Following a new BMW through shipping and delivery - a how to:

[E46M3]

Following a new BMW through shipping, and delivery - a how to:

I ordered a new Silver 2009, (E92) BMW, Twin Turbo 335i X-drive, M Sport Coupe, in late April.
The car was scheduled to be delivered, and awaiting my pick up at the dealer by June 15th, 2009.
I figured out, I wouldn't be driving my 335i home from the dealer on that date.
The car had been sitting at the "port of exit" in Germany, awaiting shipping for close to 2 weeks.
I decided, after I discovered the delay, to find out where my car was, and when I would eventually get it.
Here's what I've learned about how to do that.

How to track your new BMW through the production and shipping cycles in the modern age of information:
(NOTE: This only works for BMW and Mini Vehicles, This write-up is primarily focused on East Coast delivery options.)

(Below)
Here's the car I ordered:






(Below)
As outfitted on the "Build Your Own" section of the BMW website, and as stipulated with the features
to my dealer for my order:




Tracking my BMW 335i:
1. First: you'll need the vehicle "VIN" number from your dealer, or a vehicle production number.
As soon as the dealer officially orders the car through the BMW allocation system, they'll get the VIN number, and then you
can get the VIN number from the dealer -just ask them.

Here's my Vin: WBAWC73569E06XXXX

1.2 - What my Vin number means:

WBA WC73 5 6 9 E06XXXX
WBA= BMW AG
WC73= Model code of my 335i
5=Safety restraint identifier, indication of seat belts, duel advanced airbags, rear/side airbags, curtain airbags, ect.
6= check digit determined by vin
9= model year, "9" code indicates a 2009 manufacture date (see the code in the chart below)
E= Plant code, "Regensburg" Germany (A=Munich)
06XXXX= Sequential production number of my car.

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1.3 - BMW Vin Example:



2. You can then get "rough" update on your cars progress from BMW NA. The production status is listed in the secure member's area of the BMW website. You'll need the VIN number to sign up for the members area. This information can be 48 hours (or more) behind the actual status of the car.

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This is the status of my 335i as shown in the BMW NA Member's Area Website : "Awaiting Transport..."




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And, another view of the status: "Awaiting Transport.. in the timeline view..."



Tracking the car status via phone, BMW North America:
(This information can, as well, be more than 48 hours behind the actual status)
• Call: (1-800) 831-1117
• Say "Vehicle Production Status" when prompted... or at any time after the recording starts
• then,you will be asked for your production number, or last seven digits of your vin number...
• then say - the last seven digits of your VIN. In my case: E06XXXX, (Read as, for example: E, Zero,6,ex,ex,ex,ex.)
Carefully annunciate the Es, Ts and Bs - the system is voice recognition based, and sometimes gets confused with Es
and Ts and Bs.
• then say "yes" when the voice reads it back - if correct... if not correct say "no," and repeat... (you can get it wrong 3 times,
and then the system kicks you to a live human, if you're calling during business hours... if not, BMW will give you their
operating hours for the office. Hang up, and try again if they're closed.)
• then say "partial VIN number," if not a production number... when asked...
• then, the system will give you the status of you vehicle production within the last 24 hours.

These are the BMW Status Code Description:
0 Order deleted by NA
17 Order not Specified
37 Order is at BMW NA
87 Production Week Assigned
97 Order sent to AG
100 Order deleted by AG
101 Error in data transmitted
102 Special Order (no Prod Week)
105 Order out of Prod. Period
111 Order Accepted at AG
112 Order scheduled for Production
150 Production Started
151 Body Shop Started
152 Paint Shop Started
153 Assembly Started
155 Production Completed
160 Released to Distribution
168 AG Stock
170 Waiting Workshop
172 Planned for Workshop
174 Workshop Entry
176 Workshop Complete
180 Waiting for Export Dispatch
181 Waiting for Domestic Dispatch
182 AG Load No. -- Released to Carrier
190 Dispatched ex(port?) BMW AG
191 Returned to BMW AG
193 Arrived at Port of Exit (where my car was stalled)
194 Selected for Shipment
195 Shipped from Port of Exit
196 Shipment Arrival -- ATA

3. Once the vehicle is listed as "En Route," you can begin following the progress in detail by other means. Once on a ship, BMW status on their website will no longer provide a detailed update, but you can still continue to track the vehicle.

3.1 - BMW ships with several cargo lines and carriers, depending on the destination.

• Wallenius&Wilhelmsen (parent company for several ship lines listed below)
• EUKOR - a division of Wallenius Lines
• UECC - another division of Wallenius Lines
• A.P. Möller - yet another division and ship line owned or operated by Wallenius Lines
• Mark 1 Shipping - owned or operated by Wallenius Lines
• K-LINE (Usually BMW West Coast deliveries only, but sometimes ships to NY/NJ as NYK-Line) K-Line is not a W&W company
• ARC - Often operated by, or under the direction of Wallenius Lines

4. Most BMWs are shipped out of the port of Bremerhaven Germany (Known by the faithful as: "Bimmer Heaven")
Port Location:
Latitude: 53.5715° (decimal)
Longitude: 8.546° (decimal)

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Port: Bremerhaven Germany




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5. Typical BMW Shipping Ports of Call:
Here's the typical EU to NA ports of call for the weekly car transport vessels run by Wallenius & Wilhelmsen. The destination listed on your ships itinerary will likely be the next port, and not your cars final destination.

East Coast Delivery:
Bremerhaven (port of exit)
Zeebrugge
Southampton
Halifax
New York (actually New Jersey)
Baltimore
Charleston
Brunswick
Galveston



7. Figuring out which ship your car may be on:
• The easiest way is to ask your dealer. He'll have a detailed day by day track of his allocation shipments. Just call, and they'll give you the ships name.
• In advance of that, you can get a good idea of your ship's name by backing up the schedule you were given when you ordered the car, and finding the ships who's schedule aligns with the approximate final port of entry arrival date.

7.1 - The typical BMW transport schedule:
• Car to be picked up by you at the dealer on "X" date, for example: June 25th
• Subtract 1- 2 days at the dealer to detail the car, and install any remaining dealer options : June 24
• Subtract 2-3 days in transit from the port to the dealer, so: June 22, 23, in transit via truck to the dealer from the VPC (Vehicle Preparation Center.)
Your transport time will vary based on your distance from ports of arrival.
Ground shipping on the East Coast is commonly carried out by: "Bavarian Motor Transport," in Enclosed Freight Liners
• Subtract another 3 days, the car will typically spend June 19, 20, 21 at the VPC, at the port of entry
• Now look for ships who's itineraries list your port of arrival on, or close to that date, in this example, the Port of NY/NJ arriving sometime around June 18th.

Continued...