Are dealers taking names for the 2007 Esprit?
Discussion
Umm, bearing in mind the M250 debacle, I am reluctant to again place any sort of deposit on a speculative model. If the dealer has a physical car, I might be tempted. Once the production is up and running, I might be tempted. When I've had a thorough test drive, I might be tempted.
But placing money down based on magazine articles and half rumours doesn't tempt me at all. (Unfortunately for Lotus, however, a used Gallardo does)
But placing money down based on magazine articles and half rumours doesn't tempt me at all. (Unfortunately for Lotus, however, a used Gallardo does)
Agreed - having been bitten by the M250 mess, it's a case of (would be) buyer beware.
1) Ask where your deposit is being kept, and how it is being guaranteed. If your garage goes out of business, you don't want to loose it. At present, I don't think Lotus are taking any money, so your depost is going to be held by the dealer. You're relying on them not to use this convenient slush fund to pay their wages, buy other cars or grow their business in the mean time.
2) Insist on paying by credit card. That way at least you are backed up by your card company's insurance. This may not guarantee you can retrieve your money, but it helps.
3) Make sure your deposit receipt has appropriate get out clauses. If the Esprit is not built, is built but not to the specs you are expecting, or is massively delayed you should have the right to have your full deposit back. You might also want to consider the interest they are earning in the mean time.
4) Check what your deposit means in terms of purchase order. You might be the 'first deposit they've had', but as there doesn't appear to be a national list, this doesn't guarantee anything. If their allocation is small or delayed, you might not see your car for some time.
Remember, that whilst the Elise has been amazingly sucessful, there is no guarantee that the Esprit will be. There is also no guarantee what sort of car it might be - you could reasonably expect anything from a four-pot to a v8, top speed of anything between 175 and 200 mph and so on. Initial cars are likely to be underpowered (it's tradition), and as a 'world car' the Esprit is unlikely to be as pure as earlier Lotus designs.
If this sounds cynical, I'm sorry. The new Esprit is a very exciting prospect, but so was the M250. Lotus have a lot to prove.
1) Ask where your deposit is being kept, and how it is being guaranteed. If your garage goes out of business, you don't want to loose it. At present, I don't think Lotus are taking any money, so your depost is going to be held by the dealer. You're relying on them not to use this convenient slush fund to pay their wages, buy other cars or grow their business in the mean time.
2) Insist on paying by credit card. That way at least you are backed up by your card company's insurance. This may not guarantee you can retrieve your money, but it helps.
3) Make sure your deposit receipt has appropriate get out clauses. If the Esprit is not built, is built but not to the specs you are expecting, or is massively delayed you should have the right to have your full deposit back. You might also want to consider the interest they are earning in the mean time.
4) Check what your deposit means in terms of purchase order. You might be the 'first deposit they've had', but as there doesn't appear to be a national list, this doesn't guarantee anything. If their allocation is small or delayed, you might not see your car for some time.
Remember, that whilst the Elise has been amazingly sucessful, there is no guarantee that the Esprit will be. There is also no guarantee what sort of car it might be - you could reasonably expect anything from a four-pot to a v8, top speed of anything between 175 and 200 mph and so on. Initial cars are likely to be underpowered (it's tradition), and as a 'world car' the Esprit is unlikely to be as pure as earlier Lotus designs.
If this sounds cynical, I'm sorry. The new Esprit is a very exciting prospect, but so was the M250. Lotus have a lot to prove.
GKP said:
Umm, bearing in mind the M250 debacle, I am reluctant to again place any sort of deposit on a speculative model. If the dealer has a physical car, I might be tempted. Once the production is up and running, I might be tempted. When I've had a thorough test drive, I might be tempted.
But placing money down based on magazine articles and half rumours doesn't tempt me at all. (Unfortunately for Lotus, however, a used Gallardo does)
Too right ! I was almost tempted to pop a deposit down on an M250 but I canged my mind for various reasons ( mainly that the advertised price was too vague ) and I'm glad I did. What a disgrace it was. Lotus actually expected people to cough up the money so they could use it to develop the car in the first place. No thanks !
adrianmugridge said:
Too right ! I was almost tempted to pop a deposit down on an M250 but I canged my mind for various reasons ( mainly that the advertised price was too vague ) and I'm glad I did. What a disgrace it was. Lotus actually expected people to cough up the money so they could use it to develop the car in the first place. No thanks !
Actually (virtually) none of the deposits were taken by Lotus, who were funding the development themselves. Dealers formed their own arrangement for deposits. Lotus failed to manage the process and took no responsibility for the chaos when the project was canned.
Tuna said:
Too right ! I was almost tempted to pop a deposit down on an M250 but I canged my mind for various reasons ( mainly that the advertised price was too vague ) and I'm glad I did. What a disgrace it was. Lotus actually expected people to cough up the money so they could use it to develop the car in the first place. No thanks !
Actually (virtually) none of the deposits were taken by Lotus, who were funding the development themselves. Dealers formed their own arrangement for deposits. Lotus failed to manage the process and took no responsibility for the chaos when the project was canned.
Well, whatever. But, either way, as you say, it was a total farce. I would not be handing over a deposit to Lotus themselves or a Lotus dealer until the car actually existed.
Somewhere on the www.lotuscars.co.uk site there is mention of deposits and they explicitly say that the factory doesn't require a deposit to secure an order against a current or I believe a future product, nor do they hold them. I think the *ONLY* requirement was around GBP1000 as the car enters the production process after final build specifications are confirmed.
Lotus say the matter for waiting list deposits are purely down to agreement between the customer and the dealer which is where the contract exists (or not)
If you want to be first with a new esprit then go for it but don't go crying if the dealer goes t1ts up and takes your deposit with it ...... still leaving the dealer rolling in cash and living in a very nice pad paid for with your and other mugs deposits - Lotus might have had the money to goodwill honour lost some lost dealer deposits on the M250 but they don't now.
Lotus say the matter for waiting list deposits are purely down to agreement between the customer and the dealer which is where the contract exists (or not)
If you want to be first with a new esprit then go for it but don't go crying if the dealer goes t1ts up and takes your deposit with it ...... still leaving the dealer rolling in cash and living in a very nice pad paid for with your and other mugs deposits - Lotus might have had the money to goodwill honour lost some lost dealer deposits on the M250 but they don't now.
I had a deposit on an M250, but i got out before the thing was officially canned - glad i did now. That money went into a very nice GT3 esprit.. 
I certainly won't be putting any money down in advance - lets see what the car will be first. Also, i would guess that the first cars will have some niggly problems, and the fast versions won't be out 'til maybe year 2 or 3.. I would expect premiums to be low and very short lived so it makes more sense IMO to wait and buy and ex demonstrator or similar a few months down the line..
..or stick with my current v8 and spend the cash i save on Johan's chip & intercoolers plus a Bell gearbox and cf panels
400bhp/ton?
I certainly won't be putting any money down in advance - lets see what the car will be first. Also, i would guess that the first cars will have some niggly problems, and the fast versions won't be out 'til maybe year 2 or 3.. I would expect premiums to be low and very short lived so it makes more sense IMO to wait and buy and ex demonstrator or similar a few months down the line..
..or stick with my current v8 and spend the cash i save on Johan's chip & intercoolers plus a Bell gearbox and cf panels
400bhp/ton? cb1118 said:
what will be the price including VAT for the 2007 Esprit?
No idea. Until Lotus announce it (which may be some time yet), there will be no indication of price. Even then, price may change up to the first deliveries (and beyond). So don't expect anything definite until 2007. As a guess, I'd expect it to be around the 60,000 mark. That's assuming that the mythical mid range vehicle is announced which would likely cost somewhere around 45 grand. Once initial orders are met, expect a powered up version of the Esprit to be developed - and that could be around the 80 grand mark. All these are wild guesses of course!
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