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BMW 5-Series (G30) Forum G30 Pricing, Ordering, Tracking, European Delivery 6 weeks waiting for a boat????!!!!

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      01-08-2019, 06:59 AM   #1
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6 weeks waiting for a boat????!!!!

My 540i was finished production on November 24th. I called my stealer today to find out when the car may be ready to collect to be told it's still sitting on the wharf in Germany waiting to be loaded onto a boat for delivery to Melbourne Australia.

Can it really take 6+ weeks to get put on a boat or am I being fed a load of crap. ???

The car was ordered in early August so 15 weeks from order to build. 6 weeks ( and counting) on the wharf and I presume 6 weeks on the water plus dealer delivery time. I may be the first on here with a MY20 registered car.

Does this sound right to you all?
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      01-08-2019, 07:14 AM   #2
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My guess is perhaps they have to have enough cars to fill the ship before it sails rather than run to a schedule and potentially not be full and hence not or less profitable??

I'm in the U.K. and mine was on the dock for a matter of days but then there is probably a huge number of cars going from Germany to the U.K. every week , guessing a larger market than Australia?

Afraid not much you can do other than ring your dealer who may be able to ask bmw themselves, frustrating I know.
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      01-08-2019, 08:40 AM   #3
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Definitely longer than my experience I ordered some time in Nov car got on the boat in the last 2 week of December, though I'm east coast NA, so it follow the typical Europe/UK/Canada/US east coast route
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      01-08-2019, 09:15 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AP View Post
My guess is perhaps they have to have enough cars to fill the ship before it sails rather than run to a schedule and potentially not be full and hence not or less profitable??

I'm in the U.K. and mine was on the dock for a matter of days but then there is probably a huge number of cars going from Germany to the U.K. every week , guessing a larger market than Australia?

Afraid not much you can do other than ring your dealer who may be able to ask bmw themselves, frustrating I know.
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My guess is perhaps they have to have enough cars to fill the ship before it sails rather than run to a schedule and potentially not be full and hence not or less profitable??

I'm in the U.K. and mine was on the dock for a matter of days but then there is probably a huge number of cars going from Germany to the U.K. every week , guessing a larger market than Australia?

Afraid not much you can do other than ring your dealer who may be able to ask bmw themselves, frustrating I know.

You are probably correct. Car sales for all brands in Australia have dived in the last few months. So I guess they want as full a boat as possible before they set it sail.

This being the case I will end up with a MY 21 registered car
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      01-08-2019, 10:51 AM   #5
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It doesn't help but can assure you it will be worth the wait. Fabulous car.
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      01-08-2019, 11:11 AM   #6
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It doesn't help but can assure you it will be worth the wait. Fabulous car.
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It doesn't help but can assure you it will be worth the wait. Fabulous car.
Actually it does help hearing all of the positive talk about the car.

I'll just ring the dealer weakly for a update and see how it goes.
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      01-08-2019, 12:17 PM   #7
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Have you checked the shipping lines to see when and how often auto carriers are going to Australia from Germany (Bremenhaven)? From my experience, the further you are from Germany, the fewer boats there are (Fewer to USA west coast vs. East coast). Also, the WW boat that dropped my car in Cali had a final destination in Japan, but wasnt going to OZ. Could be there just aren't that many boats to OZ, hence the long wait?
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      01-08-2019, 01:41 PM   #8
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Have you checked the shipping lines to see when and how often auto carriers are going to Australia from Germany (Bremenhaven)? From my experience, the further you are from Germany, the fewer boats there are (Fewer to USA west coast vs. East coast). Also, the WW boat that dropped my car in Cali had a final destination in Japan, but wasnt going to OZ. Could be there just aren't that many boats to OZ, hence the long wait?
Good idea. I should just call WW or others.

I'll keep on the stealer and see if he knows more.

The post was more along the lines of understanding if it this a normal wait on the wharf or if the dealer was simply telling me this as they were too busy to actually look.

All good. I'll keep waiting
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      01-09-2019, 01:44 PM   #9
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Ouch. I ordered late August and pick up this Friday - but I'm doing PCD on east coast NA so much more regular shipping traffic. My ~5 month wait was tough...I'd be spinning in circles if I knew my car was still waiting on a ride!
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      01-09-2019, 02:02 PM   #10
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Ouch. I ordered late August and pick up this Friday - but I'm doing PCD on east coast NA so much more regular shipping traffic. My ~5 month wait was tough...I'd be spinning in circles if I knew my car was still waiting on a ride!
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Ouch. I ordered late August and pick up this Friday - but I'm doing PCD on east coast NA so much more regular shipping traffic. My ~5 month wait was tough...I'd be spinning in circles if I knew my car was still waiting on a ride!
Exactly.

Sitting here reading all of the cool posts and dying waiting for my car. Already bought BimmerCode and OBDII adapter all ready to code. Bought car wash stuff and trinkets ready for the car. And this is my third BMW so not new to the brand.

Just need to keep waiting.
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      01-22-2019, 08:10 PM   #11
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Just an update - its now the 23rd January and called the dealer again. The car is STILL sitting in Bremerhaven waiting for transport. 8 weeks and counting.

Dealer tells me " The delay is caused by German Holidays " What sort of fool does he think I am? I guess he is just embarrassed by the delays.

I sent a email to BMW Aust this morning asking them WTF is going on with my car. Looking forward to their "diplomatic" reply that will tell me zip...… I can see their reply now, please ask your dealer...…."
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      01-22-2019, 08:25 PM   #12
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Quote:
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Just an update - its now the 23rd January and called the dealer again. The car is STILL sitting in Bremerhaven waiting for transport. 8 weeks and counting.

Dealer tells me " The delay is caused by German Holidays " What sort of fool does he think I am? I guess he is just embarrassed by the delays.

I sent a email to BMW Aust this morning asking them WTF is going on with my car. Looking forward to their "diplomatic" reply that will tell me zip...… I can see their reply now, please ask your dealer...…."
Tell your dealer you're tired of waiting and that you are going to find a car elsewhere. I guarantee that you'll get an answer within the same day.

This same thing happened to my father-in-law and brother-in-law at the same time with two Porsches that were ordered together.
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      01-23-2019, 12:55 AM   #13
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I can understand your frustration, however as folks have indicated it is probably waiting for a ship. I am guessing it might be sharing a ride with cars from other manufacturers due to the smaller size of the Australian market.

I guess we are lucky in NA, my 530e custom order was placed on Nov 17 and got it in my hands on the US West coast today.
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      01-30-2019, 07:55 PM   #14
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9 weeks and counting. Stealer was zero help when I called him yesterday. All internet searching suggests boats from Bremerhaven to Melbourne Australia sail every 14 to 21 days as it takes BMW's as well as other European manufactured cars from Germany and surrounds to Australia.

The wait is killing me so I rang BMW Australia today and asked if this was a normal "wait" on the wharf. The bloke I spoke with at BMW Aust was very surprised and confirmed the build date and that it was still there waiting in Bremerhaven and "would get back to me shortly" with some answers. He thought it was strange also.

BMW Aust only get paid when they deliver the car to the dealer then on to me so you would think they would have an interest in getting the car to me quickly as well.

I guess I would be calmer about it all if the dealer said it would be a March 2019 delivery when I originally ordered the car however the "Estimated Delivery Date" given on the contract of sale was December 20th 2018.

I suggested to the Stealer that I was on holidays in the USA from Dec 22 2018 to Jan 21 2019 so to hold delivery till I got back as I didn't see the point of paying for a month of Registration & Insurance and throwing away a month of warranty while it sat at the airport while I was away (plus it gets complianced as 2019 rather than 2018 so there is that also. Just wondering if that may have introduced a "glitch" in the delivery....??

So here it is - Feb 2019 and it is still 8 weeks away if it gets a boat today.

Last edited by Symo; 01-30-2019 at 08:08 PM..
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      01-31-2019, 06:48 AM   #15
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Quote:
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I suggested to the Stealer that I was on holidays in the USA from Dec 22 2018 to Jan 21 2019 so to hold delivery till I got back as I didn't see the point of paying for a month of Registration & Insurance and throwing away a month of warranty while it sat at the airport while I was away (plus it gets complianced as 2019 rather than 2018 so there is that also. Just wondering if that may have introduced a "glitch" in the delivery....??
I think that could very well be the reason, but I don't think anyone can say for sure...
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      01-31-2019, 07:47 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Symo View Post
9 weeks and counting. Stealer was zero help when I called him yesterday. All internet searching suggests boats from Bremerhaven to Melbourne Australia sail every 14 to 21 days as it takes BMW's as well as other European manufactured cars from Germany and surrounds to Australia.

The wait is killing me so I rang BMW Australia today and asked if this was a normal "wait" on the wharf. The bloke I spoke with at BMW Aust was very surprised and confirmed the build date and that it was still there waiting in Bremerhaven and "would get back to me shortly" with some answers. He thought it was strange also.

BMW Aust only get paid when they deliver the car to the dealer then on to me so you would think they would have an interest in getting the car to me quickly as well.

I guess I would be calmer about it all if the dealer said it would be a March 2019 delivery when I originally ordered the car however the "Estimated Delivery Date" given on the contract of sale was December 20th 2018.

I suggested to the Stealer that I was on holidays in the USA from Dec 22 2018 to Jan 21 2019 so to hold delivery till I got back as I didn't see the point of paying for a month of Registration & Insurance and throwing away a month of warranty while it sat at the airport while I was away (plus it gets complianced as 2019 rather than 2018 so there is that also. Just wondering if that may have introduced a "glitch" in the delivery....??

So here it is - Feb 2019 and it is still 8 weeks away if it gets a boat today.
On the bright side, you'll be even happier with your BMW once it arrives.
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      02-19-2019, 04:45 PM   #17
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I found out that the car is now on the Hoegh Trader. Currently just off the east coast of Florida. It has a drop in Texas then through the Panama Canal to Auckland New Zealand then to Melbourne.

Current ETA into Melbourne is 27th March. It will take a week or so to get if from the boat, through customs and to the dealer for the $1,000 car wash. So if the stars align I should have the car first week in April.

Ordered on 8th September 2018 and receive (say) Friday April 5th if all goes to plan. So, at this stage its 209 days from me placing a order to me getting my grubby mits on the car. (almost 7 months). But at least the end is in sight now.
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      02-20-2019, 12:11 PM   #18
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Yikes. I thought my 4 month wait was bad. At least you're seeing movement and can track it now!
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      02-21-2019, 08:11 PM   #19
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That's a pretty long wait, even for we dwellers of arse (ass) end of the world. Look on the bright side: you get to live that new car pick-up anticipation feeling longer. Besides, while you're waiting, you can shop around for insurance, read the manual AND use an on-line vessel tracker 10 times a day to see where your car is. It's mesmerising watching that little arrow getting closer and closer!
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      02-21-2019, 09:46 PM   #20
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Yeah. I'm tracking the Hoegh Trader twice a day. It's been off the radar for 2 days as it still shown the boat off the south coast of Florida near key Largo. On its way to Freeport Texas.

I'm looking forward to watching the ship go down the Panama Canal on web cam. Then Auckland before it heads to Melbourne
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