1vettenut

If I am beating an old or dead horse, I apologize. But, I am hearing too many horror stories about shipping problems by rail. My friend had a Z51 coupe which was finished on 10/27/14. It was shipped the next day and was at the rail yard in Toledo the same day. The car was loaded on a train 2 days later. It made its way across the country, making various stops and train swaps, arriving in a Phoenix rail yard on 11/15. It was unloaded from the train and loaded on a truck transport on 11/17 and delivered to the dealer. Three weeks to transport a car. Another aquaintance had a Z06 finish on 11/15. It did quality control for 10 days then was shipped to Toledo. It sat a couple of days in the train yard then to Gary, IN where they switched engines (different companies). It sat in Gary several days before heading to Phoenix. The train arrived in Phoenix on 12/13. The local transportation company didn't deliver the car to the dealer until Friday,12/19. Local trucking company said the key didn't start the car and at one point it was lost (hmmm). If these cars had stayed on a truck transport, it would have been 5 to 6 days max. While watching my friends car being built, we happened to talk with a transport truck driver. He was headed for Miami. No trains to transfer to. He said, if the car is going 1,000 miles or less from Bowling Green, it stays on the truck. Otherwise, the 3 week transport. Looks like those in the east will see their cars a lot sooner than those of us in the west. When you consider the time it takes plus loading and unloading these cars 3 times (more risk for damage), it doesn't make "cents". When you take delivery of your new "baby" tell GM you're not happy with their shipping policy. Or tell them with an email or thru this forum. They are watching.

Steve_R

I don't think General Motors will change their shipping strategy and process because a few people on a forum complain.

KenHorse

Ya think?

(Bitching about 3 weeks delivery? Hell.... mine took 5 )

Zymurgy

I'm sure "cents" is exactly why they use trains. Sure, truck is faster, but shipping by train is much cheaper.

Red C8 of Jax

I would think GM ships most of their new vehicles by rail. At least at BG they place a car cover on them before being transported.

Bucknut2006

So what you are saying is that the price of the Corvette should go up so you can get your car sooner? Screw that. If they could save me even more money by taking 6 weeks to get it to the west coast, then so be it.

Cheech Wizard

I have no complaint with the rail service to the west coast.

My C7 reached Toledo on November 26, and arrived in Mira Loma, CA on December 6. 10 days.

peter pan

You want it faster do museum delivery

-CM-

There you go with facts, again.

Crossed Flags Fan

GM, 1vettenut said "stop shipping Corvettes by rail".







They said OK.

Bowmanr1

Shipping by truck may mean the same amount of wait time because GM will want to accumulate enough cars to make the shipment efficient, cars aren't going to ship one by one.

Many companies have moved to rail as the primary mode of transport for long distances due to cost and the fact that truck capacity is very constrained due to an industry wide driver shortage.

There is no way GM will move to a more expensive mode of transport in order to potentially deliver a car a few day earlier. Museum delivery is the best option is someone is worried about the rail transit time.

Vetteman Jack

GM delivers cars in the most economical method for them.

musclecar6

Good luck whining on the Internet & hoping GM will change their shipping policy. Just spend the extra grand and do museum delivery. Or better yet, buy from MacMaulkin, fly out to their dealership in NH, take delivery and break in the new ride going cross country ( if you're a super thrifty type, you'll like saving the grand).

dvilin

I'll jump on that first thing Monday morning.

Fredvettec6

I would do the museum delivery especially since my car may be delivered to NY while I am in FL and I could drive back to FL. But it is another $ 1000 and very little goes to the museum, and they do all the prep etc. Still have to pay GM for shipping to NY. Plant is 2 miles from museum. What's with that?

CanadianVetster

Cry baby.
P

mksz51

You order the car and it likely takes months for the allocation to get picked up and the car to be built. Whining about a few more weeks is, well, just whining........ Order a car from Europe and see how long that takes. Patience is a virtue.

TEAShea

They usually shipped Corvettes to Nebraska by train (to Kansas City and then by truck) but mine was trucked all the way - thank goodness

Steve_R

I don't think this went the way the OP thought it would.

Keith N

I'm hoping for the same kind of time frame.