cg02175

My new C7 was delivered to my home last week. Shortly after pulling it in the garage I noticed an impression (low spot) about the size of a quarter in the carbon fiber roof panel.

I bought my car out of state from Les Stanford Chevrolet (Dennis Tap), and I reach out to them immediately. I was advised to take the roof to panel to my local dealer and have them examine it. My local dealer identified the issue as a factory defect. They first offered to fill in the low spot with using primer and then refinish the top on my brand new C7 with 14 miles. I told them that is not going to happen and requested a new painted roof panel from GM. They refused, but did offer to order a new raw carbon fiber top and repaint the new top at their dealership.

I ask them if they use the same paint brand and paint method as the factory, and the body shop manager told me the paint they use is GM approved but probably not the same brand of paint they use in bowling green (same story on the clear coat). He also said he is confident the paint match will be close, but he didn't seem too confident it would be just exactly like the rest of the car because the paint method is different (robot versus paint gun and different brand of paint). Dennis Tap/Les Stanford also offered the same solution order, new raw carbon fiber top and paint at dealership.

I told all parties I think it would only be right to get me a new carbon fiber top painted from GM. They said GM does offer a new color matching roof panel, but it cost over $5,000 and they will only order a raw CF hood and paint it themselves.

I again told them I will only be satisfied with a color matching roof panel from GM. They are still refusing to get me a new color matching panel, so I had to resort to reaching out to my lawyer this morning. I am waiting to hear back from him on the next move.

I also contacted GM customer service; however, they pretty much always direct me back to the dealer.

Zymurgy

A good body shop can match the paint. IMO you are going off the deep end. Just don't accept the replacement top until you are satisfied with the paint match (and tell them upfront that is what you are going to do).

cg02175

Maybe they can match the paint, but this issues goes deeper than that. This is $60,000 plus car and GM quality control either missed the obvious defect or didn't care enough to make it right before leaving Bowling Green. In addition, this issue should have been identifed at the dealership during the pre-delivery inspection. If you look at a PDI form it specifically prompts the dealership to look at the roof panel for damage.

It is unbelievable that my car is brand new and needs paint and body work. How messed up is that? The dealership should do the right thing and order me a GM painted roof panel free from defects.

Kracka

Agreed. A good body shop will have no problem matching the paint color and quality.

Something like this is not at the dealer's discretion, it comes down from corporate since its a warranty claim. You need to get the regional rep/GM corporate to see things from your side if you want more than the dealership can offer.

Zymurgy

And if during the PDI they found the problem, they might have fixed it per your dealer's original suggestion and you may never have known. Cars do get damaged in transit, and dealers do repair them. It happens. Your $5000 painted replacement is not going to happen. Even in that case, the color may not match - different paint lots. Having a new "raw" roof color matched by a good painter may actually be your better solution.

Kracka

Keep in mind, I am about as **** as it comes with my cars, but I just don't understand, they've offered him a brand new roof panel already. Allow them to correct it under warranty and move on; these are cars, not priceless works of art. A few rock chips later and you'll forget all about it not being factory paint.

Modshack

This..

laborsmith

LaFerrari is $1.2 million and I am sure when customer copies are delivered someone will notice a similar defect. I post because I am reminded of a joke: how can you tell a replica Ferrari from a clone? In the replica everything works.

I think the original poster should have held out for a LaFerrari, that way the defect would be proof he had an original not a clone.

Laborsmith

$$$frumnuttin'

....just give them a chance to fix it...you don't have to accept it as others have pointed out. Or, require that they let you keep the bad one too, so you can have it as a spare or sell it as compensation for your troubles.

EasyElliott

You remind me of a customer I had many years ago that want a replacement car due to a small nick on the edge of the door. I touched it up and he finally took delivery, letting me know he was going to sue us.

He hired an expensive attorney and we finally went to court. When the jury saw the repair, before and after pictures, a number were actually holding in their laughs.

He got nothing and we countered sued for legal expense and won.

You are not being reasonable and even a Farrari has minor damages some times on delivery.

We use to have a word for a customer like you, but I guess you know what you are.

Glen e

In addition, if the dealers busts his *** to get this right, don't burn him on the survey. GM does not get any pain by you giving everyone bad marks, just the dealer, it cost him Big $$$ in programs from GM, and he did not make the car....nor the defect.

DAFFYDRUNK

Replacement roof panels seriously cost $5k? Dropping one sounds prohibitively expensive. How much for the transparent one? Can you get a transparent "crash panel" like you can with the C6? Then move the hardware over to it? Thought those were under $1k...

bbrown450

I have to tell you my friend though you have the right to deal with this with any level of emotion, and it might seem like an appropriate response to grab a lawyer to resolve it there is a big chance (GM) will cease all communication with you in order to limit their liability.
With GM you get more flies with honey, give them the chance to do the right thing, get with customer support on here and let them get the regional MGR. involved.
I know from which I speak. Good luck my friend

NavyDoc2007

Agreed. To expect a perfect car for $60,000 just isn't going to happen. Check out a Mercedes Benz lot and take a look at their paint jobs these days... A good body shop will give you a better paint job than any robot at the assembly plant. Just let the dealer take care of it and then enjoy driving the car

cg02175

The bottom line is that I bought a new car that now needs paint/body work done to correct the problem. It is easy to comment on how even exotic cars (i.e. Ferrari) also sometimes come with damage, but that doesn't make it acceptable for lesser price cars to be shipped with factory issues. Also, this issue was not caused during shipment, and even my local dealership said it was a manufacturing defect.

The reality of it is that many of you guys would also be doing all you could to get this issue corrected if you received your car with an obvious factory defect. I still think the right thing to do would be for GM to send me a new factory painted roof top, rather than what they have offered.

cg02175

Thanks for the reply. I have contacted GM customer service and they pretty much always refer me back to the dealer. The last two times I have called GM customer service, I got a call center in the Phillipines, and I had to try really hard just to understand the CS rep. Our goverment bailed them out, and they source their customer service out overseas.

basacowan

Like others have said let the dealer fix as proposed. When you look for whatever slight if any difference between the top and bottom chances are you won't be able to tell. Today's body shops can deliver a far superior paint job than the factory. As a matter of fact you'll probably be upset that the top will look much better than the rest if the car.

onyx_z71

I had a similar experience my front fender had a couple small "divots" under the paint which looked like a sander turned on edge. Easiest way to see it was from the driver's seat with the sun on it. I didn't notice it until the car had 500 miles on it, and as much as I really wanted a painted fender from the factory, the dealer repaired it, and it looks fine.

Give them a shot at repairing it the way they want to, and you will probably be satisfied. If it were me, I would have them repair the one on the car before I would have them re-bond a new panel to your roof frame.

Translator

Or, you can always ask GM to give you an exposed carbon fiber roof upgrade; especially being that the current one has a factory flaw on it. Then no painting necessary, and no worrying about it matching.

LIE2ME

Same here. My AW vert was delivered with about a 1" stress crack at the top of the driver's door. I took the car (under warranty) to the dealer approved auto body shop and not only did the repair come out absolutely perfect, the body shop actually installed an internal retainer along the top of the door to strengthen the preexisting composite panel to keep the door from ever cracking again (I actually wish he'd done the other side as well). Oh, and the new paint and clear on the driver's door makes that door the prettiest panel on the car, far superior to the original factory paint. Perfectly smooth, deep clear shine, Not a lick of orange peel..

Bottom line, get the new roof and let the dealer paint it. It will be fine...