# Otello -- departing 22 June



## ArtX5 (Sep 27, 2004)

Wine-O said:


> My car landed in Brunswick on 2 July -- of course that was the 4th of July weekend. It was offloaded and cleared customs on the 5th, and it must have completed the VPC because I got the call today scheduling my PCD. If the car has no damage going thru VPC, you will be in the hands of the "trucking gods."


Wow, that was quick. please let us know what PCD date you are given:thumbup:


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## Wine-O (Feb 17, 2010)

ArtX5 said:


> Wow, that was quick. please let us know what PCD date you are given:thumbup:


Oops, forgot to say. We got 25 July.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

Anybody on Otello hear anything about their cars yet?


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

Me530 said:


> Anybody on Otello hear anything about their cars yet?


Mine was unloaded on 7/7 in New York:

Status Status Location Date
(DD-MM-YYYY HH:MM:SS) Status Quantity

DELIVERED FROM NEW YORK, NY 08-07-2011 08:00:00 1
DISCHARGED NEW YORK, NY 07-07-2011 16:00:00 1
LOADED ON VESSEL BREMERHAVEN 21-06-2011 20:18:00 1
RECEIVED AT TERMINAL BREMERHAVEN 21-06-2011 08:07:56 1
BOOKED BREMERHAVEN 10-06-2011 14:54:38 1

Not sure what the difference is between discharged and delivered from, but I'm assuming that the car is currently in customs.


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

I see Fuenfer beat me on to the ship by a few minutes in Bremerhaven, but that we were discharged and delivered at exactly the same time - that's probably like the Tour where the all get the same time when a large group crosses the finish line.


Status Status Location Date
(DD-MM-YYYY HH:MM:SS) Status Quantity


DELIVERED FROM NEW YORK, NY 08-07-2011 08:00:00 1
DISCHARGED NEW YORK, NY 07-07-2011 16:00:00 1
LOADED ON VESSEL BREMERHAVEN 21-06-2011 20:35:00 1
RECEIVED AT TERMINAL BREMERHAVEN 21-06-2011 08:15:31 1
BOOKED BREMERHAVEN 15-06-2011 16:31:28 1


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## TCG00 (Mar 5, 2011)

Still nothing from my dealer, other than a it should be on a truck 'soon'.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

This is, without a doubt, the worst part of the wait.


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## Hound Passer (Feb 2, 2007)

TCG00 said:


> Still nothing from my dealer, other than a it should be on a truck 'soon'.


If it helps any, once it' release to trucking you should have your car w/i a week. Ask your CA to tell you exactly when the car is released to trucking to ease the "pain."

From the looks of everyone's recent tracking it looks like cars are taking 5-7 days in customs after being offloaded but then zip through VDC to Trucking same day.


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

Another update: I called the European Sales folks at BMWNA this afternoon to inquire as to my cars status. I was told that it received agricultural clearance just this morning, and they show it as in the inspection phase at the VDC. She recommended I call back tomorrow afternoon and they coulod give me a better update.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

dpritchett said:


> Another update: I called the European Sales folks at BMWNA this afternoon to inquire as to my cars status. I was told that it received agricultural clearance just this morning, and they show it as in the inspection phase at the VDC. She recommended I call back tomorrow afternoon and they coulod give me a better update.


Sweet!


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

dpritchett said:


> Another update: I called the European Sales folks at BMWNA this afternoon to inquire as to my cars status. I was told that it received agricultural clearance just this morning, and they show it as in the inspection phase at the VDC. She recommended I call back tomorrow afternoon and they coulod give me a better update.


I called them yesterday and was told my car was awaiting customs and USDA clearance - I hope mine went through this morning as well! I don't see any updates to my status on the Wallenius tracking site so I'm not that hopeful ...


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

Hound Passer said:


> If it helps any, once it' release to trucking you should have your car w/i a week. Ask your CA to tell you exactly when the car is released to trucking to ease the "pain."
> 
> From the looks of everyone's recent tracking it looks like cars are taking 5-7 days in customs after being offloaded but then zip through VDC to Trucking same day.


My car wasn't on the Otello (my car was on the Faust going to Port Hueneme), but my CA sent me an e-mail yesterday morning telling me that "our car had cleared Customs and was released to the trucking company" about an hour after I had called BMW and got the status "It's cleared Customs and is waiting for transport to the VPC". This morning BMW says that "it's still in the VPC". Clearly my CA didn't have correct info as to when it was released to the trucking company. As of this morning, it's still in the VPC. BTW, the VPC is about a mile from the dock, so I believe they just drive the cars there, no trucks involved.

It's now been two weeks since the car arrived at Port Hueneme, although Customs did have a four-day holiday (they also took off July 5th) and there was a fire sprinkler malfunction at the Port Hueneme VPC on Thursday last week which shut them down for a day.

Other non-Ed cars on the Faust were delivered to customers in San Francisco and Santa Barbara last week, and an EDer from LA had his car delivered to the dealer on Sunday and he took re-delivery on Monday. We still have no idea when our car is going to show up at our dealer. So it's a crap shoot!


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

Fuenfer said:


> I called them yesterday and was told my car was awaiting customs and USDA clearance - I hope mine went through this morning as well! I don't see any updates to my status on the Wallenius tracking site so I'm not that hopeful ...


I'm thinking that non-ED cars show up as having cleared customs on the Wallenius site because they get pre-clearance before the ship docks, while 'tourist' vehicles have to be inspected, so they are just discharged from Wallenius and out of their system before Customs does anything.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

dpritchett said:


> I'm thinking that non-ED cars show up as having cleared customs on the Wallenius site because they get pre-clearance before the ship docks, while 'tourist' vehicles have to be inspected, so they are just discharged from Wallenius and out of their system before Customs does anything.


Well, just to confirm, I called BMW ED sales, and they said my car was still with customs/USDA. They told me to call back tomorrow afternoon for an update. Oh well, hopefully it will be just one more day.


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## TCG00 (Mar 5, 2011)

Arg.. so no car this weekend?

You guys that are calling, do you mind posting here when you find out what's the status of your car so I have some idea where my ED car is?

Saves me the trouble of calling if I an just piggyback on your information.


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## ArtX5 (Sep 27, 2004)

I just called ED sales, my car has cleared customs and is at VPC now. 

It should not be long before I can get a PCD date


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

ArtX5 said:


> I just called ED sales, my car has cleared customs and is at VPC now.
> 
> It should not be long before I can get a PCD date


That's good to hear!

Edit: I just found out mine is the same status. Cleared customs and USDA and is now being inspected at the VPC.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

ArtX5 said:


> I just called ED sales, my car has cleared customs and is at VPC now.


ED sales told me the same thing just now. I've got my fingers crossed that I'll have my car some time next week.


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

I just called BMWNA and they toldme my car is still in inspection and it looks like no delivery ETA has been assigned. BUT

my CA called me this morning to tell me my car shows an ETA of July 17th (Sunday) to BMW of Lynchburg. He was excited enough for any 5 of us here put together, and wondering if that meant Saturday the 16th or Monday the 18th.
So either there is or is not an ETA to the dealer ...?


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## ArtX5 (Sep 27, 2004)

dpritchett said:


> I just called BMWNA and they toldme my car is still in inspection and it looks like no delivery ETA has been assigned. BUT
> 
> my CA called me this morning to tell me my car shows an ETA of July 17th (Sunday) to BMW of Lynchburg. He was excited enough for any 5 of us here put together, and wondering if that meant Saturday the 16th or Monday the 18th.
> So either there is or is not an ETA to the dealer ...?


It would be nice for you to have your car by Monday :thumbup:

Looks like it won't be long now for everyone but me. I will have to get in line for a PCD date.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

Update: So I got some confusing news today from BMW ED sales - after being told yesterday that my car had been released from customs and was now at VDC, I was told today that yesterday's news had been incorrect and that my car is still with customs/USDA. According to BMW ED sales, my car is not the only one still pending with customs/USDA, as there were "a lot of cars that came over on this ship."


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

Heres my latest update: I originally didn't plan to be calling the BMW ED folks every day, but they keep saying call back tomorrow and we'll give you another update... 

Today, they say my car is still being worked on by the VDC, and has not been released to trucking ... (and if I call back Monday, they'll be happy to give me another update). I'm not sure what my CA was looking at that showed an ETA of 7/17, but it seems pretty sure das Auto is NOT on a truck to BMW of Lynchburg at the moment.


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

Fuenfer said:


> Update: So I got some confusing news today from BMW ED sales - after being told yesterday that my car had been released from customs and was now at VDC, I was told today that yesterday's news had been incorrect and that my car is still with customs/USDA. According to BMW ED sales, my car is not the only one still pending with customs/USDA, as there were "a lot of cars that came over on this ship."


Doesn't surprise me. I'm becoming very skeptical about the accuracy of the information from BMW European Sales.

I was told on Wednesday, 7/6 that the car had cleared customs and was waiting for transport to the VPC. I was told the same thing on Friday, 7/7.

On Monday, 7/10 I was told that the car was still in Customs. On Tuesday, 7/11 I was told that the car had cleared Customs and was in the VPC. That same day, an hour after i talked to BMW, my CA sent me an e-mail saying that the car had cleared Customs and was released to the trucking company. Of course, it's far from that stage. As of yesterday it's still in the VPC waiting on a replacement wheel. I'm beginning to believe that they just spin a wheel or throw darts to come up with the status.

My car was delivered on the Faust to Port Hueneme on 6/29, but it's still the same 800 number that I call.


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## petejp (Mar 1, 2009)

I'm not on this ship, but reading everyone's reply here makes me doubtful I will see my car next weekend (it's getting unloaded today). Do you guys know if customs and the VPC work over the weekend in NJ?

I really sympathize with you, SD! First the four day weekend and then the fire sprinkler. Not to mention the flat while on the ED. I don't know if I would be able to sleep at night anymore.


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

petejp said:


> I'm not on this ship, but reading everyone's reply here makes me doubtful I will see my car next weekend (it's getting unloaded today). Do you guys know if customs and the VPC work over the weekend in NJ?
> 
> I really sympathize with you, SD! First the four day weekend and then the fire sprinkler. Not to mention the flat while on the ED. I don't know if I would be able to sleep at night anymore.


Thanks! I swear I feel like my life is in limbo!

If you didn't do ED then you're probably good. Two non-ED cars that were on the same ship were delivered the following week, one to the San Francisco area and the other to Santa Barbara, less than 10 days after the ship docked and that included the holiday weekend. They were apparently waved through Customs before their 4-day holiday weekend. I don't believe that Customs works on the weekend. I don't know about VPC.


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## petejp (Mar 1, 2009)

It was an ED, just updated my signature


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

petejp said:


> It was an ED, just updated my signature


In that case I would say don't expect it by next weekend and if it shows up you will be pleasantly surprised! That's better than expecting it and being disappointed.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

Well...this is it...the week Otello's cars should start to arrive at dealers!


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

Looks like I'm finally out of customs:

LINER RELEASE NEW YORK, NY 18-07-2011 08:10:13 
CUSTOMS RELEASE NEW YORK, NY 18-07-2011 00:00:00 
DELIVERED FROM NEW YORK, NY 08-07-2011 08:00:00 1 
DISCHARGED NEW YORK, NY 07-07-2011 16:00:00 1 
LOADED ON VESSEL BREMERHAVEN 21-06-2011 20:18:00 1 
RECEIVED AT TERMINAL BREMERHAVEN 21-06-2011 08:07:56 1 
BOOKED BREMERHAVEN 10-06-2011 14:54:38 1 

Now I'm just hoping for a speedy trip through VPC ...


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

Fuenfer said:


> Looks like I'm finally out of customs:
> 
> LINER RELEASE NEW YORK, NY 18-07-2011 08:10:13
> CUSTOMS RELEASE NEW YORK, NY 18-07-2011 00:00:00
> ...


Just because WWL shows the status as "Customs Release" doesn't mean that your car has actually cleared customs. I think that it actually means "Released to Customs". WWL showed our car status as "Customs Release" on 6/29. According to BMW it didn't clear customs until either Friday, 7/8 or Monday, 7/11. Customs was closed in Port Hueneme for the Independence Day Holiday for four days though, through Tuesday, July 5.


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## TCG00 (Mar 5, 2011)

my status doesn't say LINER RELEASE or CUSTOMS RELEASE

so the car is definitely still with customs?

... ...


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

SD 335is said:


> Just because WWL shows the status as "Customs Release" doesn't mean that your car has actually cleared customs. I think that it actually means "Released to Customs". WWL showed our car status as "Customs Release" on 6/29. According to BMW it didn't clear customs until either Friday, 7/8 or Monday, 7/11. Customs was closed in Port Hueneme for the Independence Day Holiday for four days though, through Tuesday, July 5.


If that means the car arrived on 7/8 and was released to customs only on 7/18, I will be really upset! What could my car have possibly been doing for those 10 days that WW couldn't have released it to customs?

I suspect you're probably correct about this, but I'll call BMW ED sales again today to try and confirm.

Edit: Called BMW ED sales and they confirm that the car is still with customs.


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

TCG00 said:


> my status doesn't say LINER RELEASE or CUSTOMS RELEASE
> 
> so the car is definitely still with customs?


If your ship is in port or has already left port it probably just means that WWL just hasn't updated the status yet. Like I said, I think that the WWL status of "Customs Release" doesn't mean that a car is released _from _customs, I think that it means released _to_ Customs. BMW can tell you whether your car is in Customs or not, although in my recent experience, their accuracy is questionable.


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

Fuenfer said:


> If that means the car arrived on 7/8 and was released to customs only on 7/18, I will be really upset! What could my car have possibly been doing for those 10 days that WW couldn't have released it to customs?
> 
> I suspect you're probably correct about this, but I'll call BMW ED sales again today to try and confirm.


Hmmm, maybe not. Sorry if I got you in a panic. Maybe New York and Port Hueneme operate somewhat differently. WWL showed my final status as follows:










Notice that the Faust arrived on 6/29 and the other three statuses, including "Customs Release" all show 6/30. My assumption was based on the fact that despite this, BMW said that our car didn't get released from Customs until Monday, 7/11. BMW actually said that our car was released from Customs on Wednesday, 7/6, but their status on Monday, 7/11 was that it was still in Customs. Then on Tuesday, 7/12, it was "released from Customs and moved to the VPC yesterday". Part of the problem is the 3 hour difference between CA and NY.

I honestly don't know what to believe at this point!


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

My status is exactly the same, but I called BMW European Sales and they told me that my car should be delivered at my dealership today!!!!


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## ArtX5 (Sep 27, 2004)

SD 335is said:


> I honestly don't know what to believe at this point!


I'm getting the same feeling. I called again this morning to verify it has cleared customs, which I was told it has over a week ago. It's still at VPC over 1 week now :dunno:

The wait and uncertainty is getting painful 

Hopefully in a few weeks I can look back and laugh about this.


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## petejp (Mar 1, 2009)

Sorry guys, the Otello was actually taken over by pirates who sank the ship. They are just using delay tactics to decide how to break the news


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

My car is in, I'm on my way to pick it up now.


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## ArtX5 (Sep 27, 2004)

Me530 said:


> My car is in, I'm on my way to pick it up now.


WOW! They were right. Congrats :thumbup:


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

Me530 said:


> My car is in, I'm on my way to pick it up now.


Congratulations! I think this makes you the first Otellian to get their car.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

Just got back, the car is fantastic and in great shape! So 5 weeks + 3 days for my redelivery. Not too bad!


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

I'm getting close ... my car was released to trucking last Saturday and the dealer told me today they should have it 'within 48 hours'.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

Just told by ED sales today that customs had released the car, but that it hadn't made its way over to VPC yet. They also said they would make an inquiry to their agent as to the status of the car, and that they'd e-mail me any updates they had. Given the way this has been going, I'm going to consider myself lucky if I get my car in August.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

I can't understand why my car got here so far ahead of the others, not that I am complaining!


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## ArtX5 (Sep 27, 2004)

I just got my call from CA. PCD has given me a date of August 11th! That means my car has been released by VPC in Brunswick,GA:thumbup:

Possibly could be sooner but I'm out of town August 2nd-9th. I was hoping to go next week but this will do.


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## TCG00 (Mar 5, 2011)

It's in VPC now, cleared Customs/USDA finally.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

I got yet another status update from BMW ED sales telling me that my car is still with customs. I can't tell you how frustrating it is being told one day that the car has cleared customs and is on the way to VPC, and then being told the very next day (or the same day, on this round) that the car is still with customs. According to BMW ED sales, there are seven other cars from this shipment with customs, so if your car is delayed, it's probably in customs hanging out with my car.


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

6 years ago I think my car spent 2 weeks in customs. It was a major PITA.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

I'm actually comfortable with waiting ... it's the constant back and forth on my car's status that's driving me nuts (i.e., one day being told that my car is out of customs, next day being told that the previous day's information was incorrect, then being told again that the car was released, only to be told again that the car is still with customs). But I took a deep breath and told myself I'd be happy as long as I got the car some time in September, and that's helped my mental state a lot.


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## SD ///M4 (Jan 24, 2011)

Fuenfer said:


> I'm actually comfortable with waiting ... it's the constant back and forth on my car's status that's driving me nuts (i.e., one day being told that my car is out of customs, next day being told that the previous day's information was incorrect, then being told again that the car was released, only to be told again that the car is still with customs). But I took a deep breath and told myself I'd be happy as long as I got the car some time in September, and that's helped my mental state a lot.


Well, I can surely relate to that! This is exactly what we just experienced with the BMW status updates for our car. My wife and I got so fed up with the contradictory status updates that we've decided to send an e-mail to BMW NA detailing what we were told each day and how inaccurate they were. I would encourage you to do the same. Maybe we can light a fire under their butts and start getting some accurate status.

I know that this won't make you feel any better about your car, but we finally just picked up our car today, exactly 8 weeks after we dropped it off in Munich and exactly 3 weeks after it arrived in Port Hueneme.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

SD 335is said:


> Well, I can surely relate to that! This is exactly what we just experienced with the BMW status updates for our car. My wife and I got so fed up with the contradictory status updates that we've decided to send an e-mail to BMW NA detailing what we were told each day and how inaccurate they were. I would encourage you to do the same. Maybe we can light a fire under their butts and start getting some accurate status.
> 
> I know that this won't make you feel any better about your car, but we finally just picked up our car today, exactly 8 weeks after we dropped it off in Munich and exactly 3 weeks after it arrived in Port Hueneme.


Well, so to add another piece of information to the mix: my CA told me that the car is tentatively scheduled to arrive at the dealership this Saturday or Sunday. I hope he has the proper information!


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

Anybody else get their car yet? I can't believe I am the only one!


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## TCG00 (Mar 5, 2011)

VPC says it's awaiting a truck now. No chance this weekend I'm guessing.


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

I'm still waiting. My CA is on vacation this week, so I was passed to the GM. I left him a Voice mail Tuesday saying the European Sales dept told me the car was on a truck and I should call the dealer to arrange a delivery date.

So, he called Tues pm, and said the car should be there 'within' 48 hours. He would call me back Wed w/ more info. So it's now Friday ... No car, no call. 

I'm disappointed with the GM - call and tell me something, but don't say you'll call and then not do it. But I expect my CA will make it up to me somehow when he gets back. I sure hope he only took a one week vacation!


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

*Freude in Lynchburg*



dpritchett said:


> I'm still waiting. QUOTE]
> 
> no longer waiting.... I picked up my car this morning!:thumbup:
> 
> ...


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

Hooray! Glad somebody else got their car! Mine was clean as a whistle, but I think that was the dealer's doing....


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

Still waiting ... and I'm not hopeful I'll be lucky enough to have my stickers on the car as my dealership has a very bad track record with that.


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## Fuenfer (Apr 24, 2004)

And just got an e-mail from my CA that my car is here!


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## Me530 (Feb 17, 2005)

Fuenfer said:


> And just got an e-mail from my CA that my car is here!


:beerchug::roundel:


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## dpritchett (Sep 6, 2006)

Fuenfer said:


> And just got an e-mail from my CA that my car is here!


Good news!


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