[andresm17]

02/18/15 Ordered placed
02/23/15 Vehicle in production
03/03/15 Production completed
03/04/15 Vehicle being transported to port of exit
03/06/14 Vehicle at port w/ (no vessel info yet)
...
Looked at the vessel schedule for Bremerhaven and my car will most likely be on board the Faust which will arrive at Brunswick (GA) on 04/01/15.
Hoping to pick up my ride by 04/07/15.

[reu2]

I'm going nuts, I'm terrible at waiting. My car has been at the RO-RO Terminal at Durban SA since the 6th according to TransNet yet the BMW # hasn't updated. It still says my car is in transit to the port of exit.

In my 1st world obsessiveness I looked up the Vehicle Carriers arriving in Durban for the next couple of weeks on marinetraffic.com. Given the options it looks like my car will ship to Germany 1st, then over to the US. Although this all speculation at this point.

Here is my estimated time line as it stands, and the potential Ships. If it doesn't ship soon Its going to take longer.

2015-02-14 - Order Placed [start]
2015-02-14 - Prod # with Est Start 2015-03-02
2015-02-24 - Production Start / BMW Est Completion 2015-03-02 [01]
2015-02-26 - Rec’d VIN from CA
2015-02-27 - Body Shop
2015-02-28 - Paint Shop
2015-03-02 - Production Complete
2015-03-03 - Released to carrier waiting Transport to Port of Exit [02]
2015-03-06 - Transport to Port of Exit (VIN on TransNet)
2015-03-06 - Arrival at Port by Road (TransNet 18:42)
2015-03-10? - At Port/Waiting Carrier
2015-03-12? - Depart Port [03?]
2015-04-11? - Arrival at port
2015-04-12? - Cleared Customs
2015-04-13? - VCP (SC?) [04?]
2015-04-14? - Transport to Midwest
2015-04-20? - At Dealer [Finish?]
2015-04-22? - Pick up

? = Estimated [] = BMW Web Step

Due to Arrive in Durban
VEGA LEADER - NYK Line - Arrive SA 2015-03-17 - Typically to China, sometimes west coast.
TORINO - Wallenius Wilhelmsen - Arrive SA 2015-03-14 - Germany
HOEGH TRANSPORTER - Hoegh Autoliners - Arrive SA 2015-03-13 - Germany
VIOLET ACE - ? - Arrive SA 2015-03-12 - Unknown

Who knows, I may end up on the Faust as well after a lay over.

[abinder99]

"Your vehicle is at the port awaiting a shipping vessel. No shipping information is available at this time."

One full week of that status. One full, long, painful week...

[reu2]

Same here.... I have been tracking the Torino which just left Durban SA. But the system still has yet to update. It was scheduled to pickup 1593 cars, and took 12 hours longer than it should have. Even has Armed guards for some reason (pirates?).

I'll be obsessively refreshing the TransNet tracking site until it updates. If you have a "N" in the seventh to last digit of your VIN, I hope you made it on.

-Update- Nope, didn't get on the Torino. Stalking the Prime Ace as the next Candidate.

[andresm17]

Originally Posted by abinder99

"Your vehicle is at the port awaiting a shipping vessel. No shipping information is available at this time."

One full week of that status. One full, long, painful week...

My car has been at the port for 10 days now and still getting that status. I know there is a ship (Faust) leaving bremerhaven tomorrow which I strongly believe my car will be on.

[Polorocker13]

Usually takes about a month maybe two. Mine took even longer but thats the average time

[reu2]

Mine has been at port in Durban, South Africa for 11 days now. Waiting sucks...

[reu2]

My Car Shipped out this Morning on the Prime Ace from Durban! It's an MOL PCTC going directly to NJ/NY scheduled to port April 9th, Baltimore on the 11th, Georgia on the 16th, and Florida on the 17th. No West Coast ports listed.

[GarenM]

435 GC XDrive M-Sport

1/25/15 - Order Placed
2/4/15 - Production Begins in Munich
2/17/15 - Production Ends / vehicle leaves plant
3/3/15 - Vehicle loaded onto Figaro Vehicle Transport Carrier in Bremerhaven
3/19/15 - Vehicle's anticipated arrival in NJ
(after making stops in Baltimore 3/13/15, and Georgia 3/16/15)

I'll update when the vehicle makes it to my dealership in PA. Hopefully, not too much longer!

*UPDATE* - 3/21/15 - Arrives at dealership.

3/23/15 - Comes home!

BMW 435i GC by Garen M., on Flickr

[abhibrandy1]

Originally Posted by reu2

My Car Shipped out this Morning on the Prime Ace from Durban! It's an MOL PCTC going directly to NJ/NY scheduled to port April 9th, Baltimore on the 11th, Georgia on the 16th, and Florida on the 17th. No West Coast ports listed.

Mine reached LA yesterday on the Tomar. It didnt make any East coast stops.

[CapHill1er]

435i X-Drive Gran Coupe M-Sport Carbon Black, Black leather:

1/3/2015 -- Order Placed for European Delivery and Performance Center Re-delivery
3/30/2015 -- Got my VIN!
4/1/2015 -- Sign final paperwork and pay the man.
4/1/2015 -- PRODUCTION BEGINS (This better not be an April Fool's joke)

4/28/2015 -- Pickup car at BMW Welt
5/11/2015 -- Drop off car at Munich Airport (after 2000 mile journey)
5/??/2015 -- Departs Bremerhaven
7/??/2015 -- Arrives at BMW Performance Center, Spartanburg, SC
7/??/2015 -- Pickup car at BMW PC, drive to DC via TN, KY, and WV.
7/??/2015 -- Arrive home in DC.

[reu2]

Originally Posted by abhibrandy1

Mine reached LA yesterday on the Tomar. It didnt make any East coast stops.

That's seems to be pretty standard now. Did it cross the Pacific or go through Panama?

[abhibrandy1]

Originally Posted by reu2

That's seems to be pretty standard now. Did it cross the Pacific or go through Panama?

Went through the Panama...

[andresm17]

Originally Posted by reu2

My Car Shipped out this Morning on the Prime Ace from Durban! It's an MOL PCTC going directly to NJ/NY scheduled to port April 9th, Baltimore on the 11th, Georgia on the 16th, and Florida on the 17th. No West Coast ports listed.

Did your dealer give you that info or the 1 800 number?

[reu2]

Originally Posted by andresm17

Did your dealer give you that info or the 1 800 number?

No, he gave me my Production number day one, and later my VIN once it entered Production.

Full disclosure is that I'm a nerd, and I love the research and discovery aspects of my work which translates to an over obsessive information hog. When I tried to start Hyper-Stalking my car, it quickly became apparent that their was little information for South African tracking, which I then became more obsessed. Which is fine, as I think this is fun, of course driving a new car would be more fun.

The TransNet tracking site for the Durban RORO Terminal or its schedules are publicly accessible, but not linked via the site. Which is why you have to use a direct IP address. Here is the link if you are getting a South African built car;

http://41.160.4.58:8080/apex/f?p=102:11:0::NO:::

I've learned through researching forums, news articles, and company letters. Even the BMW Line I got from a tracking post on this site and not my dealer (although I'm sure he would have offered it to me). Fun tip; I hate talking to telephone auto-attendants, so I setup the BMW line in my iPhone as (should work on any phone with speed dial, "pause" may not be a "," though);

(800) 831-1117,,2,,#######,1

# = Production Number

This calls the BMW 800 line, pause, pause, Option 2 for Vehicle Tracking, pause, pause, Production #, pause, Option 1 for Production #

You have to use two pauses or the speed dial entered options too soon. This can also be setup using the last 7 digits of your VIN.

The truth is the CA doesn't know much more than what we can figure out on our own, but he has access to the BMW Database which is way more current and detailed. He said he'd let me know as soon as it's on a ship (which it is). He hasn't contacted me yet, nor has the BMW Line or website changed to indicate it. They usually take 24-48 hours to update. Or in the case of the car arriving to the Durban RORO (Roll On Roll Off) terminal, it took 6 days to update.

The truth is that whatever company has control over the current process will be the most up to date. Unfortunately the Prime Ace parent company, MOL, doesn't have a public VIN tracking system. I've requested access but have yet to get a response. It would be nice to know which port it actually drops my vehicle off at even though I'm pretty sure it'll be Baltimore. Fortunately I can still track the PCTC (Pure Car Truck Carrier) through their fleet schedule which updates fairly quickly when delays are expected. Here's that link if you're on a MOL ship;

http://www.molroro.com/MOLVesselSchedule.aspx

Just select your vessel and hit search to see all scheduled stops.

I can also watch the PCTC via MarineTraffic.com (free version), its info is often wrong, but at least it shows you a nice map and general position.

[andresm17]

Originally Posted by reu2

No, he gave me my Production number day one, and later my VIN once it entered Production.

Full disclosure is that I'm a nerd, and I love the research and discovery aspects of my work which translates to an over obsessive information hog. When I tried to start Hyper-Stalking my car, it quickly became apparent that their was little information for South African tracking, which I then became more obsessed. Which is fine, as I think this is fun, of course driving a new car would be more fun.

The TransNet tracking site for the Durban RORO Terminal or its schedules are publicly accessible, but not linked via the site. Which is why you have to use a direct IP address. Here is the link if you are getting a South African built car;

http://41.160.4.58:8080/apex/f?p=102:11:0::NO:::

I've learned through researching forums, news articles, and company letters. Even the BMW Line I got from a tracking post on this site and not my dealer (although I'm sure he would have offered it to me). Fun tip; I hate talking to telephone auto-attendants, so I setup the BMW line in my iPhone as (should work on any phone with speed dial, "pause" may not be a "," though);

(800) 831-1117,,2,,#######,1

# = Production Number

This calls the BMW 800 line, pause, pause, Option 2 for Vehicle Tracking, pause, pause, Production #, pause, Option 1 for Production #

You have to use two pauses or the speed dial entered options too soon. This can also be setup using the last 7 digits of your VIN.

The truth is the CA doesn't know much more than what we can figure out on our own, but he has access to the BMW Database which is way more current and detailed. He said he'd let me know as soon as it's on a ship (which it is). He hasn't contacted me yet, nor has the BMW Line or website changed to indicate it. They usually take 24-48 hours to update. Or in the case of the car arriving to the Durban RORO (Roll On Roll Off) terminal, it took 6 days to update.

The truth is that whatever company has control over the current process will be the most up to date. Unfortunately the Prime Ace parent company, MOL, doesn't have a public VIN tracking system. I've requested access but have yet to get a response. It would be nice to know which port it actually drops my vehicle off at even though I'm pretty sure it'll be Baltimore. Fortunately I can still track the PCTC (Pure Car Truck Carrier) through their fleet schedule which updates fairly quickly when delays are expected. Here's that link if you're on a MOL ship;

http://www.molroro.com/MOLVesselSchedule.aspx

Just select your vessel and hit search to see all scheduled stops.

I can also watch the PCTC via MarineTraffic.com (free version), its info is often wrong, but at least it shows you a nice map and general position.

Thanks for all the info! The speed dial trick is pretty awesome since I call the number a lot. Today I got a text from my dealer letting me know that my car is on the Rigel Leader and that it should be at the port on march 28th.

[Craibat]

The good news is, according to the TransNet site, I made it onto the Sunlight Ace! The not so good news is it is heading from Durban to Bremerhaven.

I looked on the MOL RoRo site and the ship goes from Bremerhaven to Brunswick. I hope they plan on stopping in NJ/NY on the way to GA to drop my car off...

[reu2]

Awesome to hear everyone's car is under way! I've had no luck trying to find NJ/NY or Baltimore RORO VIN tracking.

Anyone know if they have one? Or one for Freight-liners?

I guess I have until April 9th to figure it out.

[abhibrandy1]

Mine has made it to the dealership and I'm picking her up tomorrow!!!

Took exactly 8 weeks....order placed Jan 26th...delivery is March 24th!

[Brand0n]

2015 335i M-Sport

03-11-2015 - Order Placed
03-12-2015 - Production Started
03-13-2015 - Received VIN
03-19-2015 - Production Complete
03-20-2015 - In transit to port of exit
03-23-2015 - Arrived at port of exit, awaiting shipping.

Car is coming from Germany, headed to the midwest. If everything stays at this pace - I'm hoping to have the car by the end of April.

[abinder99]

435i x drive convertible - m sport, glacier silver, black leather, ash grain, nav, premium, cold weather, driver asst

Ordered 1/30
Prod start 3/3
Prod end 3/5
Left port 3/18
Sched to hit NJ 3/28
Took next Friday 4/3 off work to pick her up at the dealer.

[Dnap75]

2015 428i Convertible
M sport - Estoril blue w/Coral interior
Harmon Kardon sound
Heated front seats
Premium package
Drivers assist package
Navigation

Order placed 2/25, Rec production number.
started production 3/13/15.
Then No updates but VIN was created.
3/24-body shop
3/25-paint
Production completion set for 3/27
Wondering when car will hit South Florida, feels like it's taking forever