[ddk632]

Originally Posted by Carac

Wonder if he has an email. I'd like to call but I don't want to abuse the knowledge of the number. Anyone want to be the designated liaison?

Fwiw,

His # was on the bulletin circulated re: Pure Impulse delays;

http://bmwi.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...9&postcount=23

No email though...

[Arezzo]

Originally Posted by Carac

Wonder if he has an email. I'd like to call but I don't want to abuse the knowledge of the number. Anyone want to be the designated liaison?

I think that is a great idea for a liasion, after all there seems to be only 4/5 of us on this forum with first deliveries. I am going to wait until my dealer comes back to me tomorrow. He is contacting BMW Regional and Corp on the matter.

[jwestfield]

and I think one of us should contact Jacob. I certainly can.

[Carac]

Originally Posted by jwestfield

and I think one of us should contact Jacob. I certainly can.

Let us know how it goes.

[jwestfield]

will let you know what I hear from him

[Carac]

Heh, I was about to call myself. Eager to find out if I'm wasting my time searching my VIN on the W&W site or planning to take it to a show in mid-Sept.

[jwestfield]

can't hurt for several of us to reach out to him - I think there is goodness in numbers!

i also asked my dealer to do so, in addition to me

maybe if Jacob feels pressure, he will tell us something

[Reshdiu]

In the uk it's the same

[Carac]

Left a message. I'm not expecting a callback, but you never know, it would be nice just to get some clarification on what's going on. The "secret launch" makes it hard to plan around taking delivery.

[jwestfield]

. . . and also gave my dealer his number and he just left a message, as well

if this guy gets enough voicemails, calls, etc., from all of us, I assume he will let us know what is going on, if he even knows!

[Carac]

Originally Posted by jwestfield

. . . and also gave my dealer his number and he just left a message, as well

if this guy gets enough voicemails, calls, etc., from all of us, I assume he will let us know what is going on, if he even knows!

Or he'll just change his number

[jwestfield]

but I am going to write to CEO of NA later this week if we don't hear back. Nothing to lose

[ddk632]

Originally Posted by jwestfield

I just spoke with my dealer - he pulled up records for US orders - he found at least two cars on boats mid-water headed for dealers in the Florida region, and at at least one on a boat today headed for a dealer in California.

In addition, weirdly enough, he showed one dealer in Las Vegas to already have one i8 on the ground in inventory.

There is also another Florida bound car already at the VPC. Been there since the 20th, on a "repair" hold. Will be interesting to see how long it sits there. I will provide updates as I get them. The owner is nice enough to keep me posted on it.

And, pretty sure I know who the Florida car belongs to that your dealer found, especially if it's a Crystal White w/Tera interior. Will keep an eye on that one too. That car's owner is also keeping me in the loop. We believe it's the same car, as it's the only Florida bound car on a ship at the moment.

[Carac]

Originally Posted by ddk632

There is also another Florida bound car already at the VPC. Been there since the 20th, on a "repair" hold. Will be interesting to see how long it sits there. I will provide updates as I get them. The owner is nice enough to keep me posted on it.

And, pretty sure I know who the Florida car is that your dealer found, especially if it's a Crystal White w/Tera interior. Will keep an eye on that one too. That car's owner is also keeping me in the loop. We believe it's the same car, as it's the only Florida bound car on a ship at the moment.

I've been treating status codes and hold codes more literally and they make more sense. Maybe a lot of cars are staying at 155 (Production Complete/Quality Check) because they ARE staying in Quality Check so long, being mulled over with a fine tooth comb. Driving them to detect and localize squeaks and rattles...then fix them. Some cars needing more attention and adjustment than others (which would explain why mine is advancing before people that had builds a week before me). Maybe that car at the VPC WAS slightly damaged in transit (something so minor that a normal car would have been ok'd, but not the i8 because they must be PERFECT) and that's why it's been there a week. I have to admit it's much easier to wrap my head around when I take the messages at face value rather than let conspiracy theories take hold.

[ddk632]

Yeah I agree with you, @Carac, it makes sense that they want them to be perfect. As I am sure so do the owners.

Only time will tell which is the case because BMW is obviously not saying a word to anyone, about anything.

I have serious doubts that BMW would hold cars already on ships, or already at VPC, until several sets of ships arrive stateside. That would be upwards of 6 weeks for the early cars to just sit there.

On a separate note, I wonder what the story is with the car in Vegas - did it not get the "hold" memo?

[drlonline]

Originally Posted by ddk632

There is also another Florida bound car already at the VPC. Been there since the 20th, on a "repair" hold. Will be interesting to see how long it sits there. I will provide updates as I get them. The owner is nice enough to keep me posted on it.

And, pretty sure I know who the Florida car belongs to that your dealer found, especially if it's a Crystal White w/Tera interior. Will keep an eye on that one too. That car's owner is also keeping me in the loop. We believe it's the same car, as it's the only Florida bound car on a ship at the moment.

As you might imagine, it drives me a little crazy to hear of a car with Tera interior on it's way to the dealer, when my PI interior car is stuck in Germany. I didn't get the interior I wanted because my car was produced earlier, but I potentially still have to wait longer to get it, depending on the hold for release issue. Not that this still bothers me, mind you.

[ddk632]

Originally Posted by drlonline

As you might imagine, it drives me a little crazy to hear of a car with Tera interior on it's way to the dealer, when my PI interior car is stuck in Germany. I didn't get the interior I wanted because my car was produced earlier, but I potentially still have to wait longer to get it, depending on the hold for release issue. Not that this still bothers me, mind you.

Yeah Doug I know. That Tera car is on a boat and who knows how long it will sit at the VPC. That's the $10 question. It's same thing - this person actually wants the Tera, like you. Otherwise I would have suggested a trade.

I am still a bit shocked and in disbelief that a car of this caliber is being sold and produced by BMW and, at least for US early adopters, no choice is being given as to getting a car how they want.

On the one hand, BMW decided to make "all options standard" on the i8 in the US (except the PI which I think was an afterthought, as no mention of it was made in Sept 2013 when the car was announced), but on the other hand, this has come with the price of choice - they've literally decided to make all i8's identical interior-wise for 2014, and if it wasn't for the shortage of Carum Spice Grey leather, they would have succeeded; and in either case, they are still not allowing a true choice except to lose your spot in line to get what you want.

I mean, the whole point of ordering a car is to get it exactly the way you want it. In this case, though, all cars must be ordered since there are none in inventory because it's a new model. Not the same as ordering a regular series car or even M car that's been out for a while. This is the first time I've seen a new model launch and personally followed it, but from what I have been reading from all of the other guys here, even for a new model launch, this is bizarre and unusual.

Hope your car gets on a boat ASAP and we start seeing some happy US owners posting about their i8s real soon.

[Carac]

Just got an email from BMW NA stating they are unaware of any "synchronized" launch plans or any holds that will take place at the VPC. They show i8s in transit on ships with no holds.

The "release" hold appears to be what they are using when a car needed a correction or adjustment and is waiting on a final check before being released to carrier. Unless the synchronized launch is a top secret, behind the scenes affair, it looks like cars are on the way to dealers.

[ddk632]

Its so top secret, even BMW doesn't know about it!

I feel the Touch of His Noodly Appendage, the great FSM, might be at work here.

[Carac]

Just did a VIN search from VX64001-VX64400 with the Track&Trace on W&W's site. It appears there are four i8s on main W&W ships, two of which are west coast bound and two east coast bound including mine. Going to keep an eye out to see how many make the west-coast bound ship this Saturday (probably a lot more given the number I've heard moved to "At Port of Exit" status). Fingers crossed that there's no BS hold at the VPC for this "secret" release and they just make their way to dealers. I've got a maybe 10 day buffer between the latest day it would arrive at the dealer at it's current rate and a week off I have coming up. Would be nice to get a week's worth of uninterrupted driving in the i8 before the weather starts turning.

[drlonline]

Carac, are you only entering the last 7 digits of the VIN in the Track and Trace, or do you have to enter the entire number? Also, what info was provided on the MYBMW page once your car was loaded on the ship?

[Carac]

Originally Posted by drlonline

Carac, are you only entering the last 7 digits of the VIN in the Track and Trace, or do you have to enter the entire number? Also, what info was provided on the MYBMW page once your car was loaded on the ship?

Full VINs. MYBMW still says it's waiting, it will probably be a couple days before it updates.