Did we ever figure out if VIN numbers are sequential or not? Seems like all the latest VINs are up in the 4000 to 5000 range. I picked mine up from a dealer lot three weeks ago and was told it just arrived. The last 5 digits of my VIN are 00339. Was mine an early one and the dealer lied?

Thanks,
Mike

 

VIN's are sequential. Ask Marvin if he can determine the actual shipping date.

 

Mike
That VIN# sounds like one of the early production vehicles that were used for engineering and production validation. Most of the middle to large CHevrolet dealers received one or more of these cars above and beyond normal allocation. We received ours as one of our first C6's and it was our first delivery. That is why you are seeing VIN #'s that are so much higher right now coming off the line.

 

Thanks guys! That's useful info. Could someone look up the VIN to give me the build date or any other info? Not sure who Marvin is...

Here's the story from the dealer, so I'd be interested in what your take is on this.

I called Criswell Chevrolet in Gaithersburg, MD on Wed, September 15 just to see if they had a C6 because I wanted to test drive one. My dilemma was that my C5 needed new wheels (chrome peeling) and tires, I knew I wanted a C6 eventually, but wanted to test drive one before plunking down $2K on wheels and tires for the 99. The salesman told me that they had a DSOM car that was actually available because the guy who ordered it went to Germany for 6 weeks right before it came in, which implies it came in very recently.

He told me that the [dealership] owner said go ahead and sell it if they found someone serious about buying it because they could order another one and have it there before the guy got back from Germany. Drove it, loved it, loved the color, bought it the same day for MSRP, trading in the 99. I thought to myself, "I never get this lucky... to have found the car that fits me perfectly and call them just by chance, on a day when it became available."

Now I wonder. The car "only" had 139 miles on it, so unless they fiddled with it, they didn't test it much if it was an early production model.

Can you guys help me figure out what is going on? I'm a little worried, not about the car, but about how I was treated. I'm not sure they were on the up and up here. They also claimed that they were charging me MSRP and I believed them because the price sounded right, but I later found out (by adding up all the options on the GM Corvette web site) that they actually charged me more than $1000 over sticker. When I asked them for the window sticker, they told me that the car was delivered so recently that the cars were getting there before the window stickers and that GM was sending window stickers after the cars arrived. That didn't sound right either, but having a wild hair and wanting the car so bad... I let it go.



Mike

 

It's against Federal law to deliver a car without the MSRP window sticker. Marvin is Forum dealer, SuperChevyICM. It is possible, if it was a validation car, that it was offered to the dealer at less than the normal wholesale price. Marvin can answer that question as he received one.

 

Mike
I will look it up and get back with you.
Marvin

 

Thanks. Looks like my PM and your post may have crossed. I appreciate the help.

Mike

 

Mike
I sent you a PM
Marvin

 

Look at the door sticker. The one with the GVWR, tire info and VIN. On the upper left corner is the build date of the car. Plain as day.

 

Well, in my case at least, not the date... but the month/year. Mine says 06/04. So now that I know my car is 4 months old and the 339'th to roll off the line, and I've also been told it was an early production vehicle for the purpose of validation, what does that mean? I've already found two loose screws in two different places and found that the bottom black piece on the rear bumper was fitted improperly on one side (inside out: top flap was on the bottom). Does anyone know what they do to these "early production" vehicles? It almost looks like mine was taken apart and put back together again.

And why, after three months, would GM decide finally to deliver it to a dealer to be sold as new (without a window sticker), and why would it only have 139 miles on it if it was being "tested"?

So many questions...

Mike

 

The last 5 cars I've purchased have all been brand new and they have all been ordered. I go into the dealer with the mindset that I'm going to order. Given I'm buying a new car, I want the opportunity to configure it exactly to what I want. The other advantage is that I know the history of the vehicle from the time it is on the line until I'm driving it home. My last knew car, a 300C, I took delivery in the beginning of July. I had the dealer call me the minute it came off the truck. I went to the dealership with checkbook in hand and watched them prep the car which had 4 miles on the odometer. When I was signing the papers, they had the car just outside the window. I was even bothered by the fact that the sales people where over looking at it. I felt like tapping on the window to warn them not to touch it. A little overly possesive but it's my new toy and sorry I don't want to share.

When I ordered my C6, I was sitting right beside a new C6 sitting in the showroom. Just about every person coming into the showroom on this busy Sat afternoon felt compelled to look at and fool with the new car. Pulling/forcing things, slamming the rear hatch, etc. There where kids climbing all over it with sticky hands, etc. yech. I have 3 kids who where once young and as a parent, I wouldn't have let them get within 10 feet of a car like that. It had smudgy fingerprints all over it and who knows what was on the bottoms of the shoes of the kids standing on the seats.

I said to my wife, there is no way in a million years would I buy that car. They at least weren't allowing people to test drive it which I would have even a bigger problem with. I know with the 300C I test drove, I floored it to see how hard I could make those 340 horses force the salesman's head back into the headrest. I'll report, it did a great job and had me grinning. Who cares about the break in period, I wasn't going to buy THAT car, but I'm sure some unknowing person did.

My point is, the less time the car has between leaving the production line and being in your possession, the less chance it will have to be used or possibly abused. The odometer should read in the single digits when you take possesion of a new car. Just my opinion.

Dana

 

I think it would be pretty cool to have that early of a car, with such a low VIN, as thats a story, and a bit of history that other cars wont have. all cars will have some issues eventually, regardless of when theyre built and I think I could live with the issues you mentioned, to have that low of a VIN.

I would say congrats

But then, maybe thats just me?
And I like your color choice too, btw

 

I see both sides. I don't mind so much people looking at it or kids dropping their ice cream cone on it (as long as it is the exterior). I have kids and I can wash the car. At the point where I'm looking over my shoulder the entire life of the car scared to death that someone will breathe on it, it is no longer a car that I can enjoy. It is a burden. My father-in-law is like that with his C5. He spends more time looking it over with a microscope and buying body color panty-hose to cover up the mirrors, front facia, etc. that he never gets to drive it. When I tell him that I can't sleep until my C6 has over 500 miles on it so I can take it to the track, he cringes. No disrespect to "people like that", but that's not how I want to be.

With my car, now that I know it was an "early production" car meant for validation, my concerns are all mechanical. Was it dogged in that first 130+ miles? Did they take things apart and put them back together and if so, did they do it right? Is the fact that mine is early production the reason that it is lowered by 1 inch compared to most other C6's? Did they notice the scraping and raise the later VINs higher? If something goes wrong with it in the future, will I wonder if it was because it was an "early production" model?

Again, those are my concerns, but I have to admit that after driving it for 3 weeks, I'm not too worried about any of them.

Mike

 

It would have been looked over with the proverbial "fine tooth comb". They check to validate assembly procedures and look for any trouble spots that may result. Not just the car, but the plant processes themselves.

If anything was found to be out of sort, it would be fixed at the plant where the most experienced Corvette personnel are. Chevrolet engineers participate in ride and drives looking for unusual noises and check all systems operation.

You got the best of the best in PDI. That drive is usually around the plant's test track and with a validation car, usually just outside the plant on public roads in Bowling Green. They are not going to trash your car. You take a much bigger risk at the dealerships with some guy in new car prep trashing you car on its test drive.

Enjoy you car.

 

hmmm...verrrry interesting. My PR Auto, F55, 1SB, etc.etc.
is #338 (!) went through the line just ahead of yours.

Marvin is GREAT! - Sent me the event status codes as he probably did yours. My car was delivered, however, with 30 miles on the odo. I know tis more than usual but still far less than your 130+.

So far I haven't found any glaring faults with it; the passenger side door panel SEEMS to be a little loose at the forward upper corner but that's all for now. Drives great; well, under 55mph anyway<G>. Stereo/nav is working. Don't hear any "buzzing" from the Left speaker, though I'm not an audiophile and could care less cuz I bought the car to drive! If I want to listen to music I stay in my den and kick back.

As far as wanting the ultimate least miles on a new car I'll take mine that went through SOME inspections and wasn't just "dumped" off the line onto a transporter<G>! Somebody cared about #338....now tis my turn.

Plus..there is a LITTLE cachet in having that low VIN #(IMHO)...

 

Mikeyc6,
I bought my PR off the lot at a dealer near me. He received it on Sept. 22, although it has a build date of 08/04 and VIN of 1499.

When they let me test drive it on Sept. 23, the salesman who rode with me never said a word about break-in, or anything about keeping the speed down. But since I knew better, I never got over 55 MPH.

The car did still only have 19 miles on it when I took possession. They told me only one other person beside me and the salesman had driven it.

We can never really be sure how it was driven before we got them, but most likely the folks driving yours knew something about break-in.

 

Hmm. You missin' any screws? I found two extras in some odd places on mine just lying around. Maybe they came from yours.

Mike