[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by Airdog

Excellent.
Will you be able to track it through shipping via the "800" number?

I don't think so - the 800 number really just tells you what phase it's in, I think.

I think (based on reading some others' posts) there are some ways to find out what ship it's on, and then use a 3rd party site to track the ship across the pond, but i've not read up on that in detail yet....

[bri1042]

And it's a bit painful once you are staring at the marinetraffic.com map of where the ship is. Telling it to speed up from your desk doesn't actually help...

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by bri1042

And it's a bit painful once you are staring at the marinetraffic.com map of where the ship is. Telling it to speed up from your desk doesn't actually help...

Wonder what air freight for a whole car would cost.....

[IMG]http://artofvfx.com/wp-content/uploa...dFirstLook.jpg[/IMG]

[nebatuga]

"Just ordered myself a 340i too but haven't received a production #. How long did you guys have to wait before you received a Production #?"

I walked out of the dealership with the production # when I placed my order, and a copy of the "Design/MSRP" printout. That was 10 days ago.

Just today the 800 number switched the message from "still processing" to "confirmed for production with no production date." I was starting to wonder why the delay in processing the order, but I'm glad to see the system is moving things along, even if I don't have a production date yet.

[mtx450]

Originally Posted by nebatuga

"Just ordered myself a 340i too but haven't received a production #. How long did you guys have to wait before you received a Production #?"

I walked out of the dealership with the production # when I placed my order, and a copy of the "Design/MSRP" printout. That was 10 days ago.

Just today the 800 number switched the message from "still processing" to "confirmed for production with no production date." I was starting to wonder why the delay in processing the order, but I'm glad to see the system is moving things along, even if I don't have a production date yet.

Call BMW Genius and give them your production number for a better estimate. They can tell you what production week you have been assigned.

[cestbon]

My 328i is enroute!!

Mar 22: loaded on ship
Apr 6: arrives at NY harbor
May 2: PCD Experience

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by cestbon

My 328i is enroute!!

Mar 22: loaded on ship
Apr 6: arrives at NY harbor
May 2: PCD Experience

Nice! I'm jealous!

[cestbon]

Thanks @mwh2009!! Ask your CA for shipping info!!

My ship:

- departed from "bimmer heaven" - Bremerhaven, Germany
- is named Tiger
- belongs to Wallenius Wilhelmsen
- is carrying 835 BMW's
- is heading toward Belgium, arriving Mar 26

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

Wonder what air freight for a whole car would cost.....

[IMG]http://artofvfx.com/wp-content/uploa...dFirstLook.jpg[/IMG]

Hah, a bunch, I'd guess.

[ViperJa]

Originally Posted by nebatuga

"Just ordered myself a 340i too but haven't received a production #. How long did you guys have to wait before you received a Production #?"

I walked out of the dealership with the production # when I placed my order, and a copy of the "Design/MSRP" printout. That was 10 days ago.

Just today the 800 number switched the message from "still processing" to "confirmed for production with no production date." I was starting to wonder why the delay in processing the order, but I'm glad to see the system is moving things along, even if I don't have a production date yet.

Good to know, I just got my production # yesterday and it's in status 150, according to the 800# my car should be complete by April 5th. Can't wait

[Kowboi]

What plant does the 340 come from? Are they only made in SA or Germany too?

[XRAVE]

Originally Posted by Kowboi

What plant does the 340 come from? Are they only made in SA or Germany too?

Yea they're made in both. Your CA can tell you which. It will have say 340i SA if it's from South Africa

I would highly recommend you tell them you want a Germany build. The extra time is killer

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

Finally pulled the trigger on my first BMW order! Doing the PCD option too.

340i xDrive
6MT
Estoril Blue Metallic
Saddle Brown w/ Dark Brown Highlight
Anthracite w/ Pearl Gloss Chrome Highlight
MSport
Track Handling
Cold Weather
Driver Assistance
Technology
Side / Rear Window Shades

Got my production number and VIN #, but can't see any details yet. So excited about it!

Entered Status 151 today (3/18): Entry Body Shop/Serial # Assgn.
Status 190 (3/23): Released to carrier to transport to port
Update 3/28 - Status 193 - Arrival at port of compound in SA

Status change as of this morning - now "status 193 - Arrival at port of compound in SA"

Not sure what that means in terms of how long it takes to get on a boat, but fingers crossed!

[mwh2009]

So after an interminable delay at the port since 3.23, finally a change:

So my CA wrote to say that my car is on the Prime Ace 0018A out of Durban. Just checked the website (http://www.molroro.com/)

Looks like it left yesterday.
Also looks like it's not even scheduled past Bremerhaven (est arrival May 5th) yet. Not sure if that means my car will get unloaded/reloaded there or if they only schedule out so far.

At any rate, no way my car gets to PDC in May if it has to stop in Bremerhaven and all the usual ports of call along the way.

Looks like most of these 'Ace' ships do the same milk run up the West African coast on the way to Germany:
Durban
East London
Port Elizabeth
Vigo
Zeebrugge
Emden
Bremerhaven

Thanks again to all for helping me track this much. The BMW tracking tool leaves MUCH to be desired.

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

So after an interminable delay at the port since 3.23, finally a change:

So my CA wrote to say that my car is on the Prime Ace 0018A out of Durban. Just checked the website (http://www.molroro.com/)

Looks like it left yesterday.
Also looks like it's not even scheduled past Bremerhaven (est arrival May 5th) yet. Not sure if that means my car will get unloaded/reloaded there or if they only schedule out so far.

At any rate, no way my car gets to PDC in May if it has to stop in Bremerhaven and all the usual ports of call along the way.

Looks like most of these 'Ace' ships do the same milk run up the West African coast on the way to Germany:
Durban
East London
Port Elizabeth
Vigo
Zeebrugge
Emden
Bremerhaven

Thanks again to all for helping me track this much. The BMW tracking tool leaves MUCH to be desired.

So an update finally to my car's status. It's still headed to Bremerhaven, but now the carrier vessel Prime Ace has an updated itinerary which shows more ports after Bremerhaven, and lands in Charleston on an estimated 5/21. Add 2.5 weeks to that (what my CA says I should assume for VPC to PDC), and I get a PDC pickup estimate of approx June 8th.

This would mean a roughly 3 month or 13 week order-to-pickup lead time from March 8 to June 8. Definitely more than the 8-12 weeks I was told, but not really so much more that I can jump up and down about my sad 1st world problems.

My biggest problem has been convincing myself not to just go out and buy a CPO M3. It helps that there aren't many of those out there in a manual, and that they're holding steady in the mid-$60k range. Another $5k lower, and I'd be canceling my order and driving an M3. hmm.....

[mwh2009]

Shifted a day out and now 5-21 to Charleston, which I assume means 5-22 to VPC...

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

Shifted a day out and now 5-21 to Charleston, which I assume means 5-22 to VPC...

Now in Halifax CA today - now showing 5/23 to Charleston, so prolly 5/24 to VPC. Ugh - forward progress but seems like I skip a day per week...

[ssmtsx]

hey mwh2009 which dealer are you getting your 340 from? I placed my order last Tuesday w/fairfax BMW. It went into production Wednesday morning...it's a South African build so I hope it doesn't take too long.

I'm envious of your build.

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by ssmtsx

hey mwh2009 which dealer are you getting your 340 from? I placed my order last Tuesday w/fairfax BMW. It went into production Wednesday morning...it's a South African build so I hope it doesn't take too long.

I'm envious of your build.

I'm in Richmond, so I ordered from BMW dealer in Midlothian. Talked to the Fairfax dealer too as a friend of mine got his there, but all the deals were within a few hundred dollars of each other so I went with the guys who'd be doing the service on it in the interest of building a better relationship.

Thanks btw - what did you order?

[ssmtsx]

Originally Posted by mwh2009

I'm in Richmond, so I ordered from BMW dealer in Midlothian. Talked to the Fairfax dealer too as a friend of mine got his there, but all the deals were within a few hundred dollars of each other so I went with the guys who'd be doing the service on it in the interest of building a better relationship.

Thanks btw - what did you order?

I ordered a alpine white 340i 6spd with just the nav/heated seats/drivers assistance.

How long did it take for yours to be built? Mine says it will be done on the 19th but I don't believe it has started in the body shop yet.

[mwh2009]

Originally Posted by ssmtsx

I ordered a alpine white 340i 6spd with just the nav/heated seats/drivers assistance.

How long did it take for yours to be built? Mine says it will be done on the 19th but I don't believe it has started in the body shop yet.

I think it was approx a week - I've tried to keep each status change updates at the top of this thread so look there - I would expect production times to be very consistent once they enter the factory - seems like all of the variation in delivery lead time is on the front end getting into production and on the back end in transport and shipping etc.

[aerostar]

Originally Posted by cestbon

Congratulations! My first BMW, too!! Details in signature...

Ordered: Feb 26
Production: Mar 8

Been driving 2009 Maxima for past 7 years - time to upgrade.

First set tires - 100,000+ miles
Second set tires - 89,000 miles
Replaced brake rotors & pads - 189,000 miles

....yea, things last for me! : )

And don't you LOVE that saddle brown?! Been wanting that color for YEARS!! I got fineline anthracite as well.

How the fuck do you go over 100,000 on a set of tires?