ZL1 Engine Failure

[69NMYSS]

Flux capacitor failure?

Probably one of these guys that fell for the "proper break-in method per GM". These things need to be driven, from day one, the way they were built to be driven......Hard! Not abussive, but not babied.

[Kevlar382]

GM isn't going to care how he drove the car. He isn't going to get screwed on resale just because he was a victim of a bad part. It could have happened to any of our cars. As long as they document that it is a new GM crate motor installed by a certified GM machanic the value will be ok. For sure won't be getting a new car from GM, maybe the dealer might take it on trade and sell him a new one at a discounted price to keep a good customer. My biggest worry would be the car being damaged while they work on it. I might be a little nervous if I did any mods to my car, but I think this is just a freak incident.
If I'm not mistaken Carfax is through Ins, they will have nothing to do with this.
Your conv Zl1s will only be worth a little more than a coupe because they cost more in the first place until they get really old, then the "If the top goes down the price goes up" will apply. Save them for your great, great grand kids.

[newmoon]

Originally Posted by SSOOCH

I just heard from Trevor. The dealer reported that the ECM was clean, new motor is on order!!

Great news for you. It's a good thing you decided to keep the vehicle stock.

[2010SSRSM6]

I'm really surprised that GM is sending another motor. A buddy of mine had a blower issue (noisy bearing) on his CTS-V, and GM bought the car back and gave him a smoking deal on a Z06 "just because". He didn't have to ask, they refunded all money just like it was a lemon, no questions asked.

You would think they would have done the same thing in this case. It's not like they aren't making them and they are still flying off lots. I would at least ask the regional rep. Couldn't hurt, unless he wouldn't want a newer car.


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[Unreal]

Originally Posted by newmoon

Great news for you. It's a good thing you decided to keep the vehicle stock.

Sooch isn't the owner and his car isn't stock. Maybe we can roadtrip over to the dealer later this week to get pictures since people are so interested if the owner is ok with that.

[SSOOCH]

My SS isn't stock, but Trevor's ZL1 is.

[Drew10]

Originally Posted by simon.w

So if they give him a new car because of an engine failure they will set a precedent that can be used against them legally in the future with ANY customer who have a similar complaint.

Would you expect them to do the same if it was a cheap car like a spark, sonic or cruze?

GM is quite within the right of their warranty to repair the car. I have only ever heard of a replacement if there is a lemon factor of a fault or multiple issues that cannot be diagnosed, solved or keep reoccurring.

It's an engine with lots of moving parts and endless possible things can happen at any given time for any reason. Just because it's the mighty ZL1 doesn't make it exempt from Murphy's law.

[LeanPocket]

wasn't there problems with the blower pulley on the lsa's?

[TLSTWIN]

I don't think this is front page news, but maybe I am missing something

Like several other people have stated, it's going to happen to any car, but GM didn't fight, complain, nothing. They did right & stood by their word.

My guess is, they want the motor intact to see what happened, to improve upon if possible.

On another note, I'll buy the wheels

[trewyn15]

Wow, sucks that this happened.. waiting to see what happens next..

[Russell James]

Yeah, get it off the front page IMHO. Plus the headline is not accurate, every car of every brand has crapped out multiple engines. This is no where near the first of anything.

Stuff happens, who knows what or why.... new motor that sucker and move on.

BTY, every motor I've blown has always been on the way to church, idling at a stop light... and I was just hauling the N20 bottle for a friend. LOL

Seriously though, weird stuff can happen to anything mechanical. An engine can blow to bits while cranking on the starter. I saw a rod stick through the side of a block once while cranking a pickup truck up after changing a headlight. There is also numerous possibilities of driver induced whoopsies... hit 2nd instead of 4th and zing the motor to 10 grand, might not blow that day.... but someday on the way to church....

Once it's in a million bits, even Colombo couldn't figure out what really happened. But thankfully for good warranties, it will live to burn rubber another day!

[JWoj3540]

i wonder if someone messed with the car at autorama??

[Unreal]

Originally Posted by JWoj3540

i wonder if someone messed with the car at autorama??

That is like saying I wonder if someone messed with it in the parking lot or anywhere. It was behind a chain where people couldn't touch it or get close so unless someone really went out of their way to mess with that, that is impossible. Plus it was so busy I think people would notice someone touching/messing with a car.

[Mike@HennesseyPerformance]

I don't know if this has been covered, but is that a faux carbon fiber pattern keyboard in the first post? If so, that is really cool! I want one!