[YELOTUS]

Having a blast with the Elise and chuckle at the mis info out there on some forums on the Elise...as most know I just 'upgraded' my garage to give the Elise an appropriate home and also the soon to be delivered C6...a SY Elise and a Lemans blue Vette will look just great in the garage:bow: Now to the OT part...I was really considering going over to Hethel to watch the Elise being built but that was blown out of the water when it arrived early (don't you love Lotus communication ) so I thought why not go to Bowling Green KY and watch the Vette being built...nah American manufacturers would do that...WRONG! To my absolute surprise and delight I have had the Vette assembly plant manager on the phone many times and he has not only calling me he tracked my order number, status and then issued me my VIN and then calculated rather precisely when my Vette will be built...thus I am flying down to Bowling Green today to meet him at 9 am Friday to watch my C6 being built and hopefully I will drive the car off the assembly line (not home...still goes thru final QC and then will be shipped within days to Criswell) for a few pictures...appears the folks at the Vette assembly plant love to see owners there and are extremely proud of their work and totally jazzed about the new Vette. So far my experience with getting my Vette has been 100% cool and satisfying :clap:
Michael

 

[pinmagic]

The Vette is an impressive car. And I think Chevy is finally screwing them together right. The new ones are supposed to be very sweet.

But I just couldn't bring myself to get one -- they're MASSIVE compared to the cars I'm used to driving!

Have a great trip. Sounds like a blast!

 

[OneFastLotus]

Very cool. Yeah thats quite common, I know lots of local guys who head to BG to watch the production line etc. Their production lines are apparently REALLY neat. My old boss moved here from Florida and he had a vette. I told him he should visit the plant. He did and he gushed about it for days. Apparently the automation and the systems are really cool.

Ive been to the plant many times, but never been inside. lol. IN the parking lot out front all the spaces say Reserved for Corvettes. I parked there once in my miata...I dont know if they liked it. I used to attend the vette drag race shoot out's in my miata. I was the token import.

Im in Louisville Kentucky which is an hour from BG, its too bad there arent any races go on at Beech Bend Park or I'd come up and say hello to ya!


Bowling Green is a really small town, I imagine you'll be pretty bored other than the corvette plant.


Have fun!

Jenn

 

[Surferjer]

That's fantastic! The Vette is a marvelous car, and you're a lucky dog to have the lithe Elise and the powerful Vette in the same garage! I'm jealous!
:clap:

 

[YELOTUS]

Jenn...thanks for the info...at BG today (late afternoon) and leaving tomorrow in the afternoon...so my time will be at the Vette plant and museum and not much more...

pinmagic....agree that there is quite a size diff...going from the Elise to the Vette and reverse will take so getting used to..What drew my attention to the C6 was that they made is smaller and lighter...more Euro which is good to me...some traditionalist Vette types don't like...wanna see the big American iron Anyway I have driven the new C6 and it is quite a ride... power to weight is at about 8.25 lbs to 1 hp (Elise is 10 to 1) and new suspension set up (I am getting the Z51 option...more of a track set up on brakes, suspension and SS 6 sp tranny) and car is touching about .94 g in the corners...close but not quite what the Elise can do...when Vette arrives home come on by for a ride and comparison...
Michael

 

[pinmagic]

pinmagic....when Vette arrives home come on by for a ride and comparison...
Michael

You do NOT have to ask twice! Strangely enough, I don't think I've ever taken a ride in a Corvette.

I hadn't heard they were lighter. Good to hear that Chevy is moving in that direction.

With your taste in cars -- and married to a car enthusiast too -- I'm thinking of letting you adopt me.

 

[Racer X]

When my 2001 Z06 was built I went on two tours and got to see it in 3 places on the line. I knew when it would be built and someone at the plant called me when it was at a good place on the line. My wife and I each got to install the lug nuts on a wheel. I also got to pu the fuel in the car on the line and do the first start of the engine. I got a certificate for doing the first start and I also got a build sheet.

They really knew how to make it a great experience. Although all of the info I got was not through standard official sources. Somehow the factory made it available through channels without having to talk to every buyer every day. The worker on the line were very nice. It is also possible to get a museum delivery (it is across the street. I hear it is a great experience.

I wish the Lotus experience was even one tenth as good. GM (well at least the Corvette plant) seems to care that the end customer has a good experience. They relize that although the dealer is ther direct customer, the end buyer is the real customer and without them, the dealers won't buy.

Greg

 

[LNZ_YELO]

They really knew how to make it a great experience. Although all of the info I got was not through standard official sources. Somehow the factory made it available through channels without having to talk to every buyer every day. The worker on the line were very nice. It is also possible to get a museum delivery (it is across the street. I hear it is a great experience.

Yep, Michael has been making all of the arrangements directly with the folks at the plant. When Tom at Criswell called the other day to tell Michael that his car would be produced 'soon' I think he almost fell on the floor when Michael told him he'd be at BG on Friday to see the car being built.

Michael thought about the museum delivery, but it would be a rather long drive home, and they still require the delivery fee to be paid even though the museum they deliver it to is only across the street! Plus there's an optional charge. All in all, didn't seem worth it for the cost.

Anyway, Michael should be on his way by now. I dropped him off at the airport awhile ago. (Now if it would just stop raining long enough for me to go out and play with the Elise!)

Ellen

 

[LNZ_YELO]

You do NOT have to ask twice! Strangely enough, I don't think I've ever taken a ride in a Corvette.

With your taste in cars -- and married to a car enthusiast too -- I'm thinking of letting you adopt me.

I don't think I had ever been in one either, until the test drive. I've still never driven one. Too big for my taste as well, but it's a good companion for the Elise.

Oh, and you're not the first one who has ever requested adoption.

Ellen

 

[DCNSX]

Definitely want to see that Blue 'Vette. The C6 is quite a car- lots of technology for the money. I definitely like the new size. Would love to see both cars at Summit Point some day. Next Spring??

Heading to Atlanta 10/28 to watch the Hokies whup up on GA Tech (night game on ESPN). Then on Friday 10/29 will pick up my boss' yellow Elise. Returning to VA via some GA/NC twisties.

 

[LNZ_YELO]

Definitely want to see that Blue 'Vette. The C6 is quite a car- lots of technology for the money. I definitely like the new size. Would love to see both cars at Summit Point some day. Next Spring??

Heading to Atlanta 10/28 to watch the Hokies whup up on GA Tech (night game on ESPN). Then on Friday 10/29 will pick up my boss' yellow Elise. Returning to VA via some GA/NC twisties.

The C6 might be here by the end of next week or early the following week. As far as Summit Point, I almost signed up to be there this month as I have a free spot with the Audi Club (so what if neither one of us has an Audi anymore? ) but I ended up being out of town (again).

Have a safe trip. I know the trip back up here will be a blast!

Ellen

 

[James A]

DCNSX better do Deals Gap and Tail of the Dragon on the drive back! It's right on the way.

 

[GabbaGabbaHey]

You will have to weigh in on this acrimonious debate once you get your Vette:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1644767

Of course it is simple when you get one of each :bow:

 

[LNZ_YELO]

Just had an update from Michael. He'll have lots more to post when he gets back, but it sounds like the whole morning has been one terrific experience. He saw his LeMans Blue C6 on the line being built, and the guys asked him if he wanted to put his wheels on ... So, he got to put on his own wheels. When the car was basically done, they asked him if he wanted to sit in it, so he's already gotten to sit in the car. He said the car is beautiful and the quality control is impressive. Right now they're waiting for the lunch break to end, and then Michael will get to drive his car off the line. What a neat car buying experience! :clap: Just wish I were there, too!

Kudos to Chevy on this one! :bow:

Ellen

Update: He drove it off the line, and they gave him a 'birth certificate' for his car.

 

[Racer X]

I am very happy for him. My experience at the factory was great. Even my wife was excited, we had some vacation time schedule that coincidentally fell when the car was being produced. So she suggested we drive to the plant and see it built.

I have a great wife. She aslo surprised me by putting a deposit down on an Elise! Hopefully it will show up the first week in November!

Good Luck with the new Vette!

Greg