# Gap between production complete & delivery?



## unintelligible (Jan 10, 2012)

Got a question for all of you PCD experts out there. I've ordered a 2012 328i that has just hit completion of production according to the 1-800 number. However I was given a PCD date of May 10th. Is it normal to have a nearly 2 month gap between prod. complete & delivery? I understand the need for some cushion in the schedule for shipping delays, etc. but 2 months seems extreme. Again though, I'm not an expert in understanding the complete logstics, so maybe this is indeed normal.

Just curious if anyone has some insight here. Seems odd if the car shows up at the Performance Center around mid-April, then just sits there for a month until I show up to pick it up. :rofl:


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## isildain (Nov 3, 2007)

It's not unusual for a car to sit in Bremerhaven for a couple of weeks before a ship comes available to transport to the US. Then, once it arrives, it may sit at the VDC for some time waiting to clear customs. If there's no damage to the car from transportation, it goes through the standard preparation (country specific labels, some options, etc), and then it can be shipped to the dealer or the PDC. My first car had some bumper damage while in transit, and the car was at the VDC a week longer than originally anticipated so that it could be repaired to production quality. In other words, it could take anywhere from 4-5 weeks or more just to get the car to the PDC if the stars align properly. Mine was finished in production on January 16, and I received my PDC date for March 20.

Trust me, I understand the anxiety that goes with knowing your car is finished with production, and now you have to play the waiting game. Mine's been sitting in Baltimore since February 6.


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## unintelligible (Jan 10, 2012)

isildain said:


> Mine was finished in production on January 16, and I received my PDC date for March 20.


Ok - that's basically what I was looking for. So my timeframe is not far off from what others' have been given. It's one of those things where if everything goes perfectly according to plan, it'll be sitting there for a while, otherwise it'll get there just in time. After all I certainly understand the need for "contingency time" in the schedule given the last thing BMW would want is a customer showing up for PCD but being told "heh, sorry, but your car's not here yet"...



isildain said:


> Trust me, I understand the anxiety that goes with knowing your car is finished with production, and now you have to play the waiting game. Mine's been sitting in Baltimore since February 6.


It's killing me already, and I haven't even been waiting half a month yet. What is wrong with me? Patience, Kemosabe!!


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

Ok so here's my situation. My car is on the boat now between Southampton and Baltimore. i assume it will get off at Charleston? I was wondering how long it can sit at the PCD? My ideal date was April 27 but I'm wondering if that's too long. I'm going on spring break and will be gone March 28-April 7. I could do it April 13 (not ideal) but I am thinking April 27 would be too long to have it sit. What's the longest they can hold it there. I could do it next Friday March 23 but I think that's too early. It may just arrive to Baltimore by then.

My car finished production in Munich around March 4. I'm actually fine with pushing the date back because April is really busy for me and I don't have many free weekends. I want to do my PCD on a Friday.

I haven't heard yet from my salesguy on the date yet either.


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## thumper_330 (Jan 3, 2009)

PCD won't even guess on a date until the car hits US soil and is released from customs. Quite simply there are too many variables to guess whether or not the car will suddenly get pulled aside for an audit (more common with ED cars) or suffer some paperwork issue, or spontaneously come to life and go rampaging through the customs offices with a sawn off shotgun... really just too hard to nail it down.

Most non ED cars get approved before they arrive at port so customs is really just a stamping of the papers (digitally) and then loaded on a truck. However, it's not unheard of for a car or two to be randomly selected for an audit even if it's not an ED car.

As soon as the car hits US soil, they'll offer you the first available date. If that doesn't work for you then you'll have to negotiate with the Performance Center but be aware that if you want one of the "primo" days like a Friday then you'll have to wait longer since they book up further in advance.

I took a Wednesday delivery because I could take the time off work


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

thumper_330 said:


> PCD won't even guess on a date until the car hits US soil and is released from customs. Quite simply there are too many variables to guess whether or not the car will suddenly get pulled aside for an audit (more common with ED cars) or suffer some paperwork issue, or spontaneously come to life and go rampaging through the customs offices with a sawn off shotgun... really just too hard to nail it down.
> 
> Most non ED cars get approved before they arrive at port so customs is really just a stamping of the papers (digitally) and then loaded on a truck. However, it's not unheard of for a car or two to be randomly selected for an audit even if it's not an ED car.
> 
> ...


That's good information. So I guess I was wondering how long the PCD could possibly hold the car. 1 week, 2 weeks, up to a month? I'm fine waiting to get a "primo" day.


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## isildain (Nov 3, 2007)

soledoc said:


> That's good information. So I guess I was wondering how long the PCD could possibly hold the car. 1 week, 2 weeks, up to a month? I'm fine waiting to get a "primo" day.


 I found out that as of last week, mine was still sitting in the Baltimore VCD, so it's been over a month at this point. Apparently, they wait until just before it's needed before they call for delivery to the Performance Center.


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## I-Won-Today (Feb 21, 2007)

Pretty much all of the logistic issues we deal with have been discussed earlier. We have to base or estimation off of the average time frame it has been taking us to receive vehicles to ensure we have the vehicle by the delivery date assigned. To complicate maters, we can also receive a vehicle from any of the 4 ports that BMW uses on the east coast. 

The biggest delay for new vehicles (not ED vehicles) is waiting at the port in Germany for it to be assigned a ship. Some wait for weeks, and some seem to have a ship already waiting when it arrives. Our problem is by the time it gets on the ship and we see it will arrive earlier than expected, our calendar usually has filled the previous dates, leaving no earlier date to move the delivery too.

Due to legal and insurance regulations, we cannot hold the vehicle on our property for more than 2 weeks. Ideally, we would prefer to wait and schedule all the reservations once the vehicle arrives at the port stateside. That would allow us to schedule the delivery date as early as possible, however it would only give the customer about 3 weeks of notice.

Hope that helps... Look forward to meeting some of you soon!


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## unintelligible (Jan 10, 2012)

Thanks Jonathan. This is my first time custom ordering a car, let alone doing something as awesome as PCD so I'm chomping at the bit. Look forward to seeing you soon as well!


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## soledoc (Feb 5, 2007)

I just received word that the earliest date for my PCD is May 7. I placed my order Feb. 21. That timing sounds about right.


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## BenF12400 (Sep 2, 2009)

I-Won-Today said:


> Pretty much all of the logistic issues we deal with have been discussed earlier. We have to base or estimation off of the average time frame it has been taking us to receive vehicles to ensure we have the vehicle by the delivery date assigned. To complicate maters, we can also receive a vehicle from any of the 4 ports that BMW uses on the east coast.
> 
> The biggest delay for new vehicles (not ED vehicles) is waiting at the port in Germany for it to be assigned a ship. Some wait for weeks, and some seem to have a ship already waiting when it arrives. Our problem is by the time it gets on the ship and we see it will arrive earlier than expected, our calendar usually has filled the previous dates, leaving no earlier date to move the delivery too.
> 
> ...


What about vehicles built in SC? - I have an X5 I ordered a few weeks ago; although website has no info, 800 number says it's complete and "waiting for transit" or something like that. I did ask for PCD from my CA and he did state several days ago (before I called trhe 800 number) that PCD has been requested. I guess my vehicle is sitting around somewhere. I did tell the CA I would need several weeks notice to arrange for transportation to SC from MD, and hopefully to have my son who goes to college in Athens, Georgia drive up (in his 2006 X3) and meet me at the PC if he can take a day off).


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## I-Won-Today (Feb 21, 2007)

BenF12400 said:


> What about vehicles built in SC? - I have an X5 I ordered a few weeks ago; although website has no info, 800 number says it's complete and "waiting for transit" or something like that. I did ask for PCD from my CA and he did state several days ago (before I called trhe 800 number) that PCD has been requested. I guess my vehicle is sitting around somewhere. I did tell the CA I would need several weeks notice to arrange for transportation to SC from MD, and hopefully to have my son who goes to college in Athens, Georgia drive up (in his 2006 X3) and meet me at the PC if he can take a day off).


Typically for vehicles built in SC, the first available delivery date will fall about 2 weeks from completed production.

If the reservation is submitted early enough, the delivery date can be established when the vehicle reaches status 112, which would give you about 35 days of notice before the first available delivery date.

The first available date offered can then be pushed out up to another 2 weeks if needed.

Hopet that helps :thumbup:


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

I-Won-Today said:


> To complicate maters, we can also receive a vehicle from any of the 4 ports that BMW uses on the east coast.


How do they work out which port to ship to for ED vehicles? I can imagine for PCD non-ED delivery, they would just get on the first boat going state side, but ED-PCD vehicles seem to be pre-assigned. Is it based on drop off schedule?


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## BenF12400 (Sep 2, 2009)

I-Won-Today said:


> Typically for vehicles built in SC, the first available delivery date will fall about 2 weeks from completed production.
> 
> If the reservation is submitted early enough, the delivery date can be established when the vehicle reaches status 112, which would give you about 35 days of notice before the first available delivery date.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info - still haven't heard anything from CA so I assume I have to wait for him to be notified re:completion - 800 number says vehicle has been completed, not sure if this is considered a "new model" requiring EPA passage.


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## I-Won-Today (Feb 21, 2007)

chrischeung said:


> How do they work out which port to ship to for ED vehicles? I can imagine for PCD non-ED delivery, they would just get on the first boat going state side, but ED-PCD vehicles seem to be pre-assigned. Is it based on drop off schedule?


ED coming here for re-delivery can ship to either New Jersey, Baltimore or Brunswick (all three of those ports have Customs processing available). The pattern seems to be tied to what region the vehicle was sold in. With the west coast vehicles, they have to manually change their assigned port (most of the time they are directed to Brunswick).

For non-ED vehicles, it is based on how early we get the reservation and assign us as the alternate ship to destination. If it is early enough, it will direct it to Charleston or Brunswick. If it is after the vehicle is already assigned to a ship, it will go to the port for the region in which it was sold.


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## I-Won-Today (Feb 21, 2007)

BenF12400 said:


> Thanks for the info - still haven't heard anything from CA so I assume I have to wait for him to be notified re:completion - 800 number says vehicle has been completed, not sure if this is considered a "new model" requiring EPA passage.


I just verified that the X5's are a new model year production and are also currently on the EPA/CARB holds. Once those holds are lifted, they will be able to schedule your delivery date.


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## BenF12400 (Sep 2, 2009)

I-Won-Today said:


> I just verified that the X5's are a new model year production and are also currently on the EPA/CARB holds. Once those holds are lifted, they will be able to schedule your delivery date.


Thank you


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