I just fired this letter off to GM, after purchasing the $600 Delco/Bose option for my new Silverado.
I bought the Delco/Bose sound system in my new Silverado - a $600 option. I noticed that when playing CD-R disks, playback was normal until the player warmed up, and then would begin skipping. I contacted my dealer, who advised me to contact GM. I just got off the phone with the GM representative.
He tells me that this behavior is "normal" for this player, and is documented in the owner's manual. Of course, I had already taken delivery of the vehicle by the time I had access to the owner's manual, but that is really beside the point.
I have 3 computers with CD players, 2 other cars, 2 stereos, 2 boomboxes, and 3 portable CD players. That is 12 CD players that have no problem playing CD-R disks. If you were to include my previous vehicles, the count would be higher.
In the year 2004, for GM to accept that their CD players are incapable of playing CD-R disks is unacceptable. To sell an optional sound system for $600 with the knowledge that it won't perform the same task as a $19.95 portable diskman is ludicrous. Now I have to spend $300+ dollars at a stereo shop to remove the factory player and put a decent one in.
When I was growing up, my mother and father always had Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs, respectively. My last GM purchase before purchasing this truck was a 1972 Chevy Nova, 31 years ago. But I like the Silverado; I like the way it drives, and I've heard good things about GM quality for the last few years. My purchase decision came down to the Toyota Tundra or the Silverado and I chose the Silverado. But not again. Toyota would fix this sort of problem, not just document it in their owner's manual. As long as GM finds it acceptable for ANY part of their product to be sub-par, the ENTIRE product will be sub-par.
In June, I will be selling my car and buying a new one. Guess what brand I won't even consider?