More than 2 weeks from Port to Dealership?

My car arrived on the Garnet Leader vessel which anchored in Oxnard back on Sep 27th. It has now been more than 2 weeks and it is still not available at the dealership.

Is this normal...the impression that I have received on this forum is that it normally just takes a week from port to dealership...

For ED car 2 weeks is what I would expect. Up to a week in customs, day or two in the BMW processing center and then trucking to a dealer.

It is week from the port, once it clears the customs. Do you know if it has done it?


My car has been sitting in customs for over a week now. It's blows big time. It takes less time to travel across the Atlantic.

I've known people that have seen as much as a month between port and dealership.

Not trying to be a Debby downer, but just to help set expectations (I know it's tough).

I've had it take anywhere from 3 day to 27 days - so I don't know what "normal"is . For SoCal more than 3 weeks begins to be uncommon and 4 weeks is unusual and something significant is delaying re-delivery.

The more common variables are:

• vessel unloading delay (most often during holidays, but can be due to multiple vessels in port)
• customs delay
• agricultural inspection delay
• backlog at VDC delay
• ED damage repair delay
• shipping damage repair delay
• parts availability delay
• trucking delay

The items in blue are unique to ED cars; US delivery cars are not immune to the issues in black.

dk

My car arrived 9/19 in the same port, tracking website did not show a "liner release" until the 25th, and I am still waiting for my car today. Per ED department yesterday, they are working on changing the "Maps" to the US version... seems like that might take a week now The lady asked me to call back next Monday.

My CA said that it's still showing it's in the VPC...whatever that means. I'm not sure if he meant VDC as dkreidal mentioned. He also said he'd email BMW and ask for it to be pushed through...not sure if that has a possibility of speeding things up at all, but I do appreciate his effort.

Originally Posted by pjwal

My CA said that it's still showing it's in the VPC...whatever that means. I'm not sure if he meant VDC as dkreidal mentioned. He also said he'd email BMW and ask for it to be pushed through...not sure if that has a possibility of speeding things up at all, but I do appreciate his effort.

It's named the BMW Vehicle Delivery Center, called by some the Vehicle Preparation Center.

There is nothing that your CA can do (or is probably going to do) that will "speed up" the process. There is no "normal" or "average", it just is what it is. One person's experience will not be your experience. The VDC is a black hole. It's impossible to estimate or guesstimate. You get your car when you get it.

Seriously. (You think I'm kidding!)

Originally Posted by pjwal

He also said he'd email BMW and ask for it to be pushed through...not sure if that has a possibility of speeding things up at all, but I do appreciate his effort.

That may be just lip service. BMW has little incentive not to get cars processed and shipped out as quickly as possible. And the suggestion that someone can get a higher priority over any other equal customer by just an email with little reason seems unlikely.

I understand there is nothing they can do...but this is the email I sent to my CA (who is great, btw). I do feel that a CA can at least provide communication day to day when it has gone past the scheduled arrival time to the dealership.

I'm only 5 days past that time right now, but...it is past and I've heard nothing. 3 weeks since port and pushing 9 weeks overall. Tell me if this emails was too much:

=========
So, have you seen this kind of delay before?

I'm literally driving around my in-laws Yukon now that I ended the lease on the g37. I'd much rather guzzle gas in the car I chose through you obviously.

I know you don't have any pull to "make it go faster." However, if I was in your position, I would take this as a learning opportunity. Do what you can to find out what is going on, so that you can forever provide better feedback to future customers. Which would be relayed on the bimmerfest forums...there is a couple of threads going on about this right now.

Again, I know you can't do anything, but you should be in a position to find out exactly what is going on...to some degree.

Thanks!
Paul

My CA emailed me back right away, btw...he's very good. I would recommend him to anyone in Southern California.