What’s the Significance of a Build Date?

[MikeBoom]

I received a message from my dealer today that my Yukon Denali had been assigned a build date of December 19, 2022. He mentioned that the holiday closure of the plant had not yet been announced, so that could push it back.

So, here’s the question: Is it realistic to actually expect that the Yukon will be built on that date? I don’t have enough time hanging around on these forums to know if a build date is actually a build date, or if it means something else. I understand that the wild card in all of this is how long it takes to get it shipped to my dealership (SW Wisconsin) once it’s built.

Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom.

 

[WalleyeMikeIII]

Usually you get a TPW or target production week. This is the week your vehicle is scheduled to be produced; and would mean GM has the parts supply identified and they plan to build your vehicle that week. Barring any oddities; if you have this date; your vehicle should be assembled then.

 

[todayusay]

the only caveat to add is that the "build date" or TPW is always listed as the Monday of that production week. As long as everything goes well (and the TPW doesn't get shifted) it should be built either that week or the next week at a minimum. Our 22 build was built on a Tuesday and our 23 was built on a Thursday - both of course had a TPW/projected build date of that Monday.

There have been numerous posters on here have their build slip into the following week but if that happens, the TPW doesn't change - it's just built late...

 

[MikeBoom]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge, gents. It looks like it’s about to happen….

 

[pa31p]

Funny thing about build dates, most european countries when you sell a car you always list the build month on a car, like Mar/2022 or Dec2022
build date makes a difference when reselling over there big time. Jan vs Dec…

 

[EducatorDan]

Year and month is sometimes handy when tracking things like recalls/TSBs as well. With my Regal TourX there was an issue with a batch of accelerator pedals and GMs response was to give an extended warranty for that specific part (10 years, 120,000 miles) to the vehicles affected. As the notices were received forum members would post the month/year of build to try to track the window of vehicles affected.

 

[jvande]

My Yukon production week was 12/5. Today's update from GM is my production week is 12/5. The chat wasn't able to provide any additional details.

 

[MikeBoom]

In the past few days I’ve learned…or was at least told by a rep at GM Chat…that dealers get updated production information a couple of days before the customer service folks do. Seems odd to me; I’d think any update would immediately populate to the entire system.

 

[tcw495]

Does anyone know what Status Code means you've been assigned a build date? My Yukon is currently Status 200 (I believe meaning accepted by GM) and my dealer told me they expect it to go status 3000 by this week. What does 3000 mean?

 

[bunky319]

You can get the status codes here: https://gmauthority.com/blog/gm-order-tracking/gm-order-event-codes-and-definitions/

Basically 3000 is when the vehicle is truly "accepted" and the dealer has spent an allocation on your build. Before then I wouldn't really consider it accepted for production. You don't get a TPW until 3300 I believe. At 3400 GMC chat should be able to provide that TPW to you.

 

[DmaxDenaliXL]

You can get the status codes here: https://gmauthority.com/blog/gm-order-tracking/gm-order-event-codes-and-definitions/

Basically 3000 is when the vehicle is truly "accepted" and the dealer has spent an allocation on your build. Before then I wouldn't really consider it accepted for production. You don't get a TPW until 3300 I believe. At 3400 GMC chat should be able to provide that TPW to you.

Can confirm. GM chat says I'm at 3300 and a TPW has not been assigned. Curious how long it will take to move from 3300 to 3400.

 

[CASTLEDFW15]

Build dates have always been important but until probably the last couple of years been glossed over.

With the supply chain shortages it gives manuf, dealers and customers a guideline to possible supply constraints.

This became when manufacturers started doing….”Rolling Shortages” to maintain supply/demand and pre plaNing for future purchases.

Example.

Around Mid 2021 Tahoes started losing Wireless Charging and Auto Stop/Start. That was when the global chip manufacturers got more constrained on the chip production.

GM started disclosing in the sales brochures what current and future production problems could be. This disclosure also allowed customers to be informed and decide on going forward with some options NOT having the dealer retrofit availability…Auto Stop/Start, wireless. Charging etc. Yes nice but Does not affect safety, performance, or drivability.

The next step was…”Rolling Shortages”. ….

This production batch lets say January 1st-March 31……no wireless charging.

April 1-Jun 30th……Heated Steering Wheel……getting towards summer and has the dealer retrofit option.

July1-September 30………Park Assist, Sliding Center Console etc….

The build date os usually noted in the disclosure is critical for this. If your shopping in. April your VIN might be no Wireless Charging. Constraint might be for vehicles with production dates After April 15th.

This also allows manufacturers to pre plan for future….”Constraints” and adjust sales strategies.

A common method was reducing or eliminating the features on lower trim models……..Sliding Center Consoles anyone. After that batch of constraints they might keep the SCC for upper trim levels…Denali, Premier, High Country. Even if offr for lower trim models might continue on constraint or limit orders……Dealer A you can only order 25 units with the SCC thighs akkicatiuon cycle.

The concept is simple, its the application that is the problem, A dealer will sacrifice the SCC to keep lets say 2nd Row Buckets or moonroofs. A decent dealer will probably nout sacrifice a batch of twenty-five vehicles for the month to get five SCC’s.

The old School days of ordering to keep inventory are pretty much over and probably will be very long term or permanent.

With the Allocation“ process dealers have to be more selective of how they are ordered….especially in current times. Orders are going to more of what sells. Do MInnesota dealers get worked up over moonroofs, soccer mom communities probably want lmore 2nd row bench seat options. I was gong to say heated steering cheeks in Miami but that’s bad example because of not being a stand alone option.

 

[Steebu]

In the past few days I’ve learned…or was at least told by a rep at GM Chat…that dealers get updated production information a couple of days before the customer service folks do. Seems odd to me; I’d think any update would immediately populate to the entire system.

There’s actually a very long process that goes on before that.

Once your order is submitted to GM, an intern has to write the order down in a notebook with black ink. That intern takes it to a second intern, who might reject the order if it’s in blue ink. Upon approval, the second intern inputs the data into a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. Sometimes the Pentium computer won’t start correctly so they have to call the Helpdesk to restart DOS and Windows 3.1. Rumor is starting in the new year they will upgrade to Excel 3.0 and Windows ME.

Once the data is input into Lotus, it is printed off once a week on their daisy-wheel printer, then taken by a third intern to the central system, a guy named Milton who places the individual order printouts into his hamster’s cage. The hamster runs on the wheel to select the order, then runs on another wheel to select the TPW. It is important to note that hamsters are nocturnal, so this selection process only happens at night. This is why updates typically don’t happen during the day, so *please* stop bothering the advisors and chat during daytime hours. Once Milton has the selections from the hamster, he hand-writes the TPW on the order, walks over to Karen’s desk, and places it in her inbox.

It is now on Karen to update the dealerships and the chatbot software. But Karen loves her peppermint mochas from Starbucks and often goes out three times a day for her cups of joe. Despite her frequent orders, Starbucks still messes them up so Karen has to get a bit unruly sometimes to get her order correct.

So please remember - there are a lot of moving parts before any Chat/Dealers are notified. It’s not as easy or as simple as you think.

Hope you (@MikeBoom) get your rig early in the new year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

[MikeBoom]

There’s actually a very long process that goes on before that.

Once your order is submitted to GM, an intern has to write the order down in a notebook with black ink. That intern takes it to a second intern, who might reject the order if it’s in blue ink. Upon approval, the second intern inputs the data into a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. Sometimes the Pentium computer won’t start correctly so they have to call the Helpdesk to restart DOS and Windows 3.1. Rumor is starting in the new year they will upgrade to Excel 3.0 and Windows ME.

Once the data is input into Lotus, it is printed off once a week on their daisy-wheel printer, then taken by a third intern to the central system, a guy named Milton who places the individual order printouts into his hamster’s cage. The hamster runs on the wheel to select the order, then runs on another wheel to select the TPW. It is important to note that hamsters are nocturnal, so this selection process only happens at night. This is why updates typically don’t happen during the day, so *please* stop bothering the advisors and chat during daytime hours. Once Milton has the selections from the hamster, he hand-writes the TPW on the order, walks over to Karen’s desk, and places it in her inbox.

It is now on Karen to update the dealerships and the chatbot software. But Karen loves her peppermint mochas from Starbucks and often goes out three times a day for her cups of joe. Despite her frequent orders, Starbucks still messes them up so Karen has to get a bit unruly sometimes to get her order correct.

So please remember - there are a lot of moving parts before any Chat/Dealers are notified. It’s not as easy or as simple as you think.

Hope you (@MikeBoom) get your rig early in the new year.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Actually, that sounds about right. Except that they may not have advanced quite as far as you suggest.