# Customs in NY/NJ port holding cars??



## pocari (Mar 5, 2006)

I am another one who is "in VPC" since June 20th (arrived in NJ on Integrity). Adrian's system said the car was expected to be released on the 22nd - no update since then and apparently it hasn't left NJ.

Sounds to me like there is a hold up at BMW's facility.


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## 2nynbak (Jan 28, 2007)

My car came into Newark on the Undine on the 28th. BMW told me the same thing that it's taking two weeks to go through customs. I can only imagine that the UK terror incidents this weekend will make our situation all the slower. Who knows the Homeland Security people may be looking out for additional threats during this period.

ED is fun but getting stuck between the Feds and BMW is aggravating.


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## Chimera (Jul 3, 2007)




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## wi330 (Dec 2, 2006)

*Freedom Update*

I got word today that my friend's dealer order 535 was at the dealer today! The Freedom docked in NY on 6/25 and his car made it to Wisconsin on 7/09. The bad news is that my European delivery 335i which was on the same ship didn't arrive today. The dealer said the work order to release it to carrier was dated 7/09, so I hope it makes it here by the weekend.

The dealer also mentioned that our two cars docked at different ports in NY (I did notice that the Freedom voyage site did list two entries for NY). He said that my car was unloaded first and my friend's car was unloaded a day later. It must have to do with different processes for clearing customs. This may explain why the European Delivery cars can seem to be hung up at the VPC for a long time. Anyway, those on the Freedom probably can expect their cars soon.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

wi330 said:


> The dealer also mentioned that our two cars docked at different ports in NY (I did notice that the Freedom voyage site did list two entries for NY). He said that my car was unloaded first and my friend's car was unloaded a day later. It must have to do with different processes for clearing customs. This may explain why the European Delivery cars can seem to be hung up at the VPC for a long time. Anyway, those on the Freedom probably can expect their cars soon.


All BMWs disembark at Port NEAT unless there was something dramatically unusual going on. There's no other place for them to be received come to think of it. And yes, the vessels do make several stops within the Port of NY but that's not BMW related.


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

wi330 said:


> I got word today that my friend's dealer order 535 was at the dealer today! The Freedom docked in NY on 6/25 and his car made it to Wisconsin on 7/09. The bad news is that my European delivery 335i which was on the same ship didn't arrive today. The dealer said the work order to release it to carrier was dated 7/09, so I hope it makes it here by the weekend.
> 
> The dealer also mentioned that our two cars docked at different ports in NY (I did notice that the Freedom voyage site did list two entries for NY). He said that my car was unloaded first and my friend's car was unloaded a day later. It must have to do with different processes for clearing customs. This may explain why the European Delivery cars can seem to be hung up at the VPC for a long time. Anyway, those on the Freedom probably can expect their cars soon.


This is inspiring news. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!


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## angina (Mar 29, 2006)

My ED car was on the integrity that docked in NY on 6/17.... I got news yesterday that my car was released to the carrier, so the car was either in customs or the VPC for 3 whole weeks, but no one seems to be able to tell where it was held up....


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

angina said:


> My ED car was on the integrity that docked in NY on 6/17.... I got news yesterday that my car was released to the carrier, so the car was either in customs or the VPC for 3 whole weeks, but no one seems to be able to tell where it was held up....


Welcome to the club.


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## jadeddjay (Jan 4, 2007)

are cars still being held up? i am on otello and it should be arriving on thursday. should i expect similar wait times?


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

jadeddjay said:


> are cars still being held up? i am on otello and it should be arriving on thursday. should i expect similar wait times?


Probably yes, the VPC is brutally slow!


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## lizhnik (Jan 26, 2007)

jadeddjay said:


> are cars still being held up? i am on otello and it should be arriving on thursday. should i expect similar wait times?


I'm Otello as well. Eagerly anticipating its arrival.
Is yours a European Delivery? If not, then it shouldn't be more than a few days. If yes, then we might be stuck there for a while.


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## jadeddjay (Jan 4, 2007)

ed here... *sigh*


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Latest word from BMWNA. My car, an ED shipped on the Patriot, is still in customs. Worse news is that the cars from the previous ship haven't finished processing yet. Good news Pokey promised.


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

VIZSLA said:


> Latest word from BMWNA. My car, an ED shipped on the Patriot, is still in customs. Worse news is that the cars from the previous ship haven't finished processing yet. Good news Pokey promised.


To be honest, this info may be incorrect. BMWNA has even less information about the whereabouts of your car than your CA does. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I think it's true. BMWNA told me the same thing (that the car is held at customs), but my CA told me it was at the VDC. So who is right and who's blowing smoke up my A_?? Only the car gods know!! When was your ship unloaded at the dock?


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Raz5219 said:


> To be honest, this info may be incorrect. BMWNA has even less information about the whereabouts of your car than your CA does. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I think it's true. BMWNA told me the same thing (that the car is held at customs), but my CA told me it was at the VDC. So who is right and who's blowing smoke up my A_?? Only the car gods know!! When was your ship unloaded at the dock?


It was unloaded about two weeks ago. Last Sat. my CA told me that it was at VPC. Turns out he was basing this on a "projection" not fact. While not infaliable I think that BMWNA has a better handle on the situation than the CAs do. After all doesn't their information come from BMWNA? I found a US Customs 800 number on the web and may try that next. At least my clock is promised.


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## mrbelk (Dec 5, 2003)

VIZSLA said:


> It was unloaded about two weeks ago. Last Sat. my CA told me that it was at VPC. Turns out he was basing this on a "projection" not fact. While not infaliable I think that BMWNA has a better handle on the situation than the CAs do. After all doesn't their information come from BMWNA? I found a US Customs 800 number on the web and may try that next. At least my clock is promised.


The system that the CA's use to track the cars through the VPC process have estimated dates and actual dates. The estimated dates appear to just be relative times at each stage that get adjusted based on the actual date of the preceding stage; and they don't update the "future stage" estimates until the current stage is completed. It's possible that your CA was just telling you what his system showed as the "estimated date." My car was "estimated" to leave the VDC on 6/20, but it didn't actually leave until 7/9. Fat lot of good those estimates do.

I am coming to the end of an 8 week east coast redelivery, of which 1 week was spent at the port; 2 weeks on a ship; 1 week spent in customs; 3 weeks at the VDC; and the last 5 days have been spent in transit to the dealer. Believe me: it's been the most frustrating and infuriating redelivery process yet. The thing that makes it the most frustrating is that there is really noone to whom we can vent our frustration/anger; and absolutely nothing we can do to speed up the process.

-MrB


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

VIZSLA said:


> It was unloaded about two weeks ago. Last Sat. my CA told me that it was at VPC. Turns out he was basing this on a "projection" not fact. While not infaliable I think that BMWNA has a better handle on the situation than the CAs do. After all doesn't their information come from BMWNA? I found a US Customs 800 number on the web and may try that next. At least my clock is promised.


As far as I was told by BMWNA...the reps there don't have access to the delivery system. Your dealership is the only one with access. So the info your dealership has doesn't necessarily come from BMWNA per se. Doesn't make sense, but go figure. So I think maybe the smoke is being blown in both directions creating a whirlwind or "smoke screen" if you will.


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## jadeddjay (Jan 4, 2007)

Raz5219 said:


> As far as I was told by BMWNA...the reps there don't have access to the delivery system. Your dealership is the only one with access. So the info your dealership has doesn't necessarily come from BMWNA per se. Doesn't make sense, but go figure.


this may be a stretch but it could be due to privacy issues that the dealer only has access to your info


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

Raz5219 said:


> So the info your dealership has doesn't necessarily come from BMWNA per se.


:dunno: Rubbish. Of course it comes from BMW NA.


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## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

jadeddjay said:


> this may be a stretch but it could be due to privacy issues that the dealer only has access to your info


New HIPAA rules for the auto industry?


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## bmrfam (Oct 15, 2006)

Does anyone here actually work in International Logistics? From the responses, I would guess not but I never know. Jspira is probably the closet with his analogy of LCL/Bulk Air than the FedEx version but both are not really close (different mode, different volume). Experiencing these from a Consumer point of view and then explaining the inner workings based on that are useless.

I have been working in Global Logistics for a few years now in most major countries around the world, in all modes and in all of the industries we have been able to come up with so far in this thread. Customs is a black hole for everyone. It does not matter how big you are or how much you ship on a consistent basis, things including "threat levels" can ruin the best laid plans.

I agree that it is frustrating not knowing where your car is as you are the rightful owner, but I am pretty sure BMW is not the executor on the water or in customs. That is Harms, as you gave them those rights when you dropped the car off. Yes, BMW could build a better tracking system that would know every status up to the minute on either side of customs. I have designed these and deployed them for multiple companies and industries around the world. Trust me, they are not cheap (Think in the tens of millions of dollars). And so the business case is very difficult to justify. You can throw in some lost revenue and reduced customer experience from people that will walk, but since it is no longer their (BMW) car, items such as inventory carrying cost can not even come into play.

I know this thread is mainly a place to complain about long delivery times, but mis-information helps no one.


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## DavidNY (Feb 18, 2006)

bmrfam said:


> Does anyone here actually work in International Logistics? From the responses, I would guess not but I never know. Jspira is probably the closet with his analogy of LCL/Bulk Air than the FedEx version but both are not really close (different mode, different volume). Experiencing these from a Consumer point of view and then explaining the inner workings based on that are useless.
> 
> I have been working in Global Logistics for a few years now in most major countries around the world, in all modes and in all of the industries we have been able to come up with so far in this thread. Customs is a black hole for everyone. It does not matter how big you are or how much you ship on a consistent basis, things including "threat levels" can ruin the best laid plans.
> 
> ...


I do (just coming across this thread), or I did for 20 years (was exec at custom house brokerage and freight forwarding firm).

The systems are very complex and expensive. I remember some of our earliest systems which were Vax based - and then we had in the early 1990s to start clearing electronically thru US Customs via EDI. That only, uh, took a few years to sort out. :angel:

Bmrfam presents a pretty clear analysis of the situation, vroom is way in left field (do you have any understanding of how large companies work and also how small the ED program is :dunno, and jspira's analogy of being on your own with an airline for a hotel in event of a weather delay, while entirely a different circumstance, does set out a similar pattern of responsibility.


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

Looks like I started an all out war! Well, it's a good place to let out my aggressions until I get my car I suppose?


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## Fredric (Mar 29, 2007)

I too am eagerly awaiting redelivery, and when I have some free time on my hands have checked the shipping-line site to see if "my" vessel has docked at Bremerhaven yet, and whether "my" car has been loaded, etc. But where is it written that BMW has an obligation to tell us where our cars are at every moment after we drop them off? My current lease is up on July 26th so it would be nice if my new car gets here soon after. But it won't as the Freedom isn't scheduled to dock in NY till June 29th. So my bottom line feeling is "it will get here when it gets here" and I probably should take up knitting in the meantime (of course if it takes longer than 8 weeks there will be hell to pay). :angel:


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

It's been 6 weeks since my dropoff, but my redelivery dealership is only 30 minutes from VDC. 

I was able to find out today that my car is still in customs!! It's been 3 weeks since it was unloaded off the boat in NY and my car is 1 of 3 from the ship Freedom that is still in customs! So once it's out of customs (whenever that will be) it'll be another 2 weeks to get through VDC. If there is damage (I don't know of any, but you never know), add another 2 weeks on top. So that means best case scenerio, 8 weeks for a NJ redelivery...with repairs, at least 10 weeks!!! :yikes:

I can't take this!!!!


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Raz5219 said:


> It's been 6 weeks since my dropoff, but my redelivery dealership is only 30 minutes from VDC.
> 
> I was able to find out today that my car is still in customs!! It's been 3 weeks since it was unloaded off the boat in NY and my car is 1 of 3 from the ship Freedom that is still in customs! So once it's out of customs (whenever that will be) it'll be another 2 weeks to get through VDC. If there is damage (I don't know of any, but you never know), add another 2 weeks on top. So that means best case scenerio, 8 weeks for a NJ redelivery...with repairs, at least 10 weeks!!! :yikes:
> 
> I can't take this!!!!


Only three left from Freedom? Great! When they're done with your boat they can start on mine.


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## Mac Daddy (Dec 27, 2006)

Talked to Adrian earlier today -- no change in the status of my car. Don't really know where it is for sure -- customs? VPC? Guess I am in line behind most of you guys.

Here's a question: if customs is really the hold-up here, where are they putting all of these cars? Seems there are many times more cars than usual being held now. Is there some giant bonded warehouse/black hole at the port?


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## cvb (May 10, 2006)

Not at all, they let the customs guys take the cars home with them on Friday, drive them around for the weekend, then bring them back in on Monday. No need to store them at the dock.


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## bmrfam (Oct 15, 2006)

I just got the call from my CA that mine has arrived in Texas. I was on the last voyage of Freedom that got to NY/NJ on June 24 or something close to that. I think I too was in the Customs black hole and then it just appeared at the dealership.

It was 7 weeks almost to the day from drop-off in Nice to redelivery in Texas. Right in the middle of the 6-8 week estimate from BMW.


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

cvb said:


> Not at all, they let the customs guys take the cars home with them on Friday, drive them around for the weekend, then bring them back in on Monday. No need to store them at the dock.


I'm convinced that Dick Chaney is driving mine at "an undisclosed location".


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## bimmer_fam (Apr 16, 2007)

VIZSLA said:


> I'm convinced that Dick Chaney is driving mine at "an undisclosed location".


:rofl: As long as he does not take it to one of his "hunting" trips


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

bimmer_fam said:


> :rofl: As long as he does not take it to one of his "hunting" trips


As long as I'm not with him!


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

Bmrfam ...As I said in the other forum, congrats on the car.

I'm still looking for something to hang myself with. :tsk:


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Raz5219 said:


> Bmrfam ...As I said in the other forum, congrats on the car.
> 
> I'm still looking for something to hang myself with. :tsk:


Is there a twelve step group for EDers?


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## Orient330iNYC (Jul 30, 2002)

keep in mind customs answers to noone  well noone that any of us or BMWNA can influence.


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## bmrfam (Oct 15, 2006)

Raz5219 - Not to rub it in, but too bad you are not in Texas or you could drive it for me while I am in London next week. 

Sorry, couldn't resist. I know I am bad. :yikes:


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## Raz5219 (Sep 22, 2005)

bmrfam said:


> Raz5219 - Not to rub it in, but too bad you are not in Texas or you could drive it for me while I am in London next week.
> 
> Sorry, couldn't resist. I know I am bad. :yikes:


Hey no problem, I'll be there on Sunday! Oh, and please have the car detailed for me will ya!


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Car is out of customs at last.
But with a VPC work order.


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## 2nynbak (Jan 28, 2007)

Ditto, one day short of three weeks in Customs!


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## VIZSLA (Mar 16, 2007)

Should be on the same truck l'rd willin.


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