Poll for Those with Paint Blistering / Bubbling Defect

[Beachbum]

After pushing them very hard on this I was told quite categorically by Lotus CS that the warranty is 3 years not 5, applicable to all Emiras regardless of build date. Shameless backtracking by Lotus if you ask me. It will inevitably be tested as early cars start turning 3 years old, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lotus facing some kind of legal action.

No way that is legal in the UK. The warranty will be what was offered at the time of purchase. They cannot change the warranty duration or what it covers at a later date.

 

[Tobiasz17azs]

All so irritating. I have the Emira in my garage as it’s not my daily. It’s raining here today and I’m starting to think I should use it in the rain to provoke this blistering issue. Car has done 7k miles. I’m the second owner. Got 9 months warranty left. It’s possible it’s never been left in the rain overnight…

so I understand you’re not planing to
Wash your car too

 

[Lotus64]

so I understand you’re not planing to
Wash your car too

After a car wash, it gets dried.
Meanwhile, the rain / snow will sit on the paint surface, the seals and inside the door for much longer keeping moisture trapped.

 

[John_Matrix]

That’s my understanding. Wash is brief. Maybe to provoke this you need the panel exposed to rain for a few hours? Mine is an early car and it hasn’t happened. Maybe I’m lucky/ maybe the car has never been left in rain overnight? If ALL cars did it you’d think they’d recall.

 

[Simon]

My Sept 2023 Shadow Grey Emira has developed the dreaded bubbling on both doors, as so many others have. After a bit of back and forth, Lotus have approved both doors to be replaced and it’ll go to some place in Beaconsfield to be done.

I have PPF on the front wings (which will obviously need to be blended) and ceramic coating on the doors and rear wings. I’ve asked that Lotus approve the same company I used to apply the PPF and coating to re-do this (so I can be sure it is high quality and consistent with the other panels) but they’re saying they will only approve their own workshop to do this.

Has anyone had recent experience of this with Lotus Silverstone / Lotus HQ - am I fighting a losing battle?!

 

[Man.v.Cars]

After pushing them very hard on this I was told quite categorically by Lotus CS that the warranty is 3 years not 5, applicable to all Emiras regardless of build date. Shameless backtracking by Lotus if you ask me. It will inevitably be tested as early cars start turning 3 years old, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lotus facing some kind of legal action.

They haven't got a leg to stand on, as I've repeatedly told them. Irrespective of if you bought from a 3rd party, the car was sold direct by Lotus and part of the information provided was a 5 yr paint warranty (3 yrs outside of the UK). It was a part of the decision making process and so under English law formed a part of the contract. It was also on the site for almost 3 years and only changed the day before the contacted me to see it had been a 'mistake'.

They admit by their actions, replacing foc panels & doors, that it is an inherent fault and so is covered by a 6yr 'warranty' under the Consumer Protection Act 2015.

I'm waiting for further response from them as I've had something back from them that at the moment I can't reveal but will if they don't respond shortly. If I still own the car after 3 years, big if, I'll be litigating in the Small Claims Court for anything that goes wrong that they've replaced in cars in the past for free eg gearbox, clutch, rear panels, tailgate. There are so many inherent faults from manufacture, most would be expensive repairs, that I think they'd struggle to win. A few cases of being taken to court will change their minds due to cost of defending and losing.