Build Time Consensus

[tim-atl]

What's the consensus on how long it takes to build an X5?

Seems like 5 or 7 days, hard to follow based on the screwy status's from bmw.com and the toll free number.

Thx

Tim

[KYZRSOSE]

I think I heard 30 hours.

[FunfDreisig]

The following is quoted for the BMW SC factory website (not BMWUSA).

"Production time
36 hours per vehicle
- Body Shop 4 hours
- Paint Shop 13 hours
- Assembly 19 hours"

BUT this assumes that your X5 goes directly from one step to the other. IOW the MINIMUM time for the SC factory to build an X5 is 36 hours. But many X5s pause between the Paint Shop and Assembly phase on what they call the "stacker". Mine waited on the stacker for several days.

"From here the finished, painted, and sealed body is conveyed overhead to the stacker to wait its turn for Assembly."

Once the Assembly is complete it only takes hours to get it over to the BMW Prep Center and ready for shipment inside the continental US.

Funf Dreisig

[tim-atl]

I noticed that as well but assumed that was booming economy build time.

[FunfDreisig]

Originally Posted by tim-atl

I noticed that as well but assumed that was booming economy build time.

Assembly processes don't usually speed up (or slow down) based on the economy. When times are tough factories run fewer shifts (or fewer factories) the reduce the hours they pay for labor.

FWIW if you have read the dozens of threads on several X5 forums, the consensus is that BMW is essentially 'accumulating' already built 2010 X5s at the BMW Prep Center(s) until they get EPA approval to release them. The various tracking systems (BMWUSA website and automated 1-800 number) simply don't have a category to describe this event. The astonishing thing is that BMW NA appears to be unable to communicate what is going on with its own dealers and sales people. A simple email to the dealers would do.

Funf Dreisig

[X5dieselfan]

I heartily agree. They seem reluctant to acknowledge what all of us with pending orders can plainly see. This is an unanticipated delay, that keeps getting extended, and they should be mindful that paying customers, with orders on the books, expect a little transparency when it comes to their order.

I don't mean to sound more than a little grumpy, but I keep pricing flights to SC (starting since early October - now looking for early November) while I wait for them to set up a date to take delivery of a car that I ordered in August. Seems they should have had a better handle on the EPA certification issue before they put out the price list and took orders -or they should have been more up front in the beginning about loose ends that could postpone things.

I'm still looking forward to my new car, but this has been a rocky start. Still enjoying the old x3 (2003)... hoping it doesn't depreciate too much while I wait to trade it in ;-)