jagamajajaran

VIN 1786...original paint thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c7-g...the-doors.html

At 2:30 p.m. today, I received a phone call from from my local service manager telling me the car hauler had arrived to pick up my Corvette for it's trip back to Bowling Green. I left work and headed home to pick her up and take her to the dealership.

When I arrived, the service manager met me immediately and began marking the places on the car that need attention (using a pink highlighter). As a point of information, several additional paint and fitment issues have been discovered since I first posted photos of the paint runs on the doors, and all of these were marked today. Both the service manager and I took photos of all of the places that were marked.

From here, I drove my new Corvette out of the service bay and to the back lot where the car hauler awaited my arrival. I got out of the car and the truck driver very carefully and meticulously drove my Corvette up the ramps and onto the trailer. He even got out of the car once he had it on the ramps to check the front air dam clearance since the cars aren't initially shipped with the front air dams attached. I was impressed with the care he showed as he drove the car onto the trailer and then secured the straps over each wheel.

The driver had most recently delivered a load of Corvettes to the East Coast and was dispatched to pick mine up on the way back to Bowling Green for his next load of Corvettes. Mine will be the only car on his trailer all the way back to the factory. The driver told me that he plans to arrive in Bowling Green as early as Tuesday evening, or Wednesday at the latest.

My service manager told me that he expects my Corvette to be returned to me in approximately three weeks. I really wish it didn't have to be gone at all, but I couldn't ask for a better service experience so far at every point, from my local dealership to my interaction with Chevrolet Customer Care and all the way up to the Corvette plant management team.

By the way, upper levels of management have described the paint issues I have as the worse they have seen. While there are a few threads on this forum regarding various paint issues, there are far more posts about cars with virtually perfect fit and finish. Personally, after all I have have learned through this process, I would not hesitate to order another 2014 Corvette. If I had the money right now, I would honestly place an order for a convertible! :drool:

As I have information from the plant, I will update this thread. Management in Bowling Green plans to do some things to compensate me for the inconvenience of not having my Corvette for several weeks while it is being repaired and to make up for the fact that I had issues to begin with. I do not yet know everything that they will do, but I expect that it will be every bit as generous as their treatment of me has been thus far.

And now, I eagerly await the return of my Corvette!

A few photos and a video from today...

MikeyTX

Wonder if the temp tag will stay on all the way to B G ?

jagamajajaran

Well, it stayed on all the way from Virginia to Oklahoma when I picked it up and drove it back.

runutzzzzz

I think I would have just had them build me a new car.

Maybe you'll get a free CF roof!

BlueOx

So where are these paint repairs being made exactly? And by whom? I mean, they can't run these through the line again so they have a 'repair shop'?

rexracerx9

Best of luck to you!

jagamajajaran

So far, the only non-negotiable that I have asked for on my part is that they not repaint any part of the car. This may actually require an entire re-skinning, so to speak, and I will be happy with this as long as the car returns in as good or better condition as one would expect when taking delivery of a brand new vehicle. In the end, they may decide to simply deliver a new car, but if they can correct the problems with mine, I will be quite pleased.

I'm not actually sure about their processes. I do know that the car is going back to the plant at Bowling Green. If they strip the exterior of the car, I would think they would be able to run it through the body assembly line again, but then again, I do not know much about the manufacturing process. I do know that some of Bowling Green's top brass is involved in the process of my repairs and I would bet money that when my Corvette leaves the plant it will have been meticulously scrutinized.

Thanks!

mpuzach

Wow, that sounds like a pretty darned great response by G.M. IMO. While it's unfortunate that your car experienced the problems, it's good to see that G.M. stepped up in the manner they did. I think you can be assured that your car will be perfect when you get it back. Nice job by all.

MHFontaine

Just curious, what was your VIN?

Good luck !

C8Jake

Ridiculous that BG paint inspection let it sail and that it is being sent back. They should build you a new car & deliver it to your driveway. I'd be livid!

BlueOx

I don't see what's wrong with a repaint. I can't imagine GM setting a precedence like a new car. Re-skin maybe.

mpuzach

Why would you be livid? They're going to make his car perfect and get it back to him in a fraction of the time it would take to build and deliver a replacement. they could have just as easily let the dealer fix the problems under warranty but instead they chose to handle everything at the plant which will almost certainly result in a better outcome. I'd say that G.M. is doing the right thing here.

MHFontaine

Never mind...I see it now.

3 Z06ZR1

Should have just replaced the car! What the about the 3 weeks down which likely will be more! A little CASH back?

fasttoys

After work today I was going to cancel my C7 order and wait it out or decide to purchase another European car. Its been a long time since I owned a GM product. The GM response to your problem made me decide to allow my order to be placed this coming Tuesday. Way to step it up GM and take responsibility for your mistake

3 Z06ZR1

Won't they just replace the affected parts hood, fender with a nre yellow part or whatever?
Don't see them spraying any part on the car!

#1c6

if bowling green was doing the right thing the car would had never left the plant!!

proexpert

That is an incredible story, way to go GM.
Good luck to the OP, hope you get your car back soon.

jagamajajaran

I think their response has been tremendous!

My main concern with a repaint would be the potential evidence of a repaint, which would be a red flag to a potential buyer whenever I decide to sell it, or even the possibility of losing a potential buyer because of it. Another concern is the longevity of the paint if the car is resprayed. Will it hold up as long as an original painted car would? I do not know, but it is a concern, which would seem to be hard to test at this point. I don't expect GM to send me a new car, but I do think it's not out of the realm of possibilities. My local service manager thought they might do that initially and thinks they still may do that. A gentleman had an issue with the paint on his 2011 Corvette and instead of repainting the car, they actually replaced the exterior of the car. This would be the most satisfactory solution in my opinion.

But I can understand someone being upset about a situation like this. I just choose not to be livid...I don't need the stress in my life.

jagamajajaran

There is consideration being given to this.

I support your decision 100%...GM will stand behind your purchase!

In a perfect world, yes, this would be true. But since we do not live in a perfect world, as long as they are doing what is necessary to prohibit these kinds of issues from taking place in the future, and are making things right for those having issues, my opinion is that they are indeed doing the right thing.

Thanks! Me too!