Thunderstorm Gray

[453030]

Anyone have an order in with this color?  My dealer says he can select it for AT4X.  I would like to see a color chip first, but they don't have one.   I know the trim is heavily constrained as it is, would choosing this color likely add to lead time?

[C/K Man]

FWIW, the order guide still shows Thunderstorm Gray as 'late availability' but no ETA.  I was wondering if that color was a metallic.

[47Problem]

So there is a lot of conflicting information on if/when Thunderstorm Gray will be available.  There is a thread on at4forum (linked below). Won’t repost all the details here but some are being told at dealerships it is cancelled for the year, GMC responded to me on TikTok that it was pulled too.  
 

BUT, the portal allowed my dealership to submit my order a couple of weeks ago for a 2500HD AT4 (gas) and it is now sitting waiting for them to have allocation before it moves to the next step.  It’s pretty much a wait and see type of thing now for me.  
 

To answer your question on the appearance of the color, it is my understanding that it is close to the sterling silver but a bit flatter without the metallic pigment.  

 

https://www.at4forum.com/threads/24-gmc-sierra-hd-is-live-to-order.861/page-2#post-13076

[BuckWallace]

I'm interested to see how this plays out. I originally wanted this color, but me being my impatient self, I ordered a Summit White AT4 (picked it up last month) so I didn't have to wait for Thunderstorm to become available. I'm still kind of regretting not waiting, but if it does indeed get canceled for this year I'll feel much better with myself! The pictures of the color on the ZR2 HD sure do look good, though...

[C/K Man]

Downpour Metallic is another late availability color, any word if it's available yet?

[453030]

Thanks for the replies, guys.

 

So I went to my usual dealer today.  Built the AT4X in the system, Thunderstorm Gray.  Going through the numbers and ready to give a $1000 deposit and my guy starts with "we add this $800 interior protection to every vehicle we sell".  Um yah, I'm not buying that.  Sales guy: "You have to, it is not optional".

 

Adios, muchacho.  Out the door in 10 seconds flat.  Never going back there again.  I have found it amusing to see these guys on their perches, selling everything at MSRP or over.  Really, it has always been so one sided in our favor, I have not minded too much.  I was willing to pay MSRP for my 2022 CT5-V Blackwing 6MT, but I draw the line there.  It's gonna change back in our favor, and dealers like this will have lost regular customers.  At least this one did.

 

Back on topic, this color is available to order, at least on this trim.

[47Problem]

20+ years ago I was in the industry and it drove me crazy dealerships that tried to demand that you add things and many people just go along with it.  At the time the Chevy dealership I worked with didn’t do that thankfully but a used dealership I moved onto did and that, along with many other shady things, is when I left. 

As far as  vehicles being sold at or above MSRP, this is likely going to be the new normal and not a temporary thing. Reasoning is due to the new normal also moving toward dealerships holding less on-the-lot stock and going toward the model of ordering specifically what customers desire. This is likely to become even more evident as inflation continues as dealers do not want to finance stock the way they used to as were they paid little interest 20 years ago and had 90+ days to move before being charged now are paying 5-10% from day one.  
 

I was lucky and my local dealer is honoring my GM supplier pricing but this is even becoming difficult as it is not required that they honor it.  

[ManyCamaroz]

12 hours ago, 453030 said:

Thanks for the replies, guys.

 

So I went to my usual dealer today.  Built the AT4X in the system, Thunderstorm Gray.  Going through the numbers and ready to give a $1000 deposit and my guy starts with "we add this $800 interior protection to every vehicle we sell".  Um yah, I'm not buying that.  Sales guy: "You have to, it is not optional".

 

Adios, muchacho.  Out the door in 10 seconds flat.  Never going back there again.  I have found it amusing to see these guys on their perches, selling everything at MSRP or over.  Really, it has always been so one sided in our favor, I have not minded too much.  I was willing to pay MSRP for my 2022 CT5-V Blackwing 6MT, but I draw the line there.  It's gonna change back in our favor, and dealers like this will have lost regular customers.  At least this one did.

 

Back on topic, this color is available to order, at least on this trim.

I looked at a truck a couple of months ago and it as well had about an $800 adder for exterior paint protection. The salesman told me they do a ceramic coat on every vehicle, BUT if I refused to pay for it, there would be no charge. That I just wouldn't get the 5 year protection warranty.

[KARNUT]

My neck of the woods Conroe-Montgomery Tx. You can get a reasonably equipped Nissan for 42K at Keaton Nissan. The Rams are going for 45K well equipped. Across the street. Ford is doing 11K off with reduced interest rates. Just up the road. Nothing yet from GM. But they’ll have to. 

[BuckWallace]

10 hours ago, KARNUT said:

My neck of the woods Conroe-Montgomery Tx. You can get a reasonably equipped Nissan for 42K at Keaton Nissan. The Rams are going for 45K well equipped. Across the street. Ford is doing 11K off with reduced interest rates. Just up the road. Nothing yet from GM. But they’ll have to. 

I assume you're referring to 1/2‐tons since you mentioned Nissan? Seems like there are deals to be had on those, but the HD market is still pretty tough.

Edited July 23, 2023 by BuckWallace

[Salzette]

On 7/22/2023 at 10:59 AM, 47Problem said:

20+ years ago I was in the industry and it drove me crazy dealerships that tried to demand that you add things and many people just go along with it.  At the time the Chevy dealership I worked with didn’t do that thankfully but a used dealership I moved onto did and that, along with many other shady things, is when I left. 

As far as  vehicles being sold at or above MSRP, this is likely going to be the new normal and not a temporary thing. Reasoning is due to the new normal also moving toward dealerships holding less on-the-lot stock and going toward the model of ordering specifically what customers desire. This is likely to become even more evident as inflation continues as dealers do not want to finance stock the way they used to as were they paid little interest 20 years ago and had 90+ days to move before being charged now are paying 5-10% from day one.  
 

I was lucky and my local dealer is honoring my GM supplier pricing but this is even becoming difficult as it is not required that they honor it.  

First (and closest) dealer I went to in my ‘24 HD search tried to tell me their $2000 ceramic protection was mandatory, then tried to offer me $8000 low on my trade…and told me it was because it didn’t have the sunroof. Like I didn’t know that’s max a $1k option for that vehicle. Bye-bye, and I’ll be going elsewhere for service from now on too. Went back to the dealer my family used to buy through for years despite the long drive. They honor our GM employee pricing and offered me what I knew my trade was worth right off the bat. Only problem was they didn’t have the truck I needed. 100% don’t regret ordering from them and waiting longer (thankfully they had allocation and it was accepted and scheduled within a week of order). I won’t waste my time elsewhere again.
 

Would love to say at some point dealers like the first will lose their customers and have to shape up, but I think there are too many buyers that don’t do their research ahead of time and think that’s just how it will be everywhere and eat the extra costs etc.

[64BAwagon]

They will charge what the market will bear and prey on uninformed consumers. 

[BuckWallace]

Dang, kind of pissed I didn't wait for Thunderstorm. 

 

https://youtu.be/7ZpuPfUH1i0?si=llbtTJ29sS2Aa-zO

[64BAwagon]

To me it looks more like a battleship than a thunderstorm 

[Pryme]

25 minutes ago, 64BAwagon said:

To me it looks more like a battleship than a thunderstorm 

I would say “grey” these cute names for colors belong in a interior decoration handbook l, not to describe heavy duty pickup trucks haha