Interesting option: Build your own engine

[jonstr]

http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/12/autos/c ... htm?hpt=T2

Buy a Corvette, build the engine yourself

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Usually when you buy a car you expect someone else to build it for you. But, for a price, GM is letting some Chevrolet Corvette buyers build the car's engine themselves.

The "Engine Build Experience" is a $5,800 option on Corvette Z06 and ZR1 cars. Both are ultra-high-performance versions of the Corvette with engines that are hand-assembled at a plant in Wixom, Mich., near GM's Detroit headquarters. (The rest of the car is built at GM's Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ken.)

Customers who pay for the privilege will be invited to come to Wixom to assemble the engine for their car under the guidance of GM technicians. Once assembly is complete, a personalized nameplate is attached to the engine which is then sent to Bowling Green where it's put into the car.

[BIGJOHN]

That's dumb; $5,800 can buy alot of gas!!!

[Luigi]

I agree... dumb idea. I can't see how they would honor any kind of warranty on the engine without knowing the skill level of the individual and how they could meet Quality Control standards. Plus its not likely that you would be able to deviate from their parts so what is the point?

Seems like WIXOM would be doing one large baby sitting job.

-Luigi

[BIGJOHN]

I agree... dumb idea. I can't see how they would honor any kind of warranty on the engine without knowing the skill level of the individual and how they could meet Quality Control standards. Plus its not likely that you would be able to deviate from their parts so what is the point?

Seems like WIXOM would be doing one large baby sitting job.

-Luigi

You know for $5800 you could buy gas for 30,000 miles!!!!

[SurfnSun]

I agree... dumb idea. I can't see how they would honor any kind of warranty on the engine without knowing the skill level of the individual and how they could meet Quality Control standards. Plus its not likely that you would be able to deviate from their parts so what is the point?

Seems like WIXOM would be doing one large baby sitting job.

-Luigi

We talked about this at Bloomington Gold with Tom Hill. Sounds to me like the process is dummy proof. All the torque specs are built into a computerized wrench so its almost impossible to screw it up.

$5800 is crazy money tho.

[Dakota Aero]

We talked about this at the BHills Classic with a couple of "prominent personnel" and they were flabbergasted also and said they knew someone who could do that with their process for a better value! and better performance!

DA