Some opinions from the common crowd

[rewski]

Well I posted my little saga with my 45th vert on another post about a 5th bow breaking. Here is the reply I posted:

"Well I just heard from my dealer in Denver that a newly designed 5th bow is in the works. From last Oct to about 2 weeks ago my 2012 45th vert was in and out of the shop more times than I can count. What started with its first oil change (in Oct 2012), led to a top (canvas) replacement, followed by new mechanicals, followed by a big leak in the back seat, followed by a 5th bow and water management bag replacement, followed by a completely new carpet! Something is still not seated correctly on the side of the 5th bow on the passenger side but the top is water tight (dealer flooded the top with water while the entire carpet was out). I'll just continue to hold out for a permanent fix."

Tonight since my knee is getting better (tore my patellar tendon completely off so obviously have not been driving my manual Camaro recently) I took my cover off to take some pictures of the top in the back where it has continued to have issues as described above. It looks like I have some of the similar issues of "5th bow disease" with the back of the top being pulled away from the edge of the trunk and the side of the top being wavy and not flush on the passenger side. Please chime in your opinion. It definitely does not look like it did when factory fresh. I'm just so frustrated that this ordeal has been going on since Oct 2012 when I took it in for the first oil change and mentioned the spots that were rubbing on the top!

[spikess581]

5th bow bad again or not installed correctly

[rewski]

Well I spoke with the GM district rep today over the phone. He is going to contact several local dealers to see if they are truly experienced with these tops so I can get it fixed once and for all. I want to enjoy this car this summer! I also casually threw out the idea of a service engineer being sent out to Denver to supervise any next fix. Updates to follow.

[OrangeVert]

[pannhead51]

Wow, the rear of the top has pulled away an obscene amount (the rubber seal should barley be visible.... I just had my 5th done last week and this is how it should look.

[Michael Rophone]

Originally Posted by pannhead51

I just had my 5th done last week and this is how it should look.

NICE ! Now, don't touch it !

[rewski]

Originally Posted by pannhead51

Wow, the rear of the top has pulled away an obscene amount (the rubber seal should barley be visible.... I just had my 5th done last week and this is how it should look.

Yep. That is exactly the way my original looked. Going in on Tues to have another dealer take a look at it. I'm going to push the 5th bow as the likely culprit. I'll show them this post!

[spikess581]

Do not let them give you any b.s. about how it needs to stretch into place or that it is the way it is supposed to look! It is wrong and the 5th bow is the culprit. On one of my 5 5th bow replacements it did exactly that the 2nd time the top was operated.

[zandron263]

That is definitely a bad 5th bow. I had a broken bow in November and it looked just like that. They replaced it and it broke again yesterday. I have an appointment on Wed and I will take no less than a new bow and water management bag but I am going to push them to replace the entire top and mechanism since I am a very early build 2011 and we all know those have the worst problems.

[rewski]

Tues night update: Big surprise, bent 5th bow. Took the new dealership about an hour but they came out and said definitely a bent 5th bow. Ordered the part and should arrive tomorrow. Update pics to follow after repair.

[Chevrolet Customer Svc]

Originally Posted by rewski

Tues night update: Big surprise, bent 5th bow. Took the new dealership about an hour but they came out and said definitely a bent 5th bow. Ordered the part and should arrive tomorrow. Update pics to follow after repair.

Hello rewski,

We would like to get updated on your experience at the dealer as well. It appears that you have been taken care of so far and we want to make sure it continues and your vehicle issue is ultimately resolved.

Reggie B.
Chevrolet Customer Care

[rewski]

Originally Posted by Chevrolet Customer Svc

Hello rewski,

We would like to get updated on your experience at the dealer as well. It appears that you have been taken care of so far and we want to make sure it continues and your vehicle issue is ultimately resolved.

Reggie B.
Chevrolet Customer Care

Thanks Reggie. The new dealer has also been great so far. Dropped the car off this afternoon and should get it back tomorrow (I guess they have done a few of these 5th bow swaps!). I already have a case open with GM for my ongoing issues and have been updating my district rep.

Adam

[rewski]

Update: I got my 45th back today. Top is tight as could be. However when they got the top off they noticed that the previous dealer undid some stitching on the top to get it to fit around one of the ribs. The sewed it back up and everything seems to be operating ok at this point except the top does not raise completely symmetrical now. The right side sort of either lags a bit behind when going down and leads the way going up. But once completely down she sits completely level so it may honestly just be that the top does need to stretch since it was so asymmetrical for so long. More to come after I speak with my GM district rep tomorrow.





See before pics in first post.

Adam

[Baba]

Originally Posted by pannhead51

Wow, the rear of the top has pulled away an obscene amount (the rubber seal should barley be visible.... I just had my 5th done last week and this is how it should look.

That looks like it's perfect.