Nashville Holding Site and Quality Checks

laborsmith · 10-05-2013, 01:29 PM

I started this thread to look at bnail40's concern but not in the ordering/status change section and hope this is not considered to be calling anyone out. In another thread, bnail40 posted this:

Would you believe? I just received an "update" from faq@chevrolet.com. They say, (form letter), that there is no change in the status of 1252 since their last report 15 days ago on September 20th: "The car is still in Nashville undergoing final QC checks"? Do you believe that? i.e., they would release a car from BG without doing final QC checks? This form letter is a perfect example of incompetence and customer care-less attitude.
All I am asking for is a straight-forward, informative, correct answer which they are unwilling to provide. Provided that, I don't mind waiting. A final irony .... I not only put down a down payment, with the exception of LPOs my car is completely paid for!. Can't believe I did that!

Yes I do believe the "update." A few weeks ago several dozen truck car haulers moved a few hundred newly built C7 Stingrays to the truck haulers holding lot in Nashville. After several days reports that these were moved for Quality Hold reasons were affirmed. Most but not all had either painted CF or exposed CF roofs. In addition, a large number had the Z51 performance option.

In the last few days many of these have been transported to their ordering dealers. I suspect the removable CF roofs needed some sort of reinforcement. Corvette has used carbon fiber roofs in the fixed roof products and I suspect the stress of a removable roof took some time to make itself known. One reason I suspect the CF roof as a cause is the P. E. are now being made with the transparent roof and not the exposed CF roof. A more important reason is dealers were told that had to order the transparent roof for their dealer stock orders.

What the Z51 option had to do with this I do not know, I just know some of the builds taken to Nashville had the transparent roof alone and had the Z51 option.

Chevy in the past has never provided straight forward answers and only under duress confirmed what any observer has figured out. I agree Chevy could be more informative, and maybe someday in the future will be, but it has not in the past and is not in the present.

Laborsmith

bnall40 · 10-05-2013, 09:20 PM

Hats off to you Sir for explaining the unexplainable, and your answer is appreciated. ... Still, one has to wonder, if the CF roofs are weak why not just send a truck load of sound roofs to replace the weak ones? Easy. I have read that some of the exposed CF roofs did not present an acceptable appearance and were kicked out by QC. Painted CF were not a problem. The strength issue is new to me, but, if there are problems it is right to stop and fix. In my case the roof is, or should be, painted. The car is also to be a Z51.
The larger problem though is customer relations and lack of professional service. Trust me on this. I have owned many foreign and domestic cars - (mostly GM domestic), going back to a new 1956 Bel Air HT small block with power pack. WOW! Once GM was "The Best in the world" ... no longer! They are easy meat for the foreign manufacturers because GM and other domestic builders are indifferent, arrogant, and offer poor service by comparison. On the other hand, it appears that the Corvette design, engineering and production team is refreshingly proactive, professional and effective! Congrats to them! Congrats also for the C7!
Did you tell someone that you were not a GM employee? It sure would be good for GM if you were. They need you! Thanks, Sam

laborsmith · 10-06-2013, 07:30 AM

Thanks for the kind words.

GM appears to be monolithic but it is not. For example: multiple computer servers that overnight all dump the days updates into one central server (that is where BeckyD gets her info) which makes it seem monolithic BUT is really several eventually leading to one.

Both body painted and exposed CF roofs were in the initial QC Hold/production constraints. I am guessing on the reason but so far nothing jumps up to say I am wrong.

Chevy is trying as far as customer service goes: the initial group of half a dozen were so overwhelmed that Chevy added an addition several, doubling that resource. But this is a new resource, has had some stumbles, but I see given a chance as meeting the very need you have identified.

Laborsmith

bnall40 · 10-06-2013, 04:06 PM

When I read that cars were being held in Nashville for QC inspections, and, ostensibly for repair, ... did not make sense. You don't repair a new high tech new car away from the line. Roofs on the other hand - a different situation. Anybody can R&R a roof. I just hope we don't have greasy Nashville shade tree mechanic prints all over. (I have had years getting to know these guys)! Z51 - that should definitely go back to BG if there is a problem. Just my 2cts!

bnall40 · 10-06-2013, 07:39 PM

LS! As our mediator ..... there are some guys on the Forum that are really unhappy! All of a sudden I feel pretty lucky? I think? Maybe?

laborsmith · 10-06-2013, 09:14 PM

I suspect we will never know for sure what was needed to bring the roofs up to snuff.

And one would think the roof would not be a proble, how long has Chevy been producing Corvettes with removable or drops tops? From inception? Yet the first year production of the C6 had to have the targa tops repaired and then the repairs repaired. What? I kid you not. Something to do with delaminating, whatever that means.

Laborsmith

bnall40 · 10-06-2013, 11:18 PM

Thanks for the roof update. Delaminating means the carbon roof layers are separating. Not good. Re: 1 shift vs 2. Heated discussion. One is best, I was wrong, especially when they are so dependent on so many suppliers. Constraints already a problem.

10-05-2013, 01:29 PM	#1
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	Nashville Holding Site and Quality Checks I started this thread to look at bnail40's concern but not in the ordering/status change section and hope this is not considered to be calling anyone out. In another thread, bnail40 posted this: Would you believe? I just received an "update" from faq@chevrolet.com. They say, (form letter), that there is no change in the status of 1252 since their last report 15 days ago on September 20th: "The car is still in Nashville undergoing final QC checks"? Do you believe that? i.e., they would release a car from BG without doing final QC checks? This form letter is a perfect example of incompetence and customer care-less attitude. All I am asking for is a straight-forward, informative, correct answer which they are unwilling to provide. Provided that, I don't mind waiting. A final irony .... I not only put down a down payment, with the exception of LPOs my car is completely paid for!. Can't believe I did that! Yes I do believe the "update." A few weeks ago several dozen truck car haulers moved a few hundred newly built C7 Stingrays to the truck haulers holding lot in Nashville. After several days reports that these were moved for Quality Hold reasons were affirmed. Most but not all had either painted CF or exposed CF roofs. In addition, a large number had the Z51 performance option. In the last few days many of these have been transported to their ordering dealers. I suspect the removable CF roofs needed some sort of reinforcement. Corvette has used carbon fiber roofs in the fixed roof products and I suspect the stress of a removable roof took some time to make itself known. One reason I suspect the CF roof as a cause is the P. E. are now being made with the transparent roof and not the exposed CF roof. A more important reason is dealers were told that had to order the transparent roof for their dealer stock orders. What the Z51 option had to do with this I do not know, I just know some of the builds taken to Nashville had the transparent roof alone and had the Z51 option. Chevy in the past has never provided straight forward answers and only under duress confirmed what any observer has figured out. I agree Chevy could be more informative, and maybe someday in the future will be, but it has not in the past and is not in the present. Laborsmith

10-05-2013, 09:20 PM	#2
bnall40 Drives: Z51 3LT, 2009 Pilot, 2012 Ody Tours Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Muscle Shoals, AL Posts: 113	Hats off to you Sir for explaining the unexplainable, and your answer is appreciated. ... Still, one has to wonder, if the CF roofs are weak why not just send a truck load of sound roofs to replace the weak ones? Easy. I have read that some of the exposed CF roofs did not present an acceptable appearance and were kicked out by QC. Painted CF were not a problem. The strength issue is new to me, but, if there are problems it is right to stop and fix. In my case the roof is, or should be, painted. The car is also to be a Z51. The larger problem though is customer relations and lack of professional service. Trust me on this. I have owned many foreign and domestic cars - (mostly GM domestic), going back to a new 1956 Bel Air HT small block with power pack. WOW! Once GM was "The Best in the world" ... no longer! They are easy meat for the foreign manufacturers because GM and other domestic builders are indifferent, arrogant, and offer poor service by comparison. On the other hand, it appears that the Corvette design, engineering and production team is refreshingly proactive, professional and effective! Congrats to them! Congrats also for the C7! Did you tell someone that you were not a GM employee? It sure would be good for GM if you were. They need you! Thanks, Sam

10-06-2013, 07:30 AM	#3
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	Thanks for the kind words. GM appears to be monolithic but it is not. For example: multiple computer servers that overnight all dump the days updates into one central server (that is where BeckyD gets her info) which makes it seem monolithic BUT is really several eventually leading to one. Both body painted and exposed CF roofs were in the initial QC Hold/production constraints. I am guessing on the reason but so far nothing jumps up to say I am wrong. Chevy is trying as far as customer service goes: the initial group of half a dozen were so overwhelmed that Chevy added an addition several, doubling that resource. But this is a new resource, has had some stumbles, but I see given a chance as meeting the very need you have identified. Laborsmith

10-06-2013, 04:06 PM	#4
bnall40 Drives: Z51 3LT, 2009 Pilot, 2012 Ody Tours Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Muscle Shoals, AL Posts: 113	When I read that cars were being held in Nashville for QC inspections, and, ostensibly for repair, ... did not make sense. You don't repair a new high tech new car away from the line. Roofs on the other hand - a different situation. Anybody can R&R a roof. I just hope we don't have greasy Nashville shade tree mechanic prints all over. (I have had years getting to know these guys)! Z51 - that should definitely go back to BG if there is a problem. Just my 2cts!

10-06-2013, 07:39 PM	#5
bnall40 Drives: Z51 3LT, 2009 Pilot, 2012 Ody Tours Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Muscle Shoals, AL Posts: 113	LS! As our mediator ..... there are some guys on the Forum that are really unhappy! All of a sudden I feel pretty lucky? I think? Maybe?

10-06-2013, 09:14 PM	#6
laborsmith Drives: 1969 Corvair, 2018 Camaro T4 RS Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Metropolitan Area Posts: 2,881	I suspect we will never know for sure what was needed to bring the roofs up to snuff. And one would think the roof would not be a proble, how long has Chevy been producing Corvettes with removable or drops tops? From inception? Yet the first year production of the C6 had to have the targa tops repaired and then the repairs repaired. What? I kid you not. Something to do with delaminating, whatever that means. Laborsmith

10-06-2013, 11:18 PM	#7
bnall40 Drives: Z51 3LT, 2009 Pilot, 2012 Ody Tours Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Muscle Shoals, AL Posts: 113	Thanks for the roof update. Delaminating means the carbon roof layers are separating. Not good. Re: 1 shift vs 2. Heated discussion. One is best, I was wrong, especially when they are so dependent on so many suppliers. Constraints already a problem.