[chuckypowers]

BMW really need to sort out their manufacturing !!

placed an order for new BMW X3 alpine white msport 2.0d on 8th March..

Expected delivery date of 15/12/11 9 months!!! what the Hell..

not happy !!

[Pugger]

I ordered around the same time, I have a delivery date of 30/6/2011. I was lucky, very lucky.

[chuckypowers]

lucky lucky indeed..

I've not had any explanation from the dealer.. apart from he thought production was effected by the Tsunami in Japann.. I did point out that they manufacture in Carolina in the USA and not Fukishima !!

9 months -- what am i supposed to do catch the bus everywhere.. great ... really looking forward to that !

[Pugger]

Originally Posted by chuckypowers

lucky lucky indeed..

I've not had any explanation from the dealer.. apart from he thought production was effected by the Tsunami in Japann.. I did point out that they manufacture in Carolina in the USA and not Fukishima !!

9 months -- what am i supposed to do catch the bus everywhere.. great ... really looking forward to that !

I don't think its got anything to do with the appalling disaster in Japan and everyhting to do with a full order book. If it wasn't for a cancelled order, my delivery date would have been late October.

[acey81]

It's got nothing to do with the tsunami (yet...) but with high demand. The demand has exceeded everyones expectations and the rumor has it that BMW are now allocating resources from the X5/X6 production line to increase production of the X3.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by chuckypowers

lucky lucky indeed..

I've not had any explanation from the dealer.. apart from he thought production was effected by the Tsunami in Japann.. I did point out that they manufacture in Carolina in the USA and not Fukishima !!

9 months -- what am i supposed to do catch the bus everywhere.. great ... really looking forward to that !

Can't see how tsunami can have had any effect as the UK lead time was already about 9 months before it struck.

The wait is because that is the first available allocation because of the massive demand. Unfortunately there is nothing anyone can do about it.

The bad news for you could be that almost every forum member that ordered in the UK was given an optimistic delivery date when they ordered, in my case 2 months optimistic. Hopefully they have become more "accurate" with experience. They might even deliver early or start becoming knowledgeable about the cars they sell.....

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by chuckypowers

lucky lucky indeed..

I've not had any explanation from the dealer.. apart from he thought production was effected by the Tsunami in Japann.. I did point out that they manufacture in Carolina in the USA and not Fukishima !!

9 months -- what am i supposed to do catch the bus everywhere.. great ... really looking forward to that !

Pretty lame blaming disaster in Japan (no doubt this will become the norm for all things late and excuse crap service)

[Beesting]

Once you have an order number, can your Production be delayed? I was supposed to start production on 3/11, but I'm still "On Order". My SA hasn't given me any updates...

[wagsoja]

The difference between ordering in the US and anywhere else is astounding. I ordered my X3 on 3/4 and I am taking delivery this Saturday 3/26. 22 days! Its like BMW is trying to only sell to the US! The fact that my vehicle (and others I have seen on this forum sold in the US) went into production one week after order compared to foreign orders is amazing by itself apparently.

[tank531]

Does anyone know if the principle delay for EU customers is the supply of diesel engines? With Forum US customers waiting 3-5 weeks it appears the plant does have capacity?

[sfax]

Originally Posted by tank531

Does anyone know if the principle delay for EU customers is the supply of diesel engines? With Forum US customers waiting 3-5 weeks it appears the plant does have capacity?

I suggested this before but no-one knew. It has been suggested that because the biggest single market is the US, US orders are prioritised. BMW will lose potential customers that are put off by the long wait but I'm sure they will do what maximises their profits and they can't see a problem at the moment (otherwise they would reallocate US orders)

[cooldude00]

can't believe it's only been 2 mths since i ordered... another 7 to wait.... this is madness... i'm contemplating the F10 now...

[tank531]

On the basis that US customers have priorty can one of the EU members with US contacts place an order over the pond, for a Euro spec car, import privately, beat the 7 month wait and gloat on this forum???

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by tank531

On the basis that US customers have priorty can one of the EU members with US contacts place an order over the pond, for a Euro spec car, import privately, beat the 7 month wait and gloat on this forum???

Very doubtful

[tank531]

those members in UK who are waiting in vain for a short delivery time take a look on bmw.co.uk at the used X3's, currentm model. Lots of dealers have identical spec demos for sale 'soon', at list prices for a used vehicle, probably not released until some time later in the year when they can get a replacement demo car. Maybe a shorter route to getting behind the wheel?

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by tank531

those members in UK who are waiting in vain for a short delivery time take a look on bmw.co.uk at the used X3's, currentm model. Lots of dealers have identical spec demos for sale 'soon', at list prices for a used vehicle, probably not released until some time later in the year when they can get a replacement demo car. Maybe a shorter route to getting behind the wheel?

I was thinking the same, worth considering

[sfax]

It must be about that time when the first demonstrators are sold. The problem is the spec on some of them is poor. I never understood why the demonstrators didn't have more options. Isn't the point to demonstrate what the options are as well as the car itself? Wouldn't that make more money for the dealers?

All of that said, if I was ordering now there is no way I would wait 9 months so I would have to compromise if an ex-demo became available

[DJ Daddy-O]

In the UK VAT becomes a cost to the dealer if they run a car as a demo for more than 6 months so all those dealers who got their cars in November will be off loading them in April.

I have bought a demo in the past (mini). I got a good deal on that and it suited me at the time. Not sure I would go for a demo when it's a £30k to £40k car though.

[Nahoa]

Not to suggest lead times aren't long, but the first production was for Europe. There were something like 6000 units produced for Europe before any were in the US. Saw them in Switzerand in Nov 2010 long before even dealers had demos here in the US.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by Nahoa

Not to suggest lead times aren't long, but the first production was for Europe. There were something like 6000 units produced for Europe before any were in the US. Saw them in Switzerand in Nov 2010 long before even dealers had demos here in the US.

This is true. AlpineTourist had his in November http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=465045. Some European countries got in quick. I would imagine the lead times are Germany are significantly smaller too

The earliest customer delivery I know about in the UK was December but he ordered back in July http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=465065

I was lucky in that I ordered a few weeks before the official release and got to test drive an auto and a manual at a special BMW event in Westfield before most dealers even had one. I waited less than 4 months for mine which seemed a long time but is nothing compared to crazy wait times now.

The fact that people are willing to wait so long says a lot for the X3 compared to its rivals but I can understand the frustration