My '01 convertible had a window rattle that would never end. I would take it to the dealer and they'd fix it under warranty... a month later it was back. Just before the warranty ended it started again - I stopped over at the dealer and they were too busy to look at it. I told them my warranty was going to be up in a few days and I really wanted this fixed so I asked the service writer if they'd still honor the warranty on this since they're so backed up. Mr. service writer ***** says to me in the nastiest tone ever -"...Uhhh; what don't you understand about THE WARRANTY IS OVER?!?..." I am not a problem client nor have I had any issues or made any demands so there was absolutely zero reason for that tone/attitude. I traded that car in on an Audi the next week.

Not only does Chevrolet need to work on quality control but they also need to test parts to make sure they'll function properly well beyond the warranty period. Also: They need to make sure that people that are driving $60,000 + cars are not being treated like I was. I know that I would have gotten that fixed under warranty by calling Chevy or a discussion about that punk with the GM of the store (I spent over 10 years in the car business, so I know my way around a car store) but I just decided I wasn't going to deal with it.

I want a C7 convertible when they're available. I've been really troubled with the poor quality control and the attitude at GM where they make parts and systems to just make it past the warranty period. Add in the overall treatment of Corvette owners by these dealers and I have serious reservations about a new Corvette; no matter how in lust I am for one. I lose sleep over selling my '68 327/350hp car 20 years ago and I want a new one but we are high-line buyers and deserve to be treated as such.

 

The quality has been decent except for modules. Of which they keep adding more and more and keep putting them way up under the dash. That renders the car a disposable pos. thats why you dont see 20 year old infinitis running around. Real american cars and trucks did not do this. Thats why you do see 20 year old examples.

Grossly negligent design flaw to do this. The only modules should be an ecm and ebcm. And they should be separate and harnessed in an easily accessible spot.

 

5 yrs 60k miles I've replaced the alternator, water pump, rebuilt the rear end, sway bar end links, window switch, oh and the engine. I do drive the car pretty hard sometimes though.

 

I would expect it to be on par with the C6

 

Well, I have agreed with a lot of your prior posts, but this is the first I recall where you complain about the Corvette, and I'm wondering what happened?

You have always been positive, recognizing "stuff" can happen, ala your alternator failure.

As to Consumers Reports, they rank Corvette low in its Nov. report,
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2012/...latest-survey/
but high in its Feb. report.
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2012/...icas-best-car/

That’s not so comforting to me in the validity of their reports. However I have never bought into their ratings of any product as I've never found their 'reports' of reliability to track mine on any product.

Other sources rate Corvette universally as an extremely reliable car.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com...e/Reliability/
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/america...ly-driver.html
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/cor...liability.html
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Re...&trimid=113566

Note even a Ferrari forum post on this topic.

Reliability, to me, is NOT a damned switch that does not work (although I have never even had that issue). Reliability is a repeated failure of a component.

Some Z06 valve failures occur, but IMHO we are still only hearing about the failures, with no information regarding mods, use of the car and increased maintenance performed as required on a car that is tracked.

No matter, I find the Corvette to be extremely bullet-proof. Sorry you have had so many issues.

 

Where did you pull this from?

Many sources rate Corvette universally as an extremely reliable car.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com...e/Reliability/
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/america...ly-driver.html
http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/cor...liability.html
http://autos.msn.com/research/vip/Re...&trimid=113566

Note even a Ferrari forum post on this topic.

 

This is a good reason to skip the first model of any car. Let some other poor sucker deal with the first year model issues

 

I'm sure it was a union plot to make all those parts fail over ten years to deprive you of a positive ownership experience. I'll bet it's even in the union guys and gals handbook...

 

My two Porsches have been 100% reliable - not a single thing ever went wrong with them. According to JD Power, Porsche is the most reliable sports car maker worldwide.

Now if you'd said "Ferrari"...

 

One source of problems occures when the switch is made from prototype parts to production parts. This switch envolves changing manufacturing techniques and some times types of materials. Most of the testing done during development is done with prototype parts. For a story of the problems faced by the C5 in this area, look at "All Corvettes are Red."

Material switches and production technique changes or failures during production runs of parts also can occur. Witness when a recall targets a series of cars built during a specific time peroid or utilizing a specific part. Sometimes, but rarely, a production line failure can occur such as failure to tighten a part properly.

The Chinese quality problem is an interesting one. Apparently they don't understand six sigma quality techniques and as a result, quality can vary radically from incredibly good to incredibly bad during the same run. Material switching seems to be controlled by the "whatever is on hand is used" technique of material control

 

Based on history, reliability may be an issue with the first model year. The other issue os that there will be a few features that most everyone dislikes, that will be corrected with the 2015 model year.

One example was the school bus sized steering wheel on the 2005 C6.

There will be a few of these zingers on the C7, we just don't know what they are yet.

 

I posted on this very subject but cant find it so here goes.
I am concerned for reliability and support for several reasons and it all leads back to GM.
Right now as we speak(ok-type) the ZR1 owners are having vibration problems and going through heck to get it resolved(out of balance rotors on 120K cars) - some have'nt yet!
90% of the dealers damage the cars because thier "Corvette tech" is ..lets just say "challenged", ie. broken rockers and overall poor service and getting tires balanced is tough at BEST. Some are very good but so far and few in between its rediculous. If you pour the oil back "too fast" in an A6 ls3 2013 car you get to sniff oil to 1000 miles.... Free no charge. These are jsut a few minor things still plaguing a car in its 9th year of being realatively unchanged in the grand scheme. Now look at the MASSIVE integration of technology and development in the new car and tell me stright faced, who will resolve emerging problems? GM???? HA
The savy tech??? double HA. Dont get me wrong here you all I love my 12GS but the dealer network here in central AL is bad - very bad. Some of the problems with the c6 cars were never addressed - just like all the others they(GM) simply ignored the issues and kept on truckin. Kinda like Ford's MILLIONS of noisy whining PS pumps....just pitiful.
On demand displacement, a myrid of electronics, Steer by wire - gulp, you know - its been tesetd its safe - Tadge says so.

 

Dealership personnel think everybody are dumbells. The local dealership has 2 large GM signs stating that they would meet any tire price from any where, including the internet. Gee, for my tires, they were on "national backorder", the installation would have been cheaper at the Mercedes/Porsche dealer, and the Chevy dealer charges $40 more to do an alignment on a Corvette than on any other Chevy. I went to another Chevy dealer and paid the internet price on the not on national back order PS2 tires (plus tax), installation cost was $15/tire, including Road Force balancing, and the alignment cost me $90 (same as any other Chevy). It was my first time at that dealer; the shop foreman spoke to me, told me about their custom made ramps for the alignment machine, wanted to know if I want to see the shop, etc. They have my business now instead of the "local" a-holes.

 

Quality is my dilemma.

I think the car looks great and the interior facelift has exceeded my expectations. Besides having enough money for one, my only worry is quality.

My Z will begin her 4th year on Jan 23rd. It's never had a repair. Nothing has ever gone wrong with it.

Wife's Cooper S is a year old--not a single thing has gone wrong with it.

And I read on this forum somewhere the average cost of repairs per year of Corvette ownership was (wrestling with my memory) $400-$600 per year.

So, while I save my money, I will be watching the initial year to see how the quality pans out.

 

I'd just like to see GM come up with a better front windshield cowl design. It has been a problem and they have done nothing about it.

Please do not tell me it is an installation problem either, the design is poor period.

I finally tried the tape fix using black DUCT tape and it would not stick properly to the cowl piece. Yes I cleaned the area with alcohol too.

Next step I suppose will be the black silicon caulk. I have tried this before and failed, messy too. But I will try again..

 

Same for me too. BMW's, Mercedes, Porsche all great no issues.

My Covette was crap!

 

Style can be judged quickly. C7 reliability will need to be proven over time.

 

I've put well over 200K miles on BMWs and loved them, handled well, fun cars to drive. They were well built, but certainly not trouble free. Beyond the nagging problems (seems each out of warranty repair cost $1K-1.5K), one needed a new engine (thankfully known design error, no charge), another had a "lifetime maintenance free" transmission that failed out of warranty, repair ~$3500.

BTW - I won't fall for that maintenance free BS again. The transmission problem could have been avoided.

Cheers,
JB

 

Uh huh. Read post #20 above. And I guess you didn't bother to read any of the other posts here complaining about it.

 

It's my opinion, I didn't pull it from anywhere but I've seen reliability complaints in Corvette magazines over the years. I've had 4 or them ranging from 1969 to 2009. I'm not going to list all the problems I've had starting with the roof coming apart.

Reliability has gotton better but my Toyotas are just getting broken in at 100k miles. Can you say that about Corvette?