Lotus Appoints New Dealer for Scotland

[C8RKH]

It's a shame you had a bad experience Andy. To be honest my two visits were spot on to do the final 3 year service and warranty review.

[Guest]

Just don’t let them touch your alloys. 

[Chunkv6]

Andy can you DM me i wanted to ask you something if that ok

cheers

[Guest]

My car is now at CMC. He’s going over everything with a fine Tooth comb. He’s an absolute legend. Lotus really has missed a beat not using him as their approved centre, madness!   
 

Most embarrassing for Lotus was that I made them go and drop my car off at his place on Thursday from the Glasgow dealership. I left their Mini parked up with Craig for them to take away back to Glasgow. 
 

I’ll DM his findings of their competence when he’s gone over everything if anyone is interested as I’m moving away from the Marque again. (Sore back).  Will include 3 year service check, MOT check, suspension spring and three way damper change check and wheel alignment after two spring failures, AC condenser replacement (warranty) Supercharger belt replacement (squeak/warranty). 

[Guest]

Quick update on my 430CUP as I feel it’s important for all you owners up here in Scotland. CMC is the best £150 I’ve spent after the main dealer dropped my car off directly two weeks ago at his workshop for a check over of warranty work they completed and the annual service and MOT they carried out. 
 

Faults found immediately and photographed by Craig of this work from main dealer after they dropped the car off to Craig include; 

Over-sprayed silver hub paint onto yellow break caliper, which I did not ask them to do. 
 

Fractured AC condenser mounts on cars clam from over torqued screws requiring fiberglass repair on both sides of the clam, left and right. Likely use of air gun. These screws had to have come off to replace the condenser. 
 

Blowing exhaust seal not fixed leaking hot exhaust gasses into underside of car, reseal needed by Craig. 
 

Big oil puddle left after service in rear undertray under engine creating fire risk. Clean up required.

Another factured rear spring, rusted through and fractured in two requiring another new spring and damper, I’m now getting all 4 replaced under Craig’s guidance rather than just the 2  the main dealer suggested and completed. Lotus looking into possible fault with these 3 way spring and dampers. Car MOT was passed by main dealer then they drove it to Craig’s like this. 
 

A/C only has 2 degrees temp variation after AC condenser changed under warranty. Craig would expect 7 degrees so he’s redoing the gassing and checking this too. 
 

Craig sent me pictures of all of this and a picture of what a recent un-corroded new spring fracture looks like in comparison to mine. 
 

My concern is that I could have quite easily been going to track the car immediately after pick up and what could have happened with leaking hot exhaust seal + oil puddle in undertray and a fractured spring and a final spring heavily corroded. They also knew the car was going straight to CMC to be looked at carefully and my car was still presented to him at drop off like this. 
 

Hethel have been great and are investigating with the aid of the pictures Craig sent me and the report he provided. Thankfully they are taking this very seriously I am due to hear back from them in the next few days after their own investigation. They are now involved in discussions on my behalf with the approved garage as I’m disgusted with them and don’t want anything more to do with them. I’m also vindicated in my previous posts about the concerns I had after they made me feel like I was in the wrong to question them. It has been an awful experience TBH and taken up a lot of my time over the last 5 weeks, not to mention the wait for a new dealership to be opened and the warranty work able to be carried out. 
 

Craig has been instructed to complete the work given his level of skill and how much he is trusted so my car will be good as new again. 
 

 

[Chunkv6]

Thanks for the update Andy. As you mentioned you are moving away from the marque but many of us (myself included) have just invested a lot of money into the brand and want to know about all aspects (good and bad) of Parks Lotus. Funny you mention but a lot of lotus owners will take their car straight to the track after visiting a garage, i did it myself this month after i had the running in service done i went straight to a track night at Knockhill

[marcfair]

Sorry to hear of the trouble you  have  had and I hope it's  resolved  quickly 

I hope Lotus sorts this out with the dealer so this doesn't  happen  in the future . We all need full confidence  in the dealer network and with so  few dealers around. I hope Lotus  might come round to Craig  being a approved  service  centre 

[tim_marra]

CMC becoming an approved service centre would be great news.

[blindside]

I’m very slow in providing some positive feedback for Parks; in particular Laura, the Service Manager and most importantly the senior Lotus technician. During the Recent Absolute Lotus Magazine Scottish Tour I dislodged the rear mini fog light when the rear bumper panel took a knock. 
The final stop on the tour was a visit to Parks, which gave me the chance to get it looked at before heading to Cairnryan & the boat back to NI.

They happily looked at it and the Lotus tech spent a good hour over his lunch break dropping the rear diffuser to get at the light to reseat and then seal the base. This was all done at the drop of a hat so that I didn’t miss my sailing time. They also refused point blank to take any payment from me for the work involved. They said it was good will to a returning customer & they were happy to see the car again. 

Anyway with that kind of customer approach, plus Laura’s enthusiasm for her job & all things Lotus, I’ll be very happy to make the lengthy round trip to get the car maintained in future.

[Guest]

Well it looks like my journey with the 430CUP, my third Lotus has come to an end. I’ve been without my car for 6 months now so don’t really want it back now anyway. I don’t think my back can take it anymore anyway 😂.  A few ends to tie up with the deal but it looks like Lamborghini Edinburgh will be taking the car unseen straight from Craig’s lock up now the last bits have arrived. It’s been given a whole raft of new parts, 4 new suspension 3 way dampers direct from Lotus with permission from Hethel for Craig to fix that and everything else at no charge under warranty given Glasgow’s damage they caused. 
 

If you are in any way thinking I’ve got it in for Glasgow, I don’t, I’m just not a mug. I love and know my cars and I know when I’m being taken for one so I got an independent assessment with CMC to check their workmanship. Pease do look at the photos I put up with a review on their FB page. Photos are from Craig when the car was delivered by one of the Glasgow dealers employees some 4 months ago. They also filter out any bad Google reviews so if you’ve ever got any issues you want to air to warn others then go to FB or indeed here and let people know. 
 

Got a belter of a price for it and it’ll most probably be advertised up for sale in the next few weeks. It really is a phenomenal car and I’ve had no issues with it other than factory faulty springs/dampers now replaced with 4 new ones at £1200/corner and the split in the A/C condenser. It’s got a full history, 12k miles, 4 new cup tyres and just had its annual service and first MOT and some subtle mods with all original parts in a box with the car. I just can’t go on with the Lotus with the motoring group who now look after this marque in Scotland. I even ruled out a McLaren due to the same group running this marque.

Please do all use Craig. He’s an absolute star and has a great team and set up. He now has a large foot in the door with Hethel who’s he’s been working with on my behalf and they’ve allowed him to do all the work rather than let Glasgow balls it up again.

Its been a blast 💥👍🏼.