Inside the BMW VDC: What Happens to Your Car When It Arrives in the States

JSpira · Feb 5, 2010

I spent the better part of today at the BMW Vehicle Distribution Center in New Jersey watching my car go through the the facility.

The car started off in the segregated area for tourist deliveries, got some diesel fuel, went through the car wash, and then entered the VDC facility to get checked out and updated.

The people at the VDC are amazing. Our cars could not be in better hands.

Details and photos here.

DSXMachina · Feb 5, 2010

Very interesting! It's the place we all obsess over because they have our BMWs last and it sometimes turns into an information black hole. My car was there for almost three weeks! I started to imagine every 'worst case scenario' possible.

AzNMpower32 · Feb 5, 2010

So I take installing non-US spec parts while in Germany would be a bad idea since it'd get caught by customs. Like a rear foglight switch for instance or different interior trim.

cruise_bone · Feb 5, 2010

Excellent article. Thank you!

///M-Furby · Feb 5, 2010

I figured they disconnected your odometer and took it out on a tour of the city.

Jim E. · Feb 5, 2010

What is "VDC"? I though it was called VPC.

KHarney · Feb 5, 2010

Well if you ACTUALLY READ the article you would know ....:banghead:

cwinter · Feb 5, 2010

Thanks for the article, interesting stuff!

I can't believe those guys got to drive my car before I did!

anE934fun · Feb 5, 2010

I read an article somewhere (can't find the link at the moment) that the VDC function was going to be outsourced. Instead of BMW NA employees, it would be operated by a third party company. Has anyone else read about the impending outsourcing of VDC operations?

roadkillrob · Feb 5, 2010

So how come my manual says not to take my E93 in an automated car wash, but it appears it is the first thing they do once the car arrives!

Grentz · Feb 5, 2010

Great tour!

The VDCs seem amazing. I saw one other article a long time back that was pretty cool as well. Not a ton of info on them overall.

Probably because I would guess their's has a light touch and is well maintained. A lot of the automatic washes are bad simply because they are not maintained well and/or old.

Also "brushes" (they actually are softer pads now) actually are believed to be better than touchless in some cases. Shell is a big fan of the modern version of the "brush" was and I can say they work very well.

Hasek9339 · Feb 5, 2010

ohh that car wash, spinning brushes yuck !!!:thumbdwn:

It must be a good system because I didn't see any swirl marks on my car when I picked it up from the PCD in SC

Vanos4:12PM · Feb 5, 2010

Very interesting read. Thanks for posting.

dalekressin · Feb 5, 2010

Wow, thanks for the great informative article. I appreciate it!

johnc_22 · Feb 6, 2010

Great article. I use the same sort of automatic wash locally but I'm sure BMW maintains their more carefully.

BobsM3Coupe · Feb 6, 2010

Good read. Here is a tour of the one near Oxnard, CA. http://www.m3post.com/vpc/index.asp.htm

Lufthansa · Feb 6, 2010

Bob,

Thank you for the west coast VDC tour. My 328 should be there within two weeks.

mdsbuc · Feb 6, 2010

So, there's a VDC in Georgia now? When did this open? Hopefully the next ED redelivery will come sooner next time!

Vanos4:12PM · Feb 11, 2010

Brunswick, GA now to help with the Southeast deliveries.

Inside the BMW VDC: What Happens to Your Car When It Arrives in the States

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