Longer, more spacious, and sporting a newly independent rear suspension, General Motors’ 2021 full-size SUV clan is ready to tap pent-up consumer enthusiasm… just as soon as the manufacturer scrubs off the paint-marring insect secretions.
It seems the General’s big SUVs have run into a seasonal issue near their Texas home base.
As reported by Automotive News, thousands of factory-fresh Chevrolet Tahoes and GMC Yukons have turned up at dealerships with blotchy residue fouling their pristine paint after mayflies swarmed them near GM’s Arlington assembly plant. Commonly seen massing over gas stations on summer nights, mayflies were likewise attracted to this crop of hulking vehicles.
The insects’ interest in Arlington’s latest had nothing to do with the models’ optional 3.0-liter inline-six diesel and everything to do with location. It seems that, following assembly, new Tahoes and Yukons were parked near a lake awaiting shipment to dealers. Apparently, quite a few mayflies called this lake home.
After some dealers spent hours removing the gunk off of solitary SUVs, GM was forced to issue a dealer bulletin detailing the best way to remove the insect residue. The issue also forced some 2,600 vehicles to be held back as the automaker took care of the problem at its source, stemming the flow of profitable new models that are only now just reaching buyers.
Sales Associate George Eischen of Pete Eischen Chevrolet in Fairview, Okla., told the outlet that one SUV had to have its hood repainted after residue removal failed. The vehicle’s brightwork was similarly marred, leading to dissatisfaction with the manufacturer.
In a message to AN, a company spokesperson said all models heading to dealers will arrive sans mayfly secretions. “Plant personnel are rapidly cleaning vehicles so that they arrive to our dealers and customers in flawless condition,” the spokesperson said.
[Images: General Motors]
Sounds like they’re just working out the typical first year bugs.
3 stars
Holy crap this is terrible XD
The question for me is…this isn’t a new facility. How has this just started happening now?
There is no lake on the GM property. The old Navel Air Station is a few miles down the street, maybe they were parker there.
They were stored at Hensley Field. Mountain Creek Lake is adjacent. Lake has high PCB levels. Perhaps the Mayflies were fueled by pollution.
Yep, and don’t eat the fish!
Proposed Product Review: Best Tar and Bug Removers.
(I still use the can of Gunk Tar-N-Bug Remover that I bought a decade or two ago. Strong enough to work, strong enough that you are motivated to use it sparingly. Not sure if they have changed the formulation.)
Does Chevy know they forgot to put a front clip on that red truck? Just a giant-ass radiator and some unsightly supports, far as I can tell.