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Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 8:59 pm
by TimDogg
Guys,
Advice please - I showed somebody around my Elise last weekend and he's posted this on seloc.org a Lotus forum.
The man was an idiot from the start of the negotiations really, I should have just ignored him and gone for someone else. He was a real geek and knew very little about Elises which surprised me. Anyway, I drove from Anglesey to Cheltenham, picked him up at the station and drove 40 miles to the storage facility where the car had been positioned (rolled) into the inspection area and had not been started for the week so he could start it cold. He looked around made some disparaging comments and then we went off for a drive, him driving. I had to remind him to keep the car under 4k rpm until warm as he was trying to hit the 2nd cams all of the time - he made a dangerous 2 car overtake from low 4th on a blind left-hand bend, I had to counsel him and said that that wasn't acceptable or necessary. On the way back he hit the limiter in 3rd twice and then complained of a knocking noise from the steering. I reminded him that we'd agreed a price, as I thought he was trying to get more money off, and that I wouldn't move on it. I eventually got him to get a cab back to the station as he was very off with me about this 'knocking' and kept aggressively moving the steering wheel from outside the car when it was turned off - so much so that one of the storage facility engineers asked him to stop.
How would you address this post - I intend to just post a short reply and leave it? Oh, and he has apparently damaged the carbon trim on the sills getting in/out - I will need to replace this.
Re: Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:30 pm
by SuprSi
To be honest I'd just copy/paste exactly what you've written here now you've got your thoughts in writing.
Sounds like a complete pillock!
Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:32 pm
by S4WON
How you have described him, he sounds like a knob. But his post seems fairly reasoned (if incorrect). I think you have 2 choices here; 1. You go postal and rape his cat, 2. You leave it. Anything in the middle would serve little purpose.
Option 3, I guess is if you rate this board is to report the post, and send the 2nd para posted here to their moderator
Re: Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:42 pm
by adsgreen
Difficult, as whilst everything you posted here is valid I don't think it'll aid you in selling the car. It'll always appear to be well a bit whinging at the negative comment.
I would question him on his point about 'something doesn't add up' as that is quite insulting.
Does the steering actually knock?
If it does then the steering knock is 99% an upper or lower universal joint on the steering column. Dead easy fix and very very common. I actually bought a brand new zero mileage elise with a failed / knocking uj joint
Personally I would say that you are sorry that he fells that way and that everybody else who has seen the car has commented on the condition and that it is a bit unfair. If he responds then comment on the dangerous nature of driving and the damage to the car along with the constant battering on the wheel in a desperate attempt to drive down the price.
Re: Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 9:45 pm
by adsgreen
S4WON wrote:How you have described him, he sounds like a knob. But his post seems fairly reasoned (if incorrect). I think you have 2 choices here; 1. You go postal and rape his cat, 2. You leave it. Anything in the middle would serve little purpose.
Option 3, I guess is if you rate this board is to report the post, and send the 2nd para posted here to their moderator
Option 3 - no chance! Unless you actually did go and rape his cat and then post it on the forum you'd have no chance of getting anything banned on there!
In general it's not a nice place to hang out.
Re: Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:37 pm
by TimDogg
S4WON....
You go postal and rape his cat
Brilliant - ads, it does seem to be quite a hostile place and 180 out from this forum. I posted a mild reply and was contacted by a guy who said that this guy had driven two of his cars and was quite off with him too.
I just felt that this guy was out to cause offence.
If he responds then comment on the dangerous nature of driving and the damage to the car along with the constant battering on the wheel in a desperate attempt to drive down the price.
I have done this just now, hopefully it will serve as a warning to other sellers.
Re: Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:45 pm
by TimDogg
My reply for those that can't view seloc.org
Anthony, the phone also works well for this sort of thing but I guess we can do this publicly if you'd rather - let's not argue though but I will just briefly address your grievances.
When I bought the car last year I immediately handed it to Christopher Neil Lotus in Chester for a full set-up summary and an investigation into a front-end knocking noise. I sent you the receipt for £1,200 before you came and saw the car - they removed the condenser that was working itself loose and damaging the radiator; Lotus replaced the radiator with a Motor Sport Alloy one along with new heat shields for the exhaust and stated that the car required no further work.
I sent you this receipt - look at the top where it clearly states:
'Vehicle rattling once warm, inv (suspect ball joint/bushes?, check out and report cost to rectify)'
Personally, when you say:
I'm no expert
...I'd have to agree, just like me - which is why I sent the car back to Lotus straight away after buying it - to the experts.
The the owner mentioned in several posts last year a couple of problems and has not rectified them
I posted about changing the steering wheel - I had to drill the bolts out and replace with a £150 Momo (300mm)
Fixing the front grill which was a little loose - done
Striping her - not done (on good forum advice!)
Cleaning reverie carbon side pods - done
Carbon fibre front access panels - not done (expensive carbon wrap instead)
Requesting full speaker set-up advice - installed full Focal speaker set
What exactly have I not rectified Ant?
To be honest, the car is 10 years old and you said that you were looking at 4 year old 111S' - this might be a better option for you as they would be not be er, 10 years old. Also they wouldn't have the 2nd cams and thus you might not hit the limiter like you did on the test drive or attempt a 2 car overtake on a blind left-hander when the car was still warming up.
Maybe just go to Lotus and try different models it would have saved us both time and money - find out what you're looking for and THEN go and look at some.
Oh - and the car passed an MOT on 15 July 14, that's two weeks ago.
Tim
Re: Problems with Lotus buyer
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:59 pm
by bam_bam
S4WON wrote:1. You go postal and rape his cat.
Buy this man a steak.
