What Happens when You Order?

[Marauder73]

Originally Posted by alistairg

Wow - that's very specific of your dealer!

I ordered on 4/24 and got a production number for week 22 (last week of May). My car changed to "Status 112" last week.... I'm hopeful it'll get pulled forward, but who knows!

I'm intrigued tho - what's the last few digits of your prod #? Mine's xxx8266.

-Alistair

Wow, I am also week 22! My order number is: xxx5035. I'm not sure if that means it's ahead of, or behind your order? I placed my order 3 weeks ago on 04/21:

2012 xDrive35i, Space Grey/Sand Beige, Convenience, Heated Seats, 3rd Row, Navigation, Rear Shades, BMW Apps. OTD: $50,340 (Mil price, no tax here in Germany)

[alistairg]

I assume that means you're ahead of me...looks like on the Welcome to BMW Manufacturing Co., Spartanburg South Carolina | BMW US Factory site they made 9,168 X5s in April, which is 2,292 a week.

I'd guess that the order numbers are allocated over the entire range of cars tho - so there's not much we can work out other than that!

(can you tell I'm frustrated waiting already?!)

[Netsurfr]

My order was just placed by the dealer on Monday/Tuesday this week. The X5M is already in production and scheduled to be completed by May 20th so this has moved VERY quick compared to others I've read about. The salesperson & sales manager did me a favor by getting an immediate production slot from a different dealer so I can get it very quickly so I'm very happy & impressed w/ them for doing this. I've done business w/ that dealership for a few years now so perhaps that's why their going the extra mile here!

Originally Posted by Marauder73

Wow, I am also week 22! My order number is: xxx5035. I'm not sure if that means it's ahead of, or behind your order? I placed my order 3 weeks ago on 04/21:

2012 xDrive35i, Space Grey/Sand Beige, Convenience, Heated Seats, 3rd Row, Navigation, Rear Shades, BMW Apps. OTD: $50,340 (Mil price, no tax here in Germany)

[Netsurfr]

You can call BMWNA to get an update on your build but your salesperson will have that info as well. Here's how...

Call 1-800-831-1117

If you don't want to talk to the operator
When operator starts talking, press 2
When operator starts talking, enter production number
When operator starts talking, press 1
Listen for reply regarding production status

[Netsurfr]

Checked w/ BMWNA & my X5M is scheduled to finish production tomorrow so it's on to transport, prep center & dealer after that. Wonder how long it will take for those last few steps.

[ard]

7-10 days, in my estimation

[Netsurfr]

That would be great.

Originally Posted by ard

7-10 days, in my estimation

[ukwildcat]

Originally Posted by ard

OK guys...this is really old news, and you can read this on any of the 100 or so threads about "I ordered my car"...but let me 'splain it:

Dealers are LIMITED in how many cars they can order. THis it CRITICAL in understanding how long it will take. This process is not driven by some unknow "bmw system"... it is how the dealer will allocate YOUR order based on THEIR production slots.

For example..... the dealer will know they have 7 X5s in May, 8 in June and 8 in July.

They ALSO know they've sold all 7 of the May cars, they've sold 7 of the 8 June cars and 4 of the July cars (for example)...AND they will know that the 8th june car is reserved for the lot where they can get MSRP from a fool that needs a replacement for their lease and failed to plan ahead....so this leaves 4 July cars...they will know mid or end.

So when the dealer 'takes' your order they know- or should know- PRECISELY what month you car will be produced...there should be no "we need to enter it and see". (Maybe they dont tell the salesmen, so they don't need to lie...)

So to recap:

Skip waiting for a Production Number
Ask the month and week for the allocation they will be giving to you.
if they play hard to get, demand they spell it out...step...by...step (Home many this month, how many sold/allocated, how many next month, etc)

GL

A

Pardon me for being behind on threads, but..

To give my dealer credit, he explained this process to me exactly.. Well, in enough detail to let me know that they were based on slots available to THEM. I don't know how or why - he said they actually received two additional slots - that allowed my 2011 to be built earlier than planned. His original date (three months out) was probably more realistic. I can only assume that two other slots were "made available" somewhere else.

When I ordered, I was assuming X5s were not built in large numbers. From what I've learned since, they make what? ~140K a year? (although most are for export) That's way more than my old Dragon Lady GX, where they built 40K a year at most (and half that of the new model now)

[ard]

Originally Posted by ukwildcat

Pardon me for being behind on threads, but..
)

Uh, was I talking to you?

(Quick check...yup, no- you were not in the conversation when I posted..)



My point was not to chide you on not having read the threads...but rather to point out that the people asking the question could/should have SEARCHED.... But then, in a effort to be kinder and gentler, I went and spelled it all out for them.

And I think the OP ought to be getting close, no?

A

PS UK- A dealer can trade slots- maybe for other models or other timeslots.

[Netsurfr]

Yup should be here soon.