Where's My Car?

[Ian Gilmour]

Does anyone know whether I could find out where my Boxster 550 is in the production / delivery process, other than contacting the dealer, who claims he won't know anything about delivery dates until it arrives at the docks in Sheerness.

Basically, I need to know whether it can be on the road for 26th May so that I can take it to Porcshe Parade in Spain. I had planned to take my current Boxster S but have received a half decent bid on it from my local OPC to sell it now.

If I do so I'll have to take a chance on the 550 turning up on time or go in the Golf TDI, unless of course someone out there is prepared to lend me a Porsche for a couple of weeks! If I sell it when I come back I've been told it could be worth up to £1k less which makes PP a very expensive event!

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Ian Gilmour

If I sell it when I come back I've been told it could be worth up to £1k less which makes PP a very expensive event!

Ian I think that part of the conversation is bully boy tacticts and bullsh*t. With respects to your 1/2 decent offer tie your fat cat OPC down and if your 550 doesn't show up in time, then use the old car and sell it upon your return for agreed 1/2 decent offer [8D]

Your OPC is making money out of the new car and probably even more out of the px so don't take this stuff "get tuff"

 

[Mark_Bennett]

ORIGINAL: Ian Gilmour

...claims he won't know anything about delivery dates until it arrives at the docks in Sheerness.

He can tell you when it goes in to production/paintshop/assembly/final prep/shipping etc.

However as we have found with some dealers (like Helens) they refuse to do so, claiming that they can't.

They have come unstuck in the past if a car has problems. Engine failure on testing means the car goes to the back of the queue!
So most dealers will not tell you because it CAN go pear-shaped[] Covering their own backs basically. Better to keep the customer in the dark[&:]

 

[Ian Gilmour]

The get tough message is spot on! I'll be the first to admit that I'm hopeless when it comes to this sort of thing and usually leave any negotiations to the Mrs.

Unfortunately the half decent offer I mentioned wasn't from the OPC supplying the 550 - their px offer is £2k less! [] I'm tempted to take the higher offer and be the first at a Porsche Parade in a Golf unless by some miracle the 550 makes a show.

Although I'm not convinced that my current car will drop in value by as much as £1k in a month, it will suffer some fall in value due to an extra 3k miles on the clock, wear and tear on tyres, and being a month older. My difficulty is estimating the amount of this depreciation and then deciding whether I can accept it.

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Ian Gilmour

The get tough message is spot on!

Unfortunately the half decent offer I mentioned wasn't from the OPC supplying the 550

[]Long shot but ask OPC to lend you there demo car for the PP and have you tried getting the 550 Delivery info from PCGB that may work
TEL:01189-303666 Good luck ... Robert

 

[Andrew Killington]

Ian - a couple of observations!
what dates have you been given?
my 550 is being "built" on the 25th May and have been given a (unconfirmed) delivery date of just a fortnight later (however I have read on other threads delivery times of between 2 and 6 weeks [] ) so I'm just keeping everything crossed.
I suggested in a previous post that Porsche should follow the lead taken by some parcel companies of on-line tracking (slightly tongue-in-cheek!)
I have observed that unless you do as Rob suggests and be more assertive (which is not easy for most people), the balance of the relationship swings against you and you end up on the back foot. An example of this is when you phone the dealership and almost feel apologetic for calling and asking for info!
I have recently taken delivery of a new BMW and I was happy that the "balance of power" between the dealership and myself was at least equal. I got firm build/delivery dates without too much prompting and the BMW dealership was proactive (in communication terms) which gives you confidence that your custom is valued.
As for your case I would have thought that as the 26th is only a fortnight away the "window of uncertainty" cannot be very great and you should be given a yes or no which should be 99% certain; from that your decision making should be clearer.
I certainly empathise with what you are going through and hope that you are driving a shiny new 550 to the PP
sorry for the rambling!
Andrew

 

[Ian Gilmour]

Robert / Andrew

I contacted PCGB this afternoon. They were as helpful as they could be but couldn't really add any information to what I already know - i.e. due for completion by 14th May, could take up to 2 weeks to arrive in UK (which will be too late for PP) but could take less than that. They have agreed to contact me early next week to confirm status and have offered to give the car priority handling when it arrives, which will only be useful if it arrives in the next 10 days. I reckon I'm being over-optimistic to think that it wcan be on the road by 26th so am reverting to plan B (sell the S now and take the Golf on holiday) unless I can persuade someone to lend me a Porsche for a couple of weeks!

 

[daro911]

ORIGINAL: Ian Gilmour

Robert / Andrew

I contacted PCGB this afternoon.

Well done Ian and at least you know for sure that you may be going in a Golf but you will be returning to a brand spanking new 550 [8D] with almost zero miles on the clock.

Either way your wait has an end insight very shortly ... Good Luck & digi's please [] Robert

 

[Guest]

JCT arn't the best at giving dates [X(]. my current car was delayed by 2 month with no explanation[:-]. so last yearI ordered a march build 04 as may build means they may build it or they may not.[] any way they dont build my cars in march either[&o] or april[&o] so Im back to MAY build[&o] .
you can contact PGB but they will ask you for your build number.
Jct also are offering me less for my PX as my cars delayed.so they get a cheaper car so I am selling it mysel[8D] £33,000[8D]

 

[Ian Gilmour]

Latest news from OPC Reading is that my car has been built and is en-route to Sheerness, expected arrival tomorrow.[] It will be with Reading by Thursday next week at the latest. This could be a problem as we go on holiday on Wednesday [&o]and the old Boxster S waved goodbye last Tuesday[].

However, it is still possible that it could arive within the 5 working days agreed with the delivery company and I could use it for my holiday.

Looks like this will go right down to the wire with the possibility of me collecting it on Wednesday, driving home packing the cases and heading off for Hull to catch the ferry. Reading have agreed to do everything they can to ensure delivery on time but I think it's largely in the lap of the gods.

 

[Andrew Killington]

Ian
I'm keeping everything crossed for you[] I've got a feeling that you'll make it.
Also interested in the timescales that you have - it seems that mine might be available at or around the 8th June (please).
Andrew

 

[Ian Gilmour]

Thanks Andrew. I've worked out contingency plans that would allow me to collect it up to as late as next Thursday 27th. If it goes beyond that I think I'll have to admit defeat, but at the moment I'm still hopeful.

If it helps, the information I have been told over the last few days is that the service level agreement with the shipping and delivery companies means that cars should be with OPCs within two weeks of the date they completed production.

Mine was put on the boat on Monday and will arrive in Sheerness on Thursday (4 days). The delivery company then has a further 5 working days to deliver to the OPC. This is a maximum time, however. It's not unknown for delivery to be less than that and that's what I'm counting on.

If yours completes production on 25th May, 8th June looks like a achievable delivery date to the OPC.

Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Andrew Killington]

Ian
any update??
Andrew

 

[Ian Gilmour]

I'm waiting for OPC to call me back right now. When I spoke to them yesterday, they said it would arrive on Wednesday 26th in Reading. Trouble is I need to be in Hull at 5.30 pm on that day to catch the ferry![]

OPC can't give a time of arrival but say that they can get it PDI'd and valeted within hours. I reckon I would need to be away from Reading by 12.00 to make the drive back and the ferry which means that the car would have to be delivered very early in the morning and have nothing wrong with it for these arrangements to work. Personally, I think there's too much risk involved for me - if the car turns up late or is faulty / damaged etc. I would have no means of getting back home in time.[&o]

The last resort is to forego our overnight ferry from Hull for a Dover - Calais crossing, calling at Reading on the way down and collecting the car. This assumes that it is delivered on Wednesday. Mrs G isn't too keen on this idea, however, as we would also have to forego the £300 we've already spent on the fare.

I'm therefore pretty much resigned to taking the Golf now. Glad I gave it the Zymol treatment over the weekend just in case![]

Best of luck with yours. By the time I'm back from hols, you should have yours. Look forward to seeing pics either here or "in another place"!!

16.15 pm 25/5/04 - Latest from OPC is that the car will be delivered to Reading on Thursday 27th by which time I'll be in France. That means that it will have taken longer to get from Sheerness to Reading than it took to get from Finland to Sheerness!

Will now collect on return, probably Saturday 12th June. Andrew, looks as if you'll get yours before I get mine!

 

[Andrew Killington]

Ian
bad luck[]
plenty to look forward to when you get back from your hols[]
spoke to OPC today; if all goes well could be looking at around the 8th June[]
hopefully we will have an opportunity to compare notes soon after[8D]
bon voyage!
Andrew

 

[Black80XSA]

if all goes well could be looking at around the 8th June

I hope you're right Andrew as mine was built very close to yours

 

[Andrew Killington]

B8
spoke to dealer today - allocated a reg no. - it does seem that 8/6 or thereabouts is looking likely (give or take a week); I would give your dealer a call, all being well they could now be en-route to Blighty[8D]
regards
Andrew

 

[Black80XSA]

allocated a reg no.

Oh hell , haven't told my dealer I have a 80XSA plate to go on

Reminder - 9:00 am Friday ring OPC []

 

[Black80XSA]

Well after my conversation with the sales guy this morning I'm starting the think they haven't got a clue where my car is.

Todays response - 'its in production'

So the two earlier conversations of ''its in build next week'' (w/b 17/5 and w/b 3/5) were a complete pack of lies.

Their only response was ' its a May build car, its just late May'

Sales guy says he will have another look on Tuesday - too bloody right you will.

I reckon I'll be ringing round dealers on Wednesday looking for another car, especially since I know of others who have ended up with two month delays in build. Begs the question whether to wait for the 987, if thats the case.

On a more positive note, maybe my dealer's just be cautious and not declaring its current status incase it compromises them on a promised delivery date ??

 

[Black80XSA]

I reckon I'll be ringing round dealers on Wednesday looking for another car, especially since I know of others who have ended up with two month delays in build

Mmmm, then again maybe not, as the dealer has a further 60 dyas after the estimated delivery date has passed before I can complain, and then they have a further 14 days.

They didn't put a delivery date on the order either, just 'May Build'. Not sure legally where this leaves me, cos all I can claim is that they will not deliver a May Build car if its not built before Tuesday. Up the creak without a paddle probably - some intro to Porsche ownership, the aftersales can't fail to be better.

Friday rant over, and.....rrrrreeeeeellllllllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.