GM Needs to be More Transparent With its Corvette Production Issues, Which are Plenty

By
Keith Cornett
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29
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GM Needs to be More Transparent With its Corvette Production Issues, Which are Plenty

Screenshot Credits: SavageGeese / YouTube


Bowling Green, we have a problem…

The Corvette Assembly Plant is the place where dreams are made. Think about all those first time Corvette buyers who have longed to own America’s Favorite Sport Car. For some, this has been a life-long obsession. The magic moment arrives where an average Joe is able to put down his hard-earned money to finally order his dream car. He’s getting the notifications that car will soon be built, and then his dealer alerts him that the car has been built and he’s at 3800 status, or even 4150 status where he officially pays for the car, and then…

Nothing.

Nada.

Zip.

Three weeks ago, we learned that some new 2024 Corvette owners had their cars shipped to Michigan, unbeknownst to them. Many of these Corvettes have been paid for, and those doing an R8C museum delivery were forced to cancel flights and hotels because their delivery dates were rescheduled. And for three weeks these owners have been waiting to hear from someone, anyone, about the status of their new Corvettes.

GM Should Be Transparent With its Corvette Production Issues, Which are Plenty


These owners whose Corvette dreams have been delayed, have been waiting to hear from General Motors about their delayed deliveries and the silence has been deafening. Several have reached out to GM in multiple ways and some have even spoken with the Orwellian sounding “Executive Resolution Board” in which they were told their cases are being investigated. “Take a number and have a seat…someone will be with you shortly,” these owners are being told. And then days pass…

Nothing.

Nada.

Zip.

We’ve spoken with dealers who have customer cars in Michigan, and they are not being told by GM why those Corvettes are there. They are not being told by GM how long it will take. And they certainly have no answer from GM as to when a customer will actually be able to drive the cars they have already paid for.

Could you own one of these Corvettes and drive it with confidence while not knowing why it was shipped to Michigan for unknown service or repairs? Will future owners be alerted that the car they are buying had been built, stripped, and then reassembled outside of the Bowling Green Assembly Plant due to a production glitch? Already, we know of at least one owner who has given up and requested their money back, and can you blame him? This isn’t a Chevy Trax he is buying…it’s a Corvette. And GM should at least act like it respects the value of a customer willing to spend over $100K on one of their vehicles.

GM Should Be Transparent With its Corvette Production Issues, Which are Plenty


When an average Joe slaps down his money to buy a Corvette, he’s not just buying a new vehicle. He’s also buying into the history and 70-year legacy of the car. Those who are behind this cluster debacle have seemed to have forgotten that, otherwise, they would be communicating with these owners to let know exactly what is happening. As we believe these Michigan cars are mostly Stingrays which are plentiful, the owners should be offered a new, priority allocation to have their Corvettes rebuilt, and after whatever has been done with these Michigan Corvettes to fix the issue, they should be offered as certified used cars complete with full factory warranties for the dealer to sell, as they have been on the receiving end of this mess from the beginning.

Our other issue with Bowling Green is the decision to build cars without having all the parts readily available. Chevy was building 2023s when they started “building shy” and it’s resulted in owners waiting for their cars to be completed. Even worse is to see the new 2024s being delivered when Chevy hasn’t even completed the 2023 model year cars yet. The result is basically a pyramid scheme where new parts delivered to the factory have to be prioritized to go on those “built-shy” cars in the lot and not on those scheduled to be built. “Stuck in a doom loop” is how one source summed it up to us.

GM Should Be Transparent With its Corvette Production Issues, Which are Plenty


If I were running comms for the Chevrolet Corvette, these owners would know exactly what is wrong with their cars, and when they could expect resolution. If they want out, so be it, and Chevy should step up and give them another allocation. The message would be sent to other buyers that Chevy understands Corvette ownership and no matter what the issue is, they have their new owner’s best interests at heart throughout the production process.

But alas, I’m just a 2nd generation owner/enthusiast whose had a Corvette in the garage for 56 years. What do I know! In the grand scheme of things, this rant will fall on deaf ears because GM is a giant corporation and shut up plebes if you think you deserve special attention because you happen to think a product they make is special.


Related:
DUDE, WHERE’S MY CAR? Corvette Buyer with NCM Delivery Sees his Car Was Shipped to Michigan
[PICS] How Was This New 2024 Corvette Allowed to Leave Bowling Green in This Condition?
Chevrolet Has Hundreds of 2023 Corvette Z06s Built, but Many are Still Waiting on Parts to Complete

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29 COMMENTS

  3. 3800 status
    Built 10/2 with 10/18 NCM delivery scheduled
    Called by NCM and told wee would have to reschedule.
    They would call me
    Not why, projected date. Nothing.
    Dealer doesn’t know, NCM doesn’t know and now yesterday concierge told me it was because of standard wheels. My VIN is 1760. Pretty sure there are a couple thousand with standard wheels at this point being at VIN 4700. Extremely disappointed in communication which would solve a bunch of speculation!!

  4. My only comment is there is no “more transparent” there is only transparency or there is not!

  5. Out of 250,000+ C8s produced, a handful have been a problem.
    Take it easy and give GM the credit for making and delivering 99.9% of its amazing car to its buyers.

  6. As one who has has an order in since Feb of 2021, we were notified early our time to order came “early” on 7-27-23 we placed our order for an early 2024 stingray convertible. It is vin #128 and was started on 9-18 the first day of the 24 model year run (after the strike began on9-15) it was “completed” on 9-20 at 11am and went to the status3800 where it has remained until today the dealer notified me (that it had been completed and ready to ship at 130 am this morning) they where waiting on the invoice and ship date (to the museum) at about 115 pm today the museum called and said the car had been delivered. When did I want to pick it up?? Dealer still has no invoice and no info on where it has been, what the problem was or anything about it.. this is our14th vette 2nd museum pick up. I skipped from 1984 to 1989 then 2019 because of crap from gm. I have a bad feeling we are gonna get a $100k + LEMON! I hope not but we will see

  7. Send Mary Barra home to bake cookies…….get a GUY that likes and drives cars not someone who RIDES in them!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. GM sends those problem cars to an ALLEY GARAGE in Pontiac for corrections….the repair line in Kentucky can only repair paint problems and change burnt out light bulbs!!!!!!!!

  9. I bought my 2019 Stingray 2LT on 7/18/2019. The car was perfect and I drove it home in a cold sweat because I couldn’t believe I got this beautiful car. I feel bad for the people who are getting jacked around and their excitement ruined by this day and age crap.

  10. “And GM should at least act like it respects the value of a customer willing to spend over $100K on one of their vehicles.”

    GM has demonstrated it has ZERO respect for it’s customers. Worse, GM is poisoning the well for future buyers. GM made a big deal about conquest sales, and attracting first time Chevy buyers. What person coming from Porsche, GMW, Audi, Ferrari or any other European car is going to look twice at a Chevy after learning of GM’s arrogance and incompetence. This is American corporate capitalism at its worst.

    If I didn’t already have my C8, but was waiting to order one, I’d start looking elsewhere. If my C8 were one of those in Michigan, I’d be hiring a lawyer to send a demand letter (“produce my client’s car or explain why you can’t”), and contacting every Detroit newspaper and TV station.

  11. I have the opposite issue, lol. I received the “order accepted for production” e-mail about 3 weeks ago. Got the “car is on its way to the dealership” e-mail yesterday and the car actually arrived today! Stopped and saw it this afternoon and will pick it up tomorrow.

  12. I think GM is really dropping the ball with the most avid ownership group they have. Bad communication with owners who have paid for a product they don’t have or worse they paid extra to pickup at the museum is inexcusable. Don’t they realize that corvette owners also buy Suburban’s, Pickups and other products.
    I am still angry about the lack of interest GM showed about the defective Grand Sport/Z06 wheels and the A8 transmissions that I have bought two new non-GM SUV’s even though I was a life long GM supporter.

  13. I have 3 C8 Stingray Z51. One has had many issues with oil leaks and transmission failures. Rear trunk latch failure, convertible top failure, AC failure and several display glitches. GM gave me a 100000 mile power train warranty. But after this last oil leak and transmission failure, I have asked for vehicle to be replaced or bought back. The reply was no because the car is still under warranty.

    I have had several chevy’s. I do not believe there is such a thing as customer loyalty. And my patience is also running thin.

    Just very disappointing to be treated this way.

  14. 99.9 percent of cars not been delivered. For the 24 models alone over 10 % are being held for up to 8 weeks for unknown reasons other than “waiting on parts” as explained to us who have cars that have been built and not shipped.

    My ’24 was built the first week of production and is still on hold with ZERO communications from. Chevy or GM.

    GM has gone from General Motors to Garbage Motors.

  15. I bought a 2023 C8 and got the CEL and “Rear Axle Off” warning on the dash. Took the car right to the dealership on June 28. Since then my car has sat waiting for a transmission part for 134 days. No ETA, No Repair, but Chevrolet can build 700+ new corvettes a week. I just want mine fixed. It’s insane what’s going on.

  16. It has been talked about before, but Corvette needs to be spun off as its own separate entity, much like the Lexus, Infinity and others. I think this would improve the communication and service. As was pointed out, you aren’t buying a Chevy Trax.

  19. @Tony C8 they have made less than 100,000 C8’s (over 4 years) and I feel even one customer left wondering where their PAID FOR corvette is becomes a problem.

  20. This problem is at the top,the ceo Mary,is in bed with Biden and wants to convert everything to ev’s and could care less about the Corvette.She even made the museum remove the wreck cars and shrink the the viewing hole because she said it looks terrible.So if they are having trouble mfg cars do to the lack of parts,the problem starts at the top!!!

  21. I’m in the same boat my 24 Stingray was built the third week i have not heard anything it’s been on hold now for 3 weeks, can get no information as to why or when it will ship.

  22. Well when I got my 23 back in 22 I got no notifications. It just popped up at dealer a year after I ordered it. I don’t get how they already paid for them as I didn’t pay for anything till I picked up.

  25. I am new to this thread. I currently have a corvette i put $1000 down to reserve for me. The dealer said it would be 1-2 weeks and it was in transit. This was 10 days ago. Reached out and they said no movement yet. Is this the point where i start worrying about getting my car; Worrying about the quality of my car; Looking around for a different vette and demanding my deposit back. Thanks for your help. I am getting nervous about what is going on.

  26. Colorado and canyon buyers are going thru same thing , have a AT4 been built for over a month and still at 3800 since, guess I’ll back out and order a new 24 Toyota Tacoma if don’t hear something pretty soon, it’s a 23 and they are building 24’s now

  27. Well, it’s not the old days, but in November of 1978, I ordered a 1979 (highest production corvette year). Checked with the dealer often for status (probably too much). I think I recall that he only notified me when it was being assembled. Finally the car arrived at the dealer in May 1979, but there was still a mysterious 2 week delay. At the dealer, they repainted half of the car – without consulting me. Lots of rushed/bad factory paint jobs back then…

    Anyway, that’s about all the delivery information you used to be able to get. At least today you know that you’re going to get a car – even if it has to be re-worked. My guess is that GM doesn’t want to keep your car any longer than they have to. Sorry for your frustration.

  29. Too many special orders. Added to which, GM thinks the consumer should be forgiving.
    Even if I was wealthy enough, I would not accept the shoddy reputation from generations past. They sell dreams on paper, and slap you with a reality glove.

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