Official: Ordered Chevy Sonic Crew

[hdghog]

Delivery taken. Out of the dealership by 12:30.

The car looks fantastic in person -- happy about the choice of color. The white makes all of the black and chrome pop that much more, and the black/gray interior works really well with it.

Steering is very well weighted, ride is rather amazingly smooth and quiet, clutch/shift action (while largely devoid of engagement feedback) is smooth and forgiving. The seats are very comfortable, and steering wheel feels good in the hand. Visibility is good. Legroom front and rear is impressive for a car this size. Love all of the little storage nooks and crannies, and coming from the Camaro, I can say the entertainment system (interface-wise, anyway) felt on par.

As long-since decided, the first post-purchase stop was a nearby Sonic drive-in. Awesome.

It's great to finally have my Sonic parked outside. I'll probably upload some pictures soon.

Now, I just have to wait for the accessories to get in, and then take it back to get them installed...

Good luck to everyone still waiting!

 

[RichieRocket]

RichieRocket: Figure 10 to 14 days from when you get the 4200 when transporting by rail. That puts you awfully close to Thanksgiving Day.

On the West Coast, figure two to three weeks if the plant is east of the Mississippi.

How big is your dealer? The biggest dealers get two or three carriers every day and that will have a lot to do with how long from rail drop off to when it gets to the dealer.

Also, your dealer can contact the district sales manager to get a better idea of estimated delivery date. That is one of the functions of the district sales manager.

Looks like the Jessop, Maryland distribution center is closest to you.

Laborsmith

Thanks for info Laborsmith. I looked at the train links, it looks like there is a CSX TDSI terminal up near Boston, that may be where my car is...
Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions

I believe my dealer is a good sized one, not sure what to compare it to, it is the main Chevy dealer for the Hartford, CT area. They must have at least 200+ cars/trucks.
Bing Maps - Driving Directions, Traffic and Road Conditions

I knew I was cutting it close, but when they built it on Nov 1st, I thought I was all set...I'll find out on Monday if I have to postpone my roadtrip.

 

[Fit4Sonic]

Delivery taken. Out of the dealership by 12:30...
The car looks fantastic in person...
Good luck to everyone still waiting!

Come on man... what's wrong with people on this forum? I'm convinced this is a slacker car forum!

PICS man, flippin' PICS! D@mn... Give up the PICS!!!

 

[Fit4Sonic]

The amount of time it is taking these cars to get delivered is ridiculous. I can understand the time needed to build a car. I can not and will never believe that they are shipping them in an efficient manner. I should have had my car last week, yet it is still 4B00.

Unions sluggishness... plain and simple!!!

If GM were a non-union, non gov-influenced company, those rides would be rollin' out of there by the hundreds. On top of that, buyers pay exorbitant delivery fees and they still take their sluggish time delivering!

I may as well wait for blue paint availability... at this rate if I ordered one now I wouldn't get my flippin' car until spring anyway!!!

 

[laborsmith]

Orion has assembled almost 30,000 Sonics, and I believe is now assembling Buick Veranos, and has storage spaces for perhaps 5000 cars. I conclude cars have been rolling out of there by the hundreds based on subtracting the one number from the other.

Once the car is consigned for transportation, GM has no control and even has difficulty monitoring while a car is in transit. But there is by far more transparency today then there was five years ago. Now a consumer by way of the internet can track build progress and there are sources to give an idea of transit progress.

Once a car is finished, it takes a few days to complete the paperwork. After the paperwork is done, the car begins its journey home.

My point: GM employees assemble the car while employees of other companies transport the car.

Laborsmith

 

[fl4kk]

Ordered mine on Oct. 21, Delivery expected the week after Thanksgiving.

LTZ Crystal Red Tintcoat w/ Sunroof
Turbo 1.4L 6 Speed Manual

 

[Sonic]

Ordered mine on Oct. 21, Delivery expected the week after Thanksgiving.

LTZ Crystal Red Tintcoat w/ Sunroof
Turbo 1.4L 6 Speed Manual

Not happening. You will have the Thanksgiving shutdown, plus shipping delays which are plaguing all orders. There's no way you see your car that soon.

 

[fl4kk]

You're probably right, that's just what the dealership told me but I'm in no rush since I got exactly what I wanted.

 

[RichieRocket]

If GM were a non-union, non gov-influenced company, those rides would be rollin' out of there by the hundreds.

If I remember correctly, GM would have gone bankrupt without gov-influence and we wouldn't be talking about the Sonic now...
GM made plenty of dumb mistakes before gov-influence. In the mid-2000's when SUV's were selling like hot cakes, they didn't plan for the future as quickly as they should have.

They are producing hundreds per day...did you think a dozen trickled out every day?

 

[Memphis]

Mines in route to the dealer according to GM Connects. There is already a base 1.4L in Crystal Red there and I might get it instead.

 

[laborsmith]

fl4kk: With an October 21 order date, I would expect a tentative build period starting the Monday after Thanksgiving. From the date of build to the date of shipping expect about one week. Shipping by truck about a week, by train then truck ten days to two-three weeks. Regular production of the Verano will probably start after New Years Day, at which point the mix is scheduled to be 60% Sonic and 40% Buick Verano, so you got your order in at the best of all times as start up constraints have been resolved and the Verano is only in test fleet production.

So delivery the second or third week of December seems likely.

Laborsmith

 

[fl4kk]

My build date was 14th through 18th according to the dealership, so I guess we'll see what happens lol

also, I live less than 500 miles from Orion so that might help

 

[Sonic]

My build date was 14th through 18th according to the dealership, so I guess we'll see what happens lol

also, I live less than 500 miles from Orion so that might help

Not to burst your bubble, but I live 3 hours from Orion and it hasn't helped.

 

[laborsmith]

Sonic: I am even more convinced your car got pulled for the QC. The only tell I know of is the extra 4B00s and the amount of time between finish and actual shipping. I do not believe even your dealer kind find out for sure.

fl4kk: Barring QC, which happens to about 1 in 5 and is random so no one has any control over it, your dealers original estimate seems spot on. Keep us posted as inquiring minds (mine included) want to know.

Laborsmith

 

[AxelRipper]

11/16/2011 (4000) Vehicle available to ship.
11/17/2011 (4150) Invoiced (order is invoiced to the dealer).
11/17/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/19/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/21/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/21/2011 (4200) Shipped (vehicle is shipped to the dealer or interim point of delivery).
11/21/2011 (4300) Interm transfer. Processing transfer to QC or vendor.

Yay! This means I'll be sorting out all of the paperwork and picking up on Monday. It also means that I run into one of the worst problems ever. I have a Corvette reserved for next week in the Ambassador program, so I won't be able to put miles on my brand new Sonic.

Poor me

 

[Sonic]

Sonic: I am even more convinced your car got pulled for the QC. The only tell I know of is the extra 4B00s and the amount of time between finish and actual shipping. I do not believe even your dealer kind find out for sure.

Laborsmith

My Dealer made some calls and got a ticket # for the issue, but didn't find anything out. They are waiting on a call back with information as to what the heck is going on with my car.

Just a reminder of the ridiculousness of this situation:

11/03/2011 (4000) Vehicle available to ship.
11/03/2011 (4150) Invoiced (order is invoiced to the dealer).
11/04/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/08/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/10/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/16/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/18/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/18/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.

 

[AxelRipper]

Kind of interesting, I just got this email forwarded from my dealer last night. I had asked him a few weeks ago about it, and he put in a note to be updated when it was to be shipped

This email is to inform you that the vehicle we were following up has now been
bayed ready for shipment to the distribution center in Lake Orion that will
ultimately serve you. I will follow up the evolution of this order: P***** until
it is marked dispatched to you by truck.

I find this kind of amusing that the GM Connects may possibly be updated sooner than the dealers are. Will see when it actually gets delivered.

 

[RichieRocket]

I have not gotten an update since Nov 9th! Well, so much for my big road trip I still have 9 vacation days I must use before the end of the year or I lose them...I have been saving them for the road trip.


11/01/2011 (3800) Order produced and vehicle is being prepared for shipping.
11/01/2011 (4000) Vehicle available to ship.
11/01/2011 (4150) Invoiced (order is invoiced to the dealer).
11/01/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/07/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.
11/08/2011 (4200) Shipped (vehicle is shipped to the dealer or interim point of delivery).
11/08/2011 (4300) Interm transfer. Processing transfer to QC or vendor.
11/09/2011 (4B00) Your car is bayed and is waiting for transportation by truck, rail or transfer to vendor.

 

[beaslbob]

Beaslbob: Your salesperson can look up your tentative production period. Because of the recent rash of non-Monday tentative productions dates, I am wondering if Chevy is giving out the specific tentative date, so please let us know the date produced when you find out.

Laborsmith

I asked my saleperson and they gave my a tenative production week of 11/28.

hopefully getting closer and closer

 

[beaslbob]

If I remember correctly, GM would have gone bankrupt without gov-influence and we wouldn't be talking about the Sonic now...
GM made plenty of dumb mistakes before gov-influence. In the mid-2000's when SUV's were selling like hot cakes, they didn't plan for the future as quickly as they should have.

They are producing hundreds per day...did you think a dozen trickled out every day?

Not true.

1) GM could still be building the sonic even having to go through bankruptcy.

2) I think the went bankrupt anyway.