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I've been giving this some serious thought.....

3K views 52 replies 24 participants last post by  topdownloGTO 
#1 ·
Currently my TPW (which I waited over 4 months to get) sits at the week of March 8th, 2004. Presuming the car gets produced that week or within reason a week or two afterwords, I won't see the car until June, maybe into July sometime.

That is nearly a year from the time I ordered the car! This is unacceptable, I don't care if it were made on Mars, that's unacceptable!

I have talked it over with my family, and if it comes to a point in January/February where my TPW starts to get seriously pushed back say, into April or May, I may be calling you Jason to let someone else have it!

I Know Jim Hopson and the others are reading this board so to you I say this is absurd and rediculous! I like the car otherwise I wouldn't have ordered it sight unseen nor not a test drive. But as I said previously, if I had known it'd have taken this long, I'd have spent my money elsewhere. I put off a lot of things for this car. I put off modifications to my truck, a 12 bolt for my Camaro, and even possibly going to the dark side and getting a ford F-150 Lightning. I did that to keep my faith to GM but with the lack of communication and the absolute confusion as to what's going on here, my faith is dwindling and dwindling fast!

I know I may get the standard form letter response from GM like we've seen posted before but that's not good enough anymore. We want answers and we want them now!

- Why are there these delays?
- What the heII is going on at Holden? Are these guys just that incompetent? (sorry my friends down under)
- Is big brother GM not doing their job of keeping them competent?

What gives? You guys had a great opportunity here. You have a phenomenal product FINALLY in your lineup stateside and all you had to do was not screw up the logistics of getting it here and the PR surrounding it. But somehow, GM f*cked that up too! No wonder the import automakers are jumping all over you guys left and right and it pains me to say that!

So how many of you are as close to going elsewhere as I am?

Sincerely,
Very dissatisfied loyal GM customer!
 
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#3 ·
The sad fact is - that as I was walking in the rain to the train station this morning (sold my car 4 weeks ago - assumed GTO would be here - another fool) - I was thinking the same thing.

The only thing holding me back is that the car should be here in a week or so - if it was not for that - I would have gone over to the dark side already. I was real close to droppping the GTO order and buying a Cobra a few weeks ago. Can Pontiac spell Pissed!

At the end of the day - this is a nightmare. We have cars built that are not showing up and cars that were to be built getting moved back. Then you add to this lovely mix the fact that GM/Pontiac has no clue how to communicate on a timely basis with it's customers. I can't believe in the 21st century that a multi national organization treats it's customers this way! How hard is it to send out emails updating us where the cars are.

As word of this screw up gets out - it can only hurt GM in the long run. I have people every day ask when my car is arriving - my only answer is "I have no clue - since Pontiac can't seem to tell me". As the ad says - they are building excitment - they sure are for the other auto manufacturers.
 
#4 ·
The allocation is one thing, but all these building issues, no consistency with orders vs. TPW's, people having their dates pushed back 2, 3 months, delay after delay.....

These are more than allocation issues. As far as I'm concerned Jason and Sewell have done nothing wrong. They're fed the same B.S. as we are.
 
#5 ·
I'm not blaming Jason ...I suppose ... My car will be a 9 month wait from the day I order it. Never really counted. As far as I'm concerned I don't need to buy a car or this car. I like the power of the Cobra ...but it ends there. If the GTO never came out I would have waited for a new 06 cobra or 06 lightning.... maybe saved ALOT for a c6, or I would have gotten bored and bought a c5 z06.
 
#6 ·
I can understand your frustration if it does come to that no hard feelings. Yes I wish there was more I can do and as the year rolls on maybe there will be but right now my hands are tied. I am truly sorry about your dissappointment with GM and myself. I would like your business but if it comes to that point we will take care of it accordingly.
 
#7 ·
I'm counting because I'm bored as hell, it's winter, I've got 3" of snow I had to shovel which means the Camaro probably won't come out now for another 3 months. :D It just makes you ponder how long this process is being dragged out unnecessarily.

A C5 ZO6 has also crossed my mind (well actually my friend's) because he wants the Lightning and doesn't want me having one too! I'd wait for a C6, but they'd be a premium too! I imagine one could get a current ZO6 for a song!
 
#9 ·
Well, hold on, let me check the growth of that magical money tree in the back yard....yup, not sprouting many "green" leaves at this point. :D

Actually I was gonna order a cam for the truck and inquire about getting it done there as well as tuning for it.
 
#10 ·
I'm in total agreement with CMNTMXR57 on this one! This is one very poor way to treat your customers! It sure would seem that Pontiac would care enough to put a post on this site regarding all the concerns and questions surrounding this car. I still have my GTO on order but I'm working on another car and if all turns out I'll let you know where there will be another GTO up for grabs! If this is what we can expect from GM's leadership heaven help us if we actually buy one of these things! One last question to Devil Yellow, why is it that you seem to defend GM so much? Do you think this is the way a new car should be launched? What would "you" think could be the reason for all the excuses and total lack of communication? Please answer these questions for me as I value your opinion.

Regards,
 
#11 ·
I agree - the dealers are not the issue here - mine has been great. He can only tell me what Pontiac tells him.

To me the big issue is communication.

I work with large multi nationals and as a matter of course I keep my clients informed of "the good, the bad and the ugly". This way they can plan for whatever measures they need to put into place. It is tough telling a client that something has screwed up - but it is my job and if I don't prepare them there are consequences, ie they walk!

It is GM's job to tell their clients what the hell is going on. If GM had made a decent effort to explain what the various issues were - most of the angst on this and other boards would be muted. The worse thing that can happen is for rumors to take hold - all it does is stress people out and loose customers for GM.

I think my son is sorry he ever told me that the new GTO was coming out - a loss of a potential high earning customer for GM.
 
#12 ·
Rushhour,

I posted this comment several days ago......unfortunately, it still applies:

--------------------------------------------------

I appreciate the fact that Jim Hopson took time to share information with us and I'm really impressed that he offered an apology on GM's behalf.

However, I'm shocked to think that GM (a multi-billion dollar corporation that's been making cars all over the world) didn't know what tracking systems would be necessary for the GTO.

Is this the first time they've launched a new product line?

Is this the first time they've imported cars from another country?

I work in information technology and I think they had plenty of time to establish information systems and tracking processes for the GTO. They sure knew how to engineer and build the car....didn't someone think they might need an information system?

Maybe GM's CIO (Ralph Szygenda) should look into this debacle!

I'm just another frustrated GTO buyer (with a code 5000 and VIN number) who WANTS HIS CAR!

Bobp16
 
#13 ·
Suprfun said:
One last question to Devil Yellow, why is it that you seem to defend GM so much? Do you think this is the way a new car should be launched? What would "you" think could be the reason for all the excuses and total lack of communication? Please answer these questions for me as I value your opinion.
I'm no different than you, well except that I run the board. I'm not Jim Wagners or Jim Hopson. I'm stuck in my winter wonderland here and wouldnt drive a new car in the snow/salt anyways so I'm not going crazy. I really think GM did not plan ahead. They thought it would all work out and there would not be a group of hundereds of eager beavers waiting each day for it and watching them fumble thru delivering the cars.

-DY-
 
#14 ·
I'm the staunchest "Pro-GM" person there is. In the last few years I've softened my tune to ford, but I've always been Mr. GM! Everything I've owned has been GM except one car, a ford Taurus (which I inherited BTW). I defend GM stuanchly on many boards against the import weenies, against anyone, but here I simply place an order for a car and they can't figure out which way is up!

I've got family, friends, people I work with asking me "Where's the GTO?" Up until last week when I responded;

Me: "I have no f*cking clue! GM hasn't even given me a TPW yet" they were astonished!
Them: "You ordered that last summer, right?"
Me: "Yes"
Them: "And you still don't know anything about it let alone have it?"
Me: "Nope!"
Them: "I thought GM was soooo great!"
 
#15 ·
CMNTMXR57

I can relate man......

All of my close friends and relatives ask me every time they see me "When are you getting your GTO?". Especially since they know I ordered it last July and my dealer told me I'd have it by mid-November at the latest.

Now I'm looking at getting it in January at the earliest even though I've had a 5000 production status for 2-3 weeks now.

Unfortunately for us, Pontiac knows we really want this car so they figure why bother with customer service.

I'm mad as hell and I hope they know it!

Bobp16


:mad: :mad: :mad:
 
#16 ·
I wrote and e-mail to Jim Hopson this morning. I was very calm, collected and cordial. I told him that I want to know the answer to two very simple questions: where's my car and when will I receive it?

I don't know how many people have pre-orderd this car but I think it would be a relatively easy procedure to take our order numbers, track the damn things and let us know via our e-mail what's going on.

Why the mystery? I like many of you above have made sacrifices to order this car - and now the bad is starting to outweigh the good. GM - I know you probably don't care about a few hundred customers, but remember we are (were) the loyal of the loyal - don't screw this up any longer, PLEASE!

I don't know if I'll hear back from Mr. Hopson but I do know there is no reason why my car should take six weeks to go from Benicia to my dealership.

GKRHQP: TPW 9/25, status 5000, Vin on file
 
#17 ·
Like most everyone here, my goat was ordered 6 months ago and I am not real happy with the situation. The more I read the less happy I get, however as far as getting mad and GM bashing... I don't know.

Pontiac did not promise me a date of production or delivery.
Pontiac stated it shouldshould be delivered 60-90 days after production.
Pontiac did not promise me a price.
Pontiac did not promise to keep me informed as to my car's status or whereabouts on any given day.
Pontiac did not promise me there would be no problems.


As for Ford, they have absolutely nothing to do with this in any way shape or form, so why talk about it?
 
#18 ·
My dealer recieved an email from Pontiac this morning. It reads like this in short; In regards to your inquiry on order#GJXSBK. The TPW is 9/25/03 and status is 5000. The car is in the port of LA and will be delivered to you in 60-90 days. My dealer has been invoiced for this car and has been paying a floor plan on it since 12/12/03. This is totally unacceptable as far as I am concerned!:mad:
 
#19 ·
deadbug said:
As for Ford, they have absolutely nothing to do with this in any way shape or form, so why talk about it?
Go re-read! You'll understand how ford was brought into context. No one here is pointing fingers at them, just saying some may jump ship TO a ford and that this is coming from someone who is "Pro-GM" and "anti-ford."
 
#20 ·
I know of at least 1 black/black/M6 and 1 Purple/M6 as well as various A4s that are incoming to 2 Cleveland area dealers on their 1st allocation. Of 7 dealers I visited in this area, I only heard of 1 car presold. Everything's going for sticker. Might be worth a short drive and let your dealer sell the car to someone else.
 
#22 · (Edited)
mistermike said:
I know of at least 1 black/black/M6 and 1 Purple/M6 as well as various A4s that are incoming to 2 Cleveland area dealers on their 1st allocation. Of 7 dealers I visited in this area, I only heard of 1 car presold. Everything's going for sticker. Might be worth a short drive and let your dealer sell the car to someone else.
Why penalize the dealer and buy somewhere else it's not his fault GM can't get the cars delivered? At this rate they'll be selling for less than sticker if they ever get here! I know when I ordered mine I sure didn't have any intentions of having to go from my dealer to another dealer to finally get one! What a fiasco!

EDIT: There are a bunch of GTO's that are incoming! When you visited the area did you SEE any of those incoming GTO'S?
 
#24 ·
deadbug,

No one has ever promises me that bread will get to the supermarket either - but it does - every damn day!

The beef with GM is that they DID tell me I would be the best informed buyer ever - period. This is not the case.

If you're going to tell a buyer that puts up $33+ large for a car sight unseen that they will (not should) have it between 60 and 90 days after TPW - then DO IT. If not let us know, that's all. If there are problems COMMUNICATE!

The communication is the problem not the promises (or as you say non-promises.)
 
#25 ·
It may be different when you attempt to get the first loaf of a new style bread imported from halfway around the world.
 
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