[jijioben]

Coming from the world of electronic gadgets, I feel the strong difference between just-in-time manufacturing in the gadget world and the world of automobile manufacturing. I am all for the customizable experience, but it appears to me that BMW is not fully ready for it just yet. As a global brand with an Internet presence, it would make sense to offer a comparable purchasing experience everywhere, regardless of the plant's location. European delivery is in fact available to all customers worldwide. Yet, the customization of an X3 is very different depending on the country of order, and the Spartanburg delivery experience appears to be available only in the US.

This is consistent with a company revving up their flexibility. I hope that in a year everything will be made available to all, but in the meantime - I ordered an X3 nearly three weeks ago and have not been told the production date, delivery date or anything else on it: not even if the order has been accepted. The dealer has not even been trained on the new X3 yet, and they have no test drive unit on the lot. They do not even know if and when they will get it. Another example: I have asked about the specifics of the 4NE blow-by heater option but that information is apparently not available to the public yet.

The X3 will sell very well: it is a great car with exciting performance promises and (to me) excellent looks. I've bought one sight unseen, which is still incredible for me. But the customization experience needs to be upped to the flexibility and communication one gets when ordering from, say, Apple or Dell.