My car is on the slowest train in history!

Rdd3 · 12-26-2013, 05:12 PM

After a long wait, my car really flew through production once it got to 3000. It was built and shipped on 12/16 and I thought I'd be getting a nice Christmas present (after originally planning on not seeing it until mid-January).

Unfortunately, cars coming to Washington state ship by rail. So my car spent 2-3 days being trucked to Toledo (which is about a 6 hour drive, but oh well), and then got loaded onto a train heading West. When it got loaded on to the train, I thought, OK, now its got to be here in a few days. I mean, how long could it possibly take a train to get half way across country? Well, the answer is 8 days so far and no end in sight (there was a rumor that it had made it all the way to Wyoming as of Monday)!

And once it gets "here" (a rail depot in Kent, WA), it still has to get offloaded and trucked to my dealer. Who knows how long that will take. And then they have to prep it. So best case we're looking at close to three weeks from "shipped" to in my driveway. In contrast, a forum member in Texas had his car built and shipped the day after mine and he was driving it two days later. So the moral of the story is, depending on where you live (and potentially some other factors outside of your control), Chevy may very well save a few pennies and take their sweet time getting your car to you. Just throwing that out there so someone else doesn't end up nail-biting based on unrealistic expectations of how long it might take.

Now I'm hoping to see it by New Year's, but I'm not holding my breath (OK, I kind of am - I am ridiculously excited about getting this car).

laborsmith · 12-26-2013, 07:18 PM

Interesting post and enlightening.

Chevy maintains shipping Corvettes by rail is cost effective, but at what cost?

In the years and months before this month Corvettes have shipped by truck. Shipping was objective and predictable. Using railcars to transport Corvettes is demeaning to future Corvette enthusiasts and I truly hope Chevy recognizes the error of this decision before Corvette's reputation is destroyed.

My opinion: using railcars to ship a Corvette from the factory to the dealer is stupid, small minded, and only deserving of hostility.

That is my opinion and any one disagreeing should so post.

Kelly Jean, please pass this opinion on unless more posts favor using rail than not.

Laborsmith

Rdd3 · 12-26-2013, 09:17 PM

I think you hit the nail on the head with the "Corvette enthusiasts" remark. I can certainly understand that at some point when the early adopters (the enthusiasts) who have been waiting and waiting finally get their cars, and the dealers all have as many in inventory as they need, then the process shifts to just building cars for dealer inventory, and nobody really cares if it's a few days or a few weeks at that point (it's more about GM shaving a few pennies).

But I've been waiting 6 months for my car (I bought one of the few remaining allocations in my state in June). I consider myself an enthusiast and a relatively early adopter. Adding three weeks by making a change like this right now is kind of a kick in the balls, in my opinion.

Maybe if I was buying a Chevy Cruze I wouldn't mind. But dropping almost $70k on a new Corvette, I expect better. I bought a custom order Audi S5 a couple of years ago and it didn't take this long to get here from the time they shipped it FROM GERMANY (I think it was 16 days, and that was going across the Atlantic on a ship, then trucked from Texas).

Also, it's not just that it takes a crazy amount of time, it's also completely unpredictable. My dealer has been checking in every day and literally has no indication of when it might show up.

I'm sure I'll love the car so much after I get it that I'll stop whining about this.

Rdd3 · 12-28-2013, 02:19 PM

Checked in today. 12 days in transit so far, dealer has no idea when it will get here.

I can just picture the conversation between GM and the shipper. "How do you want to ship that" "the absolute cheapest possible way, it's already sold so we don't give a shit how long it takes" "do you want to spring for the tracking option?" "Are you kidding, why do I care when it gets there!".

OK, done ranting for today.

laborsmith · 12-28-2013, 06:14 PM

Once the vehicle is turned over to the shipper (4200) Chevy has given up control. Yes, there are exceptions: the whole process from 1100 to 6000 is filled with exceptions, but basically everything after 4200 is shipper responsibility.

I did not look back, but if your order is heading toward your dealer by train than it is even worse. Abominably worse. I have no words to describe how "worse" but suffice it to say Chevy has sold Corvette enthusiasts out (hung out to dry, so to speak) by using rail autocar to ship Corvettes. (My opinion, of course, but believe me facts will not change it.)

As I have not made my position clear: using rail to move a Corvette from Bowling Green to any continental state is is wrong and each member of the Corvette enthusiast community who agrees should do what they can to let Chevy now how they feel.

My second rant on this subject in one week but I personally feel I am right.

Laborsmith

1stcorvette · 12-28-2013, 06:39 PM

https://www.google.com/url?ct=abg&q=...aYe3H1C2dcX1gA
Don't know if this come thru or not, but it was the ad that followed Laborsmith's opinion

Rdd3 · 12-30-2013, 12:32 PM

Well, this story just keeps getting worse. From my dealer:

"The latest update we have us that your car is with the shipper in Kent. It has not yet been released to GM yet but that is the next step. Once it is released from the shipper it will be taken to the port where GM arranges final shipment to us. They could not give us a time frame but as soon as it is released to the port I can red flag the vehicle for expedited shipping to us. In my experience It could still be a few weeks."

So we could be talking about 6 weeks from "shipped" by GM to in my driveway. And 3 of those weeks the car is less than 100 miles from my house. I am NOT happy with GM.

T_Bone · 12-30-2013, 01:04 PM

Wow man that's a rough story. Sorry to hear about your torture.

Bolt-onC6 · 12-30-2013, 02:04 PM

Not sure I would like the loading and unloading so much. Lot of dents the dealer will have to repair. And imagine how many times that engine has been started cold and not allowed to warm. Might have a gallon of water in the crank case when you finally get it. Perhaps an exaggeration but still something to consider.

laborsmith · 12-30-2013, 02:29 PM

GM ships thousands of vehicles by train with very few reports of the kind mentioned.

On the other hand, a rail auto car might stay at a switching yard for weeks on end. Waiting. Barely moving. Some days not moving at all.

Laborsmith

Rdd3 · 12-30-2013, 04:50 PM

Yeah, this whole thing is crazy. I halfway understand GM trying to save a few pennies at my expense by shipping by rail, even with all the extra times the car gets handled, the delays, and the lack of tracking. I mean, I've already committed to buy the car, so what do they care how long I have to wait if they can make a few more pennies.

But now the car is 30 miles from my house, and it's back in GM's possession, and they're still going to take 3 weeks to get it to my dealer, and that's if they expedite it? Good lord.

laborsmith · 12-30-2013, 05:16 PM

How did it get back in the possession of GM?

As far as I know, the only time that happens is when there is a significant QC issue, and if that is the case, I would be happy rather than taking a chance on a dealer tech to make the repair.

Laborsmith

Rdd3 · 12-30-2013, 05:56 PM

I was just making the point that it was back in GM's control in terms of the transport. GM consigned it to the shipper in Toledo and they take possession back from the shipper in Kent, WA, so they can truck it to the port and then get it to the dealer (from the rail offload to the dealer, via the port in my case, is still GM transport).

laborsmith · 12-30-2013, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rdd3

I was just making the point that it was back in GM's control in terms of the transport. GM consigned it to the shipper in Toledo and they take possession back from the shipper in Kent, WA, so they can truck it to the port and then get it to the dealer (from the rail offload to the dealer, via the port in my case, is still GM transport).

New on me. GM has in the past not retaken control unless there is a QC problem.

But I do not know everything.

Laborsmith

12-26-2013, 05:12 PM	#1
Rdd3 Drives: 2014 Corvette Z51 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: United States Posts: 24	My car is on the slowest train in history! After a long wait, my car really flew through production once it got to 3000. It was built and shipped on 12/16 and I thought I'd be getting a nice Christmas present (after originally planning on not seeing it until mid-January). Unfortunately, cars coming to Washington state ship by rail. So my car spent 2-3 days being trucked to Toledo (which is about a 6 hour drive, but oh well), and then got loaded onto a train heading West. When it got loaded on to the train, I thought, OK, now its got to be here in a few days. I mean, how long could it possibly take a train to get half way across country? Well, the answer is 8 days so far and no end in sight (there was a rumor that it had made it all the way to Wyoming as of Monday)! And once it gets "here" (a rail depot in Kent, WA), it still has to get offloaded and trucked to my dealer. Who knows how long that will take. And then they have to prep it. So best case we're looking at close to three weeks from "shipped" to in my driveway. In contrast, a forum member in Texas had his car built and shipped the day after mine and he was driving it two days later. So the moral of the story is, depending on where you live (and potentially some other factors outside of your control), Chevy may very well save a few pennies and take their sweet time getting your car to you. Just throwing that out there so someone else doesn't end up nail-biting based on unrealistic expectations of how long it might take. Now I'm hoping to see it by New Year's, but I'm not holding my breath (OK, I kind of am - I am ridiculously excited about getting this car).

12-26-2013, 07:18 PM	#2
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	Interesting post and enlightening. Chevy maintains shipping Corvettes by rail is cost effective, but at what cost? In the years and months before this month Corvettes have shipped by truck. Shipping was objective and predictable. Using railcars to transport Corvettes is demeaning to future Corvette enthusiasts and I truly hope Chevy recognizes the error of this decision before Corvette's reputation is destroyed. My opinion: using railcars to ship a Corvette from the factory to the dealer is stupid, small minded, and only deserving of hostility. That is my opinion and any one disagreeing should so post. Kelly Jean, please pass this opinion on unless more posts favor using rail than not. Laborsmith

12-26-2013, 09:17 PM	#3
Rdd3 Drives: 2014 Corvette Z51 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: United States Posts: 24	I think you hit the nail on the head with the "Corvette enthusiasts" remark. I can certainly understand that at some point when the early adopters (the enthusiasts) who have been waiting and waiting finally get their cars, and the dealers all have as many in inventory as they need, then the process shifts to just building cars for dealer inventory, and nobody really cares if it's a few days or a few weeks at that point (it's more about GM shaving a few pennies). But I've been waiting 6 months for my car (I bought one of the few remaining allocations in my state in June). I consider myself an enthusiast and a relatively early adopter. Adding three weeks by making a change like this right now is kind of a kick in the balls, in my opinion. Maybe if I was buying a Chevy Cruze I wouldn't mind. But dropping almost $70k on a new Corvette, I expect better. I bought a custom order Audi S5 a couple of years ago and it didn't take this long to get here from the time they shipped it FROM GERMANY (I think it was 16 days, and that was going across the Atlantic on a ship, then trucked from Texas). Also, it's not just that it takes a crazy amount of time, it's also completely unpredictable. My dealer has been checking in every day and literally has no indication of when it might show up. I'm sure I'll love the car so much after I get it that I'll stop whining about this.

12-28-2013, 02:19 PM	#4
Rdd3 Drives: 2014 Corvette Z51 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: United States Posts: 24	Checked in today. 12 days in transit so far, dealer has no idea when it will get here. I can just picture the conversation between GM and the shipper. "How do you want to ship that" "the absolute cheapest possible way, it's already sold so we don't give a shit how long it takes" "do you want to spring for the tracking option?" "Are you kidding, why do I care when it gets there!". OK, done ranting for today.

12-28-2013, 06:14 PM	#5
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	Once the vehicle is turned over to the shipper (4200) Chevy has given up control. Yes, there are exceptions: the whole process from 1100 to 6000 is filled with exceptions, but basically everything after 4200 is shipper responsibility. I did not look back, but if your order is heading toward your dealer by train than it is even worse. Abominably worse. I have no words to describe how "worse" but suffice it to say Chevy has sold Corvette enthusiasts out (hung out to dry, so to speak) by using rail autocar to ship Corvettes. (My opinion, of course, but believe me facts will not change it.) As I have not made my position clear: using rail to move a Corvette from Bowling Green to any continental state is is wrong and each member of the Corvette enthusiast community who agrees should do what they can to let Chevy now how they feel. My second rant on this subject in one week but I personally feel I am right. Laborsmith

12-28-2013, 06:39 PM	#6
1stcorvette Drives: None at present Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC Posts: 90	https://www.google.com/url?ct=abg&q=...aYe3H1C2dcX1gA Don't know if this come thru or not, but it was the ad that followed Laborsmith's opinion

12-30-2013, 12:32 PM	#7
Rdd3 Drives: 2014 Corvette Z51 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: United States Posts: 24	Well, this story just keeps getting worse. From my dealer: "The latest update we have us that your car is with the shipper in Kent. It has not yet been released to GM yet but that is the next step. Once it is released from the shipper it will be taken to the port where GM arranges final shipment to us. They could not give us a time frame but as soon as it is released to the port I can red flag the vehicle for expedited shipping to us. In my experience It could still be a few weeks." So we could be talking about 6 weeks from "shipped" by GM to in my driveway. And 3 of those weeks the car is less than 100 miles from my house. I am NOT happy with GM.

12-30-2013, 01:04 PM	#8
T_Bone Drives: Waiting Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Gulf Coast of Florida Posts: 22	Wow man that's a rough story. Sorry to hear about your torture.

12-30-2013, 02:04 PM	#9
Bolt-onC6 Drives: 2017 Corvette Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 258	Not sure I would like the loading and unloading so much. Lot of dents the dealer will have to repair. And imagine how many times that engine has been started cold and not allowed to warm. Might have a gallon of water in the crank case when you finally get it. Perhaps an exaggeration but still something to consider.

12-30-2013, 02:29 PM	#10
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	GM ships thousands of vehicles by train with very few reports of the kind mentioned. On the other hand, a rail auto car might stay at a switching yard for weeks on end. Waiting. Barely moving. Some days not moving at all. Laborsmith

12-30-2013, 04:50 PM	#11
Rdd3 Drives: 2014 Corvette Z51 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: United States Posts: 24	Yeah, this whole thing is crazy. I halfway understand GM trying to save a few pennies at my expense by shipping by rail, even with all the extra times the car gets handled, the delays, and the lack of tracking. I mean, I've already committed to buy the car, so what do they care how long I have to wait if they can make a few more pennies. But now the car is 30 miles from my house, and it's back in GM's possession, and they're still going to take 3 weeks to get it to my dealer, and that's if they expedite it? Good lord.

12-30-2013, 05:16 PM	#12
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	How did it get back in the possession of GM? As far as I know, the only time that happens is when there is a significant QC issue, and if that is the case, I would be happy rather than taking a chance on a dealer tech to make the repair. Laborsmith

12-30-2013, 05:56 PM	#13
Rdd3 Drives: 2014 Corvette Z51 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: United States Posts: 24	I was just making the point that it was back in GM's control in terms of the transport. GM consigned it to the shipper in Toledo and they take possession back from the shipper in Kent, WA, so they can truck it to the port and then get it to the dealer (from the rail offload to the dealer, via the port in my case, is still GM transport).