RE: Corvette ZR1 Buyers Get DIY Engine Option
Monday 12th July 2010
Customers who order a 2011 Corvette Z06 or ZR1 in the US can now choose to pay an additional $5,800 to hand-assemble their own car's LS7 or LS9 engine at GM's Performance Build Center (sic) in Wixom, Michigan.
Corvette buyers are already offered chances to attend a driving school in Arizona or Nevada, take delivery of their vehicles at the National Corvette Museum, or watch their vehicles being built at the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky - all of which seem likely to enhance the ownership experience greatly.
Corvette ZR1 Buyers Get DIY Engine Option
New scheme from Chevrolet puts customers on the production line
Chevy reckons this is the first time a major manufacturer has offered a programme where customers can get so intimately involved with their new car's internal organs. If it was us, we'd prefer to build a different customer's engine and let the pros take care of our own, but that doesn't seem to be an option...
In contrast, and if the attached footage of the Corvette Engine Build Experience is anything to go by, the latest offer doesn't look like the sort of premium thrill that punters might be expecting for their $6k investment. Although if you have a special thing for engineered aluminium, it could be money well spent.
Discussion
Robatr0n said:
Customer: "Yeah, my engine has blown up after 5,000 miles. I assume this will be replaced under warranty?"
Chevrolet: "No sir."
Customer: "Why not?!"
Chevrolet: "That'll be because your cock up caused the engine failure."
Chevrolet: "No sir."
Customer: "Why not?!"
Chevrolet: "That'll be because your cock up caused the engine failure."
Nice idea to make the customer feel more involved and everything but I did wonder about the warranty side!LukeBird said:
$6k?! Christ, they must be having a laugh!
I would love to do it, but not for that much...
There'll be enough rich America's who wil pay though.I would love to do it, but not for that much...
If I was rich enough, then I'd pay for it. Makes the ownership experience more involved. Not only can you show off your new car, but you have the story that you actually helped build the engine.
It sounds like a nice idea I think but I wouldn’t want to be on the factory floor alongside the normal workers building my own engine for $6K!
I would hope you would have a private workshop with your own technician talking you through all the workings so it was a true learning experience, oh and a plaque on the finished engine saying “hand built by yours truly”.
They could then build on the experience come service time and involve customers with that as well, would defo give me more of a connection with the car I think. Shame you would pay a premium for it though.
I would hope you would have a private workshop with your own technician talking you through all the workings so it was a true learning experience, oh and a plaque on the finished engine saying “hand built by yours truly”.
They could then build on the experience come service time and involve customers with that as well, would defo give me more of a connection with the car I think. Shame you would pay a premium for it though.
wab172uk said:
LukeBird said:
$6k?! Christ, they must be having a laugh!
I would love to do it, but not for that much...
There'll be enough rich America's who wil pay though.I would love to do it, but not for that much...
If I was rich enough, then I'd pay for it. Makes the ownership experience more involved. Not only can you show off your new car, but you have the story that you actually helped build the engine.
I guess the $6000 covers various things including the liability of engine replacement if yours blows up, plus expert guidance and tuition throughout the process, and the interruption to the standard running of the production line.
Dunk1982 said:
Just been on the Chevy site and a quick look around the net but couldnt find any info on the warranty side but as already said you will more than likely be "helping" the engine tech putting it all together which will still be very cool!
Did find this pic as well!
New game, how quickly can you find the alternator, took me 4 seconds!Did find this pic as well!
Superhoop said:
Lets get this straight...
Chevy want to charge 6K for the owner do some of their work for them??
Sounds like they've been taking a leaf out of the Porsche Marketing department handbook to me
Porsche are now probably pondering whether they could get away with charging $30,000 for the owner to disassemble interior parts to help construct (or destruct?) their GT3 RS.Chevy want to charge 6K for the owner do some of their work for them??
Sounds like they've been taking a leaf out of the Porsche Marketing department handbook to me
XJR500bhp said:
Dunk1982 said:
Just been on the Chevy site and a quick look around the net but couldnt find any info on the warranty side but as already said you will more than likely be "helping" the engine tech putting it all together which will still be very cool!
Did find this pic as well!
New game, how quickly can you find the alternator, took me 4 seconds!Did find this pic as well!
Also just spotted there isn't any bolts to put it all together! Maybe they come out of the $6 price tag! 
Dunk1982 said:
XJR500bhp said:
Dunk1982 said:
Just been on the Chevy site and a quick look around the net but couldnt find any info on the warranty side but as already said you will more than likely be "helping" the engine tech putting it all together which will still be very cool!
Did find this pic as well!
New game, how quickly can you find the alternator, took me 4 seconds!Did find this pic as well!
Also just spotted there isn't any bolts to put it all together! Maybe they come out of the $6 price tag! Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff