elegant

In the last week, we have heard three production delay rumors. First that the rear hatch itself didn't properly fit. Next we heard that the removable roof rear latch wasn't working and needed to be upgraded. Now we are hearing that the active fuel management system isn't working and the car has been sent to the mountains for more high-altitude testing.

Are we in the middle of a feeding frenzy of misinformation and innuendo or what!

Having seen the C7 on three occasions, and seeing hundreds of pictures, the fit of the rear hatch is not a problem. Regarding the rear roof latch, Tadge shared at a dinner seminar on January 14 that due to the rigidity of the removable carbon fiber roof panel, rear impact testing showed that the C7 CF roof panel didn't flex as much as it did in the sheet molded compound C5 & C6 roofs, and thus the rear roof latch was being upgraded (reducing to just one part the C7's carryover parts, the passenger cabin air filter) -- so this is not new news and GM has long upgraded that part. Finally, regarding high altitude problems with Active Fuel Managment, the C7 has undergone 1.5 million testing miles and with comparable LT1 testing in GM's new pick-ups, is it plausible that just now such a problem has been found.

The real fact: We are exactly one-third of the way through the third quarter and so the C7 is not behind schedule. Let us not forget that in GM's January 13 press release, it stated that production of the C7 would start in the third quarter. The third quarter still has eight weeks to go, and the car is not production delayed.

LT1_E85_Corvette

Thanks for the VERY detailed info. You are helping a lot of the C7 buyers sleep better at night

Mike Mercury

I hear ya, and hope all is well.

But if I had a C7 ordered at the moment... I'd want to hear all the rumors; valid or not.

I imagine it's pins & needles for those with cars on order. For their sake; I hope it's sooner than later !

Glenmcp

Some people need to be told they are entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own facts.

z06inVB

So if GM is doing such detailed testing why couldnt they get a simple harmonic balancer right on the C 6 in all the years of building it?

talon90

Thanks to elegant for this topic.

I'm very fond of saying that those who know, aren't talking and those who are talking don't know. Apply that to rumors of the problems, delays and shutdowns at the plant. The reality is as the OP stated in his fact that the car development process had a timeline and a projected end date. It is progressing along the timeline and hasn't reached the end date.

Those looking for problems look to rumor and speculation. Those who anxiously await the arrival of their new dream car look to any tidbit of information and it is easy to fall prey to the rumor and speculation.

It is a shame that the order process is so long on the launch but it is what it is. The lengthy order process gives the production and operations folks an opportunity to get a good feel for where the orders are going to fall and plan and prepare the supplier base for production. It gives the engineers a chance and a reason to wring out the last bit of development time and it gives a predictable ramp up of the training, supply chain and plant operations all with the intent of delivering a world class sports car that is a good as it can be.

The plant will not release a car until it is ready to be released. The designers aren't going to skimp or shortcut anything. There is far too much riding on the success of this car. I know a great deal about what went in to the process of bringing this car to life and I know a lot about what was (and is) done to prove it out. It will be worth the wait.

Let the process work. I saw a post yesterday where someone was expecting weekly updates on what was going on. Yeah, that could happen. Why we think as owners we are entitled to things makes me chuckle at times. They know we want the car and they know we want it now. Fortunately they also know that owners and fans alike can become an angry mob when something isn't "just right".

Let's let them get it "just right" and everything ends well.


Paul

Glenmcp

They are machines built by humans. They are not perfect. There are, unfortunately, recalls with many makes and models every year. This is not an excuse, just part of life.

SkyTopp

First year cars are always loaded with bugs and in need for improved parts where problems are found, just the nature of the beast. This is why you see them driving them around now its a big final shake down before they get into consumers hands. Dave Hill put it best when he delayed C5 production for start up defects I quote "The customer once he has a good car will soon forget the extra time he waited for it, but if we rush the process and give him a bad car he will never forget it."

$$$frumnuttin'

As an Automotive Engineer myself, I totally agree. If the public knew and understood how complicated an automobile is, and how all the 'systems' have to work together, in all kinds of weather and other nasty environmental conditions they would really be amazed at final achievement....not to mention the huge number of fasteners in highly stressed joints that have to be proven out for reliability and durability.....and this has to be extrapolated out to the full life of the vehicle. Add to the equation, the ME, I WANT IT NOW attitude so prevalent today, and you end up with so much impatience, it boggles the mind. It's not like GM is building bicycles, where new technology is only 3 months away from production.

BPhillyc8

I agree with "elegant". I too want my car asap, but the fact is I want my car "right". Nobody wants to head back to the shop for tweaks and recalls (I went through that with my Benz). I am very much looking forward to taking delivery of the car when the time is right.

GM wants these cars out there asap in order to take advantage of the great reviews and recent press. They also want the revenue stream as badly as we want our car.

Kudos to GM for not rushing through something that hasn't been properly QC'ed. We all want a World Class Car and I know how passionate CF members are. It's a great community. I am confident it will be worth the wait.

george vee

I put my deposit down in Feb and was told the C7 will be built late Aug or early Sept. Looks to me like they are on schedule and if not I'm ok with that.

OnPoint

I would rather the folks at Bowling Green take the time to make sure the 7 and everything associated with it is right prior to it being released.

Sin City

Let them build it right first. Delays don't bother me any. Get it right first and all will be forgiven.

I also don't think this car is behind schedule at all. You're going to have ramp ups and issues no matter how clever you think you are.

usroute66 MKW

This should be a sticky at the top of this C7 section.

BPhillyc8

"You never get a second chance to make a first impression"

Zymurgy

Do you think we can get GM to also delay the onset of winter? I really want to do my museum delivery in the fall, not winter.

Snorman

Don't forget the "frame problem" rumor that JoesC5 has alluded to in this very section...
S.

-CM-

Right. Recall that back in June, this emerged, catching a C7 on the road to Mt. Evans.

speedlink

I couldn't agree more. We are still within the original time lines. Let GM get it right. Can you imagine the storm if they rolled out a defective product now?
We still will see the car that has been promised within the time line that was originally planned. It will be worth the wait.

ANTIVNOM

All I see is that GM is sweating the details and working hard to make sure every car that goes out is perfect. A bit of a delay is expected and not something that bothers me.