Hello everyone!

After more than a decade of yearning for my dream car, 5 years since I began my working for myself, I have finally accomplished my goal of buying a Corvette Z06.
I can't explain how good it feels to be finally strapped into the cockpit of such an amazing machine. Even now, after 2 days and 300 miles, it still feels unreal; like a dream.

If you've seen my previous thread, you already know what's up.

For those of you just tuning in, I'm driving this bad bitch from Houston back home to San Francisco Bay Area
I wanted to be able to share my experiences with you along with some photos/videos of the journey back.

without further ado..



https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...db78d733f5.jpg

Ta Daaaa!

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...7c9e153983.jpg
Beautiful view from our room at the Royal Sonesta Houston

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...757b26a93d.jpg
Caught some airline pilots checking out the whip. I feel like aircraft pilots have an affinity for Corvettes.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...65aaa80d0c.jpg
That ass



EDIT:

First thoughts on the car: WOW. I always knew going from an almost stock Lancer Evolution to a Corvette z06 would be a huge leap, but nothing could've prepared me for the actuality, power and bottom end torque of this amazing machine.

It took very little effort to (accidentally) break traction, despite traction control being on and only driving in eco/weather mode.
I have yet to use Touring, Sport or Track. Everytime I get on it a little bit, my lady gives me this unfamiliar, dirty look like I did something wrong. Never got that reaction from her in the Evo! :D

The transmission shifter feels stiff. not as crisp as the 5-speed transaxle on my old Evo- which I drove for 12.5 years- so most of my comparisons will be based on that standard.
I often find myself forgetting to shift into 6th. Going into 5th gear and 7th gear can be tricky sometimes because they're practically the same motion. Hopefully this improves with some more miles behind the wheel.

With more than 3 times the displacement of the 4G63 2.0 liter inline turbo of the Evo and half the driven wheels to propel the vehicle, I can honestly say this car has more potential than I can handle, at least for the moment. I'm considering taking some lessons down at Spring Mountain. The most important mod is driver mod, after all!

Nice dude! And it always provides a little satisfaction when people stop to check out your ride, especially affluent people. What's with the face blackouts though? You guys in witpro?? :rofl:

Congrats on the purchase and finally picking it up for the ride home. Looking forward to seeing how the journey unfolds...

My lady and I like our privacy is all. :)

Also, we're hideous. You guys should be thanking me for doing you all the favor of sparing you from having to look at our faces

Me too! Im not sure what to post about! perhaps you guys would like to give some suggestions? Are you guys interested in non-corvette related photos??

So was it flooded last year :D

BTW, many congrats! Hopefully many miles of smiles for you ahead :thumbs: I also bought my first vette, a first Z06 and first manual last year and it has been a blast ever since.

Congrats! The car looks great. It sounds like you're really enjoying it. Happy 6th Anniversary too! Enjoy your time in San Antonio.

I see you altered your trip to a southern route. Normally Roswell wouldn't be worth a dedicated drive, unless you're passing through to another destination, but I see you're heading west from there to Ruidoso & then down through Alamogordo which is a nice drive. There isn't much in Alamogordo other than White Sands National Monument,16 miles west of Alamogordo off of highway 70 (not too far out of the way) if you're interested in checking it out.

That reminded me that years ago while we were out at White Sands & passed by Holloman AFB the B2 stealth bombers were just taking off towards Hwy. 70 (the runway isn't far off the road) & flying very low over everyone as they were trying to gain altitude. The cars on the highway all stopped on the side of the road to watch them fly directly over us. I'm not sure if they even keep the B2s at Holloman anymore but it was cool seeing an entire group of them flying right over your head.

I think the B2 is retired now (or very close to it). They're "updating" to the B-21. Would be sweet if you saw those things taking off!! I say let us know about whatever floats your boat, but certainly include some corvette pics with some nice backdrops. I mentioned that on the other thread, but hey, new thread so it's not redundant! :-p

I don't think so! The car looks great in n out! A few cosmetic imperfections, that's all!

Thank you thank you. The map I posted in the previous thread was more of a general reference rather than the exact itinerary. We're still deciding exactly where to go from San Antonio.
My lady mentioned White Sands Monument. We'll probably end up heading that way.

The B-2 is really cool. I saw a decommissioned SR-71 Blackbird in Los Angeles, very cool. It would be amazing to see a B-2 takeoff... Are there any military planes I can park the z06 next to for some photo ops near the air force base? that would make for a very cool backdrop, no? :)

Sometime in the 2020s it seems.

I don't know since I haven't been there in a very long time. Having some military planes for a backdrop for your car would look great.

I've also seen those SR-71s if you're talking about the decommissioned ones they have sitting outside in Palmdale. I used to live in Canyon Country right off of CA14 30 minutes south of there. Back in jr. high & my first two years of high school we lived up in Santa Maria & my dad worked out at Vandenberg AFB on the Space Shuttle program for Martin Marietta (now Lockheed/Martin). My best friend's dad at the time was also a Lt. Colonel at Vandenberg. So between my dad & my friend's dad we used to go on base to check out the shuttle & to also watch missile launches up close. As a kid that was always fun.

Actually the one I'm referring to is located by the USC Trojans stadium/Museum of natural history

I wasn't aware that they had one on display there. An SR71 would be a cool backdrop.

Sure post em' up. Always fun to see pictures of an adventure like this. My wife and I will be taking our first long drive with the car next summer so anything you learn along the way is also appreciated. Most importantly just have a blast!

Familiar scene. I had an office about a block down from your hotel for 10 years in the 90's. Please do post up a full trip report. Love to see how the Corvette helps you get across country and what places you get to. Take some pictures from your Riverwalk boat. It is a neat boat tour.

A lot of air force bases will have decommissioned planes (fighter jets often times) near the gates. I'd google air force bases on your route and do a street view

Anybody ever find which number car this was?

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/03/...ccident-watch/

nice! congrats and enjoy the ride

Yes, post up pics along the way, with Corvette, without and interesting places you go. I think we'll all enjoy it, esp. those of us stuck in snow/cold/wind/sleet/rain/ice/ etc. YUK! Have a great trip. Just be careful out there....:thumbs:

Crank it Up!!
 

Put that thing in Sport Mode and the Exhaust in Track. As long as the temps aren't too cold and the pavement is dry, you can't get in any real trouble in Sport unless you really try. You'll get used to the power quickly if you keep dipping your toe in. Enjoy! :rock:

Congrats...enjoy the ride back to Cali.

My very first thought. :rofl: :lol:

Unfortunately it's propped up on a metal stand overlooking a pedestrian walkway. basically it would be impossible to get a good photo of the vette and the blackbird all in one photo.
Also, this one is a prototype. not an 'exact' SR-71, more of an early stage test mule.

I would post a photo to show what I'm talking about but my POS iPhone decided it doesn't want me to access my photos right now so I'll have to wait until later today to try again.
We're about to resume our journey.

Next stop, El Paso

Due to the Government shutdown, White Sands National Monument and Carlsbad Caverns are closed. No access means no fun so we've decided to skip the two as well as Roswell

Once I get my phone to cooperate I'll be sure to post all the photos of the last few days!

My phone started behaving literally right after I posted the previous comment.

I just finished resizing the photos but I'm afraid we need to pack up and head out now if we're to stay on schedule

This is the prototype blackbird I mentioned earlier.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...c997480c07.jpg


I'll dump the photos tonight after we check in! If anyone has a good hotel suggestion for El Paso please, do tell! it's gotta have a private parking garage at the least

That's too bad about the places being closed. I didn't think about that. I hope there are still some cool places you'll be stop & visit along the way. Thanks for posting the prototype SR71 pic.

These are the SR71s in Palmdale. Looks like someone managed to get them to take the ropes down for their car shots: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en...activetab=main

I ran into a very cool old cemetery around Deming, NM, that was a great backdrop for my then new to me C6Z06. Can't recall exactly but it was on the North side of I10 and very visible from the freeway. Take the next exit and loop back on the feeder road. I took about 30 shots and most are some of my favorites of the JSB C6Z. When you are further West; If you can get over to PCH and take it up from Santa Barbara a visit to the Hearst Castle at San Simeon is very cool and I have a good spot on PCH to take a picture at a Fancy Ranch gate with the Hearst Castle in the background. In fact the best part of your trip might be SB/Ventura up to San Simeon and double back (because I think PCH through Big Sur is again closed) and cut over on 46 to Las Robles. Of course by then you are nearly home. Some great wineries on 46 just west of PR. I was totally amazed at the cars ability to get 28 mpg at a steady 85 mph in West Texas. Let us know how the C7Z compares.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...20of%201-3.jpg

Good evening gentlemen.

I regret to inform you that this trip has taken a turn for the worse, and I could really use your help

After 270 miles of driving, we stopped for gas in Fort Stockton, TX. 30 miles afterwards, I notice the rear passenger corner tire is at 24 psi (down from 37)
I figured it was a puncture so I turned back around to Ft Stockton to have it looked at and patched


They found a crack in the wheel.

I have no idea how this could have happened, No bumps during the road today felt bad enough to cause such catastrophic damage to the wheels but I think the picture speaks for itself.

I'm currently trying to figure out the best solution for this setback and I could really use some input.

Here are the questions on my mind:

1. I was told this could not be fixed. Could anyone confirm?

2. Does anyone out there have an incomplete set of z06 wheels who may be willing to part with the rear one?

3. Does the Stingray rear wheel clear the rear calipers of the z06?

4. If so, does anyone have a stingray rear wheel they're willing to sell me?
.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...0258fca45.jpeg



I'm basically stranded here until I can get this sorted out. I'm at the end of my wits. I've already contacted Corvette World to see if they can ship me another wheel but they wont be able to get back to me on that until tomorrow.

Until then I need to assume the worse and explore all other possibilities.

Any ideas or suggestions to jog my troubled mind would be extremely welcome.

I'll be closely watching this thread all night. Help me Corvette Forum, You're my only hope!

Stranded; need help
 

Hello everyone.


I seem to have found myself in a compromising situation.

I recently purchased my dream car (Corvette z06, of course) from Texas and began driving it back home to California a few days ago.
(you can find the thread here: https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...back-home.html )


AND THEN THIS HAPPENED:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...07d54e862.jpeg

I dont know how I got such a bad crack in the wheel. I didn't go over any bad potholes.
Damage like this I would've felt and heard it pretty clearly, but I suppose it doesnt matter because what's done is done.

I'm currently in Fort Stockton, Texas, 1,500+ miles away from home and only 3 working wheels on my now virtually crippled Corvette.

Is anyone out there willing to sell me a rear z06 wheel or something of similar fit?

I'm hoping someone out there may have the solution for me. This is a pretty shitty situation to be stuck in and I would really appreciate any advice.

Oh man what a crappy situation! I've always done nationwide searches when looking for a car. Figured I could just road trip it home like you're doing. Not much i can do from the Dallas area. Hopefully someone out there is closer to ya and able to lend a hand

I just checked that area's Craigslist and no surprise didnt find anything.

https://bigbend.craigslist.org/d/auto-parts/search/pta

For God's sake! What bad luck. A lot of us have been following your journey. That tire definitely hit something like went off the side of a road and into a ditch. It happened to my wife once in the Camry Solara Vert while she was turning out of a driveway. Is the wheel leaking air? As bad as it looks, it may well be drivable although I can understand your concern for the distance you have to go to get home. Could this really have been like this when you bought it or did you unknowingly fall off a road side and into a hole? Somebody on the forum near you is bound to help, I'm sure.

Have you tried the Chevy dealer there? Maybe they could have one overnighted? I was on I 20 north of you a week ago and all the hotels were double rates because of all the oil field workers. I hope you don't have to deal with that too.

Z06 wheels are known to bend and crack.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-disposal.html

If anyone is out there who has the wheel I need, I would gladly pay for it to be shipped to where I am.
I'm a man of my word; I didn't get to be 30 years old and be able to buy a such magnificent car with no help from anyone by being dishonest.
I've been on this forum for over 12 years and my reputation isn't worth sullying over a silly wheel so if anyone out there is reading this who may be in the situation to help, I would really appreciate it.

Otherwise, I'm going to have it shipped back and take it up the ass on airfare


I can't imagine what I could've hit. I constantly scan the road for potholes and weird objects specifically for this reason. I've hit some nasty potholes in my old Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution; I know what bending/cracking a wheel sounds like and trust me that did not happen today.
I'm not saying Corvette World Houston sold me a vette with a fucked up wheel. In fact, I have nothing but good things to say about my buying experience from beginning to end over at Corvette World. But perhaps it was something the previous owner did and nobody knew about it?
Maybe today was the proverbial straw that broke the camels back?

Unfortunately cracked wheels are a thing with the C7 Z06. Short stiff sidewalls and taut suspension and brittle wheels. The best price and maybe even delivery would be House of Wheels here in the Forum. He sells the oem wheels at a good price. Now given that you are in Ft Stockton headed on vacation, it may be worth your while to see if the local GM dealer could get one in shortly even if you have to pay full price.

And I wouldn't trust fix a flat to gum up the crack enough to make it back to civilization. Possible Corvette Houston would give you a deal and put one on a bus out to you. Keep us posted.



If you could find some local that can weld aluminum it might be worth a try to get you to El Paso, but the weld is going to make balancing the wheel a bitch. My guess is you are going to be stuck in Ft Stockton at least until tomorrow afternoon/evening.

Sorry to hear about your troubles....
I hope you get a fix soon.

Judging by the picture, is there any possibility that the wheel can be fixed?

It appears that the design of the c7r edition wheels are different from the standard z06 wheels.
There doesnt seem to be a groove for the yellow circle on the standard z06 wheel

Was this front or rear and did you feel any vibration or noises when you first drove it or did it start after you were driving it for awhile?

[QUOTE=tertiumquid;1598753727]
Passenger rear corner. Which, by my driving habits would be the safest wheel of the four.

and now that you mentioned it, I recall my lady mentioning something about wheel vibration earlier in the day.

It appears that there is a Corvette specialty shop in Lubblock, Texas that has a set of the exact wheels I have. I wonder if they would be willing to sell me just the one.

If they could, everything may just work out after all

We've booked a comfy hotel with a safe looking parking lot for the night. I've already accepted the fact that best case scenario, we lose one to two days of the journey trying to get a new wheel- worse case scenario ship the car back home and fly home $$$$

There are different levels of contingency between those two scenarios that I'm also willing to accept. When I have an idea or vision in my mind, I have an obsessive compulsion to see it through (which is why I have this car to begin with) and this is no different.
I feel like if I gave up now and called it quits that, I don't know... That it would tarnish the spirit that the car represents to me.

In times like these I like to quote my favorite president of all time- Number 35- John F Kennedy: Let us not pray for easy lives, but the strength to endure a hard one.


Could you please send me a link to House of Wheels? I'm having a hard time finding them on the forum.

I wonder if you can get it welded/ fixed to hold up for the time being, and get it replaced when you're finally back home.

You can also try just calmly driving back home (not much exceeding 50 MPH), stopping rather frequently to check on the wheel. It might hold up until you're home. Many people here drove on cracked wheels for a while before it was finally discovered. If it holds air long enough (and you can add air along the way) that might be your best bet.

HouseOfWheels98@aol.com Bob is the man!

We are in Fort Stockton, Texas, going back to San Francisco Bay Area. It's a 1,500+ mile journey. It would probably take a week to make it back if I had to stop the car and get out to air it back up each time it needed it.
Plus it would completely ruin the fun of the trip which was the point to begin with. I'm going to try to source a replacement wheel as soon as possible and try to put this nightmare behind me

After all, it's CALI OR BUST!!! ( I GUESS CURRENTLY BUST )

Sorry for your unfortunate situation. I looked on Craigslist El Paso and nothing for corvette wheels. Hopefully Corvette World Houston does you a solid and helps you out...

That's a 20 x 10.Shouldnt it be 20 x 12?

edit: what do you guys think of this one?

https://www.hubcaphaven.com/p/23361/...-23347216.html

That's one of the places I found. I'm going to call every spot I've found so far tomorrow and see which one caters to my situation best.

I appreciate the effort, that means a lot. Thanks buddy!

I suppose I've performed all the due diligence that could possibly be done at this hour of the day. The rest will have to wait until morning.
Corvette World won't know if they'll even have one available until after 9:00 am tomorrow. If they can help that would be great but I'm going to explore all possible options until I have something solid.

I've found some pretty good leads to follow up on tomorrow. Some local, some not.

Go to the Chevy dealership there in Ft Stockton. Have them overnight you a wheel. :shrug:

Does anyone have any idea how much I should expect to pay for one from chevy?

https://www.hubcaphaven.com/p/23361/...-23347216.html

This one is $600. not sure about the logistics of getting it from point A to the rear passenger corner of my car, though

Other fellow members have suggested House of Wheels here on the forum. I plan on following up on any and all promising leads

i have a spare set , iam in norcal let me know if anything i can do to help you.

good luck and safe driving

Go to one of the online GM parts houses like gmpartsdirect.com or CULTRAG a sponsor at the top right of this page. Maybe you can find the wheel and a price there.

Thanks man I appreciate that a lot. I'll keep that in mind but hopefully I can figure this all out without having to take you up on your offer.

hmmm both sites seem to carry the wheel, but there's no mention in the description on whether or not it has the yellow lip. The pictures certainly don't show color

This may sound a bit out there and I'm sure a bunch of people are gonna jump on me, but I'd JB weld that shit to get it back home and worry about a new wheel then.

I don't know which thread you're monitoring so this is a copy of what I posted in your other thread.

I have been searching around the Austin/San Antonio area but I haven't been able to find any rear wheels. I also wrote to the El Paso Corvette club through FB to see if any of their members could help you out or might know of someone who could. At least they would be a bit closer to your location than the rest of us. Unfortunately, I don't personally know any of them but I figured it's worth a shot. I also gave them a link to this thread.

El Paso Corvette Club:

• Website - http://www.elpasocorvettes.com/
• FB page - https://www.facebook.com/ElPasoCorvettes/

Wow that really sucks!! Sorry to hear this has happened to you. I hope you make it home safe and sound. Keep us posted

I don't think my lady's going to go for that. She didn't even like riding in the vette when it didnt have problems

Sounds pretty risky

Why doesn't she like riding in the vette?? JB weld is ridiculously strong. I actually fixed 2 (out of 3 total) almost completely broken motor mounts with JB back when I was in the army and poor. If you let all the air out, spread it over the crack and smooth it as best you can, then let it sit for a couple of hours, it'll hold. I certainly don't blame you if you don't want to try it, just telling you what I'd do. I had to deal with a break down driving from Monterey to Myrtle Beach around Kansas City, and if some JB weld could have fixed it, I would have gone that route for sure. Instead, I lost half a day the first day and and like 75% of a day the next day getting the stupid front axle replaced (all wheel drive dodge stealth R/T turbo) and then had to drive for like 20 hours straight so I could make it home in time to have my car shipped to Germany before I PCS. For me, I'll do whatever it takes to get a car back on the road when I'm stuck somewhere

actually not a bad idea, at least try this to get to El Paso where there is a better chance of finding a rim at a dealer. How quickly did this lose air? with the lip of the tire covering most of that crack, it could have been there for a while without you knowing it. Seal the crack, air it up, and get to El Paso.

I would also try Bobs house of wheels, he's in Houston and perhaps something could be worked out to courier that thing to you, or you rent a car to meet half way.

do you have any kind of roadside assistance with your insurance or perhaps any kind of extended warranty with that car? They may be able to help too.

Now there's a thought..

I'm trying to find someone to overnight a wheel. House of Wheels Bob didn't pick up so I left him a voicemail.

edit: yes the tire is salvageable. Doesn't seem to have any problems. I was told it would be a bitch to dismount and reinstall, though. So I guess after I find the wheel my next challenge would be to find the right shop to do it before im out of the woods

LPG, I have merged your two threads together-they go together.

All the best of luck with your situation.

She doesn't like riding in the vette because I went from a 2.0 liter all wheel drive to a supercharged rear wheel drive car with 650 ft lb torque

I just got off the phone with House of Wheels Bob. Just my luck, he's on vacation. He has the exact wheel I need and he's willing to sell it to me for a very fair rate of $450. But he won't be able to do this until Tuesday.
He suggested I air the tire up to 55 psi and drive it back home. He said he wouldn't do the JB weld, rather just keep an eye on the tire pressure monitoring system and air it up with the portable compressor (which I already have) as we drive

Following

If the leak is slow enough and you have a portable compressor I would probably give that a go. As I said, at least until you get to another large city where you might find a wheel in stock.

If interested I can send a wheel and tire out to you today.

PM sent.

I've had to do this exact thing before, a few years ago on my C6 Grand sport. Not from a cracked wheel, but a broken valve stem. Got a lift to the Autozone to buy a portable cig lighter compressor. Mine probably leaked air faster than yours, but it got me home. Granted I didnt have to drive 1500 miles, but if the leak is slow enough, it should get you home. I would even probably do the fix-a-leak slime treatment. It might fill the crack a tiny bit and help mitigate air loss.

55 sounds a bit high, especially on a cracked rim. It might exacerbate the issue. Maybe try 40? And yeah, if you've got a portable compressor, with that being a run flat, you can probably just air it up every time you stop for gas. You can bring up the tire pressure in the infotainment and just watch it and if it goes under like 23, stop and air it up. Also at 55, it's going to leak out really fast, comparatively speaking. Like if you lose 1 psi every 3 minutes at 30 psi, you'd probably lose 1 psi every minute at 55.

That might be your only viable option without waiting for days. I drove 560 miles in my friend's Z06 with the cracked rear wheel & just aired it up every few hours. Of course you still have almost 1,500 miles to cover but it should be okay if you take it easy.

Whatever happened with Corvette World? I guess they didn't have a replacement wheel available, huh?

edit: I agree with Toddiesel, 55 psi is too high, especially with a cracked wheel. Just fill it to 34 psi or so & keep an eye on it & air it up as needed. That's what I did with my friend's Z06.

[QUOTE=Oneslackr;1598756073]

Whatever happened with Corvette World? I guess they didn't have a replacement wheel available, huh?



From my experience, Corvette World has a pretty good selection of wheels at their Houston and Dallas locations. There has to be something they can work out with you.

What sucks is that the OP just bought the car a few days ago from Corvette World (Houston). That wheel must have already been cracked. I doubt it just cracked between Houston & Ft. Stockton.

Well I also have another experience with Corvette World Houston in which they will deny any wrongdoing, making you (the customer) the liar/crazy person in front of other customers. (Situation deals with a car cover I purchased and later returned). Hopefully the OP has a better experience since this is a more significant financial (and dangerous) issue.

If we can assume the wheel was cracked when you bought it, and the pressure was less than 40 PSI when you started your journey, I would do some napkin math and figure out how often you are going to need to stop for air, and try limping it home.

If it cracked during the drive and then started leaking at an unknown, faster pace, well...that's different.

That sucks.

I'd find whatever was sitting around a chain shop in the area that comes close to fitting, toss it on, and deal with a match when you get home. Ain't gonna look pretty, but you've already wasted two days on this, just make sure all the pics are taken from the drivers side :)

I'll be honest and say I've not been too impressed with Corvette World when I visited them in Dallas years ago. I would hope that if this wheel were cracked prior to sale, they would make good on it. No way to prove that though so just move on and find a wheel is all you can do and is exactly what you are doing.

Keep us posted today on what you do.

I was going to suggest JB Weld but someone already did. It is great stuff and should at least slow the leak.

any update for today? Find a wheel? JB Weld?

I offered mine to borrow. Never heard back.

My guess would be he took Bob's advice (House of Wheels) & aired it up & got back on the road, stopping to inflate as necessary. I'm sure he'll post an update sometime tonight.

Yes his profile shows he has not been online since this morning, hopefully he's back on the road and doing well!

Good morning everybody.

MAN! Yesterday was quite a day! A long, toiling day...

So after I posted my most recent comment, I decided to take matters into my own hands after unsuccessfully following up on all my leads except House of Wheels Bob.
I had decided to take the wheel off and blast it with parts cleaner in the tub of my hotel room and then rinse it off with water so it can be cleaned and prepped for JB weld.

That's where things took an interesting turn:
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...5c1c13a56.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...3e4948697.jpeg

I think I overdid it a little on the downsizing of the photos this time- whoops.

It may be a little hard to see, but if you look closely at the second photo, you'll see there was a second shooter on the grassy knoll

and what do we have between those two cracks? a black paint marker left by whoever inspected the wheel after it was damaged.

When the wheel was removed the first time it was dirty and dark and nobody noticed the second crack because it wasnt leaking air
After cleaning it and putting the right type of light on it, it's beyond a reasonable doubt at this point that the damage was caused by someone else prior to my purchasing of the vehicle. So I did what anyone would do in this situation: I got mad as hell and (politely) demanded answers from Corvette World.
Within 5 minutes I got a response from my salesperson that they will cover the cost of a new wheel for me, and that in the meantime they'll send out a regular z06 wheel so I can continue my journey.

Unfortunately that's going to tack on more days to what is already a dragged-out process, so rather than sitting on my hands in Fort Stockton, I aired that tire up to 52psi and began driving it back to Houston for the wheel
About an hour into the journey I get a call from Corvette World telling me that they had somehow sourced the exact yellow lipped wheel I needed and that they'll replace it for me as soon as I get in.

The 530 mile drive took 9 and a half hours, stopping every 100 miles or so to air it back up from 30 to 53psi. So about 4-5 stops.
By the time we got back to Houston and checked in I could barely keep my eyes open, otherwise I would've gotten on my computer and updated you guys

Lastly, I just want to say thanks to everyone for your kind words, well wishes and invaluable information.

We're about to head over to Corvette World in a little bit. Once I'm there I'm going to ask that the remaining 3 wheels be taken off and inspected, afterwards I'm going to inspect it for myself, as well.
Maybe even guilt them into giving me a free oil change? After all I just lost 3 days of time, 3 days of food and lodging and put an extra 1,000+ miles on the vette because of negligence on their part for not properly inspecting the car
On that note, I'd like to know what you guys would do in terms of reparations; would you be ok with just getting a new, working wheel after all of this when it's something it should've had to begin with?

Here's a couple photos of the trip back to Houston


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...543312e5c.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...5bdbbf673.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...683961835.jpeg

Wow! First, glad you made it back to Houston, and second, glad they are making good.
For me, yes it sucks that you lost days and added miles, but as long as they make good on the wheels and inspect thoroughly for other damage, not much else is needed... yes maybe an oil change since you put some miles on, but make sure they do it right! LOL

Since you are so far away from them, not a whole lot else they can do than what they have on hand ... maybe if they have a nice shirt for you and the wife? Jacket perhaps?

now, you can get on the journey and enjoy the ride! Might want to head up to old route 66 and see some of those sights?

ah, these must have been when you aired the tire up every 100 miles! LOL
and I see the oh so familiar "wife waiting in the passenger seat while I take pictures" ... been there many times!

Once again: Thank you everybody for all of your support.

Being a part of this community has always been a big deal to me and this is a perfect example of why that is. Ya'll had my back :)

Hahaha yes indeed. I just love pulling over on the side of the road and taking pictures of my car during long roadtrips. Even when I'm driving my Honda Odyssey I like to do this so In a Corvette with a serene sunset in the background it was a no brainer!

Also yes on the air pumping. Notice how there's no shots of the right rear corner or the car?? ;)

Here's a suggestion: Since they are now risking some bad press on the forum, they'd be real smart if they ponied up and covered some or all of your delay expenses and turn this into a good ad for them. There's no way that they properly inspected those wheels before it was sold to you...could be an honest oversight but it could also be that they knew about it and that would be bad.

After all, with the number of cars they sell, a few hundred dollars to make you happy will be a lot less that the probable loss of a few future sales. Undoubtedly, there's at least 5 guys who will not buy a car from them based on your experience but if they make you whole they might even gain some new sales by it. I'd go directly to the General Manager and in a gentlemanly way point that out to him. If he's a smart businessman he'll do it. If he won't, he's a dumb one and then he will definitely lose future sales to some folks on the forum.

I had a similar experience with Buyavette in Atlanta. I wasn't happy with an issue on a 2004 I bought from them. They took it back two week's later, without hesitation. were exceedingly apologetic and made me a great deal on another car. No arguments, no excuses...they just did the right thing even though it's likely they had no knowledge of the problem the car had. Smart businessmen...

I have a feeling they won't give you much in the way of monetary compensation. I'd try to get some accessories like a car battery charger, car cover, outerwear, something like that. I'd definitely raise a stink though. That's some shady shit

What a pia for you, glad your getting the problem resolved but as with most things like this it never should have happened. Resolve to do a "total reset" so you can enjoy the trip home and forget that last few days!

I'm glad they are giving you a new wheel, but what a fiasco!

Valuable lesson for everyone, a used car is a used car, even if it's a low mile, and just a couple years old ...still an element of risk.

Glad you got things taken care of. About 10 years ago, I bought a 2005 C6 from Corvettes of Dallas (now corvette world dallas) and the radiator support was broken. I noticed this after I had driven over 800 miles back home. They did replace it, but the hassle and worry really wasn't worth it. Get a car cover, black lug nuts, polo shirt, cap - whatever you can from them. You really went out of your way to fix their mistake, they should go out of their way and more to make it right.

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but hopefully they check all the wheels for cracks just in case. Also have them check fluids since you have a long trip back.

while they check the other wheels, check underneath for any other damage to body panels, etc.

Once this is all done and you are back on the road, like someone else mentioned... 'reset' and have fun and put this behind you. There are going to be a lot of fun miles ahead!
Also, check air pressures later as they will usually be a little high after mounting a tire.

Liu, for all your trouble, they should be doing an oil change FREE instead of at cost!

Wow, what an ordeal. You're a patient person. At least Corvette World is trying to make it right but like you said they shouldn't have ever sold the car to you with cracked wheels. We figured yesterday that they sold it to you that way because there was no way it cracked in the few miles you put on it between Houston & Ft. Stockton. I hope you don't have any further issues on your long journey home.

I have to know one thing, what does your spouse think about all of this? You said yesterday she already doesn't like the Vette and/or riding in it. I hope this hasn't added to her dislike of the car.

Wow!!! What an adventure. I'm glad there making it right for you and I hope your journey home is a safe and AWESOME ride. Good Luck and I agree with Steven Bell about the free oil change.

Just happened to have been able to "source" one matching wheel, with a yellow stripe, no less? I smell a rat.

My guess is that they discovered that cracked wheel before you bought the car, ordered the wheel and then forgot to install it. The worst part of this is that the error more than likely came to light after you called the dealer with your complaint. They probably didn't bother to inform you of their mistake lest you, not ask, but demand restitution for all of your expenses in addition to the nerve wracking experience.

Just my opinion.

Montana Bob

Glad you are back on the road and headed in the proper direction this time. Keep us posted on your progress and keep the pictures coming.

OP - "CALI OR BUSTTTT"
Ft Stockton, TX - "hold my beer..."
:rofl:


Glad you were able to source a wheel and get it straightened out.