MECCA II - The Official GM Thank You!

[SolsticeEnjoying]

JustMike and his volunteers, and the plant and Pontiac folks, are now TWO for TWO! This was another great owners lovefest, and it was different enough from last year's to make it just as interesting for us "veterans" of the first tour.

Way to go!

[Aspenrose]

Originally Posted by SolsticeEnjoying JustMike and his volunteers, and the plant and Pontiac folks, are now TWO for TWO! This was another great owners lovefest, and it was different enough from last year's to make it just as interesting for us "veterans" of the first tour. Way to go!

Pontiac/Saturn/GM know how to throw a party, this was 1000% worth the 1000 mile drive! The guys in the TLC tent were busting butt all day, in less than ideal weather. Kenny came out after quite a while with a perfectly aligned hood, the weather strips on his fenders, and a better fit for the clam shell JustMike spent a LOT of time making sure everything was running smoothly, now he can really relax again. You did good Mike!

[sunnygator]

Originally Posted by Aspenrose The guys in the TLC tent were busting butt all day, in less than ideal weather........ You did good Mike!

Actually, Mike you did GREAT!

As for the weather, the rain helped the guys in the TCL tent figure out my trunk leak.....glad I waited in line for them they fixed it fast, and taught me how to fix it again if it ever does it again.

Loved the tour, loved the displays, and my wife loved the massage and facial. And it was nice as always to get together with people who have such great taste in cars!

sunnygator

[Thunder]

Originally Posted by SolsticeEnjoying JustMike and his volunteers, and the plant and Pontiac folks, are now TWO for TWO! This was another great owners lovefest, and it was different enough from last year's to make it just as interesting for us "veterans" of the first tour. Way to go!

Agreed, today was just great! Thanks to Mike, GM, the plant and everyone involved in this event. It was our first trip out of town with Thunder, so how appropriate to return to the factory. Jane loved the AGCs. On third shift, she imagines them roaming the plant on their own, perhaps staging races down the empty isles (...well, we don't get out much and it shows). anyway, thanks again to Mike and all.

Bill & Jane Krantz (Thunder)

[sunnygator]

Originally Posted by SolsticeEnjoying JustMike and his volunteers, and the plant and Pontiac folks, are now TWO for TWO!

It was not a "top down day" but it was a "TOP SHELF EVENT!"



This is my "Cool" GXP waiting for a little TLC!

[GO_DRVN]

Originally Posted by sunnygator As for the weather, the rain helped the guys in the TCL tent figure out my trunk leak.....glad I waited in line for them they fixed it fast, and taught me how to fix it again if it ever does it again.

Once you get home spill the beans in a separate thread on how to repair a trunk leak. Glad to see those guys can fix anything and more importantly are willing to do it.

[SOL369]

Great time, Great tour. Thanks to Mike and the guys at the plant.

[Cheers]

The chance to see all of the race cars, new cars, and looks at the future was amazing. GM knows how the throw a part. The tour was great and fun to talk to the great professionals who take so much pride in building our cars! Then there was another opportunity to match faces with names. Wicked is

THANKS MIKE AND THE FOLKS AT BOXWOOD RD (AKA MECCA)!!!

[POTFH]

Great Trip, we drove straight back from the plant 699.7 miles, 11 hours-45 minutes. Finally drove out of the rain in Indiana.

Again thanks to Mike it was a great time and I am glad you did it so I was able to come to the plant. Thanks to GM and the workers at the Wilmington Plant. This makes me believe that they really do care what the owner want and not just to sell cars.

Also thanks for the nice plant gifts, which I will post a question on another tread.

Again a big THANK YOU!

[Slicer]

Mecca II was outstanding!

I really appreciate all the folks at GM, UAW and here on the forum who worked so hard to pull off a great event on a not so great day.

Great to see the smiles on the faces of the craftsmen who build our cars as we toured the facility. I really enjoyed talking with a few of them as well!

Thanks, again, for all the hard work!

[RADRIV]

I didn't think it was possible to love my 2006 (Deep, #1,150) any more...but after the tour, I do!

Thanks! Great time! All the work is appreciated!

It was worth the flight from Minneapolis to go to this event!

[Rdstrs 4 50yrs]

Originally Posted by SolsticeEnjoying JustMike and his volunteers, and the plant and Pontiac folks, are now TWO for TWO! This was another great owners lovefest, and it was different enough from last year's to make it just as interesting for us "veterans" of the first tour. Way to go!

Wonderful summary! I convinced my lovely wife, Camellia, to join me this year, and she especially enjoyed the day as 'a different and unique experience'.

She especially enjoyed the Women's Lounge- massage and facial, stated the folks there were excellent providers, and also mentioned that actually more men than women took advantage of the massages. ((Thanks Sue Lichtenstein for arranging this!! ))

As an artist who has created numerous hand pulled limited edition prints, Camellia was especially impressed by the quality gift of the Solstice Limited Edition Prints - and the poetry descriptions on the back of each fantastic photograph.

We both enjoyed the SWE assembly line 'training', and she really got into the logistics of 'the process' and team efficiency improvement discussuins. Her grandfather was a GM asembly worker, and she said she has a better appreiation of what his 'career experience ' must have been.

One of the the things a number of us 'returnees' commented to each other on, is how we picked up on several production details we didn't observe last year, the advantage of repeat examination of the building of our Sols. For example, last year we learned that there were 4 different wiring harnessess depending on options (automatic, ABS, On Star, sound systems, etc). This year I noted a 'rain protective drain flap' (which I will retrofit) to the black rectangular electrical box, low on the left forward firewall below the aluminum other electrical boxes, behind the washer reservoir. My car does NOT have this. I spotted this flap on the production line.

Again the high quality of mutually respectful interpersonal relations among the assembly team at Wilmington deserves repeat mention-not only in general- but on the line- making everyone's job more effective (in coordinating the flow).

A note about my ZDDP oil additive and the GM oil life 'system'. in the context of the anticipated oil industry environmental planned 2009 elimination of ZDDP from oils ( and the well-known problem in our vintage British engine overhaul issues of premature cam and valve train break-in wear due to the lowering of ZDDP in current oils) ((Well documented in triumph, Jaguar, Lotus & MG clubs newsletters) and I mentioned this in a post a few weeks ago.

I discussed this with Chief Engineer Bruce Kosbab, and he was unaware of the issue, but said he'd follow up on my inquiry as to the GM oil life formula - and its (sensor) primary reliance on the amount of ZDDP remaining in the oil. It's not just a question of routine oil changes- if the ZDDP is eliminated- which protects our VVT valve train and cams from 'premature wear. Redline is now formulating a 'break-in oil for the hobbiest' in response- but that doesn't deal with millions of GM cars relying on ZDDP for 'oil life' advice.

Back to the Plant Tour: They are producing 50-60 cars per shift (3 shifts), and it takes 50 hours to 'build' a SOl or SKY. Hadn't seen that published anywhere, so I asked.
Also they built 330 or so Daewoo roadsters in 2007, but None in 2008. They sent 4,000 OPEL GT's to Europe in 2007.

Again, Thanks 'Just Mike' and Mecca II Support Staff, Factory Staff for another wonderful and most memorable MECCA II!!

Our evening dinner gathering at Joe's Crab Shanty also had a wonderful turnout (Thanks Mike), and I'm sure, like Camellia and I , we had the opportunity & pleasue of meeting new friends.

One thing diferent from last year- where many of us "encouraged the factory to consider a Mecca II": Every single factory employee - upon leaving - said to us "See you next year" -- so Mecca III is apparently going to be 'another factory/forum/owners renuion'.

We are 'on board' already!

Sherman & Camellia

[sunnygator]

Originally Posted by Rdstrs 4 50yrs Back to the Plant Tour: They are producing 50-60 cars per shift (3 shifts), and it takes 50 hours to 'build' a SOl or SKY.

They "have" 3 shifts, but only two are working now......I have a friend who worked on the 3rd shift who is now laid off for the time being......

But you gotta admit, all the UAW guys were great, and glad to see us.

[1sgt]

JUSTMIKE & his VOLUNTEER'S GREAT JOB . OK now we have to work on next years

[mikep77]

I had a wonderful time at the tour, and at the party afterward. Thanks to JustMike, and his volunteers. And of course thanks to GM and all the wonderful workers at the plant. They truly made it an unforgettable day.