Constraints Driven by Chevy Truck Month?

[navyseal334]

Several GM models have had constraints placed on options for months now. The chip shortage is an obvious culprit but, with the release of new/refreshed trucks in the past couple months, I have to wonder if chips have been reallocated from existing models to the new models in an effort to beef up truck inventory levels ahead of Chevy truck month this month.

Does anyone have any insight/experience into GM's production strategy and whether this has been done in past years (allocate resources away from other model lines towards trucks ahead of truck month)?

Recent articles on GM Authority noting that heated seats/steering wheels are reappearing in non-truck models could lend (potentially coincidental) weight to this hypothesis.

I'm waiting on a 2022 diesel premiere suburban order that has most options on constraint currently. If this theory above holds water, then I'm wondering if we may start to see some easing on the constraint lists now that truck month production is largely out of the way.

Thoughts welcome.

 

[Dlayne]

Good point. I have no official information, but my .02.

This may be the case for the new 1/2 Ton models. HD trucks are still facing delete issues like the SUVs. I needed more towing capacity and the HD Sierra Denali’s and High Country trucks that I could find had similar delete issues and future retrofits. And, pushing the GM HD refresh back until 2024 (including 6.6L Duramax upgrades) makes me think you might be onto something regarding resources being reallocated to the newly refreshed 1/2 Ton models..

Had a reservation and order for a refreshed 1/2 Ton Sierra Denali Ultimate, but couldn’t wait.

First time ever, bailed on GM for the blue oval. Apples to Oranges regarding the SUVs vs. trucks, but regarding restraints, my ‘22 F350 Tremor has everything except HUD (not even offered?).

Seems GM is having more issues than most regarding restraints early on. Too bad.

 

[Banks22]

Truck month rebates only applied to the limited Silverado’s, the refresh are just now arriving (mine showed up yesterday!) and there are no rebates to buy, $1750 for lease loyalty that’s it. Mine was missing a few things, I don’t think they’ll take parts from Tahoe/Yukon’s for trucks. Those 3 vehicles are GM’s money maker. The HD trucks are a different story, there’s a National back order on certain parts to the Diesel engines therefor $80k Denali and HC heavy duty’s sit lined up along 69 ramp in flint. It’s truly sad, I drove by 2 weeks ago and so many nice trucks sitting there. Here’s my beauty, needs black bow ties put on and pick up tomorrow

 

[firsttimetahoe]

Seems unlikely, considering with these deals you need to take delivery by X date to qualify…..and that is a while other issue within itself non-related to shortages of chips.

A lot of people have to wait months for their car to be delivered once it’s built

 

[Baja_Bob]

I live around the Flint, Mi. area where the HD pickup is built, Gm still has several lots full around town full of trucks waiting for microchips and other parts. I don't see the numbers on these lots getting any smaller. Some of these trucks are the $70,000+ Denalis just sitting in fields

 

[Teamiez]

I don’t get how it’s just gm and Ford pretty much having a chip problem? Every other vehicle brand seems like everything is fine.

 

[Baja_Bob]

I don’t get how it’s just gm and Ford pretty much having a chip problem? Every other vehicle brand seems like everything is fine.

One of the local GM dealers in town also sells Dodge/Jeep/Ram and the GM lots are empty but there's always 8-10 new Ram trucks out front for sale.

 

[todayusay]

I don’t get how it’s just gm and Ford pretty much having a chip problem? Every other vehicle brand seems like everything is fine.

I view it more of their ordering processes are quite different.

Ordered a Ram HD in December...the dealer I ordered through sent out all the current Ram "constraints" to me after my initial email. Any order that had any of those items included wouldn't even be contemplated...reason being is when the order is first placed, it's accepted immediately. These constraints change about as frequently as GM's and some were even removed completely from packages (power folding mirrors is the big one that is still missing on certain trims)

I was on the phone with the person doing the ordering, went over the vehicle for about 5 minutes, she asked a few qualifying questions to make sure I was 100% on board with what I was ordering, whether it was the color, the options I included vs options I left out and so on. When that discussion was over she said that she was then going to submit it to Ram for acceptance....10 seconds later it was accepted and she gave me my order # and a couple days later I had my VIN#...I felt lucky in that 12 weeks later I had the truck - was quoted 16-20 weeks from order to delivery.

Now most FCA dealers probably aren't going to operate this way but that was my experience.

Probably an even bigger component is that a "sold" FCA order doesn't impact the dealer's allocation from what I understand--- dealer i worked with said they had over 700 orders lined up that had been accepted and were moving forward


GM's process allows dealers to place initial orders left and right without a care if there is a constraint or not and these initial orders then have to go through the allocation process...so a dealer may have multiple initial orders but if they don't get an allocation for that vehicle - it doesn't move forward....

Believe Ford is a similar process in that the dealers are allowed to take orders but even if they are custom sold orders, the dealer won't be allowed to submit them for production until they receive an allocation (which may be a monthly process vs GM's being weekly?)

 

[todayusay]

One of the local GM dealers in town also sells Dodge/Jeep/Ram and the GM lots are empty but there's always 8-10 new Ram trucks out front for sale.

Also seems like GM and Ford were content with building the trucks 99% complete and then letting the trucks sit for months awaiting chips...had read where Ford was contemplating shipping these almost completed trucks to the dealers for storage vs the fields/lots around the factories we've all seen pictures of...

Don't really hear much about FCA going down this path - seems as if they can't complete the vehicle 100% at one time, it's not built

 

[Teamiez]

I view it more of their ordering processes are quite different.

Ordered a Ram HD in December...the dealer I ordered through sent out all the current Ram "constraints" to me after my initial email. Any order that had any of those items included wouldn't even be contemplated...reason being is when the order is first placed, it's accepted immediately. These constraints change about as frequently as GM's and some were even removed completely from packages (power folding mirrors is the big one that is still missing on certain trims)

I was on the phone with the person doing the ordering, went over the vehicle for about 5 minutes, she asked a few qualifying questions to make sure I was 100% on board with what I was ordering, whether it was the color, the options I included vs options I left out and so on. When that discussion was over she said that she was then going to submit it to Ram for acceptance....10 seconds later it was accepted and she gave me my order # and a couple days later I had my VIN#...I felt lucky in that 12 weeks later I had the truck - was quoted 16-20 weeks from order to delivery.

Now most FCA dealers probably aren't going to operate this way but that was my experience.

Probably an even bigger component is that a "sold" FCA order doesn't impact the dealer's allocation from what I understand--- dealer i worked with said they had over 700 orders lined up that had been accepted and were moving forward


GM's process allows dealers to place initial orders left and right without a care if there is a constraint or not and these initial orders then have to go through the allocation process...so a dealer may have multiple initial orders but if they don't get an allocation for that vehicle - it doesn't move forward....

Believe Ford is a similar process in that the dealers are allowed to take orders but even if they are custom sold orders, the dealer won't be allowed to submit them for production until they receive an allocation (which may be a monthly process vs GM's being weekly?)

Gotcha, I am new to learning how this works. I ordered a new Toyota built to my specs but learned you get what’s closest to what you want for that matter? Mine came with everything how I had it with the exception of I now had wheel locks I didn’t want, and door guards I didn’t want. arrived in 2 months when I expected 5-6 months. I guess another thing is it’s crazy how you can get a vehicle built & shipped faster from Japan vs the USA now a days.