dr4carz

Wouldn't it be nice if Gm could sent electronic updates on special order vehicles via email? I mean that would save so much time and frustration for all who have an order placed. Please post your comments.

rcooper

That would require caring on GM's part, also a fair amount of time,which is money. I don't think that will ever happen, although it would be nice.

Glen e

GM won't do it as you are the dealers customer , not GM'S. A good dealer would email you every Monday or set up a website with your name order #and status like Coughlin and other forum dealers do....


I have long been a proponent of telling the sales manager at time of order you want the code every Monday, or the delivery survey will not be 100% like he wants it to be. It costs him huge dollars if you give him anything less.....

blackmagicZ

Why not do it like UPS or FedX? Slap a UPC code sticker on each car. Then it can be scanned at each stop. Then they would know where the cars are at any given time. If UPS and FedX can keep track of hundreds of thousands of packages on a daily basis, and we can track the package by going to their websites, then GM should be able to track a few thousand cars.

laborsmith

Could automatic updates be done? That is what GMConnects (volunteer staffed and put to death at the hand of GM) used to do. Glen is right, this is something your dealer could do, after you have trained them.

I don't think anyone could have been more adamant about getting updates than I, as both John Trotto and John Weber of the Chevy dealership located in Sterling Heights could attest. But I would prefer the way GMConnects did it and see no valid reason why such updates could not resume.

Laborsmith

wkidvette

It would be nice if GM offered this service!!

Vetteman Jack

Not a bad idea at all. Do a mass upload at the end of each day and have that accessible by the buyers through a code provided by the selling dealer.

blackmagicZ

All they need is a hand held scanner like UPS and FedX uses. The information is transmitted instantly to the home office. I've tracked packages at the UPS site and can see every movement that thing made from the time it's picked up to the time it's delivered.

ZL-1

If customers could track their ordered car precisely it would be a nightmare for GM. Every car that didn't pass inspection and had to be held for repair would require an explanation. In the case of part shortages or problems sometimes cars are moved to the back lot awaiting completion. GM doesn't want to have to explain each little delay, better to keep such information quiet.

blackmagicZ

It would be better than the system they use now. Even the tracking service on this forum has it's limits. Marissa said it herself, once the car reaches event code 4200, they can no longer track it. GM doesn't explain anything anyway. So they wouldn't need to with a better tracking service. If UPS doesn't deliver my package in the three days they said they would, they don't say why it's late. All that people are interested in is the event code their car is at. If it gets held up for some reason when scanned, the reason can be listed as well. A persons car might be held up because the guy on the assembly line has to take a dump. Now wouldn't you want to know that? And wouldn't you want to know they washed their hands after?

laborsmith

Handheld transmitters are already used. Ask your dealer for the complete status change print out, it will be two plus pages and you will be amazed at the number of times a check occurs.

The problem with tracking after 4200 is that is one of the status levels used to indicate the vehicle has been turned over to dispatch. The dispatcher is not GM and if one wonders to whom the destination fee goes, think: dispatch.

It is already possible to assess there may be a problem: once one stays at 4B00 more than two or three days, quality hold has likely come into play. Now that does not necessarily say there is a problem because Chevrolet will not say. I do not recall officially saying the first few weeks of C7 production with a roof option other than the transparent went to Nashville due to a CF (either painted or exposed) problem, but a quick look at constraints from then to now is revealing.

Laborsmith

blackmagicZ

Dose anybody know if there is any other car out there that people want to track as much as a Corvette? I'm sure there's others, but I doubt that it's anything like this.

laborsmith

For Chevrolet, the Camaro comes to mind but do not know how to accurately check.

We learned how to track rail cars from a Mustang forum.

Laborsmith

Runnn

Exactly! GM opens themselves up to a myriad of issues by doing this, and their attorneys will not agree to it... plain and simple.

Having worked for two different auto mfgs for almost 15 years (previous life) I can tell you that eventually the consumer WILL be able to order DIRECT from the mfg, and that's when the current "game" will change... just a matter of time.

blackmagicZ

I'm not suggesting we should be able to track every movement our car would make, like did it get to the paint booth, is the dash installed, are the wheels balanced yet, ect. We would like an idea where the car is after the major events take place. Although, if GM could provide a video of our cars from start to finish. Wow that would be cool.

John Ulrich

GM's response as well as mine would be....Buy one off the lot and have it "now" if you're not happy with the current system.

blackmagicZ

Good idea. Then go to the parts department and buy what didn't come on the car that was in inventory to personalize your ride.

bob guzzy

When my dealer learns something about my car he sends me an email, I'm happy with that.

Glen e

BMW once set up cams showing the line in South Carolina, they discontinued it as customers saw a high problem every time line slowed or stopped....

And I disagree with mfrs going direct, deLers pay huge taxes and somebody's gotta sell the slow stuff along with the hot stuff

talon90

GM does have online order tracking available for major events in the production cycle of the vehicle. It was off-line for a bit during the crush of the start-up and ramp up of production but it is back online.

http://www.chevrolet.com/order-tracking.html

It will at least take you through the following Event Status Codes in the cycle from Order placed (1100), Queued for Production (3000), Production Complete (3800), Order Shipped or En Route (4200) and Order at Dealership (5000).

All you need is a valid order number and the State that your dealership is in to check.