Anyone else waiting on a car at the Preparation Center?

[gemurdock]

My car landed in Baltimore on April 7th and has been at the "Preparation Center" since then. The dealer has been excellent in following up (Valley BMW in Roanoke) and putting up with my daily calls. The Preparation Center reports that they are waiting on a "front license plate bracket", but I am starting to smell BS.

I believe there is at least one other member of the forum who is in the same predicament.

I called BMW corporate in Woodcliff Lake, but they switched me over to Customer Service, who claims they cannot track it after it leaves the port, and it is the dealer's responsibility from there.

It may very well be ICE (immigration and Customs Enforcement) SOB who got his nose bent out of shape (or wasn't bribed enough), but I am concerned that it could also be damage in transit.

The BMW corporate response has me considering going down the street to the Porsche dealer, but this is the 3rd car I have bought from this dealership, and the service has been excellent, so I am trying to be patient.

Any ideas or resources you can recommend to pursue?

[westend117]

My car has been at the Baltimore VDC since 4/8. Still not on a truck. Something is going on there...

[mclarenmaniac]

Originally Posted by gemurdock

My car landed in Baltimore on April 7th and has been at the "Preparation Center" since then. The dealer has been excellent in following up (Valley BMW in Roanoke) and putting up with my daily calls. The Preparation Center reports that they are waiting on a "front license plate bracket", but I am starting to smell BS.

I believe there is at least one other member of the forum who is in the same predicament.

I called BMW corporate in Woodcliff Lake, but they switched me over to Customer Service, who claims they cannot track it after it leaves the port, and it is the dealer's responsibility from there.

It may very well be ICE (immigration and Customs Enforcement) SOB who got his nose bent out of shape (or wasn't bribed enough), but I am concerned that it could also be damage in transit.

The BMW corporate response has me considering going down the street to the Porsche dealer, but this is the 3rd car I have bought from this dealership, and the service has been excellent, so I am trying to be patient.

Any ideas or resources you can recommend to pursue?

thanks for initiating this thread!
i have been bugging my dealer every day including a phone call an hour back!
she landed on 7th at baltimore too and i keep hearing the same BS story regarding the front license plate brackets.
not sure if she is involved in some fender bender but who knows. Dealer keeps insisting its not the case as they showed me the detailed tracking print outs which dont reflect any types of notes or holds!
so keeping my fingers crossed!
last my SA spoke with the NJ guy he was told that it might take a week more from today...

[evilspiritM3]

I am in the same situation. It has been siting there for what seems like a really long time. I am set up for a May 4th pick-up at the PDC so I would imagine it needs to be on its way to SC from Baltimore soon.

[JOHNVIP]

You are not alone. This is bull shit. My m3 coupe has been at the preperation center in south carolina since april 10th. I was told today the delay is due to no front bumper license plate holder. The s/a says its a federal law and cant be shipped to ny/nj without it.

[John Tanglewood]

My M3 landed on the 14th and the dealer had expected it to come around this Friday.

Unfortunately he told me it will be next week due to strict EPA testing because the cars are new models. BS or no BS?

[BobsM3Coupe]

Originally Posted by JOHNVIP

You are not alone. This is bull shit. My m3 coupe has been at the preperation center in south carolina since april 10th. I was told today the delay is due to no front bumper license plate holder. The s/a says its a federal law and cant be shipped to ny/nj without it.

Who is this s/a? It may be a state law depending on the state if they require a front license plate. Certainly not a Federal law. Also the front license plate bracket and the rear bracket and mounting hardware is put in the trunk of the vehicle at the factory near the end of the production line.

[anthonygilbo]

I know its easy for me say considering I already have mine, but tracking your car is a great thing to be able to do but it is also one of the worst things you can do to yourself. I tracked my car all the way to Australia and then saw that it was taken of the boat at the wrong port. Made all the worrying phone calls and emails, was told that the boat had been delayed because of bad weather coming down the african coast and had to cut out my city and that it would be put on the next boat that was 9 days away!! As you can imagine this was hell. Then looking on the shipping website I found that it wasn't booked on the next boat like some of the others in the same situation and I was left tracking the boat leaving port with the website still saying that it was left there. Then two days later (by this time I was going crazy) I got a phone call from the dealer telling me that my car had arrived. the dealer, know how impatient I was had organise for the car to be put on a truck for the rest of is journey!! My advice is, stop tracking your cars as hard as that might be, keep yourself as busy as possible to keep your mind off it and you will be picking your car up in know time...

[gemurdock]

Anthony, while I appreciate that you are trying to be helpful, please bear in mind that the cars have now been at the preparation center longer than it took to ship them across the Atlantic. Further, I was given an estimated delivery date of last Monday, and as it was extended, I was told that they make Saturday deliveries, so I got a check for almost $70k, that has been sitting on my dining room table collecting dust, but also collecting interest for the bank. But the most galling part of it is the responce of BMW, that once the car leaves port in Germany, it is no longer tracked by BMW, because it is no longer their problem. BS, as the car has to be brought through Customs and prepped in the U.S. by BMW, the dealer is not standing at the port negotiating with the Feds.

If BMW doesn't care what I think of them, they obviously they won't care when this is the last BMW I buy, assuming they get it to me before I find another make that does have a little more regard for their customers. If this were my first BMW, I would already be in another dealership. Lexus built a very nice and reputable business almost exclusively on this concept, and arrogance will not build long term relationships. And an expense of this order is premised on a long term relationship. For example, would you like to buy an Alfa Romeo? How about an Oldsmobile?

[va135i]

I'm in the same exact situation as you. My m3 sedan landed in Baltimore on April 7th and it's also held up for a "front license plate bracket" due to arrive today or tomorrow. I was at the dealer when the general manager made the call to someone he knew to find out what held the car back. And the person told him it's because of a "front license plate bracket". I know, <cursing goes here...>. The general manager couldn't believe it either.

I'm expecting delivery by end of next week, at the latest. I was so frustrated I started looking at a C63. But I thought better of it, now I just wait, breath, and hope i don't go nuts....

Originally Posted by gemurdock

My car landed in Baltimore on April 7th and has been at the "Preparation Center" since then. The dealer has been excellent in following up (Valley BMW in Roanoke) and putting up with my daily calls. The Preparation Center reports that they are waiting on a "front license plate bracket", but I am starting to smell BS.

I believe there is at least one other member of the forum who is in the same predicament.

I called BMW corporate in Woodcliff Lake, but they switched me over to Customer Service, who claims they cannot track it after it leaves the port, and it is the dealer's responsibility from there.

It may very well be ICE (immigration and Customs Enforcement) SOB who got his nose bent out of shape (or wasn't bribed enough), but I am concerned that it could also be damage in transit.

The BMW corporate response has me considering going down the street to the Porsche dealer, but this is the 3rd car I have bought from this dealership, and the service has been excellent, so I am trying to be patient.

Any ideas or resources you can recommend to pursue?

[westend117]

Let's just hope those brackets are stateside because if they're waiting on air freight from Germany, this could get even uglier given the ash situation.

[westend117]

SA checked out the 'license plate' explanation and it was incorrect (at least for my VIN). Car is getting loaded today.

[anthonygilbo]

Originally Posted by gemurdock

Anthony, while I appreciate that you are trying to be helpful, please bear in mind that the cars have now been at the preparation center longer than it took to ship them across the Atlantic. Further, I was given an estimated delivery date of last Monday, and as it was extended, I was told that they make Saturday deliveries, so I got a check for almost $70k, that has been sitting on my dining room table collecting dust, but also collecting interest for the bank. But the most galling part of it is the responce of BMW, that once the car leaves port in Germany, it is no longer tracked by BMW, because it is no longer their problem. BS, as the car has to be brought through Customs and prepped in the U.S. by BMW, the dealer is not standing at the port negotiating with the Feds.

If BMW doesn't care what I think of them, they obviously they won't care when this is the last BMW I buy, assuming they get it to me before I find another make that does have a little more regard for their customers. If this were my first BMW, I would already be in another dealership. Lexus built a very nice and reputable business almost exclusively on this concept, and arrogance will not build long term relationships. And an expense of this order is premised on a long term relationship. For example, would you like to buy an Alfa Romeo? How about an Oldsmobile?

Yes I was trying to be helpful, just remember that that the delivery dates they give you are called estimated delivery dates just for that reason. IT IS AN ESTIMATE. Lets just say for example that what they are telling you is the truth, there is no other reason that the car could be held up. If you have a good think about it, it does make sense. If they have run out of brackets then they probably would have to come from somewhere over there and would probably have to be sent by air freight and it just so happens that there have been no flights in or out of Europe for the last week. Considering the skies are now open again I would almost bet my car o the fact that what ever they need is now on its way and you'll have your car in no time. Just like the issues that I had when my car was on its way, this will all be forgotten when you drive your M out of the dealer and give it its first little squirt up the road!!! Good luck

[Alex1911]

But the most galling part of it is the responce of BMW, that once the car leaves port in Germany, it is no longer tracked by BMW

I found that galling as well... Though mine is sitting in the exit port waiting for a ship, I was trying to get BMW (the 800#, my local SA, and the Performance Center Delivery) to give me a date if I wanted to pick it up at the dealer vs. the PCD... Nobody knows when my car would be in CONUS.

Now, I have no problem waiting... But, it's pretty poor operations mgmt if you have no idea when a car is going to get delivered.

Though I do have a date for the PCD, they said it could arrive sooner, they have no idea when it'll get here and they can bump up my date. I (and my SA) are really unimpressed with whomever is doing the scheduling for the PCD, we've gotten no e-mails, even though they said they have sent them. The lady on the phone was fairly impolite as well.

Sorry to get off on a rant and I'm sorry your car is stuck over a stupid bracket.

[gemurdock]

Originally Posted by westend117

Let's just hope those brackets are stateside because if they're waiting on air freight from Germany, this could get even uglier given the ash situation.

The dealer called me yesterday after going to the BMW Area Manager, and told me the AM verified that they were indeed waiting on front license plate brackets. Apparently they would have overnighted them in, but the volcano that shut down all European flights, precluded that. Now that they are flying again, thay should be there today. I was told they still have to be painted, they should be ready to go starting Monday, and the AM assured the dealer that my car and several others would be moved to the front of the line, so if you press your dealer, they may move you up as well, if you aren't already.

[westend117]

Originally Posted by gemurdock

The dealer called me yesterday after going to the BMW Area Manager, and told me the AM verified that they were indeed waiting on front license plate brackets. Apparently they would have overnighted them in, but the volcano that shut down all European flights, precluded that. Now that they are flying again, thay should be there today. I was told they still have to be painted, they should be ready to go starting Monday, and the AM assured the dealer that my car and several others would be moved to the front of the line, so if you press your dealer, they may move you up as well, if you aren't already.

Thanks for the intel. I've been told my car was loaded Wednesday and en route now, so perhaps I'll never know if the plate thing was the issue for my vehicle or something else entirely!

[mclarenmaniac]

Originally Posted by gemurdock

My car landed in Baltimore on April 7th and has been at the "Preparation Center" since then. The dealer has been excellent in following up (Valley BMW in Roanoke) and putting up with my daily calls. The Preparation Center reports that they are waiting on a "front license plate bracket", but I am starting to smell BS.

I believe there is at least one other member of the forum who is in the same predicament.

I called BMW corporate in Woodcliff Lake, but they switched me over to Customer Service, who claims they cannot track it after it leaves the port, and it is the dealer's responsibility from there.

It may very well be ICE (immigration and Customs Enforcement) SOB who got his nose bent out of shape (or wasn't bribed enough), but I am concerned that it could also be damage in transit.

The BMW corporate response has me considering going down the street to the Porsche dealer, but this is the 3rd car I have bought from this dealership, and the service has been excellent, so I am trying to be patient.

Any ideas or resources you can recommend to pursue?

Just got a call from my SA that my baby has been released to the carrier today so should be at the dealer by tomorrow. Not sure how many hours or days dealer takes to activate the navigation and process other required formalities before delivering her to me...

[westend117]

Apparently there is a lot of confusion and incorrect/partially correct information out there on what has happened at the VPC.

My SA indicates that CAFE standard certification was not complete on the 2011s, so that why these cars have NOT been released yet. Some, like mine, were incorrectly labled as in transit last week, but that was obviously wrong. They may be released today if the EPA paperwork is complete, but apparently this risk is present with any model year change--the time span is just maddening. These cars will have been in the US around three weeks before we see them.

[gemurdock]

Originally Posted by westend117

Apparently there is a lot of confusion and incorrect/partially correct information out there on what has happened at the VPC.

My SA indicates that CAFE standard certification was not complete on the 2011s, so that why these cars have NOT been released yet. Some, like mine, were incorrectly labled as in transit last week, but that was obviously wrong. They may be released today if the EPA paperwork is complete, but apparently this risk is present with any model year change--the time span is just maddening. These cars will have been in the US around three weeks before we see them.

I have read that this happened in the past, but how do you explain this car: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=375310. I am still more than a little miffed.

[evilspiritM3]

I have seen a number of 2011 M3s be delivered on the east coast on the board. One E90 appeared to come into port at the same time as mine, and got to the dealer a couple of days later. The 2011 emmisions and license plate bracket reasoning does not seem to hold across the board as an excuse for cars to be held up for so long.

[gemurdock]

I just spoke with the Dealer and my car was released to the transporter on Saturday. I expect to take delivery tomorrow. I will let you know how nice the front license plate bracket looks like when I get it.

[John Tanglewood]

I'm pissed. The dealer said mine is waiting on a bracket and he is clueless of the ETA. My car landed on shore on the 14th, it's been basically 2 weeks and I have heard nothing.

This sucks.