2010-07-12 17:27:44.563468+00 by Dan Lyke 6 comments
GM offers the option to let you assemble your own engine for your new Corvette.
Customers who pay for the privilege will be invited to come to Wixom to assemble the engine for their car under the guidance of GM technicians.
[ related topics: Business Invention and Design Automobiles Machinery ]
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2010-07-12 18:58:31.804905+00 by: petronius
.....of course, you will have to join the UAW first.....
#Comment Re: made: 2010-07-12 22:22:30.209312+00 by: JackB
That would be kind of cool... if you are retired and wealthy :S
#Comment Re: made: 2010-07-13 10:40:23.768886+00 by: meuon
That's the kewlest thing I've ever heard out of GM/Chevy. And while very few people will take them up on it, it's got some marketing punch.
#Comment Re: made: 2010-07-13 15:00:08.675861+00 by: mkelley
It will probably run better with less problems, since you'll have a vested interest in the engine, instead of just being there for a paycheck. GM : Quality is job 3 or 4,
#Comment Re: made: 2010-07-15 02:23:20.598926+00 by: ebradway [edit history]
Several European car makers (especially the Germans) have had "factory pickup" as an option. It's basically a vacation and tour rolled into the price of the car.
For Corvette fans, this is likely to be a big deal. And it is the kewlest thing GM/Chevy has done. Oddly, GM is really understanding their customer for that car.
mkelley: Working the Corvette line is considered a high honor within GM. I doubt anyone is "just being there for the paycheck."
#Comment Re: made: 2010-07-15 13:23:37.012093+00 by: Larry Burton
GM's reputation for quality was hurt badly due to manufacturing practices that started in the 60s and became apparent in the 70s. It took the 80s for them to get a handle on what they were doing wrong. By the mid 90s they were back making moderately dependable cars. If you look at JD Powers dependability ratings you will see that GM cars have been in the upper half of their long term dependability list since about that time with their higher end models moving up and taking places in the top ten spot. But reputations are hard to reestablish so they are still fighting to overcome that.
GM's reason for bankruptcy really has nothing to do with their building cars and everything to do with their their business practices.
The Corvette today takes it's design queues more from customer feedback than from any other car GM makes. It's a car built for a certain type of person but endears a far larger group of people that would never buy one to the Chevrolet brand. This program to allow people to build their own engine is going to go far beyond just appealing to the gearhead who would buy this option to people who have no desire to ever work on their car and who are in the market for an Impala.