus to ensure better transportation protection for their cars and I certainly agreed with that.

SJones, if you truly believe that Jeeps are better built than Lotus cars, then to your satisfaction, you can buy 2 to 3 of them for the price of an Emira.. Unless you regreI having purchased the Emira, I suspect that you do indeed see value in it for whatever reasons motivated you to buy one.

Personally I don't see the point in comparing built quality on 2 very unrelated vehicles and, regardless of built quality of any type and at any price, salt air is not going to be biased or forgiving to any vehicle.

Just for context, the jeep arrived with zero paint flaws, our Emira came with factory paint flaws and transportation paint damage. The Jeep you can wash or drive through water and the AC will still work, the Emira the resistor pack and perhaps part of the wiring harness will fail. The Jeep you can park outside in all kinds of weather and the body work will not change, with the Emira you have the fatal bubble/cancer possibility on the doors and rear quarter panels developing. The seats in our jeep even after 70000 miles look like new, the Emira‘s started cutting and chaffing themselves against the plastic trim at less than 500 miles. This is my sixth Lotus- the Emira is a gorgeous car but suffers from the old “kit car” production quality of the earlier years.

 

[Porter]

Normal aluminum surface corrosion when exposed to air and water. I neutralized mine with ACF-50.

 

[edwardbradley]

I have older cars that don’t look like this. I am asking if this is some thing that the dealer should take care of. I am 190 miles away

 

[Vampyre]

ACF-50 that is what I use.

 

[SJones]

I have older cars that don’t look like this. I am asking if this is some thing that the dealer should take care of. I am 190 miles away

At this point the “damage” is cosmetic, aluminum is actually a very reactive metal. As the prior poster mentioned ACF-50 is also another good option to neutralize this surface corrosion. I maintain, restore and fly WW II fighters and bombers for a living so I’m familiar with long term preservation of aluminum. I prefer T9 as it eventually dries into a waxy condition, but either will work.

 

[scc.131.fe]

old car, new car, this brand, that brand, whatever. Edelbrock and Toyota have used alloys that, when untreated, develope a layer that can be cleaned and prevented with off-the-shelf stuff. And the parts are in a more visible location than in most others cars, so we care more.

#937 on my "should have" list for Lotus:
- you should have started detailing my car for me

 

[scc.131.fe]

Sarcasm aside, to compare with other brands of new $100k plus sports cars, look at how many other designers just cover the whole thing with plastic or bury it out of sight altogether. No one complains of pitting on their Cayman or 991/992 911 because, well, how would most owners ever know? I like that I can see the Emira lump, warts and all!