[bmnut]

During the course of my waiting time the dealer told me BMW were in the process of changing the factory computer system regarding the build tracking and they were having quite a few software issues…there’s a shocker! Apparently VIN numbers were being updated in batches which would explain why mine was always ‘last week’ so to speak. I agree it would be much better if the updates were more accurate. BMW NA seem to be able to track their builds far better even down to the car carrier they’re on as they head across the pond!

[bmnut]

Both RAFats and I had our cars following each other through build and we kept in constant touch throughout but even we gave up in the end and resigned ourselves to waiting in ‘blind expectation’ !
Both cars turned up as expected, I think his was slightly ahead of estimated too?
It’s like being 5 years old again and patiently waiting for Santa!……when it arrives though it’s the best Christmas present ever!!!

[RAFats]

Originally Posted by bmnut

Both RAFats and I had our cars following each other through build and we kept in constant touch throughout but even we gave up in the end and resigned ourselves to waiting in ‘blind expectation’ !
Both cars turned up as expected, I think his was slightly ahead of estimated too?
It’s like being 5 years old again and patiently waiting for Santa!……when it arrives though it’s the best Christmas present ever!!!

I couldn't agree more on everything that bmnut says. Trust the expected delivery date to dealer as this is the main driver (no pun intended). As mentioned, my car was in the paint shop for weeks and then went through build and shipping in a matter of days. The actual delivery was within 48 hours of the original expectation, earlier! Their reuse of very old VIN numbers doesn't help and so don't get sidetracked by them. Get your order number as quickly as you can and trust that. Good Luck and stay the course; it's worth it.

[jtd1010]

Just had an email from Williams BMW to say my car should be with them 2nd week of September! Seems like the delivery has been pulled forward a few weeks ����. Original date provided was 30th Sept!

[marksandygill]

My wife was up in Doncaster looking over Thorne and other sites, she was telling me how they only have around 1/5 the amount of vehicles that they usually store at the moment!

Almost all of the company car scheme cars are having their specs lowered to save on microchips for customer cars!

[Carbon dude]

Found out yesterday that my car is on route to the port, assuming its bremerhaven. Has anyone had any experience on how long a wait until it gets to the boat and the UK?

[bmnut]

Originally Posted by Gary1985

Found out yesterday that my car is on route to the port, assuming its bremerhaven. Has anyone had any experience on how long a wait until it gets to the boat and the UK?

Mine was about a week or so! Like I mentioned in an earlier post I think my status updates were always a bit behind time and the car was closer than I thought!
Do you know what status code your's is showing?
You say you've been informed it's on route to port so it may be
8200 Released to carrier or 9000 Departed plant. Mine was at 9000 and then 3 days later was at 9605 Pre EU port of exit.
4 days later it at Southampton showing 9650 Awaiting despatch to dealer/Cleared customs(UK)/Released to transport company!
It was on site at the dealership 7 days later.
Like I said the updates were all over the place a bit though!
The 'expected delivery date' is still the best benchmark to judge when it will arrival at the dealership.

Probably coming out of Bremerhaven although could be Cuxhaven. Most likely will arrive at Southampton but then again may come into Immingham. I think it all depends how BMW arrange the cargo manifests.

I used 'vessel finder.com' from a google search to look at which car carriers were in port at Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven to try and 'second guess' when the car would be coming over, it's only two days sailing time to the UK ports.I found it an amusing way to while away the time whilst I was waiting somewhat impatiently for it to land on these shores!

[Carbon dude]

Thanks for the detailed post! I was told my status code is 190, on route to port. Although, like you, my updates were very quick, almost as though there was a delay in updating and all of a sudden lots of updates.

[bmnut]

Originally Posted by Gary1985

Thanks for the detailed post! I was told my status code is 190, on route to port. Although, like you, my updates were very quick, almost as though there was a delay in updating and all of a sudden lots of updates.

Someone on here mentioned a few months ago when I was tracking my order that the three digit build status codes were for BMW NA?
Not sure whether that's still the case or that BMW have changed the system since mine came through/
I always got a four digit build status code on my updates so that's what I based my earlier to you upon! having said that it appears entirely likely that your car is at or nearing the port of exit and once it has cleared German Customs will be loaded on to a car carrier to continue the journey to its new home!

At this point in my 'order history' the updates came in every couple of days or so!

It seems to be they sit in scheduled for production or production start for what seems an eternity then once assembly complete and they've left the factory they move quite quickly through the status codes and before you know it they have landed on these shores, patience dear boy!!!! (I'm one to talk mind barely slept for a fortnight!)

Then it sat at the dealership for best part of a fortnight before I could arrange to get 200 miles south to collect it...talk about being driven to distraction!

The best part is though 6 weeks in and 2000 miles on
I've still got a grin on my face every time I drive it and the journey to the local supermarket has got miles longer than it used to be!

[Carbon dude]

It's a strange one for me, as bmw chat were saying there was errors next to build codes and they wouldn't explain that further.
The dealer emailed me yesterday saying it just went into production yesterday with a eta of late September. Despite online chat saying it went into production start of August. Although they did say that online chat have more up to date information.

One thing I have found with conflicting information from the chat staff is the production date. You would think that this would mean when it starts production but its actually when it's complete.

I guess I'll check tomorrow for a update and hope that these 'errors' aren't a sign of anything that will delay the car.

Edit: bmw might have updated the status codes so it reflects the same globally?

[bmnut]

Originally Posted by Gary1985

It's a strange one for me, as bmw chat were saying there was errors next to build codes and they wouldn't explain that further.
The dealer emailed me yesterday saying it just went into production yesterday with a eta of late September. Despite online chat saying it went into production start of August. Although they did say that online chat have more up to date information.

One thing I have found with conflicting information from the chat staff is the production date. You would think that this would mean when it starts production but its actually when it's complete.

I guess I'll check tomorrow for a update and hope that these 'errors' aren't a sign of anything that will delay the car.

Edit: bmw might have updated the status codes so it reflects the same globally?

The 'tracking' system for us guys in the UK is absolutely shocking. These are cars valued at tens of thousands of pounds and yet I can get better tracking from Amazon Prime for a frigging toothbrush!
Really p*ssed me off at times whilst I was waiting for mine to come through.

Our friends 'over the pond' enjoy a much more favourable new car buying experience by all accounts. BMW North America seem to be able to track builds at each and every stage they can even find out which bloody car carrier they are on and when exactly they are going to be landed on the eastern seaboard but we don't even know whether or not it's on a dockside in Northern Germany, pretty sh*t when you think about it, so trust me I feel your frustration and impatience!

I never used the BMW chat malarkey at all or the so called BMW Genius instead just waited for a weekly update from the salesman who I have to be honest was very good as he was acutely aware of the logistical challenge I had to deal with as my wife and I combined the new vehicle collection with several days holiday in and around the area before heading home some 11 days later with 1000 miles on the clock!....At least it got it 'run in' !

[Elliston]

Another question into the mix please - mine is scheduled for dealer delivery week 40 (start of oct so not long now!).

How long does it typically sit with a dealer before you are allowed to collect? What goes on at the dealer in that time? 🤔

My first new car order so not gone through this before.

Thanks very much 😊

[bobster635d]

Originally Posted by Elliston

Another question into the mix please - mine is scheduled for dealer delivery week 40 (start of oct so not long now!).

How long does it typically sit with a dealer before you are allowed to collect? What goes on at the dealer in that time? 🤔

My first new car order so not gone through this before.

Thanks very much 😊

Normally about a week tops. They'll do a PDI (pre delivery inspection), make up the number plates, paperwork, software / maps updates if needed, a quick valet and then if you're lucky a silk sheet over it on collection day.

[bmnut]

Originally Posted by bobster635d

Normally about a week tops. They'll do a PDI (pre delivery inspection), make up the number plates, paperwork, software / maps updates if needed, a quick valet and then if you're lucky a silk sheet over it on collection day.

^^^ This!

[Elliston]

The longest week of the whole order time I bet! 😂

Thanks for the response 👍

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by Elliston

The longest week of the whole order time I bet!

Thanks for the response

When I got my current car the PDI was done before it got to the dealer (Thorne ?). I collected the next day!

Hope your wait is as short as possible.

[Carbon dude]

Called up customer services today and told its code 191 'returned to bmw ag'. After I got off the phone it dawned on me what 'returned to bmw ag' meant, my minded wandered off thinking 'has it been in a prang and that's why it's going back?'. To me it sounded like its headed back to bmw despite it being originally on route to the port. So I called up and got told by a different person it's still code 190, on route to port.
The inconsistencies between staff at customer services is poor tbh.

[bmnut]

Originally Posted by Gary1985

Called up customer services today and told its code 191 'returned to bmw ag'. After I got off the phone it dawned on me what 'returned to bmw ag' meant, my minded wandered off thinking 'has it been in a prang and that's why it's going back?'. To me it sounded like its headed back to bmw despite it being originally on route to the port. So I called up and got told by a different person it's still code 190, on route to port.
The inconsistencies between staff at customer services is poor tbh.

That is absolutely appalling Gary. Be interesting to see what it shows after the BH weekend? The clerical side may be asleep over the weekend but the freight side of things will still keep moving in the background!

[thescouselander]

Called the dealer about my order today to find out my car has gone into production which is really good going considering I only placed the order on Monday. The problem is the computer is currently showing delivery as not being until late October - hope they can improve on that.

[P-ToK72]

Originally Posted by P-ToK72

Just wondered if anybody is currently or have very recently placed an order for a new 3 series and what they have been told to expect in terms of delivery timescales.
I test drove an M340i saloon just over 2 weeks ago but during the week prior had put down a deposit and placed an order for the M340i Touring (subject to final spec tweaks).

At the time salesman was hoping to be able to secure a potential September build slot (which would have meant a negotiation with another dealership) but this was not possible in the end.
Having spoken yesterday in an attempt to get a rough idea I was told that he would hope it would be November / December.

Both previous BMW have been either UK stock or traded from another dealer whilst on route to UK so I am not aware how the process works but it was implied that it's allocation of M340i for the UK that is the issue as though they are built in batches for regions.

Just curious as to whether others are being told a similar story or are expecting cars sooner having placed orders in the last couple of weeks.

Other than being eager to change cars my, I was also hoping to have swapped prior to the service on my current M135i (due October 21) and a potential need to change tyres if the order goes back too far.

Bit of an update on my situation…

After reading stories from some of the owners here I looked into the BMW Forces scheme out of curiosity and found that teaching is included. I made a call and spoke with them and they confirmed the discount that would be available but also that if I am still awaiting a build slot it would mean that it’s unlikely to go into production until 2022 probably meaning delivery Feb or March 2022.

Called my local dealership where my order is currently placed and he confirmed this is probably correct.

With this in mind and the additional discount available I am considering cancelling and re-ordering as I can save a big chunk on cost of the car or add more to the spec (pan roof for one) as the monthly pcp figures are also less by some way.

I may lose my £250 initial deposit but the saving would be much more than that.

[Carbon dude]

Originally Posted by P-ToK72

Bit of an update on my situation…

After reading stories from some of the owners here I looked into the BMW Forces scheme out of curiosity and found that teaching is included. I made a call and spoke with them and they confirmed the discount that would be available but also that if I am still awaiting a build slot it would mean that it’s unlikely to go into production until 2022 probably meaning delivery Feb or March 2022.

Called my local dealership where my order is currently placed and he confirmed this is probably correct.

With this in mind and the additional discount available I am considering cancelling and re-ordering as I can save a big chunk on cost of the car or add more to the spec (pan roof for one) as the monthly pcp figures are also less by some way.

I may lose my £250 initial deposit but the saving would be much more than that.

I would phone around every possible bmw group dealer you can. I think I called about 10 different groups, explained I am eligible for the forces scheme and I am prepared to wait for a early 2022 delivery through park lane. I explained that if they can match close to their discount I would order a car. One dealer was able to get a September delivery with about 13% discount, forces discount was about 15%. It worked out at about £1000 ish less of a discount and I was fine with that seeing as I would get the car a lot quicker.

[d 246]

I ordered in early Aug and was advised of an early Dec delivery. Just been advised that it will now be early Oct. Good news!