[The Cleaner]

I really think BMW has begun to ramp up production, the long waits were quoted starting December and we are now 2 months in and cars seem to be getting built much faster than expected.
In mid Jan we were talking about BMW needing to get these things on the road ASAP to avoid the Lexus factor. Thats where people will not buy the BMW for lack of units to test drive and buy.

[blingbling]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

i swear this ordering process is so random! :mad:

as you can see from my sig it seemed i was ahead of you guys but i still do not have a confirmed production date? i am a Pri 1 too! when i call 800# and talk to someone, they all say "looks like a start sometime in week 10". this is so painful!

same story here. confirmed week 10 but no date yet. you mentioned you are priority #1 several times but what does that mean exactly? sorry for an ignorant question...

[matt_435xi]

there are 5 levels of priority. all Pri. 1 means is that I placed an order (put down a deposit) for a car that was not in production. if you had to wait for a production # then you are Pri. 1 too. Someone on this forum defined the other priorities. I think Pri. 5 is when a car is made for a dealer without any specifications made by the dealer.

[DUH CAR]

Originally Posted by matt_335Ci

there are 5 levels of priority. all Pri. 1 means is that I placed an order (put down a deposit) for a car that was not in production. if you had to wait for a production # then you are Pri. 1 too. Someone on this forum defined the other priorities. I think Pri. 5 is when a car is made for a dealer without any specifications made by the dealer.

Priority 1 means that a car is already sold to a customer (as opposed to cars that dealers have ordered on spec).

[scb]

my 335xi is in production and scheduled to be finished on 3/5

[luckyu]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

luckyu - The option was just arbitrarily removed? Why should they be able to do that? You would essentially have the right to walk away from the car. I tried the 800 number but they are closed weekends. I'll have to call them Monday.

Yes it was arbitrarily removed. I think they get to do that because they're BMW, and I'm not. I'm not 100% sure what happened; it's possible the option was removed while the car was in the paint shop, but it's my understanding that status 112 is the latest to accept a change.

I think it's normal for cars to be produced ahead of schedule; it only causes problems in cases like these where new options become available, and yes, the customer can walk any time. I'll call my rep on Monday about the SULEV issue; we'll see if he's willing to do anything.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by luckyu

Yes it was arbitrarily removed. I think they get to do that because they're BMW, and I'm not. I'm not 100% sure what happened; it's possible the option was removed while the car was in the paint shop, but it's my understanding that status 112 is the latest to accept a change.

I think it's normal for cars to be produced ahead of schedule; it only causes problems in cases like these where new options become available, and yes, the customer can walk any time. I'll call my rep on Monday about the SULEV issue; we'll see if he's willing to do anything.

Well, I hope someone off the street wants a fully loaded 328xi with lemon leather, because if it ain't got 6FL in it, it ain't the car I ordered.

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by luckyu

I I'll call my rep on Monday about the SULEV issue; we'll see if he's willing to do anything.

I'll be waiting to hear what he has to say about SULEV as well.

Oh, and here's some info on the N51 that piezo found:
N51 Overview
In order to comply with SULEV requirements, the N51 is another variant of the N52
engine. There are various measures to meet the EPA/CARB standards, some of which
are familiar from the previous SULEV (M56) engine.
Some of the SULEV measures for the N51 include:
• Near engine catalyst with additional underbody catalyst
• Secondary air system
• Optimized combustion chamber geometry in cylinder head
• Modified piston crown for lower compression
• Plastic valve cover with integrated crankcase vent valve and separator (from N52KP)
• Stainless steel fuel lines with threaded connections
• Radiator with “Prem-air” coating
• Throttle system - EGAS08 carried over from N52KP
• Airbox with Activated carbon filter for EVAP control
• Purge system pipes are made from “optimized” plastic

[blingbling]

Originally Posted by DUH CAR

Priority 1 means that a car is already sold to a customer (as opposed to cars that dealers have ordered on spec).

so that makes most of us priority #1 right? so does priority #1 get any special treatment?

[Daya]

one more week until adriana is born!

[STE92VE]

Got this in an e-mail from a BMW tech:
as far as differences, like the M56 motor, it is virtually identical to it's
counterpart with the exception of stainless steel fuel rail, fuel tank and
lines. the car will also have an ozone reducing radiator, which acts as a
catalytic converter for the air coming through it. you shouldn't notice any
difference in power at all.
I can breathe a little easier now and so will the rest of the planet with my SULEV engine.

[LEDZEP]

Hope that makes you feel better Steve. You shouldn't be able to tell the difference at all. If anything, it is probably more expensive to produce your engine - and you're not charged extra for it.

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Hope that makes you feel better Steve. You shouldn't be able to tell the difference at all. If anything, it is probably more expensive to produce your engine - and you're not charged extra for it.

This also makes me feel a little better....I popped the hood on my wife's '03 TL last nite (don't read anymore into that statement) and ULEV was on the engine cover. I checked the brochure and it stated that the engine was LEV (ULEV in CA). So it validates the fact that NY does indeed get the new SULEV engines as all the other CARB states.
Thanks for helping me get through these stages of high anxiety. :rocks:

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by STE92VE

Thanks for helping me get through these stages of high anxiety. :rocks:

That's what we're here for. To help each other cope with the stress and obsessions!

[DUH CAR]

Originally Posted by blingbling

so that makes most of us priority #1 right? so does priority #1 get any special treatment?

Not really. Only time would be during all the transport steps after build. If someone had to decide between loading a Priority 1 versus a car that hadn't been sold yet, the priority 1 would get loaded first. Same at the VPC, they would work on priority 1's first.

[AlexM]

How long were you guys able to still make lighter changes to your order (color, smaller add-ons)? Week 10 p.d. that is.

[LEDZEP]

You can usually make changes to the order until it reaches the 'scheduled for production' stage. At that point it is locked.

[EricFother]

I placed my order on December 19th and was told by my rep on Saturday that my car is "in production". I am ordering as a U.S. Military member stationed overseas so my production number/VIN does not show up in the Owner's Circle like everyone elses does:mad: She also says that it will take 3 or 4 weeks to get here I almost opted for the pick it up in Germany option...but British customs is not to be trifled with when it comes to new cars...and I am told that many people do not get their cars into the U.K. on the first try...

I was told that I could add the IPod integration (6FL or 6TL...can't remember it's code) but she still doesn't have the pricing for it...like it matters! I did that about 3 weeks ago.

It's been a long 2 months of waiting...with a few more weeks to go.

[luckyu]

Originally Posted by STE92VE

I'll be waiting to hear what he has to say about SULEV as well.

I talked to my rep. He's moved me to a new car, week 14 (first week of April), which is a "328", or NA code 0744. I'll confirm in a couple days when the changes trickle through the system. So I have to wait an extra 5 weeks or so. It seemed like he was happy to make the change.

We briefly talked about how this happened, and he's pretty sure he entered the car as a 328 into the order bank, because in the past, he has not been able to order stick SULEVs, only automatics.

[luckyu]

Originally Posted by EricFother

I placed my order on December 19th and was told by my rep on Saturday that my car is "in production". I am ordering as a U.S. Military member stationed overseas so my production number/VIN does not show up in the Owner's Circle like everyone elses does:mad:

It sounds like that might just be the normal time-delay? If it were the U.S. system, I'd expect the OC to show the VIN within 3-4 days. Probably right now the OC is showing "On Order", yes? It tends to be a little behind.

Originally Posted by EricFother

She also says that it will take 3 or 4 weeks to get here I almost opted for the pick it up in Germany option...but British customs is not to be trifled with when it comes to new cars...and I am told that many people do not get their cars into the U.K. on the first try...
[...]

A week to build and 2-3 weeks to deliver sounds pretty good to me! Here in California it takes a good 5-6 weeks after being built.

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by luckyu

I talked to my rep. He's moved me to a new car, week 14 (first week of April), which is a "328", or NA code 0744. I'll confirm in a couple days when the changes trickle through the system. So I have to wait an extra 5 weeks or so. It seemed like he was happy to make the change.

We briefly talked about how this happened, and he's pretty sure he entered the car as a 328 into the order bank, because in the past, he has not been able to order stick SULEVs, only automatics.

What I don't understand is how you can buy a non-SULEV car in the state of CA. ...unless the manufacturers only have to sell a certain % of SULEV to qualify for the incentives that the CARB states offer.
BMWNA verified that my car is 6MT. If I wasn't doing PCD, I would probably have them move me into another car as well.
0744 is a 328i E90..your VIN will have VA33 as the 4-7 digits which codes for the N52 engine. Best of luck!

Oh, and luckyu....you can't post on this thread anymore of you are week 14.......

Darn, that goes for me too...my car was in the body shop today...makes it a week 9.....see ya.

[blingbling]

I know this is nothing new but I just have to say again that the owners circle is totally useless. I mean what is the point of that website if it's so NOT up-to-date! My E92 goes on the production next week and still says "on order"... I mean I knew the site was a little behind but this is disappointing...