Thought i would post this in here too, as it explains some shipping movements from my SA. Originally posted on the Model 3 UK order tracking thread.
So, just had an interesting phone call with my SA.
I emailed to ask if there was any update on my order, as my last contact was a week ago and it was the same sit tight message, so just dropped another email to see if I could get an update/any movement since then.
He asked two things:
- When would I
like to take delivery; and
- Did I mind not having a 71' plate car
I said ASAP (and jokingly also said its probably the answer they always get) and that I really didn't care about a 71' plate car. The SA was hoping that he could find me an earlier allocation of the car on a current plate.
A few minutes later I had an email through to say that I needed to review my PCP offer again, although my account was still appearing as it always does, with no VIN or anything on it.
BTW I setup my DD, finance and everything on my account within an hour of placing my order. So my account has been in the 'just allocate me a damn car as there is nothing else to do on my side' stage since placing my order.
He rang me seconds later and explained the situation. He was trying to manually assign my order to a VIN in the system from available inventory cars and had matched my order to one (thus the ping through about reviewing the PCP offer, as he said that was confirmation from his end that his match had gone through).
He then said to give him a few minutes as he needed to go and speak to the branch manager to work out a few details, but he would spend his time today trying to get me into a car. Said he would be 5 minutes to go sort things out and ring back.
Sure enough, <5 minutes later he rings back - with both some good and bad news. He explained the following;
The good news -
I've been matched to a car! They used an inventory allocation as the current build times for my spec were still unknown and he didn't want to chance me missing a slot on the
next ship, because...
The bad news-
He said there are currently two ships due over.
The first ship heading over from Shanghai which is due for deliveries in the first and second week of September has already had its entire cargo allocated, so for anyone still waiting on being assigned a VIN and/or delivery date, you are not seeing your car before mid September (so I was told).
This was the reason I hadn't seen a VIN allocation yet. The allocations for this are up and its fully booked. If you've received your VIN and a delivery date already, your car is on that ship and heading to you from or around the 1st of September, you're good. If not, you are chancing an allocation on the next ship.
The second ship is yet to leave port in Shanghai and will be arriving in the UK in the second/third week of September with another batch of cars on it.
This is the ship that will be carrying all of the current available inventory of cars, so any you see in UK inventory right now are still actually in Shanghai awaiting shipping.
He did also mention that if anyone cancels their order on the earlier ship, you have the chance of being bumped up.
So, kinda bums me out a bit that my car is still over a month away. But its nice to know I have one heading my way and its a little less of a guessing game now.
Just want to add, my SA (despite being a bit flaky at first due to junk mail issues) has been brilliant and really nice to deal with, making me feel like they are batting for me and trying to get me in my car ASAP, which is really nice and appreciated.
Just have the long wait for my car now!
