ahesq

Check out and measure your driver's door gaps and compare to your passenger's door.

My driver's door gaps (the space/gap between the door edge and the fender) are an even 3/16 inch for both the front hinge and back latch. PERFECT!

On the other hand, my passenger door has a wide gap at the front hinge (more than a 1/4 inch), and almost no gap at all the rear edge.

I noticed this on virtually all dealer inventory and internet photos as well. From photos, it is more noticeable in lighter colors.

I am having my passenger door adjusted 1/16 inch forward to make it even all around, but in so doing, the rear striker may need to have a spacer inserted to latch properly.

Weird.

Anyone else notice this issue?

VETJAZZ

I had the opposite problem. Passenger door was too close to the fender and was rubbing when opening the door.

Zymurgy

Mine measure 4mm (roughly 3/16 in) on my digital calipers both front and rear.

ahesq

Dealer adjusted the door today. Took all of 30 minutes.

Now it is perfect.

Hard to believe even with mass production line, most passenger doors I've seen actually were exactly like mine.

While I was waiting, I toured the dealer's lot which had about 15 C-7's on it.

Most of them needed my adjustment.

Keep in mind - This is not a cost issue, but to me it is a HUGH P.R. issue with GM's build quality.

I would never let a 100% cost free fix create such a caustic reputation on my company product's build quality.

Software issues with outside vendors in first year builds? I can understand that.

But something as simple and as stupid as this?

Hope someone at GM is listening.

Thanks for your message.

KenHorse

The problem my car has is the driver's door bottom is inset about 3/16" from the rocker panel and an adjustment didn't fix it

vetteship

These are "acceptable" tolerances for the factory to release the car with. Sucks I know but ,.., it's no Aston

e6fmf

Same with hood alignment. Left or Right side has 1/4 or more gap. Dealer says 3 pennies is acceptable.

gthal

Looked at mine this morning and the gaps are are good. I found the panel gaps everywhere on my C7 to very good... I specifically paid attention to that when I picked up the car.

kp

My pass door is like that, If I tried to adjust it out, or the fender in, it will rub higher up. Its very close to rubbing in the middle right now when opening. The contour of the fender doesnt exactly match the door.

CRABBYJ

The same is true with my C7. All gaps appear perfect. And I was very critical of this before I purchased mine from stock at a Dealer.

My '05 C6, a very early build (#117X), had a similar gap problem with the driver's door. The front seem gap was slightly wider than the rear seem The driver's side rear seem measured the same as both passenger door seem gaps. I saw the same issue on many other early build '05 C6s.

At the April, 2005 C5-C6 Bash in BG I brought this issue up with plant personnel and they measured my gaps. The said they were in tolerance but if I was unhappy my dealer could adjust the gap either moving the driver's door or driver's side front fender. I never bothered.

travisnd

The inset at the bottom of the door is by design. It's been discussed in other threads. Apparently it helps with wind noise and air intrusion.

KenHorse

Funny....took my car to my local dealer to have a look and they didn't have a clue

Thanks for the heads up.

Here's the thread

travisnd

bluestreak63

But like ahesq reported some tolerances can be adjusted by your dealer....

If they took the time to get all the gaps right at the factory, some wouldn't receive their C7's for over a year. Think of the outcry on that one...

BigJoe

Catches all kind of dirt and grit on the little "shelf" under the doors. Both sides. Apparently by design (see post 11) but regardless it is a PITA to keep clean.

Diesel88

I will have to friendly disagree with that part. Only because in the Motor Trend special edition Corvette stingray magazine GM says different. In the assembly/plant tour section they have a picture of a plant worker using something to check the door gaps. In caption it says, "Panels are carefully gapped, so a $52,000 Corvette looks far more expensive". You should not point out how much detail goes into the door gap and have this many issues. There are other sections they point out in the magazine that are very interesting to read. Guess they only inspect every few cars with that special eye.

kp

Then why is my is my drivers door lined up fine? If you are talking by the sill plate/rocker being inset thats true, I'm talking about the large body line a few inches up from the bottom edge. The drivers side lines up with the fender and the pass side isnt even close.

travisnd

10-4... I'm talking about the rocker panel vs. bottom edge of the door.

kp

No problem, just by looking you can see the bottom edge of the door is supposed to be like that, no way you could move it out enough to take that out

This is what I'm talking about, my guess is is its a compromise, if I did move the botton of the door out a little I bet it would catch when opening somewhere. The fender cant really be moved in any more, its as far as it can go. I'm not going to fool with it, no wind noise, door closes well and I dont see that side often.

Not really a big deal, except the drivers side lines up almost perfect. Just something I noticed after washing it the first time..

travisnd

You should be able to fix that... if the hinges on the C7 are similar to the C5/C6. It can be tricky to get it right by yourself. Having a 2nd set of hands is a big help. You can loosed the four bolts that go into the door shell and rotate the door a bit. I'm not sure of the attachment points on the fender of the C7 but it sounds like you know your stuff. On the C5 there's one attachment bolt in the center back of the fender that you have to get at from the wheel well with a long extension. This controls how much the fender "bows out".