Rinaldo Catria

GM has been asking Corvette dealers to remain hush about certain secret info it wishes to surprise the public with on 7/18/19... now GM rewards said dealers by telling them they aren’t invited to the reveal. Think there’s a chance some of that secret info leaks out now?

OnPoint

I suppose if somebody wanted to burn bridges and be petulant, there's a chance of it.

84 4+3

Meh. The dealers don't know much more than we do. I don't think its make or break for GM if they do at this point.

Red67John

No, the dealers have no real secret info.

TXshaggy

This is a marketing event looking to open up max exposure bandwidth worldwide...that usually isn't accomplished at the individual dealer salesman level.

There are over 4000 Chevy Dealers. Some have signed up for tour spots, that’s when they’ll get to shine.

Finally, would be surprised if anybody at a dealership knows much more than this forum.

jefnvk

How many dealers would really pay to send staff to LA for a couple days to attend a reveal event with little actual info or training anyhow?

Rinaldo Catria

I’m thinking any of the top 25 Vette dealers in the country.

lt4obsesses

This is the truth. I know that when Jeep rolled out the Gladiator, the dealership knew pretty much nothing more than the general public knew. Then, it was still some time before we even got the training modules, let alone the ordering banks opened up. People like to talk, and these people would talk. GM knows this all too well.

BEAR-AvHistory

Its a pure marketing event. People who can deliver exposure get invited.

jagamajajaran

I know of several top Corvette salesmen who were invited.

0bbbvettes.com

While GM does not call or email the said store, the said stores and their families who have been in the business for a very long time, have a lot of acquaintances at the factory. Factory workers know the problem because retooling has to be done to solve said problem, so its no mystery to them. They know what the hold up is.

They, in turn, tell us what is going on.

So.... yes said store does... and it aligned with the same secret info I heard from my source, so I believe said store, which I told another forum member who everyone thought was out of his mind when he mentioned it. It's a problem the c7's have also.

Use your imaginations.

moon2605

In my opinion GM is the big machine that is all about profits. The dealers are your connection to the Chevrolet Brand. I have a great relationship with the local dealer but the local GM rep is something else. I had a modified 2015 ZO6. Water pump went out at very low miles. Noting we did would affect the water pump in any way. Dealer tried to get it warranted but factory rep said no. Not a big deal $400 if I remember correctly. However it shows that GM makes more of an effort to get out of warranty rather than try to support the customers. We never asked or implied we wanted anything warranted that we tore up or modified. I could also never get the rep to call and discuss. He hides like Waldo. All that being said I think not having a handful of the big corvette movers there is pretty crappy. These are the guys on the front line and should be there if for no other reason than appreciation. Plus several of these guys have youtube channels and would be hyping the car. Sounds like from the above post from bbbvettes that a few dealers know more than they let on. It would not surprise me to hear a few "rumors" now. Either way it wont really matter. The car will be revealed next month and everyone can decide if they want one or not. I think all Chevrolet has done is create some animosity between the factory and the sales people. sound like bad business to me. I am sure curious about the "problem".

Supermassive

I see the big dealers and small dealers the same way I view any kind of dealer. They supply me with the drug I want, in this case a shiny new car. In this day and age there are so few dealers that have any clue about what they are actually selling, because the typical Chevy dealer sells volume appliances and a few Corvettes a year. The people that should be at a major reveal should be able to spread the word far and wide. The big dealers have very little influence outside of the Corvette fanbase that calls these forums home. The best thing these dealers could do is make inroads with "influencers" as they could funnel their viewership through their sites and dealerships. I personally despise the "influencer" thing but its a reality in the day and age and GM is really smart targeting this group.

I will be glued to the internet on 7/18 and will be consuming tons of information from all of the various sources...its a really amazing symbiosis that will benefit these influencers and GM, so good for them.

So no, dealers, even the biggest ones, don't seem to be the appropriate type of invite for an event that is trying to reach a global audience. They will have plenty of opportunity after the reveal to get acquainted with the hardware after the reveal.

LIStingray

I would expect that the top 10 dealers all got invites, and I am certain Rick Hendrick gets invited to every big thing GM does. As for the Chevy dealers that sell less than 10 Corvettes per year, which is 75+% of its dealers, why waste the event space for them - they aren't actively promoting the product.

ColdPIzza

I've seen one salesperson complaining. One. And he isn't in the top 10. Could you point to the thread where there are more salespeople and where GM has created animosity? Until then, it's just more manufactured controversy.

kratedisease

Dealers care about PROFIT.

The non-invite does not offend them as much as NOT huge getting allocation of the new HOT selling Corvette that they can move and turn over very quickly.

The invite does not make them money, but allocation does.

I am sure they rather get more Corvettes than get invited.

kratedisease

I was invited, but turned GM down and told them that I have I have my plumber coming over that day to fix my toilet.

Red67John

Not to insult anyone but the dealers are simply middlemen through which GM sells the products. As Tesla has found out, it is state laws that generally require the manufacturers to even have dealers as opposed to direct selling. So, the reveal of a new product, including the C8, targets the media, including the new age influencers, who will spread the word, not the dealers or the customers.

If you look at media and blogger stories of the recent reveal of the new Caddy CT4 and CT5, GM showed off the cars but did not even allow those present to look under the hood or in the trunk, citing they were merely pre-production models. This really isn’t all that unusual.

Sure, every corvette sales leader and a lot of corvette enthusiasts would love to attend the reveal, but they will have their opportunities to spend time with the car over the coming months at events throughout the country.

captain vette

The dealers know less than some guys in this forum

moon2605

You guys must have bad dealers. I use Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine , Texas . They are Corvette guys who know them well and have done a great job for me even on modified cars. Maybe I just have a good service adviser . I would hate to try and deal directly with GM based on my limited experience with GM directly . GM is a manufacturer and seem to lack in customer service. Maybe everyone here has had a different wonderful experience with the factory.