GM Suspends Dealers From Submitting Any More 2021 Corvette Sold Orders

By
Keith Cornett
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8
16585

GM Suspends Dealers From Submitting Any More 2021 Corvevtte Sold Orders

Photo Credit: Jeremy Welborn


General Motors sent a new memo to Chevy dealers today telling them that due to the overwhelming response to the 2021 Corvette combined with the unexpected downtimes at the assembly plant, dealers can no longer submit sold orders starting on March 26th. GM says it’s doing this to avoid false expectations and disappointing customers in the process.

Shorter version: We don’t want a replay of 2020 where customers with orders didn’t get cars.

Here is the exact memo we received from a Chevrolet dealer:

Due to continued overwhelming response to the 2021 Corvette and to avoid false customer expectations, it will be necessary to suspend the ability to create a sold order (SRE) beginning March 26, 2021. This does not prevent you from processing existing sold orders (SRE) within allocation, nor creating and processing a normal stock order (TRE). Unplanned downtime has impacted the overall 2021 Model Year Corvette production schedule. We are suspending SRE’s now in an effort to avoid cancelling orders that will not be built within the current schedule and disappointing customers in the process. We anticipate you will be able to submit orders for 2022MY Corvettes in early July.

We’ve previously talked about the allocation situation in that dealers do not have a total yearly allocation number to go by. Instead, dealers have been provided allocations in three-month cycles. And because dealers have no idea what their total allocation numbers are, many are continuing to submit sold orders for customers knowing they might not get those allocations to fulfill the customer’s order. This memo will now put a stop to that practice and allow GM to fully complete 2021 production without leaving a bunch of customers on the sidelines.

Again it’s all about meeting customer expectations that when they sit down at a dealership and submit an order, that there is good faith that the order will be fulfilled.

We can probably blame some of this on those dealers who will take anyone’s downpayment and submit an order. Unless you have the allocations to back them up, you will end up with a lot of angry customers. Previously, those dealers would point the finger at GM. The order suspension at least halts that process.

On the other side of the equation is the supply chain issues, especially with semiconductor chips, that are impacting automotive production worldwide. As one of the major Japanese producers of chips just had a fire that impacts their production, it’s possible that GM forecasters are anticipating additional downtime as a result.

GM Suspends Dealers From Submitting Any More 2021 Corvette Sold Orders


The other piece of info supplied here tells dealers that GM expects them to start submitting orders for the 2022 model year in early July. So I believe that the rumored end of the model year’s final production week of July 19th is now out the window and we will probably see 2021 production continue into August to make up for those weeks that were lost due to supply chain issues earlier this year.

Depending on GM’s final end date for the 2021 model year, there are still four to five months of 2021 model year production still to happen, so I don’t believe it’s time to panic for those of you still at Status 1100…yet.


Source:
Chevrolet

Related:
RUMOR: Final Week of 2021 Corvette Production Is Said to Be July 19th
Corvette Assembly Plant to Close Next Week Over Transmission Parts Supply Issue
BREAKING: The Corvette Assembly Plant Will Be Shut Down Week of February 8th

 



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8 COMMENTS

  2. what a disappointment… ordered my car from a great small dealer in Dec 2019 ! No allocation for a car that I can’t get the color or options I originally ordered. Unfortunately it may be time to get my money back and forget about this miserable experience.

  3. I ordered mine in November 2019. After all the delays and problems we have
    experienced, my car was finally built Monday the 22nd of March. I thought maybe
    the car would be delivered to the dealer in the next week or two. But wait! They
    have it parked in the lot without a brain. Yes, it has no chip. They are using a limited
    number of chips to drive the car off the line, park it and the chip is removed
    to repeat the process. Even with the car built, I can’t get it! Come on man.

  4. I already absorbed 2 price increases totaling $2,500 after my I gave them my deposit starting in early 2020. We all know they are not afraid to hit us all again at least once before we actually get a 2022! They could at least hold the price for people that can prove they had a deposit in before the last price hike? They didn’t for the the 2020 buyers that didn’t get a car so it’s only wishful thinking on my part!

  5. how can i find out how many 2020 corvettes watson chevrolet in tucson az sold last year i.e. what was there allocation?

  6. I put my order in for a 2020 on 8/1/2019, then I got cancelled and had to re-order a 2021 on 8/3/2020. I am still at 1100.

  7. HERE IS A FOLLOW UP OF MY NOTE ABOVE. CAR BUILT ON THE 22ND AND RECEIVED IT ON THE 30TH. PICKED UP THE CAR WITHOUT A PROBLEM. CAR IS PERFECT AND
    ON THE 90 MILE TRIP HOME IT GOT 25MPGS. 8 DAYS FROM BUILD DATE TO MY GARAGE IS QUITE REMARKABLE. PROVES WE REALLY DON’T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH SOME OF THE DELAYS AND OR I GOT LUCKY. GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE FUTURE OWNERS OUT THERE. IT IS WORTH THE WAIT.

  8. How can I track my car now that it has been built and has reached 4000 status? How long to deliver to dealership in TUCSON?

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