Poll for Those with Paint Blistering / Bubbling Defect

[Gooner]

I'll keep the thread updated on how my experience with Silverstone go. So far they've been reasonably communicative, albeit the wait times have been long. Not sure if my long wait was caused by Lotus revising the door part during my claim. I was told there were about 10 cars waiting for doors with Silverstone, including my own. As Gooner said, the car has been taken down to an off-site, Lotus-approved bodyshop.

I spoke to the team over at M&A Coachworks and they have sprayed dozens upon dozens of of doors on Emiras for this issue. They take around 10 days with the car, but the issue is getting the doors from Lotus in the first instance!

 

[tankski]

My car is not with M&A, instead it's at a place in Beaconsfield. Maybe M&A have no availability so Silverstone are using multiple body shops?

 

[Gooner]

My car is not with M&A, instead it's at a place in Beaconsfield. Maybe M&A have no availability so Silverstone are using multiple body shops?

Thinking about it, this may be where mine went for the doors as well.

I used M&A to sort a new rear diffuser and they had loads of Emira coming through for doors so I may have confused myself!

 

[Elise111s]

Thanks for the various inputs. Apparently the availability on doors from the factory is better now. I’ll be getting Silverstone to take a look at the car and progress the repair.

 

[Orchardbike]

Thanks for the various inputs. Apparently the availability on doors from the factory is better now. I’ll be getting Silverstone to take a look at the car and progress the repair.

Is it better? I highlighted the issue with Lotus Colchester in the second week of December. They’re still saying that they don’t have a delivery date for the new doors from Lotus yet.

 

[Elise111s]

Is it better? I highlighted the issue with Lotus Colchester in the second week of December. They’re still saying that they don’t have a delivery date for the new doors from Lotus yet.

Was told by Lotus Silverstone that the factory are now supplying doors.

 

[Biggles of Norwich]

My July '23 car, is always parked outside in the elements. It has bubbles on the passenger door, just below the handle, and is currently at Stratton Motor Co for warranty repair. I was surprised that they are replacing both doors, which I was told is Lotus policy, despite the driver's door showing no signs of bubbling. I assume Lotus feel that if both doors came from the same batch, sooner or later they will both be affected. Also, they said it was unusual for bubbling to appear below the handle, it is usually along the top of the door panel.

 

[Nick in Sydney]

My July '23 car, is always parked outside in the elements. It has bubbles on the passenger door, just below the handle, and is currently at Stratton Motor Co for warranty repair. I was surprised that they are replacing both doors, which I was told is Lotus policy, despite the driver's door showing no signs of bubbling. I assume Lotus feel that if both doors came from the same batch, sooner or later they will both be affected. Also, they said it was unusual for bubbling to appear below the handle, it is usually along the top of the door panel.

Validates the theory that this is a batch issue, rather than all cars being impacted. Matching doors come from the same "bad batch" so might as well replace them both

 

[Blackthought_]

Do folks that garage their cars also get the paint blistering? Or just those that are exposed to the elements more frequently?

 

[longdays]

Sept 2023 V6 that I picked up a few weeks ago.

Hadn’t noticed any bubbling when I bought the car, but noticed some this week.

Car is kept outside and it’s been very frosty recently.

What’s the process for starting a warranty claim, do I contact lotus customer service directly? I’ve got an HR Owen Lotus nearby.

 

[tankski]

Sept 2023 V6 that I picked up a few weeks ago.

Hadn’t noticed any bubbling when I bought the car, but noticed some this week.

Car is kept outside and it’s been very frosty recently.

What’s the process for starting a warranty claim, do I contact lotus customer service directly? I’ve got an HR Owen Lotus nearby.

Your paint issue looks a bit different to the paint bubbling I have seen in the thread. What you have looks like another issue, probably caused by bad surface prep before painting. Definitely get it looked at though, paint shouldn't do that!

EDIT: Have since scrolled back a bit and seen other people with similar problems to yours. Might be talking complete tosh. Get it looked at. Call up the service centre/the people you bought it from (if you have had it fewer than 28 days).

 

[Orchardbike]

Your paint issue looks a bit different to the paint bubbling I have seen in the thread. What you have looks like another issue, probably caused by bad surface prep before painting. Definitely get it looked at though, paint shouldn't do that!

EDIT: Have since scrolled back a bit and seen other people with similar problems to yours. Might be talking complete tosh. Get it looked at. Call up the service centre/the people you bought it from (if you have had it fewer than 28 days).

That’s exactly the same as mine, on both doors. Send pictures and the VIN to a Lotus dealer and they can get it authorised and book you in when the doors arrive (they’re currently on back order)

 

[tankski]

That’s exactly the same as mine, on both doors. Send pictures and the VIN to a Lotus dealer and they can get it authorised and book you in when the doors arrive (they’re currently on back order)

Thanks for clearing that up. It is a bit different to the blistering on mine!

 

[912Matt]

I believe that all cars registered before the change are entitled to 5years and all registered after are 3years. That’s just my personal opinion based on fairness.

FYI, my Emira was April ‘23 delivery. P/S door replaced by Nottingham Lotus recently after blistering. They said likely that D/S door will also suffer blistering at some point but confirmed Lotus won’t replace until the defect presents. However, they did confirm (in writing) 5 year warranty on paint.

 

[Biggles of Norwich]

FYI, my Emira was April ‘23 delivery. P/S door replaced by Nottingham Lotus recently after blistering. They said likely that D/S door will also suffer blistering at some point but confirmed Lotus won’t replace until the defect presents. However, they did confirm (in writing) 5 year warranty on paint.

That's weird, as Stratton Motor Company said that Lotus instructed them to replace both doors on mine, despite one (like yours the D/S!) showing no signs of blistering. The blistering on mine was reported while in for service in Sep '24, approved fairly soon afterwards, then there was a wait for the doors, then a wait for a slot in the bodyshop. It's in the bodyshop now. I wonder at what point Lotus told Stratton to replace both doors - logically it would be when they approved the repair in Sep/Oct last year, as they would have had to order two doors, but who knows?

 

[912Matt]

That's weird, as Stratton Motor Company said that Lotus instructed them to replace both doors on mine, despite one (like yours the D/S!) showing no signs of blistering. The blistering on mine was reported while in for service in Sep '24, approved fairly soon afterwards, then there was a wait for the doors, then a wait for a slot in the bodyshop. It's in the bodyshop now. I wonder at what point Lotus told Stratton to replace both doors - logically it would be when they approved the repair in Sep/Oct last year, as they would have had to order two doors, but who knows?

That’s interesting, as originally I understood both doors would be replaced, but on collecting found only the one with blistering had been swapped. It’s going back to Nottingham soon, as new door hasn’t been fitted well (panel gaps awful and whistling noise at 60 mph+) so will mention that others have had both doors replaced despite only one bubbling