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Kscarguy · 08-21-2012, 06:44 PM

I’ve had paint issues on not one but now two ZL1’s…First is a letter I sent to a Chevrolet employee who does comment on Camaro 5. I have removed the names simply because I’m not trying to get personal. But I think it’s time Chevrolet review their logistics and delivery methods and take steps to properly protect the product during transportation. The second letter I just sent my dealer because they filed a damage claim on the 2013 ZL1 that was to replace the 2012 before I even got to see it. Like many of you I waited six months for the 2012. Then about three for the 2013.
Sent 7-6-12
______
After reading a paint defect thread today I was compelled to write.
I had too had paint issues. There were defects in the finish of my 2010 IOM 2SS. It was dirt in the paint and a fisheye. But you had to be right up on it to see them. I lived with it. I never said anything about them. But my latest paint issues were scratches in the paint of my 2012 ZL1 the day it arrived. There is no objective evidence whether the car left the factory that way or was damaged during shipping. A dealer rep AAAAAA just happened to be there the day it arrived at the dealership. We could see the scratches before it was even washed. Once it was washed the scratches were really visible. But thinking positively we went ahead and signed all the paperwork. The dealership staff and I thought they would buff out. The rep AAAAA who was there took pictures with her cell phone before the car was buffed that same day. The scratches were removed and unfortunately replaced by swirl marks over most of the car. After two attempts at buffing out the car GM/Chevrolet then had another rep BBBBB look at the car and take more pictures. After taking pictures he shook my hand at the dealership and said and I quote: "We aren't going to drag this out, you'll have an answer in a few days. I even have the platform manager emailing me about this car and the situation." I got ZERO response in a few days.
Thirty days later I called GM customer care. Roughly a week after that call GM told my dealer that their position was I had created the swirl marks. Wild!! But everyone at the dealer knew the truth. So my dealer XXXXXXXXXX stepped up and purchased my 2012 ZL1 back from me. Unfortunately it was too late to get another 2012 ZL1.
I am now waiting for a 2013 ZL1 that is also black #_______. I use Zaino and love the stuff. It floors me how few people know about Zaino. I've had dark colored cars in the past. 1954 Chevrolet (wall full of trophies), 2000 corvette, 2005 GMC Sierra (all dark blue), Now 2012 GMC Sierra (black). So I know how to properly care for them.
Needless to say I'm pretty disappointed in how GM/Chevrolet has handled this situation. Because the bottom line is: The car should have never needed buffed once it arrived from the factory. If there had been no scratches, the dealership would have simply prepped the car. I would have Zanio'ed it up and right now my dad would be ripping up the road living out a bucket list dream.
I have to thank GM/Chevrolet for the valuable lesson. I will never sign the paperwork on a car again if there is a visible defect until it is corrected to factory standards or better. I can’t wait to see the 2013 ZL1 that is about to be built. I wonder what the odds are that this one will arrive with defects/damage. - Time will tell
ZZZZZ even though you and I have gotten crossways on the forum in the past I respect your passion. We have that in common. I’m not asking you for action or even a response. But I felt you should know this story for another perspective.

CCCCCCCCCCC
(KScarguy)

Below the second letter sent to my dealer this past week.

VVVV -
Let me start by extending an apology to YYYYYYY Chevrolet Team for letting my frustration and emotions overpower my ability to maintain my composure once I saw the 2013 ZL1 in the sun. I am sincerely sorry for offending anyone. I could explain why this pushed me over the edge but it would only sound like excuses. Clearly no one on the TTTTT team created the damage on the car as it arrived that way. Again, I am sorry for how I acted and the things I said. Please let the guys from the wash bay who do not have email know.
When WWWW told me that HHHHH had filed a shipping damage claim against the 2013 ZL1 for what appears to be damage to the finish from something that sat on the paint. Hydraulic fluid was what the KKKKK team thought it was. My mindset was one of optimism. I thought it can’t be that bad, surely it will clean up. Even after seeing the car initially in the service bay, I thought surely that will clean up. I guess I wanted this to be the case so bad that I was clearly in denial.
So, I of course thought we won’t know until the car is completes the PDI process and is cleaned up just like any other new Chevrolet that’s received. Plus no one at the dealership told me “Darby we are not going to deliver this car to you because of this claim.” So I left thinking that once the PDI process (in my mind this includes cleaning the car) was complete we would all know whether there would be an issue or not.
Based on my scheduling conflicts and rainy weather GGGGG and I texted each other and moved the delivery to Wednesday 8-15-2012. I called GGGGG about 30 minutes before I arrived at the dealership to let him know I was coming. I asked if the PDI was complete. He said yes. This was my first miscommunication. As I though “GREAT!! The car passed PDI and the finish must be ok.” But that’s not what I asked. I arrived at the dealership, and we found the car sitting in the wash bay. It had not been washed since the day I saw it inside the service bay with JJJJJJ While that was disappointing, I still held out hope and really thought in 15 minutes all will be right with the world. But it wasn’t.
We called DDDDDD up from the body shop. DDDDDDD stated that he had already looked the car over and found five areas that were not acceptable. This was before it was washed. I pointed out another area on the right rear quarter and he commented that he had not seen that, but it looked like a blemish the factory had found and tried to correct. DDDDDD informed me that the only way to resolve the finish issues would be to buff it out. He stated that most likely there would be swirl marks in the finish in those areas.
Hindsight being 20/20 I should have probably gotten a call from the YYYYY Team saying “Darby we’re sorry to have to break this to you. But based on what we’ve found on the car we can’t deliver this car to you as is. We will need ___ number of working days to work out a plan and present you with some options.”
I left the dealership because GGGGG had gone in to get FFFFFF on the phone and get him on site. Because he had expressed his disappointment for not being called when the scratches were found on the 2012 ZL1. Based on my feelings toward FFFFFF I knew it was in my best interest to leave the property and get away from the situation.
Later I called GGGG back. I informed him that I no longer want that car based on what DDDDD stated it would take to attempt to correct the finish issues. I presented GGGG with the following options:
1) YYYY could refund the balance of the money they are holding from the first car. GM can refund me the sales tax from the first car because I shouldn’t be out the approximately $ 4000 I paid since everyone at the dealership knows I didn’t create the scratches or the swirl marks in the 2012 ZL1. The only thing I was guilty of was having a positive outlook. I figured the damage would be easily corrected. So I sign the papers. If GM had not taken so long to get engaged I could have gotten all money’s returned.
2) GM can locate a comparable 2012 ZL1 sitting unsold on a dealer’s lot and review it for acceptability to delivery standards, reallocate it, and ship it to YYYYY within a week. I recommend via enclosed transport since we’ve experienced what happens when the car is shipped via standard methods. I even found one via the internet that a dealer was selling for less than sticker “Just to try and get rid of it. Because they had two 2013 ZL1 allocations that customers are waiting to order, but they can’t until the 2012 ZL1 they have is sold.”- Via the salesman I spoke with.
I felt compelled to send this letter to the team at YYYYY Chevrolet to let you know where I am with regard to this situation and to apologize for failing to keep my composure.

Finally,
GGGG I apologize for taking more of my frustration out on you via that phone call. You didn’t deserve that at all. I am sorry.
Sincerely,
DDDDDDDD

08-21-2012, 06:44 PM	#38
Kscarguy Drives: 1956 Chevy, 2000 vette, 2010 camaro Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Kansas Posts: 59 View My Garage	I’ve had paint issues on not one but now two ZL1’s…First is a letter I sent to a Chevrolet employee who does comment on Camaro 5. I have removed the names simply because I’m not trying to get personal. But I think it’s time Chevrolet review their logistics and delivery methods and take steps to properly protect the product during transportation. The second letter I just sent my dealer because they filed a damage claim on the 2013 ZL1 that was to replace the 2012 before I even got to see it. Like many of you I waited six months for the 2012. Then about three for the 2013. Sent 7-6-12 ______ After reading a paint defect thread today I was compelled to write. I had too had paint issues. There were defects in the finish of my 2010 IOM 2SS. It was dirt in the paint and a fisheye. But you had to be right up on it to see them. I lived with it. I never said anything about them. But my latest paint issues were scratches in the paint of my 2012 ZL1 the day it arrived. There is no objective evidence whether the car left the factory that way or was damaged during shipping. A dealer rep AAAAAA just happened to be there the day it arrived at the dealership. We could see the scratches before it was even washed. Once it was washed the scratches were really visible. But thinking positively we went ahead and signed all the paperwork. The dealership staff and I thought they would buff out. The rep AAAAA who was there took pictures with her cell phone before the car was buffed that same day. The scratches were removed and unfortunately replaced by swirl marks over most of the car. After two attempts at buffing out the car GM/Chevrolet then had another rep BBBBB look at the car and take more pictures. After taking pictures he shook my hand at the dealership and said and I quote: "We aren't going to drag this out, you'll have an answer in a few days. I even have the platform manager emailing me about this car and the situation." I got ZERO response in a few days. Thirty days later I called GM customer care. Roughly a week after that call GM told my dealer that their position was I had created the swirl marks. Wild!! But everyone at the dealer knew the truth. So my dealer XXXXXXXXXX stepped up and purchased my 2012 ZL1 back from me. Unfortunately it was too late to get another 2012 ZL1. I am now waiting for a 2013 ZL1 that is also black #_______. I use Zaino and love the stuff. It floors me how few people know about Zaino. I've had dark colored cars in the past. 1954 Chevrolet (wall full of trophies), 2000 corvette, 2005 GMC Sierra (all dark blue), Now 2012 GMC Sierra (black). So I know how to properly care for them. Needless to say I'm pretty disappointed in how GM/Chevrolet has handled this situation. Because the bottom line is: The car should have never needed buffed once it arrived from the factory. If there had been no scratches, the dealership would have simply prepped the car. I would have Zanio'ed it up and right now my dad would be ripping up the road living out a bucket list dream. I have to thank GM/Chevrolet for the valuable lesson. I will never sign the paperwork on a car again if there is a visible defect until it is corrected to factory standards or better. I can’t wait to see the 2013 ZL1 that is about to be built. I wonder what the odds are that this one will arrive with defects/damage. - Time will tell ZZZZZ even though you and I have gotten crossways on the forum in the past I respect your passion. We have that in common. I’m not asking you for action or even a response. But I felt you should know this story for another perspective. CCCCCCCCCCC (KScarguy) Below the second letter sent to my dealer this past week. VVVV - Let me start by extending an apology to YYYYYYY Chevrolet Team for letting my frustration and emotions overpower my ability to maintain my composure once I saw the 2013 ZL1 in the sun. I am sincerely sorry for offending anyone. I could explain why this pushed me over the edge but it would only sound like excuses. Clearly no one on the TTTTT team created the damage on the car as it arrived that way. Again, I am sorry for how I acted and the things I said. Please let the guys from the wash bay who do not have email know. When WWWW told me that HHHHH had filed a shipping damage claim against the 2013 ZL1 for what appears to be damage to the finish from something that sat on the paint. Hydraulic fluid was what the KKKKK team thought it was. My mindset was one of optimism. I thought it can’t be that bad, surely it will clean up. Even after seeing the car initially in the service bay, I thought surely that will clean up. I guess I wanted this to be the case so bad that I was clearly in denial. So, I of course thought we won’t know until the car is completes the PDI process and is cleaned up just like any other new Chevrolet that’s received. Plus no one at the dealership told me “Darby we are not going to deliver this car to you because of this claim.” So I left thinking that once the PDI process (in my mind this includes cleaning the car) was complete we would all know whether there would be an issue or not. Based on my scheduling conflicts and rainy weather GGGGG and I texted each other and moved the delivery to Wednesday 8-15-2012. I called GGGGG about 30 minutes before I arrived at the dealership to let him know I was coming. I asked if the PDI was complete. He said yes. This was my first miscommunication. As I though “GREAT!! The car passed PDI and the finish must be ok.” But that’s not what I asked. I arrived at the dealership, and we found the car sitting in the wash bay. It had not been washed since the day I saw it inside the service bay with JJJJJJ While that was disappointing, I still held out hope and really thought in 15 minutes all will be right with the world. But it wasn’t. We called DDDDDD up from the body shop. DDDDDDD stated that he had already looked the car over and found five areas that were not acceptable. This was before it was washed. I pointed out another area on the right rear quarter and he commented that he had not seen that, but it looked like a blemish the factory had found and tried to correct. DDDDDD informed me that the only way to resolve the finish issues would be to buff it out. He stated that most likely there would be swirl marks in the finish in those areas. Hindsight being 20/20 I should have probably gotten a call from the YYYYY Team saying “Darby we’re sorry to have to break this to you. But based on what we’ve found on the car we can’t deliver this car to you as is. We will need ___ number of working days to work out a plan and present you with some options.” I left the dealership because GGGGG had gone in to get FFFFFF on the phone and get him on site. Because he had expressed his disappointment for not being called when the scratches were found on the 2012 ZL1. Based on my feelings toward FFFFFF I knew it was in my best interest to leave the property and get away from the situation. Later I called GGGG back. I informed him that I no longer want that car based on what DDDDD stated it would take to attempt to correct the finish issues. I presented GGGG with the following options: 1) YYYY could refund the balance of the money they are holding from the first car. GM can refund me the sales tax from the first car because I shouldn’t be out the approximately $ 4000 I paid since everyone at the dealership knows I didn’t create the scratches or the swirl marks in the 2012 ZL1. The only thing I was guilty of was having a positive outlook. I figured the damage would be easily corrected. So I sign the papers. If GM had not taken so long to get engaged I could have gotten all money’s returned. 2) GM can locate a comparable 2012 ZL1 sitting unsold on a dealer’s lot and review it for acceptability to delivery standards, reallocate it, and ship it to YYYYY within a week. I recommend via enclosed transport since we’ve experienced what happens when the car is shipped via standard methods. I even found one via the internet that a dealer was selling for less than sticker “Just to try and get rid of it. Because they had two 2013 ZL1 allocations that customers are waiting to order, but they can’t until the 2012 ZL1 they have is sold.”- Via the salesman I spoke with. I felt compelled to send this letter to the team at YYYYY Chevrolet to let you know where I am with regard to this situation and to apologize for failing to keep my composure. Finally, GGGG I apologize for taking more of my frustration out on you via that phone call. You didn’t deserve that at all. I am sorry. Sincerely, DDDDDDDD