[todaresqSL2]

I find it funny... here is a news release posted on SaturnFans from GM...
--------------------------------------------------------------
Start of Production Dates for 2007 Saturn AURA, ION, VUE
SaturnFans.com • January 29, 2006
GM Canada's Fleet and Commercial website has published start of production dates for the 2007 Saturn AURA midsize car, ION sedan and quad coupe small cars, and the VUE sport-utility.

* Saturn AURA in Fairfax, Kansas starts on July 24, 2006
* Saturn ION in Spring Hill, Tennessee starts on June 15, 2006
* Saturn VUE in Spring Hill, Tennessee starts on June 12, 2006
The dates were valid as of January 16, 2006, but are subject to change.

Source: General Motors
------------------------------------------------------------

How can GM already release the Start of Production dates for 3 other models... including another BRAND NEW model... yet not release the SKY date which is earlier???

 

[marlboromike]

Good question! Why is everything so hush hush with the SKY? And because of your pics...I bought the Green Sky...thanks again

MarlboroMike

 

[todaresqSL2]

And because of your pics...I bought the Green Sky...thanks again

MarlboroMike

:cheers: :thumbs:

 

[USFJoseph]

I was going to come on here this morning and ask the same exact question!

 

[Rick Tinley Park]

My guess??

My best guess

Because with those cars they are going to built 150,000 of them, mechanically, 24/7. With sky - 10000, hand built.

You can plan for a huge start up Chances are they've cranked a few out already and are set to go. Those cars will be high volume, profit cars.

 

[bob]

The Sky production date was announced in the plant last week. I'm sure that date will be made public soon.

 

[USFJoseph]

The Sky production date was announced in the plant last week. I'm sure that date will be made public soon.

And you don't want to share? lol j/k

 

[KappaMan]

I find it funny... here is a news release posted on SaturnFans from GM...
--------------------------------------------------------------
Start of Production Dates for 2007 Saturn AURA, ION, VUE
SaturnFans.com • January 29, 2006
GM Canada's Fleet and Commercial website has published start of production dates for the 2007 Saturn AURA midsize car, ION sedan and quad coupe small cars, and the VUE sport-utility.

* Saturn AURA in Fairfax, Kansas starts on July 24, 2006
* Saturn ION in Spring Hill, Tennessee starts on June 15, 2006
* Saturn VUE in Spring Hill, Tennessee starts on June 12, 2006
The dates were valid as of January 16, 2006, but are subject to change.

Source: General Motors
------------------------------------------------------------

How can GM already release the Start of Production dates for 3 other models... including another BRAND NEW model... yet not release the SKY date which is earlier???

<shrug>

I told you so.

That's because the date has not happened. Rumor-rumor-rumor.

Start of production date doesn't matter. What matters is when the first car is delivered to an ORDERING CUSTOMER.

Ask anyone who works on the Solstice what the start of production date was - nobody actually knows. They know when the first one was delivered - beginning of august.

There is a planned start of production date, and the January 26 date is months-old news. Even if the cars are starting to be produced in mid-feb (just pulling date out of my posterior), it could be 6-8 weeks before those first vehicles are delivered.

Once they start getting built, Lutz (or his designates) have to go and physically look at the first several cars, decide whether they are really good enough to ship, then decide to ship them.... the start of production date only establishes when the first car is scheduled to roll off the line. It may be a week or two before they have enough cars built (between filling Solstice orders) to review.

So, my advice, IGNORE all this hype about production dates. They, in the end, mean nothing. They slip and slide all over the place. First it is January 16, then January 26, and when everyone starts thinking that's the date, it slips into February...

Just because production starts doesn't necessarily mean those cars are deliverable as customer order fills, either. The smallest hiccup in the system (like an unexpected issue specific to the Saturn sheet metal, as a TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, or an incompatibility between the common top and the Saturn decklid... another TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE), and they can decide not to ship those cars.

It happened for months with the Solstice - build a batch of cars, look at them, decide they aren't good enough, then build another batch of cars, then decide THEY aren't good enough....

 

[Ernest]

<shrug>

I told you so.

That's because the date has not happened. Rumor-rumor-rumor.

Start of production date doesn't matter. What matters is when the first car is delivered to an ORDERING CUSTOMER.

Ask anyone who works on the Solstice what the start of production date was - nobody actually knows. They know when the first one was delivered - beginning of august.

There is a planned start of production date, and the January 26 date is months-old news. Even if the cars are starting to be produced in mid-feb (just pulling date out of my posterior), it could be 6-8 weeks before those first vehicles are delivered.

Once they start getting built, Lutz (or his designates) have to go and physically look at the first several cars, decide whether they are really good enough to ship, then decide to ship them.... the start of production date only establishes when the first car is scheduled to roll off the line. It may be a week or two before they have enough cars built (between filling Solstice orders) to review.

So, my advice, IGNORE all this hype about production dates. They, in the end, mean nothing. They slip and slide all over the place. First it is January 16, then January 26, and when everyone starts thinking that's the date, it slips into February...

Just because production starts doesn't necessarily mean those cars are deliverable as customer order fills, either. The smallest hiccup in the system (like an unexpected issue specific to the Saturn sheet metal, as a TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, or an incompatibility between the common top and the Saturn decklid... another TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE), and they can decide not to ship those cars.

It happened for months with the Solstice - build a batch of cars, look at them, decide they aren't good enough, then build another batch of cars, then decide THEY aren't good enough....

Thanks for the clarification and info, KAPPAMAN, I do appreciate the feedback. Like I have always said, the best things are well worth the wait.

ERNEST:thumbs:

 

[bubbacc]

Kappaman ...

Thanks ... please help keep us "un-educated masses" aligned to 'the real world of auto making' ...

 

[todaresqSL2]

<shrug>

I told you so.

That's because the date has not happened. Rumor-rumor-rumor.

Start of production date doesn't matter. What matters is when the first car is delivered to an ORDERING CUSTOMER.

Ask anyone who works on the Solstice what the start of production date was - nobody actually knows. They know when the first one was delivered - beginning of august.

There is a planned start of production date, and the January 26 date is months-old news. Even if the cars are starting to be produced in mid-feb (just pulling date out of my posterior), it could be 6-8 weeks before those first vehicles are delivered.

Once they start getting built, Lutz (or his designates) have to go and physically look at the first several cars, decide whether they are really good enough to ship, then decide to ship them.... the start of production date only establishes when the first car is scheduled to roll off the line. It may be a week or two before they have enough cars built (between filling Solstice orders) to review.

So, my advice, IGNORE all this hype about production dates. They, in the end, mean nothing. They slip and slide all over the place. First it is January 16, then January 26, and when everyone starts thinking that's the date, it slips into February...

Just because production starts doesn't necessarily mean those cars are deliverable as customer order fills, either. The smallest hiccup in the system (like an unexpected issue specific to the Saturn sheet metal, as a TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, or an incompatibility between the common top and the Saturn decklid... another TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE), and they can decide not to ship those cars.

It happened for months with the Solstice - build a batch of cars, look at them, decide they aren't good enough, then build another batch of cars, then decide THEY aren't good enough....

I am well aware of how the process works... The start of production for the Aura will probably also change. It just would be nice to have a date... it is truly just want to know thing, not a need to know.

 

[SKY Sailor]

<shrug>

I told you so.

That's because the date has not happened. Rumor-rumor-rumor.

Start of production date doesn't matter. What matters is when the first car is delivered to an ORDERING CUSTOMER.

Ask anyone who works on the Solstice what the start of production date was - nobody actually knows. They know when the first one was delivered - beginning of august.

There is a planned start of production date, and the January 26 date is months-old news. Even if the cars are starting to be produced in mid-feb (just pulling date out of my posterior), it could be 6-8 weeks before those first vehicles are delivered.

Once they start getting built, Lutz (or his designates) have to go and physically look at the first several cars, decide whether they are really good enough to ship, then decide to ship them.... the start of production date only establishes when the first car is scheduled to roll off the line. It may be a week or two before they have enough cars built (between filling Solstice orders) to review.

So, my advice, IGNORE all this hype about production dates. They, in the end, mean nothing. They slip and slide all over the place. First it is January 16, then January 26, and when everyone starts thinking that's the date, it slips into February...

Just because production starts doesn't necessarily mean those cars are deliverable as customer order fills, either. The smallest hiccup in the system (like an unexpected issue specific to the Saturn sheet metal, as a TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, or an incompatibility between the common top and the Saturn decklid... another TOTALLY HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE), and they can decide not to ship those cars.

It happened for months with the Solstice - build a batch of cars, look at them, decide they aren't good enough, then build another batch of cars, then decide THEY aren't good enough....

I think maybe it is time to start a 12 step program for ourselves...LOL...
So what happened to the vehicles that were not deemed
"not good enough"?
Cheers,
Jill

 

[Ernest]

I think maybe it is time to start a 12 step program for ourselves...LOL...
So what happened to the vehicles that were not deemed
"not good enough"?
Cheers,
Jill

I agree with the 12 step program, I am ready!!!:lol: :lol: :lol: :cheers:

ERNEST:jester: :thumbs:

 

[Druid-2]

I believe I stated this earlier in January

Be prepared for the worst-case scenario...accept anything better with gratitude

I went to code 3000 on aug 14th...wasn't built till 11-02 and received it on 11-15

Suggest all Sky-waiters start looking at an in-house date of April...and I'm not being nasty...being realistic:grouphug:

 

[SkyMan 08]

So what happened to the vehicles that were not deemed
"not good enough"?
Cheers,
Jill

"CRUNCH CRUNCH":banghead:

 

[Rick Tinley Park]

I believe I stated this earlier in January

Be prepared for the worst-case scenario...accept anything better with gratitude

I went to code 3000 on aug 14th...wasn't built till 11-02 and received it on 11-15

Suggest all Sky-waiters start looking at an in-house date of April...and I'm not being nasty...being realistic:grouphug:

I must admit - I have the same mindset as you.
I remember when I travelled a lot ofr my job. Others would rush and complain that the bus/car/plane was late, that they had to wait.... They were gonna chew this company or that one a new a$$%*le. I would sit - wait and remain calm.
You know what happened? The bus/car/plane would come when it would come, not 1 minute earlier. Relax - be calm.
My Dealer told me I am 9 out of 10 - gaurennteed a SKY. That's all I need. I will order it when I am called to order it and -- No matter what I do -- I will pick it up only after is it built - shipped and prepped.:thumbs:

 

[nighttripper]

I must admit - I have the same mindset as you.
I remember when I travelled a lot ofr my job. Others would rush and complain that the bus/car/plane was late, that they had to wait.... They were gonna chew this company or that one a new a$$%*le. I would sit - wait and remain calm.
You know what happened? The bus/car/plane would come when it would come, not 1 minute earlier. Relax - be calm.
My Dealer told me I am 9 out of 10 - gaurennteed a SKY. That's all I need. I will order it when I am called to order it and -- No matter what I do -- I will pick it up only after is it built - shipped and prepped.:thumbs:

AMEN

 

[Turk]

So what happened to the vehicles that were not deemed
"not good enough"?
Cheers,
Jill

I followed the solstice forum for a while and I believe those cars were held in the lot until they could take them apart somewhat and run them through the line again. I've never heard that they crushed them. Most had problems with panel fitting problems and convertable top issues. I believe they also ran the cars up to a plant up north to test for water leakage. The batches of solstices stayed near the plant for a long time. Ramp up time for production took a long time. The plant was making very few cars per day for many weeks and gradually ramped up the numbers over 2-3 months. One consolation is the fact that most of the "bugs" involving personnel and issues on the line should already have been solved. Adding the Sky to the line should not take as long as the Solstice ramp up. Go to the archives in the Solstice forum and look up some of the threads that involve the production process (most of the threads!) - interesting reading and may give you some insight as to what those folks went through in their long waiting process.

 

[SkyMan 08]

I followed the solstice forum for a while and I believe those cars were held in the lot until they could take them apart somewhat and run them through the line again. I've never heard that they crushed them. Most had problems with panel fitting problems and convertable top issues. I believe they also ran the cars up to a plant up north to test for water leakage. The batches of solstices stayed near the plant for a long time. Ramp up time for production took a long time. The plant was making very few cars per day for many weeks and gradually ramped up the numbers over 2-3 months. One consolation is the fact that most of the "bugs" involving personnel and issues on the line should already have been solved. Adding the Sky to the line should not take as long as the Solstice ramp up. Go to the archives in the Solstice forum and look up some of the threads that involve the production process (most of the threads!) - interesting reading and may give you some insight as to what those folks went through in their long waiting process.

i was referring to the pre production cars that they were first building,,, before they assigned actual VIN numbers to them....

 

[KappaMan]

Ahhh, the mystery of what happened to the cars...

Well, many cars were built with true VINs. A lot of them went to marketing, I understand - for dealers to drive and show (and press events, etc.). some to the autoshow in motion, many to engineering for testing.

Some, I suppose, are the backbone for making the next year's prototypes (like the GXP or the SKY).

A good number of them... CRUNCH!

I don't know about the Solstice, but in the past, like with the Focus, or the Neon or the Cavalier, or even the SSR, some of these cars were retrofit up to production level and sold at auction as used vehicles.

The rumors of vehicles being built and torn back apart and rerun through the line - well that was a single vehicle at the WAY BEGINNING of the plant setup. None of the welds were actually welded (how can you weld up something, then tear it apart and reweld it back together), but this is normal operating procedure for a plant that starts up. This is called "plant tryouts", and never result in a vehicle that is actually driveable.

Besides, the quarters, rear tub, rockers, are all attached with structural adhesive. You can't tear those apart and put them back together. So, the vehicles that were built and driveable were really only built once.

If you spend a lot of time and look at some of the reported VINs, for the solstice, you'll see the VINs where the last six are 100###. I don't recall how high these got as "not for sale" cars, but IIRC, numbers as high as 100400 were seen... There were also presumably vehicles built before these with VINS that looked like 10##EX, which I assume to mean "experimental" or EX-production (meaning out of the production lot sequence) and are truly vehicles that GM could never sell, even if retrofit.

The apprentice promotion cars were numbered starting at 000001 through 001000, and THEN when the rest of the cars started, it appears the numbering changed to 101001 on up to today's cars...

I'm telling you this because the vehicles with VINs from 100001 to 100999 are these VINs that were given to marketing, or crunched, or used for testing or maybe even get retrofit and sold - who knows?