Happy 4th, everyone!
I had a very interesting Friday with regard to my Camaro order. I've been waiting a little longer than I expected for my car, but realistically there are others who have had much more turmoil than I have had. I was growing impatient only because I've seen so many other cars delivered already! I'm going to share my long winded story here because I think there are a few interesting points that some of you may want to review.
I received the run around from my dealer who seemed to be satisfied that my car had been held for quality review in Toledo for more than 2 weeks. As I waited they received 3 other 2017 models, including 1 that was held with mine for the same quality review. They apologized for this, but it seemed there was nothing they could do to expedite the delivery. This did not sit well with me considering my dealer is 40 miles from where the car is built. It seemed very fishy that the car had been shipped to Livonia then to Toledo. At this point I got very frustrated with the response from my dealer so I went to speak with Becky at Rodger's.
Becky truly is a delight. I found a vehicle that represented a compromise to my initial order, but still had enough of the bells & whistles to make me happy. Becky also offered me a smoking deal on the car. For the sake of fairness I contacted my dealer one last time to tell them that I could not wait for my car any longer. I needed them to take action to convince me not to abandon my order.
My dealer made a phone call to an executive at GM who is very high up on the Camaro team. He personally located my car and realized that there had been an error with logistics. The car should not have been shipped to Toledo. This uncovered a systematic error that should help to alleviate this issue for future orders and improve the efficiency of deliveries. This is a very good thing for me and for future Camaro owners.
The exec also cleared up a rumor that I have read on this forum. There is no known quality issue with the 2017 Camaro. There is no issue with the transmission as someone suggested a few weeks ago. The vehicles that have been held for quality inspection were subject to the standard review at the beginning of the new model year. This is always an expected event. I've seen this stated on the forum elsewhere, but admittedly the potential for a transmission issue had persuaded me to believe what was only a rumor. To make it clear, there is no transmission issue. Most parts of a vehicle are "carryover" meaning there is zero change to the design, process, and control of the parts from one model to the next. This ensures there is no possibility of creating an issue. I also want to add that he said "Make sure you do the engine break-in." If anyone has the authority to prove this old wives tale to be true, it's the exec that I spoke to. So everyone, break-in your engine!
Needless to say my dealer and GM really came through for me in the end. This executive contacted me personally to make sure my expectations were met. I am not suggesting that everyone who orders a car from GM will receive a call from an executive when they are throwing a temper tantrum, but I think it's important to recognize that errors do occur and maintaining a reasonable and respectful demeanor can make it a little easier for everyone involved. The experience of ordering a new Camaro has been a roller coaster ride that I'll never forget. I can only imagine what lies ahead once I sit behind the wheel for the first time!
The car I ordered will be delivered to my dealer on Tuesday and I will pick it up Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday. To anyone else who may still be waiting I urge you to be patient. The agony of waiting will soon enough be replaced by the thrill of eating Mustangs.
