Official: Ordered Chevy Sonic Crew

[Calculon]

There's a fascinating article here in the NYTs about how a train can travel from California to Chicago in the same amount of it takes to make it across Chicago.

I'm not frustrated. That's just the price you pay for getting your machine custom built. I could have had one with 100 miles on it when I bought, but I chose to order it so it's brand new.

 

[K3500toSonic]

There's a fascinating article here in the NYTs about how a train can travel from California to Chicago in the same amount of it takes to make it across Chicago.

I'm not frustrated. That's just the price you pay for getting your machine custom built. I could have had one with 100 miles on it when I bought, but I chose to order it so it's brand new.

That's a great article; I'd read it recently, but hadn't seen that cool picture of the train yard! The Gibson yard is where my car sat for almost 5 days before moving on. It's funny, those car carriers just look strange to me...like big rolling vaults or something.

In any case, my wait's almost over...the train pulled in to Mira Loma Saturday morning, within 57 minutes of the ETA Union Pacific had given it three days earlier in Illinois. (Kind of amazing, that.) Tracking it through the CSX and UP phone systems was very cool.

Just waiting to hear that it's been trucked to the dealer...

 

[Calculon]

I got this yesterday on gmconnects:

(4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.​

About how much longer is it typically going to be?

 

[laborsmith]

Although presently rarely applicable, 4B00 carries multiple meanings, one of which is QCHold, probably not in your case but a remote possibility. If QCHold, takes longer to ship but everything not just what caused the hold is checked. It is as close to getting an error free car as possible.

At this stage in the production cycle, probably means what you are thinking, that the car is ready to be loaded and sent in your direction. It takes dispatch about two days to find the carrier and get your car on its way. If delivery is by a truck car hauler, delivery is a matter of a day or so after loading. If by train than add a week to up to two weeks from the time it is load on the rail autocar to where it is off loaded. Once off loaded, again a minimum of two days up to a week to get to the dealer.

It is now so close one can taste it. I hope you look back at the ordering experience with at least a little bit of pleasure - it is a true E-ticket experience but becareful, it can be addicting.

Summary: 2days to load, delivery within a day or two if by car hauler, within a week or two if by rail.

When it arrives, enjoy your Sonic. It is one of the most fun cars you can get and a true pleasure to drive.

Laborsmith

 

[ras42tbss]

first post, and i can say i'm anxiously awaiting my sonic! the dealership put the order in before i gave a garaunteed yes (waiting to see what trade would be on current vehicle) so i don't know much about the order process... they did give me an order # and i registered today on gmconnect, so hopefully it will have some details tomorrow. it's been ordered for about 3 weeks now.

 

[Calculon]

My Sonic shipped yesterday. The delivery company is Cassens. Does that mean it's coming by truck or rail?

 

[PapaSmurf805]

Calculon, where are you located? It took exactly 6 weeks a day from purchase date to delivery to SoCal. Cassens was trucked from Michigan to Ohio the put on train. Transfered train companies in Chicago then made it's way here. From the time Cassen's picked it up to delivery it was 20 days total. Here is my history for reference.
04/11/2012 (4000) Vehicle available to ship.
04/11/2012 (4150) Invoiced (order is invoiced to the dealer).
04/11/2012 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
04/11/2012 (4200) Shipped (vehicle is shipped to the dealer or interim point of delivery).
04/12/2012 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
04/11/2012 (4300) Interm transfer. Processing transfer to QC or vendor.
04/15/2012 (4200) Shipped (vehicle is shipped to the dealer or interim point of delivery).
04/25/2012 (4800) Rail ramp unload. Vehicle has been unloaded from train.
04/25/2012 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
04/30/2012 (4200) Shipped (vehicle is shipped to the dealer or interim point of delivery).
05/01/2012 (6000) Vehicle delivered to customer or dealer has completed customer paperwork.
05/01/2012 (6000) Vehicle delivered to customer or dealer has completed customer paperwork.
05/03/2012 (6010) Delivered and final paperwork assigned.
04/30/2012 (5000) Vehicle has been delivered to dealer.

 

[laborsmith]

ras, the process is convoluted, complex and wrought with exceptions. There are very few rules, just general patterns. Those of us who have experienced the process will try to answer specific questions, but to help you prepare to ask questions I suggest you scan this thread. There is a wealth of info here and much of it may pertain directly to you.

Let me offer my congratulations and my condolences to you for being brave enough to go ahead. You will in several short weeks experience enough highs and lows to make the ordering experience memorable. You may even choose to do it again, and it will be just as memorable the second time around.

But not for me. I have decided to never order again and I will firmly abide by that decision come what may until the next time I order.

Above all, enjoy the experience.

Laborsmith

 

[Calculon]

Thanks for the replies. I'm in MN, so MI isn't that far, but there a big lake in between. I'm not too worried about. It gets here when it gets here. I was just curious.

 

[laborsmith]

It will travel by rail, changing from one rail road company to another (Union Pacific) near Chicago and will normally be two weeks from date of final assembly to date of dealer delivery.

Laborsmith

 

[ras42tbss]

thanks laborsmith! from what i've had time to read of this post so far, looks like mine is moving along pretty normally...

05/14/2012 (1100) Order placed at dealership. Order passed GM edit tables but dealer has not received allocation to place order.
05/14/2012 (1102) Order entered via web.
05/17/2012 (2000) Order accepted by GM. Dealer used allocation to place order into production.
05/22/2012 (2500) Order preferenced. Order pulled to the production system.
05/22/2012 (3000) Order accepted by production control. Parts being ordered and production process is underway.
05/24/2012 (3100) Order available to sequence.
05/25/2012 (3300) Order scheduled for production. Order is scheduled into the plant build cycle.

special ordering was about my only option. not that what i want is anything special, but there just are none around my area and i wasn't to keen on the idea of someone driving it on a dealer trade a couple hundred miles whooping on it... i always kinda expect the worst in these situations... plus it seems no other dealers will give me as good of trade on my current vehicle than the one i ordered through...

i ended up ordering a Sonic white 1.4T hatchback 1LZ...

actually now that i checked the order on GMConnect, i see that it was ordered with Jet black/BRICK interior, where i wanted the black/dark titanium

 

[laborsmith]

GMConnects is excellent for tracking but because GM (including Chevy) uses the same RPO for different options, you can not go by that. My favorite example is RPO Z14: first, for a push button radio, later for a Sport Appearance Package and at one time for a Performance Package, Turbo.

The interior RPOs for the Sonic also went through similar mutations which explains why GMConnects sometimes show a Sonic with a red interior trim package.

They are updating, but since they track all American salable GM vehicles,there are a huge number of RPOs and each individual update has to be done by hand.

And yes, you are progressing thru the build process in a normal manner.

Laborsmith

 

[ras42tbss]

sweet, thanks for the info. Dealer even emailed me the original order form to show everything's what I want...

 

[laborsmith]

The Order WORKBENCH?

Laborsmith

 

[Preloader]

New here, I just read this entire thread. Very informative. I just wanted to log that I ordered my 1LZ 1.4T 6spd White Hatch on 5/31/12. I don't have any questions that this thread has not pre-emptively answered.

 

[ras42tbss]

The Order WORKBENCH?

Laborsmith

i don't know if it was the workbench, nor do i know what that is, haha. it was just the written up order that the salesman did while i was there pretty much to show he wrote down the right thing. not to say that it still couldn't have been entered wrong...

 

[laborsmith]

The Order Workbench is the two page document that includes the six character alphanumeric order number. That is generated when the order is actually entered into the GM-Chevy system.

The Autobook is what is generated while you sit with the salesperson and select your options. Both the Workbench and the Autobook can be printed through the computer.

There is also the handwritten order.

Laborsmith

 

[ilikeit]

For 3 weeks a dealer I was working with told me he could find for me a Sonic HB with the 1.4 Turbo... he couldn't. I finally had the dealer order one on April 24th. At least this way I could get the options that I wanted. A LTZ 6 speed automatic, Crystal Red Tintcoat, 1.4 turbo, front and rear splash guards. I was informed yesterday that it's on its way by rail car from some place in Ohio. It will arrive at an unloading point about 30 miles from here and transported by truck. I expect delivery no latter then next week.
Most of what I've read (reviews and opinions) have been very positive. I have driven one and was impressed especially by the amount of room up front (I'm 6' 4" and 260). I'm anxiously waiting! ;>)

 

[laborsmith]

Someplace in Ohio would be the Ottawa Rail Yard near Toledo.

Once the car arrives at the rail yard near you and is offloaded, it takes about two up to seven days for dispatch to find a car hauler and get it to your dealer.

Very good progress and yes, you will find the Sonic to be a great car.

Laborsmith

 

[Preloader]

I feel like my local dealer is being shady. I ordered my Sonic on May 29th, the guy at the dealer said he'd enter it on Thurs (31st). I popped in on Thurs just to check up and was told it was ordered and should arrive in 4-5 weeks. I've since been bugging the guy to give me the order number so I could track it myself. Finally today after several calls I got the order number and tracked it on GMConnects. This is what I got:

06/06/2012 - Vehicle has been entered into the system and will be updated the following business day in most cases.

WTF? Did he just now order it today? Did I lose a whole week because he doesn't take his job srsly?