How to Factory Order BMW (8 Easy Steps)

How to Factory Order BMW

Customizing a BMW allows you to tailor your vehicle with features and options that reflect your driving preferences, ensuring your car stands out with a unique style.

In response to the recent supply chain disruptions affecting the automotive industry, BMW has streamlined the process for customers to personalize their next vehicle.

Through BMW's online platform, customers can monitor their custom orders from start to finish.

While the process is straightforward, many are unfamiliar with the steps involved in factory ordering a car. With the ongoing chip shortage, dealerships are increasingly encouraging customers to place factory orders.

This guide will walk you through the process of factory ordering a BMW, offering clear instructions to navigate this path with confidence.

How to Factory Order BMW

1. Find a Dealership with an Allocation

If you're looking to place an order for a vehicle, I recommend finding a dealer with an allocation.

This means they have an open slot for a certain model. An allocation means you have a car, and if you can trust the dealership, you can still place an order even if they don't have one.

The first thing you should do is contact the high-volume dealerships that have an open slot for the particular model.

Without an allocation, you're stuck with the dealership to fill your order until they get the next one. To avoid this, you should ask if the dealer has an allocation.

2. Agree on a Purchase Price

Before you talk about leasing or financing or getting incentives or rebates, make sure you have an agreed-upon agreed-upon purchase price.

Some exceptions to this rule include specific corporate discounts you must mention to the dealer.

But, regardless of these, always get an agreed-upon price before you apply any incentives or rebates.

To find out what incentives are available, go to the BMW site and search for deals. Be sure to read the fine print on these offers, as some of them have requirements. You can also check the pricing thread of the forum for your vehicle.

3. Place Your Order

After you have an agreed-upon price and have made a deposit, get it in writing. Then, you should place your order and ask for your production number.

This is a seven-digit number that ties you to the vehicle's allocation. You should receive this number within two hours or the next day.

Your production number will be used to track your vehicle's status and provide you with an estimate of when it will be delivered.

Ask your dealer about the build week of your vehicle's allocation. This is the week that the car will be finished.

4. Tracking

Getting in touch with your car is a process that can be both relaxing and crazy. It can take a lot of work to keep track of your vehicle's details, so it's essential to start with the right tool.

One of the most important tools you can use to get in touch with your dealer is the BMW Genius phone number.

This number allows you to contact the company that provides the most accurate information about your vehicle.

Your order will likely be placed with status code 111 within a day or two. Once it's close to production, it will move to status 112, which is scheduled for the next production pack.

Once it's in production, you'll be able to get your vehicle's identification number (VIN).

You can also track your vehicle using the My BMW site or an automated 1800 number. These numbers need to be updated, and we are behind on various details.

You can use the 800 number or the automated 1800 number to get in touch with the company. You can also check the status of your vehicle by going to the My BMW site.

5. Production Plant to the Seaport

BMWs are made in Regensburg, while some are made in Munich. After production, the cars are taken to Germany's Bremerhaven, a major port for BMWs and other auto manufacturers.

Once they're ready to board the ship, the drivers will carefully drive them to the vessel known as a RORO carrier.

Once they're at the port, the cars are placed in the parking lots of the various facilities at the port. A webcam can be found at the port, and you can often see the train the BMWs are riding on.

6. Identifying the Ship

Previously, you would typically receive updates from BMW Genius within the last 24 hours. However, due to a change in the company distribution process, they become slower to arrive.

For instance, you will not be able to confirm that your car is on a ship until around two days after it has been placed on one.

Most of the shipping companies that BMW uses are Wilhelmsen and Wallenius. Other companies, such as Kline and NYK, are close behind.

Below is a list of the companies that BMW uses and their respective shipping schedules and search pages.

You can also play a game to see which ships your car will be on based on the destination and the shipping date.

After your car has been placed on a ship, BMW Genius will provide you with the estimated arrival time of the vessel and the name of the ship.

Your vehicle's identification number (VIN) will be displayed on the search page of Wallenius Wilhelmsen when your car has left the dock, approximately 2 days after it was placed on a ship.

If you end up on a ship that doesn't use Wallenius, your vehicle will not show up on the WW tracking page.

7. Port of Entry

After your ship has arrived and your car has been transported, the trained drivers will drive it off the vessel and into a parking lot for processing and staging.

If you have a car shipped via WWL, you can see its status update on the website using your vehicle's VIN. Once the customs has cleared, the car will then be at a staging area.

As far as BMW is concerned, the vehicle remains "shipping" and won't get any updates until it reaches the VPC.

8. Acceptance

Before you sign your contract for delivery, you must thoroughly inspect the vehicle. You are responsible for checking the inside and out of the car to ensure that it is in good condition.

If the vehicle is not in a conducive place to view it, you should move it to a more suitable location.

Once you have accepted the vehicle, you agree that it is in good condition and that you are happy with it.

Before signing the contract, make sure that you take your own pictures to ensure that there are no issues with the vehicle.

If there are any issues, please get in touch with them immediately so that they can address them. Otherwise, the damage will be yours.