The roll-out of General Motors‘ new line of full-size SUVs was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and now another separate problem is hampering deliveries.
According to Automotive News, mayflies are leaving behind a residue on the paint of thousands of Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL SUVs as they sit in storage in a lot near the automaker’s Arlington Assembly plant in Texas. The publication says the damage to the paint of the GM full size SUVs has forced the automaker to delay deliveries to some dealerships, which were already grappling with limited inventory due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
AN spoke to one dealer, Pete Eischen Chevrolet in Oklahoma, which received a 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe with mayfly residue still on it, forcing the serve department to repaint the hood. The residue also clung to the vehicle’s chrome trim and wheels and damaged the finish. A sales associate at the dealership said GM told them their delivery had been pushed back so it could clean the mess off of the SUV, only for it to arrive late with mayflies still stuck to the exterior.
“We were told all would be cleaned before delivery. We waited three months for nothing,” the salesperson, George Eischen, said.
A GM spokesperson contradicted Eichen’s experience, however, telling AN that “plant personnel are rapidly cleaning vehicles so that they arrive to our dealers and customers in flawless condition.”
There are a number of lakes located near the Arlington Assembly plant, which brings mayflies to the region. GM full size SUV models are apparently being stored in a lot located nearby one of these lakes, but it’s unclear if GM has now stopped this practice.
GM has faced an uphill battle replenishing the inventory of its two biggest moneymakers: its line of light-duty and heavy-duty trucks and its all-new line of full-size SUVs. The popularity of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, along with the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, made the trucks harder to come by earlier in the year. The all-new Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, meanwhile, faced setbacks related to the COVID-19 pandemic at a difficult time in the initial launch period.
Last year, the entire line of GM full size SUV models outsold all other competitors combined at 263,214 units. This includes the Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon.Yukon XL and Cadillac Escalade.
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GM had crap paint, especially metallic colors on high end Cadillacs in the 80s (every see an early 80s silver Eldorado or Seville back when they were a few years old? Unless they were quarantined in a dark garage, the silver paint was flat and wearing through). Now the Texas bugs are ensuring GM has crap paint on the high end Utilities in a new century.
As usual, GM will fluff and buff these overpriced turds to sell them. But when the owners start having paont problems a few years down the road, GM will leave the owners s**t out of luck.
First of all, GM doesn't make paint. They buy it from paint manufacturers like every other auto maker. Secondly, if you subject another brand auto to the same conditions you will have the same results. The above applies to paint from years ago when the auto industry was forced to switch to "environmentally friendly" paint which definitely had issues. There were certain colors that stood up better than others but most would degrade or delaminate after a few years.
This tells me that we do not want to purchase this already over priced tin box on wheels. If the paint is damaged not moving in a lot, imagine what your paint will look like when these flies ARE hit at 60mph. I was so looking forward to a new Tahoe but after this, I will look elsewhere. GM isn't what it used to be.
From what I read, this issue applies to stock being stored prior to delivery. I am not familiar with "mayflies". I would think they're prevalent in May. However, I just read online that they start in June and can go through early Fall. I would hope that GM would move the new vehicles away from the lake(s), since they know there is an issue. I ordered my Yukon XL in June. However, the dealer is still not permitted to submit my build order to GM (due to the packages I want). Supposedly, it can be ordered late next week. That is if the "bucket seat" shortage has been solved. I really hope the Covid has gotten under control at the plant. Now I have to worry about mayflies ruining the paint!!! This year is a nightmare for sure!!