# CTD still Queued For Production!



## TheGov (Feb 12, 2014)

Ignore me if you would like, as I am posting this to vent. 

I place my order for a CTD as no dealer in the area had anything close to the options/color combination I was looking for. Super excited about this; first new car, and going to be a "custom" one at that. 

I was told by the dealership (will not name and flame them just yet) that it would be 6 to 8 weeks at most. 

Discussed my order on Presidents day and the order was supposed to have been placed the following day, on Tuesday Feb 18th. Six weeks have now passed and I hadn't heard anything; so I decided to contact the salesman at the dealership. 

Today I received an email back that the CTD's specifically had been delayed and the starting production date for my Cruze would now be the week of April 28th. Following the assumed two weeks build time and shipping from OH to MD I will not likely get to see this thing until May 12th. 

I am upset/disappointed; likely due to my own impatience and excitement for this; but also that I was told something that appears to have been a gross overestimation. :shocked:

Anyone else going through my pain with delays to the CTD production??


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## Jorday (Jul 30, 2013)

That sucks....If you don't want to wait is there any chance you could expand your target search radius some? There was a fairly decent size handful of them around here the last time I was viewing the dealer inventories.


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## Danny5 (Dec 22, 2011)

I would contact Chevy customer service. Now. One of the ones on this board...


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

I had this problem back over the summer. I wanted to give the small, local dealer in the town where I preach the chance at selling me my Diesel, so they quickly ordered one up exactly to my specs (with my wife's choice of colors, of course). Over two months later, my Diesel hadn't even been scheduled for production, while my Pontiac was sinking me deeper into a financial hole every weekend as I had to repair something new, and I knew 2 or 3 more repairs were on the way, with an electrical issue also remaining questionable as to whether it was solved. 

Ultimately, I opted to buy from a dealer 2 hours away who had one in stock (but without the Pioneer system and in a different color) in order to avoid any more damage to my bank account by the Grand Prix and its issues. I don't blame the dealer, but rather GM's production schedule. Since so few Diesels are slated for production in the 2014 model year, I would assume they are producing them in batches as the parts become available, thus leaving those who order at certain times with a long wait before their vehicle is produced. If it hadn't been for the looming problems with my Pontiac (like no heat as we were on the edge of winter), I would have waited it out, but I had to act quickly to get out of the Pontiac and into the only available Diesel in the Northwest quarter of Iowa at the time.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

TheGov said:


> Anyone else going through my pain with delays to the CTD production??


Probably 75% of dealerships not located in a major city are having the same problem. My local dealer has been trying to get one since they came out and still nothing. I had to drive three hours to get mine. Even now there are only a handful within a 100 mile radius and only at the high volume dealers.


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## mr overkill (Dec 1, 2013)

yup I was told the same thing so im sucking it up and driving 300 miles TOMORROW to pick up my ctd I have had 2 deals fall though already so im running to that place lolol


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Ordered mine May 23. Produced July 29. Delivered August 22. 

That wait between production and delivery just about killed me.


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## LemonGolf (Feb 17, 2014)

If I correctly remember, both you and I placed our forest green CTD orders with our dealers on the same day back in February. I've been keeping a close watch on it's build process and kept in contact with both my dealer and Chevrolet over the past 1.5+ months. I too was given the same exact "6-8 week order time" by my dealer, but reading about yours and others above experiences, my order somehow fit in the factory's build schedule at just the right time as it was undergoing quality inspection when I checked about a week an a half ago.

I wouldn't necessarily flame your dealer over the 6-8 week lead time quoted as it seems to be the "normal" window expected for a factory order. What I would question is the date your dealer submitted your order, build cycle cutoffs, and possibly parts availability based on your dealer's explanation. Consider this, too..though I'm not too read in to the entire process, while I was at my dealer I had a moment to chat with the employee who inputs orders into Chevy's system and he mentioned that my order was one of the dealer's allocations for the month and that it actually bumped a car(s) from their queue and went to the front of the line. My takeaway from that/educated guess is each dealer is allotted a certain quantity of orders per some set time period based on it's size, location, and sales volume. So, unfortunately, it'll be very difficult for you to find out the reason(s) for the delay as there are many factors you'll need answered to get the full picture.

Just be glad you already put your order in for a '14 while Chevy is still taking orders for them - HAVE YOU SEEN the next-gen/facelift photos in the other thread?! YUCK!!

Hope you get your car soon!


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## Champagne2.0TD (Mar 31, 2014)

I had a similar problem last fall when I wanted to order a Cruze TD. I finally managed to persuade the dealer to include my specs for the car as part of their next order from GM. (Sunroof, handling package, beige/cocoa upholstery, etc.) and it was ordered and arrived within 60 days. Now all I need is a more substantial decal/emblem for the rear of the vehicle to replace the 'green postage stamp' that is standard!
Champagne2.0TD


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

At the time I bought mine, the dealer I purchased from said that they had two Diesels destined for their lot that got randomly pulled in for quality control and had been hung up there for several weeks. If that happens, it adds even more to the delay between production and delivery.


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

There is a guy on our VW site who ordered a new Vette and he's had much worse trouble. Not that his troubles should make you guys feel any better but it appears that CTDs and Vettes now have something more in common than the bowtie.....everybody wants one!

One of the guys I work with now used to run night shift maintenance for the (now closed) GM Truck and Bus plant nearby in Dayton. They started out making S-10's and then moved to the last gen Trailblazer SUV as well as the GMC/Saab/Isuzu/Buick/whatever versions of the same vehicle. I've picked his brain on how they could make all those different vehicles on the same line in such volume without ending up with a Saab grille on a GMC or some such. 

He told me they made all those vehicles on the same line with light curtains on the part bins at each station tied to order based barcoding as the vehicles came down the line so the correct parts would be used for each iteration of the SUV. If someone breached a light curtain to grab the wrong part, it became obvious because there were alarms etc sounded, IIRC. 

So I think that making the CTD alongside the other versions of the Cruze shouldn't be too much of a trick and shouldn't need to be run as a batch for efficiency, I'd learn towards there being a short supply of something needed specifically for the diesel version. Or maybe just volume; wasn't the Cruze the highest selling GM vehicle last month? 

Didn't there used to be a member on here that was a line worker in Lordstown? I'll bet he would know.


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## TheGov (Feb 12, 2014)

Thank you everyone for sharing in my misery. :blush: (If I could figure out how to easily multi quote folks I would respond individually). 

Its an interesting thought that this may be a part supply delay, or just a shear volume of orders. (More CTD's would not be a bad thing for existing owners; unless you are trying to pay for uniqueness). However I still get the feel as LemonGolf pointed out, that this may have been due to a delay in actually submitting the order.

I am now both curious as to the actual submission date of the order, as well as the volume of orders this particular dealership may submit, or be allowed to submit. Its not a small dealership as they have Chevy/GM/Buick and a used car portion all on the same lot. However I do not know the volume they process. 

This is the dealership right down the road from me, so I am hoping that neither their nor my actions cause a rift that may later come back to bite me. I can almost walk back from this location home, which would really add convenience to service visits. 

I am trying to be patient, as I do not think I have any recourse here. In fact the salesman commented while discussing my build: that when the time came, if I did not want to purchase this vehicle they could easily sell it. (This was in response to me asking if anything down was required for the order, and did not appear to be a sales pitch/tactic.) 

If Customer Care could provide me more information reguarding the order that could be helpful, however I don't think anything can be done at this point to speed the process up. I very much want to contribute more to this forum (with my customization progress), however without a Cruze in my possession that would not be possible. rooling_anim: (Im not that good at photoshop). 

Thanks again for your support.


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## MOTO13 (Mar 26, 2014)

Too bad to hear about the delay. Makes the entire experience seem like one giant PIA. I got lucky and found my exact optioned car (black, black ctd...loaded with everything incl mud guards) 30 miles away sitting on the dealer lot. Nice to see the car in person first and just make certain it's what you expect. Good luck...and they are worth the wait.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

888 said:


> So I think that making the CTD alongside the other versions of the Cruze shouldn't be too much of a trick and shouldn't need to be run as a batch for efficiency, I'd learn towards there being a short supply of something needed specifically for the diesel version. Or maybe just volume; wasn't the Cruze the highest selling GM vehicle last month?


I'm guessing you might be on to something here. GM has been selling record numbers of Cruzen the last few months, so maybe they are less willing to "waste" that production space for diesel models which are maybe not as popular.

It's really tough to get a feel for what's going on with the diesel Cruze in the minds of GM. I wouldn't go so far as to say it is selling poorly, but it's not a blockbuster either (then again, I didn't expect that). It seems some dealers can't get enough (if any at all), and others have had several sitting on their lots for weeks or even months. In a way, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy because it's as if GM isn't willing to stick their neck out and fill the pipeline with diesels in case they don't sell, yet at the same time not filling the pipeline is costing them sales and potential marketing opportunities. Every diesel Cruze on the road is one more owner selling the benefits of this great car to potential future buyers at the gas station, the grocery store, etc. Yet right now a lot of folks can't get their hands on them or don't even know about them and aren't as willing as us early adopters to drive hundreds of miles to find one.


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## oilburner (Jun 13, 2013)

maybe it was the salesman telling you a load of crap an after you`ve signed the papers you find out the real
delivery date. either way as previously said you will find it was worth the wait.


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## LemonGolf (Feb 17, 2014)

revjpeterson said:


> At the time I bought mine, the dealer I purchased from said that they had two Diesels destined for their lot that got randomly pulled in for quality control and had been hung up there for several weeks. If that happens, it adds even more to the delay between production and delivery.


If a couple week delay (based on my order's build date and current transit information) is all I have to endure to ensure I get as high of quality of product as possible, especially with what I just went through with the VW headaches and arbitration, I say make it a month long inspection process! Heck, I'd probably pay extra if additional checks were an option. :wacko:...I know


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## 888 (Jan 14, 2014)

PanJet said:


> It's really tough to get a feel for what's going on with the diesel Cruze in the minds of GM. I wouldn't go so far as to say it is selling poorly, but it's not a blockbuster either (then again, I didn't expect that). It seems some dealers can't get enough (if any at all), and others have had several sitting on their lots for weeks or even months. In a way, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy because it's as if GM isn't willing to stick their neck out and fill the pipeline with diesels in case they don't sell, yet at the same time not filling the pipeline is costing them sales and potential marketing opportunities. Every diesel Cruze on the road is one more owner selling the benefits of this great car to potential future buyers at the gas station, the grocery store, etc. Yet right now a lot of folks can't get their hands on them or don't even know about them and aren't as willing as us early adopters to drive hundreds of miles to find one.


As we have probably discussed before, this is GM, the people who killed the Fiero and Corvair right about the time they became really good cars and recently had to re-redesign the Malibu because they botched the first redesign they had years to perfect. 

They dipped a toe into the diesel market and released a comparatively expensive, fully loaded version of an economy car. So they limited their market right out of the chute, as you say they need to get a lot of these out there so word of mouth can spread. 

On top of that, they have very little advertising dedicated to it and the badging on the car is so subtle you can't tell it from a regular ECO, which is not all that different from a regular Cruze. They've really screwed this up beginning to end IMHO, and I can see them saying something like "well, we released a diesel car and the numbers weren't there so the American public must not be ready for one. So we'll focus on goofy crap on gas cars like stop/start technology". 

I can tell VW has noticed and they are countering with lots of advertising for the TDI "clean diesel" Jetta and I believe they have 5 year 0% financing on the diesel models, which is unheard of. There have rarely been discounts on TDI's, I couldn't even get the color I wanted back in 03, I had to take what the factory put on a boat and shipped over here. I'm assuming they are aiming for people who want a Cruze but can't get one, don't like the limited range of options, or whatever. Haha, wait till those new VW owners have to deal with VW service. 

I hate to say it but this is starting to look more and more like the GM of old. I'm hoping they'll continue investing in diesel technology and widen the range of cars and trucks and options but I can see them going either way.


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## jalaner (Dec 28, 2013)

GM had to load the CTD, and price it higher than most economy cars, because the diesel engine and emissions system are much more expensive to produce than a similar gasoline engine. I think it is price competitive with similar sized and equipped diesel and hybrids from other manufacturers.


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## rockinrotho (Oct 18, 2013)

took over 10 weeks to get mine, well worth the wait


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## DieselMan33 (Oct 13, 2013)

888 said:


> As we have probably discussed before, this is GM, the people who killed the Fiero and Corvair right about the time they became really good cars and recently had to re-redesign the Malibu because they botched the first redesign they had years to perfect.
> 
> They dipped a toe into the diesel market and released a comparatively expensive, fully loaded version of an economy car. So they limited their market right out of the chute, as you say they need to get a lot of these out there so word of mouth can spread.
> 
> ...


Same with the TDI's. Alls they have is a simple TDI badge on the back.


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## chevycruzeassembler (Aug 20, 2013)

888 said:


> There is a guy on our VW site who ordered a new Vette and he's had much worse trouble. Not that his troubles should make you guys feel any better but it appears that CTDs and Vettes now have something more in common than the bowtie.....everybody wants one!One of the guys I work with now used to run night shift maintenance for the (now closed) GM Truck and Bus plant nearby in Dayton. They started out making S-10's and then moved to the last gen Trailblazer SUV as well as the GMC/Saab/Isuzu/Buick/whatever versions of the same vehicle. I've picked his brain on how they could make all those different vehicles on the same line in such volume without ending up with a Saab grille on a GMC or some such. He told me they made all those vehicles on the same line with light curtains on the part bins at each station tied to order based barcoding as the vehicles came down the line so the correct parts would be used for each iteration of the SUV. If someone breached a light curtain to grab the wrong part, it became obvious because there were alarms etc sounded, IIRC. So I think that making the CTD alongside the other versions of the Cruze shouldn't be too much of a trick and shouldn't need to be run as a batch for efficiency, I'd learn towards there being a short supply of something needed specifically for the diesel version. Or maybe just volume; wasn't the Cruze the highest selling GM vehicle last month? Didn't there used to be a member on here that was a line worker in Lordstown? I'll bet he would know.


That woukd be me. Hahaha. But u dont need me. U got gold info as to how its done. Got 10000 on my diesel since november and lovin it more everyday


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