I was driving down I-84 Saturday afternoon, when a strange noise emitted from the engine bay. I immediately pulled over and shut the engine down. A last second flash on the DIC was low oil pressure. I had it towed to John Watson Chevrolet. It sat there all day, and nothing. Then around 4 pm, I get a call from the service writer asking me if I had recently had an oil change. I asked why, and he said, "cause the tech said he checked the oil, and it was low". I said, "I don't think so, cause to check a dry sump, the engine has to be ran until it reaches operating temperature, and then let sit for at least 5 minutes, or it will show low". Then I get a call an hour later, and the same guy says, "bring in your oil change receipts, cause we have to verify before we start warranty work"

Is it me, or is this typical Chevrolet? It seems the first thing they try is to worm their way out of paying for warranty work. I have 12,XXX miles on the car. For a car of this design, and super abilities, I run it like a grandpa.

I want some opinions, if you guys don't mind. I do love the car, and will never have the chance to buy another new 427 convertible. I want it fixed, but will it ever be the same? I am just really upset about this.

 

Just for clarification, when was your last oil change, who did it, and when's the last time you checked the oil level?

Did they even tell you what the problem is?

 

It might be very complicated and even involve some disassembly, but I'm sure there is some way to check the oil level even when the engine is cold.
It sounds like either the dealer doesn't know what they are doing, or they have a reasonable suspicion that the car was indeed low on oil.

 

Whatever it is, it's a legitimate question to ask if there was an oil change made to the car. A TON of folks have screwed up dry-sump oil changes, including many GM dealerships, especially at the beginning. The #1 problem is putting just 6 quarts of oil, like on wet sump cars. And THAT wouldn't be GM's fault. Another legitimate question was asked by a member: When was the last time you checked the oil? If never, then you'd be at least partially responsible for negligence; you're supposed to check oil level every 1K miles at the most (some manuals say every fuel tank fill-up).

Before any further speculation, please answer those 2 questions . Good luck.

 

It might be a dropped valves anyway. They probably just want a maintenance proof before taking out the 15 000 $ LS7!

 

Contacted Customer Service, and as usual, an untrained, uncaring, and with a lack of any professional ability whatsoever, answered my call. After an hour, explaining the whole situation, and asking her how Chevrolet's promise of 100% customer service satisfaction can help me, or make this situation better. I told her maybe a rental while my car is in the shop would be nice.

Fast forward to today, at around 2 pm. She says, I called the dealer, and told them you were upset with their customer service, and also asked them to provide you with a rental. I was awestruck at this person's inability to convey ANYTHING we had talked about. I told her quite sternly, I want satisfaction from Chevrolet, not the dealer. I then asked her, when did I say anything about the dealer's service????? I was pissed about the choice of a Chevrolet product, and how I was being affected.

I asked her if satisfaction could be in the form of maybe deducting the current mileage from the basic warranty, and starting anew.

LISTEN TO THIS RESPONSE!!!!!!!!!!!!

She said we do not typically remove miles from the cars odometer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had to explain to her adding the current mileage to the length of the warranty, was not removing them from the odometer.

She then ridiculously said, We will give you this SPECIAL opportunity to buy an extended GMPP waranty. Since you have had this serious issue on your car, it will be provided to you, now.

I told her, I need to speak with someone who has more experience with this job, and knows a little about cars. She then said, it is not about experience sir, we just don't offer removing miles from the odometer, or adding miles to the 3/36 or the 7/100 warranties.

This is my reward for buying 2 new, special Corvettes from Chevrolet. I had some issues with the Z06, and now the worst possible issue with the 427 Vert.

I taked to Dave Salvatore at Kerbeck. He is having a meeting with the engine center quality manager, and another quality guy from the assembly plant this Saturday. He is going to talk about the 427 engine failures, and general quality this week. Call him if you bought a Corvette from them, and are having issues.

Please, all of you Corvette and forum guys, of which I have been a member for 12 years, forgive me for this.

Chevrolet has got to be the worst car company the world has ever known. They have ZERO cutomer service, do not care about you or your problems with their product. This will be the last piece of American made junk I will ever buy. The Customer Sevice center is filled with nothing but 3rd rate stooges, and could not fight their way out of a mental paper bag. I am done. I have bought 3 brand new Japanese cars since my last GM product, and should have never bought this one.

SORRY I say this as an American veteran of 20 years.

 

VL,
Please allow me to make a couple of observations regarding your situation.
You need to take a couple of steps back, catch your breath, and first and foremost start to work WITH you're local dealer/service department to find out exactly what it was that "broke" inside your LS7?? Provide them with the oil change records or as much info as you can to HELP them rule out oil starvation due to low oil level in the dry sump system. Then point them to the TSB regarding LSxx oil pump failures (stuck high pressure bypass). If the loss of oil pressure caused the your LS7 to grenade, then they will definately get the Zone service manager involved (if they haven't already talked to him)... realistically at 12,xxx miles I would think that they would be eager to offer up a new engine (along with completely replacing the oiling system). Once the determination has been made that/if there was a component failure in your engine, for sure the dealer/GM should provide you with a loaner until your car has been repaired. During the repair process you should work with the service manager and Zone Manager and insist on a warranty extension... you may want to get Kerbeck involved at this point too and have THEM help encourage the Zone Servcie Manager and GM to help you with the warranty... not just because you were inconvenienced (time w/o your car), but because you deserve the piece of mind knowing that your covered in the event that someting happens after the B2B and Powertrain Warranty expires. A buy back might not workout in your favor moneywise because GM would deduct for the 12,xxx mile you have driven the car. Plus finding another 427 'vert equipped the same as yours may be impossible this late in the MY.
Remember, it is NOT your local dealer/service dept or Kerbeck's fault that your car broke. So treat them nicely... you need all of them on your side to come out of this with minimum trauma. Trust me, I know that it is hard NOT to get emotional over a having a big ticket item like our 427 'verts die prematurely! I hope for your sake you haven't alienated the people you need most on your side by being impatient and jumping the order of things! Win over the service manager and GM zone manager and you've got the juice you need to get things made right!!
Good Luck!!!!
-XmP

 

Could you please answer post#2 so that we can understand what is going on with your issue?

 

The oil level was fine. I checked it a few minutes after it quit. I checked it again 15 minutes after shutdown. The last oil change was 2000 miles ago, I did it, and kept all receipts. They have not tore into the car yet, as they are awaiting the go ahead from GM.

XmP- I told the dealer I was going to call Chevrolet. I told them I had no issue with them, only Chevrolet for treating me like any other nobody. I called Dave at Kerbeck, and he said to email him all the info. He was talking to Chevrolet quality people on Saturday. I think from his tone, there are a number of 427 fails we are not hearing of.

I am no longer any fan of the Corvette, in reality. I hate the people who run Sure-let-our (my new word for Chevrolet) customers down.

 

Hey Guys, sorry. But until this thing is completely done, I am gonna sign off the forums. I will post the results in a new thread. I just don't want to discuss this anymore. Thanks for all the support.

 

I have been planning to drive my like-new 2006 convertible for a few more years and then trade up to a garage queen 427 convertible.

However, as I read about LS2 cars going over 200,000 miles and there is a new thread about LS7 failures every week, I am having second thoughts. I am trying to be objective and look honestly at the data, because I have always wanted a 427.

I think I will be much better off to go to a GS if I want a newer widebody. I can always throw some money at an LS2 or LS3 if I want the increased performance. The LS2 seems to be solid as a rock. I hate to say it, but the LS7 is looking more like a time bomb as time goes by and more data is collected. And Chevy is definitely not stepping up to the plate for their customers who spent big money on those vehicles. In a few cases they do, but for the most part they do not.

I am sad to say it, but I think the data has taken priority over my emotions and there will not be a 427 in my future.