[bri1042]

My boat is arriving at Port Heuneme right now. Keeping my fingers crossed.

[drexplode]

Originally Posted by mtx450

Today is 3 weeks since the car arrived at the VPC. I was supposed to get an update from my CA today and as expected, never did. Still stuck at the VPC.

Mega sigh.....

sorry brotha. might I suggest to reinvigorate your passion with a 340 test drive on a beautiful Saturday courtesy of a local dealer?

[bri1042]

Well, my car is at the Port Huemene VPC as of this morning. Customer Service says that it doesn't have any work orders attached to it. We'll see if it stays that way.

[Versipellis]

So what actually happens if something like this happens to your car when you're scheduled to do PDC pickup?

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by bri1042

Well, my car is at the Port Huemene VPC as of this morning. Customer Service says that it doesn't have any work orders attached to it. We'll see if it stays that way.

I wish you the best of luck! The work order usually starts the day or day after it arrives at the VPC. As far as I'm aware, all cars have a work order that is completed at the VPC.

Still no update on my end. My CA was supposed to call me with an update Friday, and she hasn't. I'm going to raise hell when this car comes in. I've had better support and response times from Jeep when we got my fiance's truck.

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by mtx450

I wish you the best of luck! The work order usually starts the day or day after it arrives at the VPC. As far as I'm aware, all cars have a work order that is completed at the VPC.

Still no update on my end. My CA was supposed to call me with an update Friday, and she hasn't. I'm going to raise hell when this car comes in. I've had better support and response times from Jeep when we got my fiance's truck.

I really doubt I will be driving a BMW at all if I end up with a situation as annoying as yours has been. The wait is one thing, the lack of information and follow-up you've reported is another.

[drexplode]

Originally Posted by mtx450

I wish you the best of luck! The work order usually starts the day or day after it arrives at the VPC. As far as I'm aware, all cars have a work order that is completed at the VPC.

Still no update on my end. My CA was supposed to call me with an update Friday, and she hasn't. I'm going to raise hell when this car comes in. I've had better support and response times from Jeep when we got my fiance's truck.

hang in brotha - poor communication is the source of your frustration. I hope there is some excitement remaining in the tank...

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by drexplode

hang in brotha - poor communication is the source of your frustration. I hope there is some excitement remaining in the tank...

Appreciate it my man.

Still no updates.

[ViperJa]

that's a bummer you would think they would expedite a car that's already sold

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by ViperJa

that's a bummer you would think they would expedite a car that's already sold

I spoke with the sales manager at the dealership and pretty much demanded an official update from the port of exactly what's going on and what they are waiting on.

[drexplode]

Originally Posted by mtx450

I spoke with the sales manager at the dealership and pretty much demanded an official update from the port of exactly what's going on and what they are waiting on.

In my line of work it's important to set priorities when something is important meaning set a deadline. If I don't receive my car by X-reasonable date then i'm walking or demanding another car to be ordered. Simple as that.

Hopefully you are still interested in the BMW brand...

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by drexplode

In my line of work it's important to set priorities when something is important meaning set a deadline. If I don't receive my car by X-reasonable date then i'm walking or demanding another car to be ordered. Simple as that.

Hopefully you are still interested in the BMW brand...

Totally agree. I'm holding out for this car, just because I want to see if they will move on the price at all. So far, none of my port installed options have been discounted so I know there is room to go. They are going to try and shift the blame on the port because it's "out of their control". I'll have to remind them that they represent the product and the brand.

What's more annoying is that I haven't been able to see if any other Munich-built 340i has been held as well. All other builds I've been have been SA.

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by bri1042

Well, my car is at the Port Huemene VPC as of this morning. Customer Service says that it doesn't have any work orders attached to it. We'll see if it stays that way.

Any update? Curious to see how you made out.

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by mtx450

Any update? Curious to see how you made out.

The only info I've been able to get out of customer relations so far is that there aren't any work orders listed and the car is expected to ship to the dealer no later than Saturday. It SOUNDS like nothing has gone wrong, but I do not get the feeling that CR has access to much information from the VPC. My CA has not been any more helpful than that, either.

My info is at least a day out of date, though, as I was unable to get through to CR to check up on it yesterday (long hold times and I was really busy).

[bri1042]

My car went from leaving the VPC today to leaving the VPC "sometime after the 30th" with no details available to my CA. I did not want to wait any longer and there was a black 340i x-drive M-sport with adaptive suspension and an acceptable options list on the lot, so I bought it. I pick it up today.

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by bri1042

My car went from leaving the VPC today to leaving the VPC "sometime after the 30th" with no details available to my CA. I did not want to wait any longer and there was a black 340i x-drive M-sport with adaptive suspension and an acceptable options list on the lot, so I bought it. I pick it up today.

Hmm, that sounds like the start of what I'm dealing with!

Good luck with the other car. Unfortunately, I was super particular about my build and there is nothing else like it in my area so I am forced to wait.

[bri1042]

I was particular about a few things on the build (had to have the full tech package, M-Sport, and adaptive suspension). My SO vetoed white cars, so that was right out. I've traded ZDB and the adaptive lights for real cow seats, 403M wheels instead of the 400's, and the full cold-weather package instead of just heated fronts. And the new one is black (I'm having the Xpel ultimate done...) instead of grey. When I was working up the build in the first place, this was essentially the "other" way I was going to go at the just-under-60k MSRP I was aiming for. I think I'll be happy with it.

[mtx450]

Still stuck at the VPC with no end in sight.

Has anyone had a car stuck at the VPC? It sounds like the car bri1042 ordered is stuck also but we can't be sure.

[bjcarls]

Just need to be patient. The dealer really has no control over the situation. It's like blaming Target for a Unilever product. They want to help, may offer a coupon for loyalty but they can't fix the situation. Have them keep asking questions from BMW NA and prep the car the minute it arrives!
Note, my wife's is a German build waiting for transport to US, so we'll see. This and the MPPK is a nice waiting game.

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by bjcarls

Just need to be patient. The dealer really has no control over the situation. It's like blaming Target for a Unilever product. They want to help, may offer a coupon for loyalty but they can't fix the situation. Have them keep asking questions from BMW NA and prep the car the minute it arrives!
Note, my wife's is a German build waiting for transport to US, so we'll see. This and the MPPK is a nice waiting game.

Understood, however I don't think patience is my issue. My dealership has been literally terrible at communicating with me and giving me any type of updates. They commit to calling me on certain days with updates and then just don't. This has happened with my CA and the sales manager of the dealership. Just expected better when buying a BMW. My fiance's Jeep was a better buying experience, and the car costed less then half of what this car costs.

Anywho, that's my rant for the day. I'm not blaming BMW for the issue, as I'm grateful they have recognized it and are doing their due diligence to resolve it before I take delivery. With that said, I just think there should be some transparency and give as much information to the customer as possible. The dealership has no excuse for not keeping their commitment to the customer and leaving me blowing in the wind with no updates.

[bri1042]

I honestly think that the VPC's don't tell BMW NA or the dealerships squat. One conversation I had with BMW NA made it pretty darn clear that they have zero ability to actually get additional information and my dealership didn't seem confident that they could really find out what was up, either. Really unacceptable for a part of the logistics chain to work under such a cloud of mystery.

One thing I read about the VPC setup is that they employ about 80 people in California. 80 people to process 400 or so cars a day, work on repairs, any HR and management folk that are there, etc... I don't think that HAVE anyone onsite doing communications with that few folk working there.

I would have waited the whole thing out if I had been happier with my 328 (I was really ready for it to be gone in February) or if my dealership hadn't magically had an alternative in stock (they had never had a car this close to the config I wanted before). As it is, my original car may show up next week, or it may not, but someone else will be buying it. I'm thrilled with the one I ended up with.

I don't know if I'll be willing to try this process again in three years if it doesn't improve, but I might as I doubt I'll be as tired of the 340 as I was the 328.

[bri1042]

Oh, and the lack of info that I think comes from the VPC does not explain your dealership's failure to contact you when they say they do. I had several emails ignored or blown off, too, and that certainly is not the VPC's fault. I wonder if dealership folk are just unwilling to admit that they can't get info?