PCD Question

[RickFLM4]

For those that have taken delivery of a new BMW at the Performance Center in Greer / Spartanburg:

I am tentatively scheduled to take delivery at the end of June. Yesterday, an email arrived stating the ship may be late and therefore my delivery date may be pushed back. / It was not definitively stating a new delivery date.

Has anyone else ever received this type of notification and, if so, was the original delivery date pushed back or were you ultimately able to pick up the car on the originally scheduled date? I'm trying to be optimistic since the email is not definitive but also want to be at least semi-realistic as we are planning an add-on vacation to Asheville after taking delivery and my current lease ends 7/4/18. (Making matters more complicated is a very busy work schedule in July.) I'll be checking back with dealer next week on status but just wondering what others have experienced. Thanks.

[drexplode]

I've taken delivery many times and never received that communication. Do you know the shipping vessel name? You can track it across the ocean to get an idea of its arrival time in port of Charleston. Charleston is the unloading point for PCD due to the relatively short distance.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by drexplode

I've taken delivery many times and never received that communication. Do you know the shipping vessel name? You can track it across the ocean to get an idea of its arrival time in port of Charleston. Charleston is the unloading point for PCD due to the relatively short distance.

Yes (SIRIUS Highway), I've been tracking it but find the tracking sites only moderately useful. The tracking information seems to be significantly delayed on some of them.

It was originally scheduled to arrive first in Baltimore on June 2 (tomorrow) and the sites still say scheduled for June 2, but one (FleetMon) has a site-calculated arrival of June 5 (65 hours later). I tend to think the estimate of June 5 is more realistic if the ship is truly where it appears in the map on the site.

From Baltimore it is supposed to continue on to Charleston, originally scheduled to arrive by June 8. I don't see any information on Charleston yet in the tracking sites - presume they will update once it departs Baltimore. I have no idea how long it will be in Baltimore unloading, but presume it is a short trip to Charleston once it is on its way.

[drexplode]

http://www.kline.com/CarCarrier-Sche...g_Schedule.pdf

Check it out, looks like the vessel is planning to arrive in Charleston on June 8 and depart June 9. From the port to VPC it's about 1-3 days via rail if I remember correctly. VPC can take days to a week depending on m performance accessories or damage repair (rare) from shipping.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by drexplode

http://www.kline.com/CarCarrier-Sche...g_Schedule.pdf

Check it out, looks like the vessel is planning to arrive in Charleston on June 8 and depart June 9. From the port to VPC it's about 1-3 days via rail if I remember correctly. VPC can take days to a week depending on m performance accessories or damage repair (rare) from shipping.

If that's the case, then nothing has changed from what the BMW Genius told me by phone over a week ago. However, the print is in red, indicating it has changed, so not sure what's going on. Guess I'll just need to wait it out a bit and see what happens over the next week or two.

[Ibiza]

Are you sure your vehicle disembarks in Charleston? The VDC moved to Brunswick years ago, as Brunswick is usually the port of call for PCD vehicles. After all the vehicles are unloaded in Brunswick the ship heads north to Charleston to pick up all the exported X vehicles manufacturered in Geer, SC and heads back to Europe.

Only US manufacturered X vehicles are processed through the Geer, SC VDC.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Ibiza

Are you sure your vehicle disembarks in Charleston? The VDC moved to Brunswick years ago, as Brunswick is usually the port of call for PCD vehicles. After all the vehicles are unloaded in Brunswick the ship heads north to Charleston to pick up all the exported X vehicles manufacturered in Geer, SC and heads back to Europe.

Only US manufacturered X vehicles are processed through the Geer, SC VDC.

The vehicle sheet I have from the dealer indicates CHSPOA and the email only refers to the South Carolina VDC. The ship is in Baltimore now and is then scheduled to arrive next in Brunswick on Thursday, followed by Charleston on Friday. Unfortunately, I am not sure about anything.

[Ibiza]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

The vehicle sheet I have from the dealer indicates CHSPOA and the email only refers to the South Carolina VDC. The ship is in Baltimore now and is then scheduled to arrive next in Brunswick on Thursday, followed by Charleston on Friday. Unfortunately, I am not sure about anything.

Very interesting, as the SC VDC is located in Geer, SC (BMW Manufacturing) since there is no room at the Columbus Terminal to process vehicles. Maybe BMW is using the Inland Port Geer, meaning all vehicles are put onto trains for the 212 mile trip. Your vehicle will have a electronic CBP release, as it's Priority 9 Performance Center- it should all work out!

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Ibiza

Very interesting, as the SC VDC is located in Geer, SC (BMW Manufacturing) since there is no room at the Columbus Terminal to process vehicles. Maybe BMW is using the Inland Port Geer, meaning all vehicles are put onto trains for the 212 mile trip. Your vehicle will have a electronic CBP release, as it's Priority 9 Performance Center- it should all work out!

I am going to check back with dealer and BMW Genius a couple of time this week but suspect they won’t know much more at this stage, so it will probably be next week before I have any hint of clarity. Hopefully everything works out to pick up on originally scheduled date of 6/27.

[SMGCFP]

I'm no expert but I did PCD of an IND color in June of 2016. We built enough fat into the delivery date to accommodate delays in shipping. I didn't get my date window until the car was already built. My car sat in Spartanburg at the PC for about a week before I flew down.

Point is, the delay may only be a couple of days. Hence allowing your car to be delivered on your original date. Mine actually got there early. Once it gets to the port in Germany, it's pretty random when it gets on a boat, then once at sea, things can be weather dependent. They may have to go around a storm or stay in a port in Canada an extra day, or something like that.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by SMGCFP

I'm no expert but I did PCD of an IND color in June of 2016. We built enough fat into the delivery date to accommodate delays in shipping. I didn't get my date window until the car was already built. My car sat in Spartanburg at the PC for about a week before I flew down.

Point is, the delay may only be a couple of days. Hence allowing your car to be delivered on your original date. Mine actually got there early. Once it gets to the port in Germany, it's pretty random when it gets on a boat, then once at sea, things can be weather dependent. They may have to go around a storm or stay in a port in Canada an extra day, or something like that.

I could work around a difference of a couple of days without much of a problem. If it slips a week it gets trickier with work. The car is on a ship that is actually in Baltimore right now. It is supposed to reach Brunswick by Thursday and Charleston by Friday. So, hopefully 6/27 is still feasible. The email BMW sent indicates a range of 13 - 25 days from U.S. port arrival to ready for PCD pickup, which seems like a pretty wide range to me.

Not sure how the X4 launch is messing things up, but it was difficult to get a delivery date in June because of the launch. I found another thread in the 2-series section where a couple of people also received "potential delay" notices.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by Ibiza

Very interesting, as the SC VDC is located in Geer, SC (BMW Manufacturing) since there is no room at the Columbus Terminal to process vehicles. Maybe BMW is using the Inland Port Geer, meaning all vehicles are put onto trains for the 212 mile trip. Your vehicle will have a electronic CBP release, as it's Priority 9 Performance Center- it should all work out!

"Greer, SC", just to make this show up in a possible search.

[Never Convicted]

"I am tentatively scheduled to take delivery at the end of June."

Does that mean you don't have a solid date? Because PCD is scheduled out way in advance, and maybe they just aren't able to hold a tentative date that long.

That being said, My PCD of a 2010 E92 M3 was delayed because, as I recall, they didn't have the fuel certification for the new model year when mine arrived. So, it was held about 2-3 weeks. But they did reschedule me immediately upon resolution.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by Never Convicted

"I am tentatively scheduled to take delivery at the end of June."

Does that mean you don't have a solid date? Because PCD is scheduled out way in advance, and maybe they just aren't able to hold a tentative date that long.

That being said, My PCD of a 2010 E92 M3 was delayed because, as I recall, they didn't have the fuel certification for the new model year when mine arrived. So, it was held about 2-3 weeks. But they did reschedule me immediately upon resolution.

It is scheduled for June 27 but materials said to wait until 3 weeks before then to make travel reservations (which would be tomorrow). So I think of / refer to that as tentative. Then last week they emailed saying it may be delayed.

[Never Convicted]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

It is scheduled for June 27 but materials said to wait until 3 weeks before then to make travel reservations (which would be tomorrow). So I think of / refer to that as tentative. Then last week they emailed saying it may be delayed.

Ohhhh, ok. In that case, no, I've never received anything like that. I wonder if it's just corporate ass covering boilerplate, or if those rumors of U-Boats roaming the Atlantic are true.

In any case, you'll have a great day at PCD.

[SMGCFP]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

I could work around a difference of a couple of days without much of a problem. If it slips a week it gets trickier with work. The car is on a ship that is actually in Baltimore right now. It is supposed to reach Brunswick by Thursday and Charleston by Friday. So, hopefully 6/27 is still feasible. The email BMW sent indicates a range of 13 - 25 days from U.S. port arrival to ready for PCD pickup, which seems like a pretty wide range to me.

Rick, they'll get the car to PC on time. They have logistics too. Hotel, PCD reservations, plus they want to deliver you the car. Have you signed your lease or how ever you're buying the car? The SA doesn't get paid until that's done. I did mine 15 days before pickup.

Someone said they put a priority 9 on or whatever when it goes to PC. Don't sweat it, you can't do anything about it anyway. Hopefully it works out, but I think it will. Be optimistic, it's better.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by SMGCFP

Rick, they'll get the car to PC on time. They have logistics too. Hotel, PCD reservations, plus they want to deliver you the car. Have you signed your lease or how ever you're buying the car? The SA doesn't get paid until that's done. I did mine 15 days before pickup.

Someone said they put a priority 9 on or whatever when it goes to PC. Don't sweat it, you can't do anything about it anyway. Hopefully it works out, but I think it will. Be optimistic, it's better.

Thanks. I am still 3 weeks out so no lease paperwork yet. I also haven't returned the PCD form for hotel, etc. yet. Today is the first day I could return it (they specified no earlier than 3 weeks before delivery). The ship left Baltimore yesterday and is heading to Brunswick and is scheduled to be in Charleston by Friday. I am expecting to take delivery on 6/27 unless I hear something definitive otherwise. I suspect confirmation / clarity may take until mid-late next week.

The only real impact right now is not booking a flight but I did check in with a local dealer to confirm I can drop off my exisitng car there for lease return if we decide to drive up instead of fly. I have hotel and dinner reservations in Asheville but they are cancellable.

[SMGCFP]

Rick, send in the hotel form this week. It sounds like you're driving up from South Florida. Keep everything as planned until you hear different. If it all gets f*ed up, then turn your car in locally by the lease end date (BMW may give you a few days grace if PCD gets delayed) then because you said work was busier in July, hop on a SWA flight to Spartanburg, pick up the car and come straight home. Not as fun, but us capitalists have to adapt on occasion. Again, though, I think you'll be fine.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by SMGCFP

Rick, send in the hotel form this week. It sounds like you're driving up from South Florida. Keep everything as planned until you hear different. If it all gets f*ed up, then turn your car in locally by the lease end date (BMW may give you a few days grace if PCD gets delayed) then because you said work was busier in July, hop on a SWA flight to Spartanburg, pick up the car and come straight home. Not as fun, but us capitalists have to adapt on occasion. Again, though, I think you'll be fine.

I sent the form in this morning and got this back. The ship’s arrival (June 8) is the same as what they told me in May and hasn’t changed. Guess I’ll know one way or the other a week from today. Not much I can do before then but expect it will be on schedule.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this delay may cause and that we are working closely with our colleagues at the SC Port and the SC Vehicle Processing Center (SC VPC) to help expedite the shipment of his vehicle. As you are aware the vessel your vehicle is on is delayed and we are waiting for that vessel to arrive so we can determine how soon your vehicle will arrive to us and be ready for delivery.

Unfortunately we cannot confirm a delivery date just yet as we must wait for the vehicle to arrive at the U.S. port and be offloaded from the vessel before we can determine whether or not the vehicle will arrive to us in time for delivery on 06/27/2018. There are several processes that a vehicle must go through before it can be delivered to a customer. Once the vehicle arrives at the U.S. port it must be offload, inspected and released for shipment to the SC Vehicle Processing Center (SC VPC). We have seen this process take as little as a couple of days and up to a week. Shipment from the U.S. port to the SC VPC can take another 3-5 days. Once the vehicle arrives at the SC VPC it will have to be processed by the VPC before it can be released to trucking and this process can take 3-5 business days to complete. Then trucking has an additional 2-3 days before the vehicle is delivered to us. Our process, once the vehicle arrives at the Performance Center, normally takes another 3-5 days to complete.

Again we are sorry for any issues this delay may have caused. We will continue to monitor this vehicle and hope to be able to let you and your Client Advisor know by 06/13/2018, whether or not this vehicle will arrive to us in time for delivery on 06/27/2018.

[MN2///M]

I've done two PCD's.

One after an ED for my M4 and the other for an X5. The PC won't confirm a delivery date until the car is in their possession. My M4 got offloaded in NJ where a rock chip to the front fender was repaired and then the car was transported down to SC. When the X5 production finished, the car was driven across the street and we were then able to confirm pickup for like a 2 weeks later.

If you are tight on scheduling, best to keep a close eye on where the car is. As soon as you know it is on its way to SC, you can try, but they will probably tell you they won't confirm the date until they get/inspect the car.

If you press, you can likely get some available dates identified, but then it is up to you if you want to take the risk to book your plane ticket.

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by MN2///M

I've done two PCD's.

One after an ED for my M4 and the other for an X5. The PC won't confirm a delivery date until the car is in their possession. My M4 got offloaded in NJ where a rock chip to the front fender was repaired and then the car was transported down to SC. When the X5 production finished, the car was driven across the street and we were then able to confirm pickup for like a 2 weeks later.

If you are tight on scheduling, best to keep a close eye on where the car is. As soon as you know it is on its way to SC, you can try, but they will probably tell you they won't confirm the date until they get/inspect the car.

If you press, you can likely get some available dates identified, but then it is up to you if you want to take the risk to book your plane ticket.

When is the car considered to be in their possession? Surely more than the last 3-5 days, right?

[MN2///M]

Unfortunately, not until it is there in SC. When we did PCD after the ED, we were planning a three week trip back across the US which also included getting the car wrapped there in Spartanburg, windows tinted at my next stop, and a few other time sensitive, need to make reservations ahead of time things so I know your pain in wanting to nail down details.

The cool thing with ED was that my teleservices were already active, so I was able to track the car in the BMW app once it was here in the US, so I knew the day it showed up at their facility in SC. I feel sorry now for the lady that I pestered for nearly two months. The best I got before the car was there, was a confirmation that they had availability on a specific date.

For the X5, we ordered early December. Car finished production before Christmas and we were able to pick it up in SC the first week of January.

Reality is that they are pretty flexible with scheduling once they have your car there; only conflicts are if the track is reserved for some other purpose from what I experienced.