Tesla Ticketed For Being Foreign Car At GM’s Wentzville Plant
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A Tesla owner was recently ticketed for parking in the wrong lot at GM’s Wentzville plant in Missouri. The ticket was for parking a “foreign” car in a parking lot designated for domestic vehicles.
A picture of the parking violation was posted to social media, drawing attention from car fans and enthusiasts unaware of the practice of designating car lots based on the manufacturer’s origin – as well as contempt from those folks who are aware of Tesla’s domestic production.
In a statement to The Drive, a GM representative confirmed that GM designates certain parking lots at the Wentzville plant based on the vehicle manufacturer. GM isn’t alone in the practice, as several other major manufacturers have similar policies.
“Wentzville, like many of our manufacturing sites, has a parking policy and designated parking locations for GM vehicles, non-GM domestic vehicles and foreign nameplates,” the representative said.
The unnamed spokesperson continued by saying that the ticket should not have been issued in the first place, as Tesla produces U.S. models in the U.S.
“Plant security inadvertently thought the Tesla was a foreign car and wrote a ticket accordingly,” the spokesperson said. They added that there is no financial penalty involved in the citation, and that it was originally issued merely as a warning.
In a recent report, Cars.com ranked the Tesla Model 3 as the most-American made car in 2021, with the designation based on things like assembly location, parts content, engine origins, and U.S. manufacturing workforce. The Tesla Model Y grabbed third place on the list, while America’s sports car, the Chevy Corvette, was fifth.
The GM Wentzville plant is located at 1500 E. Rte A in Wentzville, Missouri, and employs roughly 4,500 workers. The facility produces GM’s full-size vans, including the Chevy Express and GMC Savana, as well as its midsize trucks, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.
Back in May, it was announced that the GM Wentzville plant would transition from three production shifts to two. The facility was idled later that month and is not expected to restart production until July.
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When I was in an out of Ft Wayne I always thought the rule was UAW vs non-UAW built cars, in which case the Tesla would have to park in the foreign lot. But I drove a Chevy so I didn’t pay attention to the rules too much
The problem now is your Chevy can be made in Canada, Mexico, South Korea, or China, all non-UAW.
Well I drove an 03 Impala so it was a Canada car, guess I never thought about that when I was there
When I worked for the UAW at Delphi Saginaw, the rule was no foreign cars were allowed at the Local (in my case 699).
I had a 06 Chevy Avalanche that I couldn’t park there because it’s final assembly was in Mexico. But here is the rub, we built the steering columns for those and the following generation.
Haha. That’s kind of funny. I will say that I’ve never been able to understand why someone working at a GM (Ford, Chrysler, etc) plant and earns their income from that company would not drive that product? I’ve always been a firm believer in driving what you ……. sell ……. build …… and taking pride in that product. When I was at the Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Honda store, I always drove a Buick, but drew the line at not buying a Honda.
Now that I’ve in the fleet department at a Mazda/Volvo store, I still have my GM (Cadillac), but I also have a Volvo. But no Mazda for me.
It’s fine when you work for the automaker directly and get a subsidized car. The problem is when you work for a supplier or vendor and you get a car, at best, at invoice. Worse is when you switch between projects and show up at a different company’s site, and now you have to switch cars.
The Japanese don’t care about what you drive, which may be a reason why their affiliated suppliers seem the most successful (Denso, Aisin, JATCO).
You don’t know what you are talking about. The supplier discount available from GM is about the same as the employee discount. Half the time the public is given the employee discount as a “special sale”. These days, the employee discount is nothing special. Used to be an employee could buy a new car at the beginning of the model year, and with the discount, could sell it at the end of the year and break even. That’s a long time ago. Now the employee takes the same hit on depreciation as everyone else. No financial advantage for employee there.
Nope. You’re completely wrong.
First, salaried employees at all of the automakers don’t buy their primary car, they’re rented at a subsidized rate that’s beneficial given that it includes insurance, maintenance, car washes, etc. How beneficial this is depends on your company rank/tenure. Employees who want to buy a car typically buy out their company rented car which now has a year of depreciation on it.
The fact that they’re rented means if you switch automakers, you simply hand back the car and get one at your new job. Again, this is where suppliers get screwed.
Second, you’re wrong even if you’re buying a new car. Go look at a dealer’s “invoice” for a car. Employee price is under GMS, which unless ineligible (Corvette), will be several thousand lower than Supplier. Supplier is invoice plus a small markup, which may or may not be a good deal.
Its one thing when the manufacturer you work for has a directly comparable vehicle (i.e. why would you own a F-150 if you could buy a Silverado/Sierra at a discount and support your employer), but when there isn’t… and don’t tell be the Bolt is the alternative to a Model 3 ahaha.
“why would you own a F-150 if you could buy a Silverado/Sierra at a discount and support your employer””
Because maybe you like the F-150 better, and honestly don’t get sentimental about your employer, you’re just there for the check. It’s business, not sappyness.
I work at a water plant, does that mean I should drink nothing but water lol?
According to Dan Berning, all workers on hourly wages at the Rolls Royce plant should buy, own and drive a Rolls Royce. Are you serious?
Hey, chiming in. Relax, it’s not too late for Rolls to go mass market.
You need to ask b BMW about that. They own RR.
It is actually Dan Berning who says you should own and use what you are paid for to build.
At BMW, I’m sure, nobody would even think of putting pressure people who sell their labour power to the company also to buy the products of the company. The times of the company store are over and trying to re-establish company stores should be out in jail for the attempt.
Dan Berning isn’t unreasonable. I’m sure there’s many an ex-Holden employee who only wishes they’d bought Holdens when they had the chance. And a job. Same for the folks who built Cruzes but put their wages into competing vehicles.
You don’t know what you got until it’s gone and you damn well better feed and water it if you want it to grow…
Rolls is an outlier and you know it but it would be criminal NOT to expect a preponderance of BMWs in their corporate lots.
Why? Do I get one free if I let me hire?
You have ideas which are still firmly locked in feudalism and chattle slavery.
Unter capitalism, workers are supposed to be free, mainly free from any means of subsistence unless they sell their labor power to a capitalist. No gifts being given, but miserable wages.
Earning your living at a GM factory and going out and buying a new Toyota is the embodiment of sh!tting in your own back yard after biting the hand that feeds you.
Idiot boy displays a world view rooted in the dark middle ages and coloured by slavery.
When I sell my labor power to someone, I am dealing with an enemy, who is exploiting my labor, appropriating the products which I produce. I am feeding the boss, making him rich, not the other way around.
And you think that I should not “keep my hand upon the dollar” and instead start dreaming?
No, Sir!
As the chorus in the union song “Miners Lifeguard” goes:
»
Union miners stand together
Heed no operator’s tale
Keep your hand upon the dollar
And your eye upon the scale
«
Thats actually funny.
I do driver a Tesla Model 3 (besides my very first vehicle, a 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser, it is the only NON GM vehicles I have had) but I am a GM fan not a GM employee. Side note, wish I had kept that Cruiser. Prices are sky high now.
I never understood why someone working for Ford, Chrysler, and GM would driver other makers vehicles. Now the only thing I can understand is if you got hired and had a NON GM vehicle at the time. But I would quickly move into a GM vehicle once hired.
It happens. There is very little brand loyalty within the UAW.
When I worked at GM, my union UAW committeeman drove a Chrysler.
On the contrary! There is an aweful lot of brand loyalty!
The merchandise which we sell is our labor power.
And the brand under which we sell ít, is the name of the union, or of the collective contract.
Easier said then done for new/temp employees.
Remember the tier system?
As a new hire in some high cost of living States. $16.66 /hr doesn’t leave much room after rent/living expenses to be able to make new car payments.
The senior permanent employees yes , new hires at that starting rate not so much
Ever heard “start at the bottom and work your way up”? No one deserves to be hired at a premium wage without learning the business they will be working in.
That has ZERO to do with my comment, just stating facts. Never said what you implied. Your attempt at trolling was an EPIC FAIL !!!
Try better next time, you can do it you LOSER !!!
Seems to me if they are going to enforce that rule the security needs more training on vehicle identification.
I mean….. style wise they are not wrong. Maybe I’m too much a cowboy, but the only style that Tesla beats is Toyota (Supra anyone?)
Where does one park their Envision, Spark, Encode, Etc?
if you build a superior product, why do you have to coerce your employees to buy it?
Ask any manufacturer. They’ll throw you out without ceremony.
Anybody who’ll throw you out like that is not worth being inside of in the first place. Go where you’re wanted.
Is such a discriminating practice legal in USA?
Yes. They don’t charge for parking.
That would be an insult
I thought this practice was a relic of the 1970’s.
Wake up, Rip van Winkle.
The local Missouri UAW lodge or chapter or whatever has a giant sign in their lot saying all non-US made cars will be TOWED at owner expense, Domestic Parking ONLY.
I guess their maids and servants get towed if they walk on the lot, LOL.