# Stuck in vpc hell



## Kanuck (Feb 18, 2003)

Dave 20T said:


> Wouldn't it be nice if one's car had a GPS tracker so one could track the location of the car? Looks like Amazon.com has one for $98, including shipping, and $14 per month after the first month. That might not work when the car is below deck on a ship but could work once the car is in the U.S.


Would be very cool and would help with grief surrounding redelivery. How long would batteries last?


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## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

Kanuck said:


> Would be very cool and would help with grief surrounding redelivery. How long would batteries last?


 I don't know. I saw some that last only 96 hours. Others seem (not sure) to run off the car's battery and plugs into the OBD II port under the dashboard by the brake pedal.


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## rmichae9 (Apr 27, 2008)

ky_soldier said:


> Any ideas???


Drive the Panamera or the 1 Series, and return the rental car?


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## zoltrix (Mar 14, 2007)

ky_soldier said:


> Listen dude, my car has been sitting on US soil for over 2 weeks. I paid for the car 3 months ago. It is NOT unreasonable to think I should have had my car by now. If I called BMW and they gave me timeline of dates when it would be here, I expect that to hold up, as I am renting a car at my own expense in the meantime and planning based on the timeline they gave me. At what point did I mention my rank as a reason for "special treatment"?
> 
> I will mention though that I purchased a BMW through military sales a few years ago and the process was at least predictable, as you pick it up from port, which, in this case would have saved me several weeks.
> 
> In the meantime, I would think that the fact that this is my tenth new BMW in ten years, and the fact that I am about to buy a 640 GC might get them to at least pick up a phone and call me or my dealer back. Simple courtesy


I feel your pain and this is probably not going to make you feel better.

But I can tell you that I've been on this board for many years now and these threads pop up periodically.

"WTF is my car and why can't anybody tell me WTF it is?!"

Yea. I'm as befuddled as you are but c'est la vie.


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## BimmerBahn (Nov 24, 2005)

rmichae9 said:


> Drive the Panamera or the 1 Series, and return the rental car?


Yeah, not sure why the high blood pressure. Other cars in the garage to drive... and will be TDY for a couple weeks anyways. Not an aneurism-worthy problem in my humble opinion.

@ky_soldier -- thank you for your service!


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## ky_soldier (Apr 24, 2005)

pharding said:


> I have completed 7 BMW Euro Deliveries with Number 8 on August 12 and I have a solid understanding of the process. Contrary to what you are claiming in conversations with BMW, they will not give out a timeline of guaranteed dates as you claim. They just don't do that. There are many variables in shipping cars from Germany to the US. They provide a professional BMW Euro Delivery service. Professional does not mean perfect. They will get the car to you in a reasonable time frame consistent with the guidelines which you knew going into placing your order or should have known. Your car is well within those guidelines. They will not modify their approach and communication to meet your unrealistic expectations. Those of us that have done BMW Euro Delivery are generally quite happy with it and generally do it again and again. However BMW European Delivery is not for everyone.


This is my 4th ED as well. I didn't just fall off the boat. As for not giving me a timeline, I posted it in my original post.

My issues are not as much with the timeline as much as it is the lack of anyone from BMW having the courtesy to tell me where in the process it is and when I will expect it. My last few EDs took 4-5 weeks, as much of what was described above was true. Back then I had 4-5 cars, so it wasn't an issue. Now I'm down to the one plus this incoming one.

Much like the airlines, BMW puts plenty of time in there for each step in their expected delivery times, but like anything else, when their computer has it in the last step, and supposed to be at my dealer at a certain date, and I rely on that info, and that info is wrong, I expect someone to call and give me a real estimate. If it is something as simple as a call to the delivery truck to kick them in the a** to move it along, then so be it. I shouldn't be waiting so a truck company can fill up a truck. It's less than one day's drive from NJ to KY. They do it all the time.

Is it so much to ask for an actual human from BMW to call me and tell me where in the process it is and when it will actually be there? Quit making excuses for them. I call customer service each day and they read the screen to me saying it was supposed to be there on the 30th and then can add no value other than saying "that's what my screen says". No escalation to mgt, no calling to their logistics dept, nothing. BMW is a German company, and as such, absolutely anal about the details. That's why they build great cars. Unfortunately supply chain management on EDs is a little loose at best.


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## ky_soldier (Apr 24, 2005)

My BMW sales manager was just informed that there is a chip in the bumper and it is now scheduled for repair. 

Clearly something WAS array. More to follow...


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## AggieKnight (Dec 26, 2008)

ky_soldier said:


> My BMW sales manager was just informed that there is a chip in the bumper and it is now scheduled for repair.
> 
> Clearly something WAS array. More to follow...


As I said, call the tn for BMW ED in your welcome package. They can always tell you what is up with your car.

Still, patience is encouraged. =)
:thumbup:


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## ky_soldier (Apr 24, 2005)

Was able to get my BMW sales manager to provide me a loaner vehicle seeing as the damage was their fault (I had pics upon dropoff which I highly encourage everyone to take) showing that it was perfect when it left.

At least I have something to drive now (X1 loaner) and they have some skin in the game to want to get my vehicle as fast as possible


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## GerWil (Dec 18, 2006)

ky_soldier said:


> Listen dude, my car has been sitting on US soil for over 2 weeks. I paid for the car 3 months ago. It is NOT unreasonable to think I should have had my car by now. If I called BMW and they gave me timeline of dates when it would be here, I expect that to hold up, as I am renting a car at my own expense in the meantime and planning based on the timeline they gave me. At what point did I mention my rank as a reason for "special treatment"?
> 
> I will mention though that I purchased a BMW through military sales a few years ago and the process was at least predictable, as you pick it up from port, which, in this case would have saved me several weeks.
> 
> In the meantime, I would think that the fact that this is my tenth new BMW in ten years, and the fact that I am about to buy a 640 GC might get them to at least pick up a phone and call me or my dealer back. Simple courtesy


Ky_soldier - You and I are in the same boat (actually); I believe the "Mignon" and the references by some about the 6-8 delivery estimate is irrelevant to your situation and to a slightly lesser extent mine also. In your case it took longer to get assigned a ship then me (I dropped off in Munich on May 25th). That is an unpredictable variable, as are the ship assignments and clearing customs. However, once the cars leave Customs they are under BMW control, and frankly this is where I have noticed a difference this time around. I do not have my car yet either. This is my 4th ED in 6 years and in all the others, the time at the VPC was short even with the usual wheel replacements for scratches, assigment to a carrier was fast as were carrrier delivery times. 
My timeline - My car cleared Customs on June 26th, a week after the ship arrived. My dealer said its system showed that assignment to a carrier was expected on June 27th. To me that meant a good chance of delivery before July 4th, especially since my dealer is one of the, if not the largest dealer in the Boston area with two locations,. Then at the beginning of this week my dealer informed me that the estimated shipment date by the carrier would not be until July 12th which is 15 days after the assignment date. There is no way of knowing now if that shipment date will even hold. 
Maybe I am being paranoid. but it is beginning to look like the ED cars are being bumped, possibly at the VPC and by the carriers.


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## GerWil (Dec 18, 2006)

ky_soldier said:


> My BMW sales manager was just informed that there is a chip in the bumper and it is now scheduled for repair.
> 
> Clearly something WAS array. More to follow...


I did not see your damage post when I wrote my first response. Did you find out about the damage only because you were doing a lot of asking or would it have been disclosed otherwise?


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## dkreidel (Aug 24, 2005)

This is interesting if the OP's car really was released to trucking (a big if) and if so, the path from trucking back through the VDC is unique. More likely it was never released to trucking and was in the VDC's queue for repair...but stranger things have happened  Approximately 2% of all BMW's received at the VDC require some sort of repair; the reapir rate is for ED is 3+% per the GM of the Hueneme VDC


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## CTSoxFan (Oct 20, 2006)

dkreidel said:


> This is interesting if the OP's car really was released to trucking (a big if) and if so, the path from trucking back through the VDC is unique. More likely it was never released to trucking and was in the VDC's queue for repair...but stranger things have happened  Approximately 2% of all BMW's received at the VDC require some sort of repair; the reapir rate is for ED is 3+% per the GM of the Hueneme VDC


It makes sense that ED cars have a higher repair rate, although I must say I am shocked it isn't more significant. I would have guessed at least 5%.


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