RKCRLR

In typical GM communication style, I'm out of the loop.
The car was shipped to the dealer (who has been invoiced) but the dealer did not accept "delivery" from GM since the problem was caught during PDI.
The car was sent to an authorized GM repair facility. The repair is being handled between GM and the repair facility. My dealer asked but did not get details of the repair.
I have the option of accepting or rejecting the car once the repair is completed and the dealer accepts delivery.

JALLEN4

You are suggesting that the OP, with absolutely no experience in body work, is supposed to go down to this theoretical GM certified shop and give them the third degree about how to fix the car? Yep...that should end well!

jimmyb

^^^
Exactly. Let the body shop fix it...

JerryU

Yep, what would he do with the answers! Two years ago, because of a question CarTech's asked about a possible book, I interviewed several dealer body shops with "authorized" GM, Mercedes, BMW, Honda etc) re dealing specifically with weld repair of structural aluminum members. I had written a book for CarTech on Advanced Automotive Welding and being a Corvette buff included details of weld repair of the the C6 Z06 aluminum frame. I wrote a similar book for them after unrelated directly to automotive but included that Corvette aluminum repair info as an in selection of the proper filler metal for specific aluminum alloys including aluminum casings.

GM has very detailed, specific requirements, wire selection, welding speed, cooling between weld passes etc. They have specific procedures for the joints they authorize for repair. I visited one with the required special area and saw the other joining methods they were trained on including Flow Drill Screws, Adhesive Bonding etc. Their certified repair technician is trained in all these techniques and the proper repair procedures for body panes!

In our area there are only one authorized. The manager of a very good body shop that works on Vettes told me they will not become certified as there is not enough business to justify the special enclosed area dedicated just for the repair of aluminum. They said for frame repair they would go to the one large certified dealer in town then take the car back for body and paint.

That was the dealer body shop manager I visited and discussed their special pulsed MIG welder, special frame straightening machine etc. That shop were certified by Mecedes. GM and others accepted that training and equipment passed and to certified them as well.

Bottom Line a Certified Shop will do a good job. the OP can look at what was done and evaluate the paint, which should look like a new part.

lund pro v

you will allways know your new car has been wreaked.i am walking get in line for a 21.
when i picked up mine if it had no high wing i was walking.

b4i4getit

Thats a terrible option. He waits a year for a new car and he gets another car that has different problems. There is no perfect car. Things get damaged during assembly and delivery. That's a fact. Get it fixed and move on to enjoy the car.

JerryU

The dealer will love that foolishness! He'll get $10,000 more!

Phil1098

Considering the location I would say get it repaired, it is not a structural piece when it's a thin panel of SMC. They can paint it to the shadow line so only new paint is underneath where 3 months from now a bunch of rock chips will reside. No car is perfect, I have found flaws in mine because it's just a mass produced car. I can find a flaw in absolutely any car if I live with it.

JerryU

Yep when I recently installed my side skirts there were lots of marks on the rockers. Fortunately they are covered by the side skirts. Now the flat 3 inch wide side skirts cover the marks . I still hear the pebbles hitting but like the side skirts I added on my 2014 Z51 and the Carbon Fiber fill length side skirts with the Stage 2 Aero option on my 2017 Grand Sport they are underneath. Only an ant can see them!

I agree with you, where the defect is located he will get dings and marks just from driving. Also agree they can paint and blend on the bottom so you won't be able to tell. Yep cars get marks from driving!

ArmchairArchitect

YES. Don't forget that these are the same dealerships that leave swirl marks in brand new C8s after giving them an initial wash.

We all know your pro-dealership stance because you own one, but nice try. Due diligence should ALWAYS be performed by the consumer.

jimmyb

Please. The car isn't "wreaked" or wrecked.

JALLEN4

I'm sorry! I sometimes forget there are a very small group of people who know everything and are charged with the responsibility to teach the rest of us how to do our jobs.

z06inVB

My C6 suffered rocker damage from a parking lot accident. The rear quarter was replaced but the rocker panel which was badly damaged was repaired. I was concerned at first but honestly once completed I could not tell where the repair was and the car looked just as it did before.

A qualified shop should be able to easily make the repair properly. As for durability I put another 50k miles on the car after repair and never had an issue.

GTUnit

You don’t want the body shop blending paint into the surrounding panels if they replace it.
So many potential new problems. Not worth it at all for an area that is completely out of sight.
Repair is the way to go.

RKCRLR

Today is the day. The dealer is driving it up from the bay area and we are meeting in a parking lot in Sacramento. I probably won't be able to do more than a cursory inspection.

He told me the repair facility replaced the whole panel. He couldn't tell me if it was factory painted or the repair facility painted it.

Micster

Terrific, will be nice to put this behind you; enjoy the ride home!

Bill Dearborn

Given the normal variations in chemical mixtures, you wouldn't want a panel painted from the factory. It would never match the paint on your car. You want a panel that is painted by a person that uses the proper tools to match the color and is skilled at matching the finish.

I also think it would be difficult to get a factory painted panel given the production process. They paint all the panels on a car at once. The panels are all mounted on racks with robots programmed to paint them, they don't paint spare panels. All you have to do is watch one of the paint shop videos to see this wouldn't work.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...tail&FORM=VIRE

Bill

JerryU

^^^
As you note there are some good video's of the new paint line. The paint robots are programed to paint all the panels that are on a cart. We haven't reached Star Wars robot status where you just say, "R2D2 paint that part!"

thrilled

Never repair. Always replace

Vetteman Jack

Considering the difficulty of getting the rocker panel off the car for a replacement, I would just go with a repair.