USA/Canada Delivery Thread

[EspritGuy]

Perfect if above timing is true, the car will be my casket.

What I'd expect for a down to earth guy.

 

[Max]

Wow, what a bunch of kids. I feel for those that placed deposit upon announcement but did anyone of you noticed that a little thing called COVID happened and there's on going supply chain issues all over the world even to this day. It's especially true for products that needs physical labor (I've had to shut down production for 3-4 days when someone came up positive multiple times). The semi-auto production equipments needed for production was probably delayed. Which means that instead of a reduced production volume like established manufacturer. They probably couldn't even start production or at the volume level when they intended to. Sure better communication probably would have helped but as a manufacturer myself. There're times that I wouldn't even give my customer an estimate time for the product as supply chain lead time changes everyday and can be totally unreliable even if they have a date.

Uh, the COVID supply chain shtick lost it's utility as as excuse well over a year ago.

 

[NicolasB]

What I'd expect for a down to earth guy.

I just want you to follow me around to every car forum I am ever on, because 9 out of 10 of your posts have me laughing out loud

 

[supersix]

Just a reminder to keep this thread on topic "USA/Canada Delivery Thread" and that political comments will be removed.

 

[dgrace]

It's a little early, but I know the Japan Delivery thread has a few posters who track ships leaving Southampton port. Do we have a good way to get visibility on the same thing for destinations like Baltimore or Long Beach?

 

[Nova]

It's a little early, but I know the Japan Delivery thread has a few posters who track ships leaving Southampton port. Do we have a good way to get visibility on the same thing for destinations like Baltimore or Long Beach?

If we knew what voyage the cars were loaded on, it would be easy to track the vessel's sailing status. Lotus Cars USA should have this info since they would be the importer of record. They may share that information with US dealers. Or they may not.

 

[benjh1028]

If we knew what voyage the cars were loaded on, it would be easy to track the vessel's sailing status. Lotus Cars USA should have this info since they would be the importer of record. They may share that information with US dealers. Or they may not.

Can't you just ask Lotus for that information then Nova?

 

[dgrace]

They may share that information...

LOL!!!

 

[Aero]

It's a little early, but I know the Japan Delivery thread has a few posters who track ships leaving Southampton port. Do we have a good way to get visibility on the same thing for destinations like Baltimore or Long Beach?

The ship will be an easy find. It will be called "Soon"

 

[Maurice R]

Just did a test drive in Emira Auto. Will post on test drive thread.
More importantly NA cars are being built right now. Got this info first hand from a lotus senior person from UK after my test drive.
Very tight lipped as to when they will be arriving. Once they have CARB certification there will be more info.
Discussed the total lack of communication we get from lotus
He promised he would take it up when he returns to Hethel

 

[4MIR3]

Just a data point...
October 2nd, Long Beach, CA...
NYK Vessel: Themis Leader
7 X LOTUS EMIRA 2023 FIRST EDITION V6 (MANUAL-AUTOMATIC) - SHIPPED ON BOARD

Does not disclose what spec they were, but they were imported.

 

[benjh1028]

Just did a test drive in Emira Auto. Will post on test drive thread.
More importantly NA cars are being built right now. Got this info first hand from a lotus senior person from UK after my test drive.
Very tight lipped as to when they will be arriving. Once they have CARB certification there will be more info.
Discussed the total lack of communication we get from lotus
He promised he would take it up when he returns to Hethel

Every time I see a good photo of Magma I question my color choice (Seneca).

 

[Wiz33]

Uh, the COVID supply chain shtick lost it's utility as as excuse well over a year agoNot really true as material leadtime

Not really as material lead time is still all over the place and I still have material that's running 12 months plus lead time. also, they did start production last summer but probably not at the volume they intended until recently due to either labor or material shortage. US production have always be intended to run behind EU production anyways.

 

[M3DOC]

I test drove a V6 automatic yesterday and I'm interested in your thoughts. I have mixed emotions about the car now. Lots of things to like, but likewise disappointed in other characteristics. It may not matter because I ordered the i4, but I was hoping I'd like the V6 more than I did.

 

[Porter]

Not really as material lead time is still all over the place and I still have material that's running 12 months plus lead time. also, they did start production last summer but probably not at the volume they intended until recently due to either labor or material shortage. US production have always be intended to run behind EU production anyways.

Materials shortage was a problem for Lotus in 2021 and early/mid 2022. It has not been claimed as a primary contributor to delay since then, and it does come up regularly on factory visit reports.

If they were still struggling to build cars due to materials shortages, they would 100% be using that as an excuse for delays in their direct conversations with UK buyers or in their conversations with factory visitors on the tour. But they have not.

 

[Nova]

Can't you just ask Lotus for that information then Nova?

LOL, I get enough cold shoulders and rejections in my life as is. I don't need any more depressing confirmation of my lack of charm and charisma.

 

[Cwolf]

WOAH !! I did not intent to start world war III, just a statemen of my observation.

Culture matters and it does impact business I'm literally all over the world all the time and see the difference. As an American I have to adjust my expectations.

I'm not saying that what Lotus has done is right its just that I understand the cultural approach. Don't expect anyone to agree with me again just my observation.

Again I'm not that bothered with the delay, I have said from day one I would prefer that car to be right when I get it. If that takes more time so let it be. At this point I'm not paying on anything, imagine how mad some of you will be to get a car that has issues and you just spend 100K for a car with issues.

I have had an order in since July 2021 and ZERO communication from Lotus manufacturing. If you allocate that to "culture", I don't want any part of said culture. There is something called basic business principals and courtesy. And so far, Lotus has been a complete failure in this. When people hand you thousands of dollars for deposits and wait years and you can't take the time to send just quarterly updates, you are not doing business in an acceptable corporate or any business manner. That is the bottomline.

 

[Cwolf]

By now it's pretty obvious that the people running Lotus Hethel aren't narcissists. They clearly don't understand the emotional, high-maintenance, demanding personality type who wants constant attention, and if they don't get it, they go into outrage mode. So far it doesn't look like changing to accommodate that personality type is on the list of priorities for Lotus. I'm sure they know it's going to cost them a few orders, but with an order book 3 years deep, it doesn't seem to be bothering them too much.

I take a look at the cancelled thread now and then, and I'm amazed at the viciousness of some of the posts; like jilted lovers, or someone who's just been served divorce papers and recoils in hatred and denouncement.

Lotus Hethel is a very small company that makes specialty sports cars. They're not a social media outlet. In today's world where the internet feeds the narcissism in today's society on a 24/7 basis, even to the point of streaming live, Lotus does not fit in. It doesn't appear they care to either. To some, that's an outrage and they are cancelling. To others like me, I'm just patiently waiting for my car. When it arrives, I'm not likely to be on social media talking about it much; I'll be in it... driving.

When I look at it overall, we have 2,000 members on this forum, and there's probably a dozen or less who are the most vocal. We rarely if ever see anything from the overwhelmingly vast majority. Sometimes I wonder what they think of the demanding dozen. We'll probably never know.

For me, it'll get here when it gets here. When our cars do start to arrive in the U.S., it'll be a relief that we've at least gotten past that chapter of "As The Bitch-Fest Turns", and we can begin a new chapter for people complaining about...whatever, because I know it's coming. However I hope we start to see hundreds of comments from the new owners here in the U.S. about their experiences, and that they're positive for the most part.

So, having said all that, to parody the famous words of Monty Python: "And now, for something completely different, a wave of righteous indignation and self-justification." And to all of that I say: keep calm and carry on, the bombing will stop.

This is a ludicrous take. There is NOTHING unreasonable with expecting quarterly updates even if it is "nothing has changed" when you hand a company thousands of dollars. It takes one person with a form email to knock this out once a quarter. Spare me your indignation. You obviously have never been in business or sales or have any understanding of acceptable business practices.

 

[Maurice R]

Every time I see a good photo of Magma I question my color choice (Seneca).

That magma is stunning. I am also questioning my Color choice

 

[Wiz33]

Materials shortage was a problem for Lotus in 2021 and early/mid 2022. It has not been claimed as a primary contributor to delay since then, and it does come up regularly on factory visit reports.

If they were still struggling to build cars due to materials shortages, they would 100% be using that as an excuse for delays in their direct conversations with UK buyers or in their conversations with factory visitors on the tour. But they have not.

Material is only one factor, there're so many random factor that can still impact product delivery or service. For example, I went to Tokyo last March and I was totally surprised that my usual hotel (Keio Plaza) does not have any room available. I have never seen that in my 30+ years of visit. They may be out of the lower cost room at high season but I have always been able to get a room long as I'm willing to get one of the better rooms. I was in the area one day so I actually went into the hotel and asked and turns out they only opened up 30% of their rooms due to not being able to get enough staffs to resume full operations.