RE: Proton Dealers to Stock Lotuses?
Monday 22nd July 2002
Proton Dealers to Stock Lotuses?
Not a wise move, surely?
Discussion
well.....not so sure.....as long as the car stays Lotus, and they decorate the dealership right, I dont really see a problem. London Lotus and Storm have both sold Chrysler products which you just ignored if you were Lotus shopping.
If the existing Lotus dealers were superb I might be worried about after sales becoming worse...but that seems rather unlikely all things considered!
dunno...Lotus is established anough a brand not to worry about diultion in this way. Id be far more worried if they said they were going to build an MPV!
N
If the existing Lotus dealers were superb I might be worried about after sales becoming worse...but that seems rather unlikely all things considered!
dunno...Lotus is established anough a brand not to worry about diultion in this way. Id be far more worried if they said they were going to build an MPV!
N
Oi Proton, NO!
Personally I don't think this is A Good Thing at all. The thought of Vauxhall dealers -- more used to selling vectras to fleet rep buyers -- selling the VX220 was laughable enough...
I can see a future in which Proton dealers steer Mr and Mrs Sunday Driver away from the Impian they came in for and towards the Elise ("or the 111S if you'd like a bit more power, Mr Driver, Sir!").
... or a diesel!
Personally I don't think this is A Good Thing at all. The thought of Vauxhall dealers -- more used to selling vectras to fleet rep buyers -- selling the VX220 was laughable enough...
I can see a future in which Proton dealers steer Mr and Mrs Sunday Driver away from the Impian they came in for and towards the Elise ("or the 111S if you'd like a bit more power, Mr Driver, Sir!").
quote:
Id be far more worried if they said they were going to build an MPV!
... or a diesel!
FANTASTIC IDEA, at last a way of Lotus getting rid of the appaling "get rich quick" dealer network that they are currently incumbered with ! I have owned a number of new Lotus over a period of time, and have concluded that there is a fundimentally good car in there waiting to get out, but the attitude of my supplying Lotus dealer is so poor, and there continuous attempts to shift the blame for anything that goes wrong onto "its the way you drive it" or "thats how Lotus are", in order to make the maximum profit with the minimum effort, whereas, my understanding is that Proton dealers have quite an uphill struggle to sell thier product in the first place, and have to do a great job in after sales service to keep customers happy.
It might be just enough for me to defect back from Porsche to Lotus!
It might be just enough for me to defect back from Porsche to Lotus!
I think its a good idea, it removes any vestiges of snobbery and elitism from the Lotus brand.
Lotus are bought by people who love to drive, and who generally have more technical understanding of cars than most enthusiasts. With the Elise S1 you had some wrong type of people buying them, but they quickly crashed them or sold them when they realized it wasn't a pose mobile or comfort wagon. You have Porsche and Ferrari for that.
Basically, no w*nkers drive Lotus' and selling them in Proton dealerships will ensure that truly only the real enthusiast will buy them - not someone looking for the pose factor of a cut price Ferrari.
So by this logic, its a good move. If you have a problem with it, you shouldn't be in a Lotus anyway.
Lotus are bought by people who love to drive, and who generally have more technical understanding of cars than most enthusiasts. With the Elise S1 you had some wrong type of people buying them, but they quickly crashed them or sold them when they realized it wasn't a pose mobile or comfort wagon. You have Porsche and Ferrari for that.
Basically, no w*nkers drive Lotus' and selling them in Proton dealerships will ensure that truly only the real enthusiast will buy them - not someone looking for the pose factor of a cut price Ferrari.
So by this logic, its a good move. If you have a problem with it, you shouldn't be in a Lotus anyway.
quote:
I think its a good idea, it removes any vestiges of snobbery and elitism from the Lotus brand.
Lotus are bought by people who love to drive, and who generally have more technical understanding of cars than most enthusiasts. With the Elise S1 you had some wrong type of people buying them, but they quickly crashed them or sold them when they realized it wasn't a pose mobile or comfort wagon. You have Porsche and Ferrari for that.
Basically, no w*nkers drive Lotus' and selling them in Proton dealerships will ensure that truly only the real enthusiast will buy them - not someone looking for the pose factor of a cut price Ferrari.
So by this logic, its a good move. If you have a problem with it, you shouldn't be in a Lotus anyway.
Take away Snobery and Elitism, Lotus have very little left! IMO Lotus cars are bought by people who love to drive, a few years down the line second hand,when the prices have dropped enough for the regular enthusiast to afford one.
Some Elise 1 buyers were the wrong sort of people???? And you talk about Snobery and Elitism!
No W
ers drive Lotus? Hang around at a Lotus meeting for long enough and you'll meet plenty! You will also meet lots of nice people too. GET REAL!
I think it is fine. I mean, obviously it's not stunning news, but Lotus need to sell more cars, or at least sell them more efficiently.
As long as they continue to make great cars it doesn't really matter where you buy them.
Anything that can make Lotus a stronger car company is a good thing.
As long as they continue to make great cars it doesn't really matter where you buy them.
Anything that can make Lotus a stronger car company is a good thing.
Billb is right..... if you sell the Lotus brand next to Proton its image will be severely affected.
You gotta ask yourself why the Elise 2 is out selling the almost identical VX220 - one thing - The Lotus name for sports cars is far superior to 'Vauxhall'.
With so much competition out there I think it would be a bad move for sure.
You gotta ask yourself why the Elise 2 is out selling the almost identical VX220 - one thing - The Lotus name for sports cars is far superior to 'Vauxhall'.
With so much competition out there I think it would be a bad move for sure.
quote:
I don't see why not.
Perhaps if this does happen Lotus will sell more cars and put the money into improving reliability.....
DBW
my elise s2 has not gone wrong in 17,000 miles so am quite happy with reliability. If people think people buy lotus without thinking of pose value yer wrong - there not exactely bought for practicallity. Ahagerty got it right - meet bird in pub say to bird hi I have a vauxhall or hi I have a lotus. Yes you buy it for the driving experience too but the feel good factor has a major part to play - something I guess proton drivers dont get.
shallow but true
Hang on though, they're not saying stick a proton badge on the Elise they are saying stock lotuses at Proton garages. Anyone in the know knows that they own Lotus so whats the problem? As for it effectiving the prestige the badge on the front is Lotus, the car is made by Lotus, who gives a monkeys where you brought it from.
As someone has said on this thread there are Lotus dealers that stock ordinary cars already. people don't see the Lotus bought from Storm as a Chrysler.
I for one would love to see more dealerships for Lotus. Esp. as I have been let down by two dealers so far on their servicing (either cr@p or overly-expensive). Proton are renoun for their customer service so IMO the more dealers with Lotuses the better. Perhaps then we will get the dealership/service that Lotus deserve.
As someone has said on this thread there are Lotus dealers that stock ordinary cars already. people don't see the Lotus bought from Storm as a Chrysler.
I for one would love to see more dealerships for Lotus. Esp. as I have been let down by two dealers so far on their servicing (either cr@p or overly-expensive). Proton are renoun for their customer service so IMO the more dealers with Lotuses the better. Perhaps then we will get the dealership/service that Lotus deserve.
quote:
Hang on though, they're not saying stick a proton badge on the Elise they are saying stock lotuses at Proton garages. Anyone in the know knows that they own Lotus so whats the problem? As for it effectiving the prestige the badge on the front is Lotus, the car is made by Lotus, who gives a monkeys where you brought it from.
exactly...from a marketing point-of-view brand dilution is more worrying from the 'we built the VX220' than from where the car is stocked from. If the fact that proton are selling the Lotus affects its sales I woudl be very surprised,...what you would likely get is far better customer service - cos it couldnt be a lot worse
I've been let down by at least six Lotus Dealers. Their incompetence and pricing are almost criminal. I will welcome Proton dealers selling Lotus cars if it means I can get servicing without the completely unnecessary aggravation I have to go through now.
People will still buy the cars because they are a Lotus no matter who sells them. They may lose some snob sales but will gain a lot more by having a wider network and salesmen with a better attitude IMHO.
People will still buy the cars because they are a Lotus no matter who sells them. They may lose some snob sales but will gain a lot more by having a wider network and salesmen with a better attitude IMHO.
So mark you're always careful where you park it, in case it gets asociated with the car your parked next to. Proton will enusre that the Badge is around the showroom next to the cars as Storm do. Perhaps even a seperate section.
As for non-specialist selling it, the people that buy Lotus already know the score, the sales persons is just there to haggle the price. Certainly the official specialist sales people I've met in Lotus showrooms are no wiser on the marque. One I met couldn't tell me the performance figures of the S160 when I asked (he had to look it up).
If they need to "sell you the car" then you're not going to buy it. Thats one of the reasons Lotus do not need to advertise. Their buyers are already enthusiasts to sell the car all you have to do is give them the key.
>> Edited by smeagol on Wednesday 24th July 00:18
As for non-specialist selling it, the people that buy Lotus already know the score, the sales persons is just there to haggle the price. Certainly the official specialist sales people I've met in Lotus showrooms are no wiser on the marque. One I met couldn't tell me the performance figures of the S160 when I asked (he had to look it up).
If they need to "sell you the car" then you're not going to buy it. Thats one of the reasons Lotus do not need to advertise. Their buyers are already enthusiasts to sell the car all you have to do is give them the key.
>> Edited by smeagol on Wednesday 24th July 00:18
all this boils down to is the fact my chum with a new boxster will say you've bought a proton, nice proton etc etc which really would f*** me off having spent £26k. Wouldnt get a chance to say how the handling, performance etc trashes his girly car as it would be proton proton proton proooooton
fickle and shallow but real life. you dont buy an armani suit from burtons.....
fickle and shallow but real life. you dont buy an armani suit from burtons.....
So you say to him, he bought a VW beatle. The kind of tw@t that says you bought a proton will say it whether you bought it at a Proton garage or not. Theres no secret to who owns Lotus, So who cares. The best responce to tw@ts like that is "you're right mate, its a proton" They then struggle to say anything else and look foolish in front of their friends.
Sounds to me, your Chums Jellous(sp). (either that or a tw@t) either way I'd just ignore him, its his loss.
Sounds to me, your Chums Jellous(sp). (either that or a tw@t) either way I'd just ignore him, its his loss.
quote:
So you say to him, he bought a VW beatle. The kind of tw@t that says you bought a proton will say it whether you bought it at a Proton garage or not. Theres no secret to who owns Lotus, So who cares. The best responce to tw@ts like that is "you're right mate, its a proton" They then struggle to say anything else and look foolish in front of their friends.
Sounds to me, your Chums Jellous(sp). (either that or a tw@t) either way I'd just ignore him, its his loss.
aaaaah yer right on all accounts!
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