Completed i8s being held for a synchronized "Launch"?

"Battery Tender Unnecessary" (carac) 08/25/2014 at 12:34 • Filed to: None

1

11

Hundreds of completed customer i8s are being held in Germany with reasons appear to range from publicity/hype to protecting dealer egos.

Apparently it would be a travesty if a "normal" dealer got their i8s before dealers in SoCal or Miami, so they're attempting to deliver all of the first cars to all dealers in a 24 hour window. I know a couple guys that have been staring at a "Production Complete, Awaiting Release to Carrier" message on their cars for nearly a month. I've been hearing it for two weeks. And now I find out it could already be on a ship if not for some petty politics.

So unless you are Rick Henrick or someone else that got theirs at the "US Launch" in Pebble Beach two weeks back...you're going to be waiting.

For Sweden > Battery Tender Unnecessary 08/25/2014 at 12:38

1

There's only one solution. Heading to Normandy anytime soon?

heliochrome85 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 08/25/2014 at 12:52

0

Are you using the website or the phone number? I found the phone number much better at tracking.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > heliochrome85 08/25/2014 at 12:59

0

All three.

Dealer system says completed, awaiting Quality Check (which is what a couple guys I know that had theirs "finish" the last week of July have been seeing for a month).

Hotline says Completed, Awaiting Carrier (and has for nearly two weeks)

Customer service on the hotline say its "Still in production" but also that "This is weird, they haven't updated your production status for over two weeks, they never go that long between updates"

No one, even people whose cars finished weeks before mine, is showing their car in transit. All are sitting at "Production complete, Awaiting Release to Carrier." This one appears to be off-the-books as far as they aren't saying except that all dealers that have allocations will get their first one about the same time. There are 350 BMW dealers in the US and not all of them are getting i8s. Based on the VINs I know have been completed, they should have more than 200 i8s sitting, waiting. Which should be close to enough for one for every dealer. We'll see. It just sucks knowing the only reason you aren't going to pick your car up in a week or two is because it might piss off some dealer's fragile ego/status.

Wish they would just come out and say what's happening or when this "secret" launch is.

heliochrome85 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 08/25/2014 at 13:14

0

Could be worse I suppose. I forget which model (i3?) all were completed on time and ended up spending weeks at the US port waiting for customs to verify the vehicles. If you think the wait is bad now, just wait until the US Government gets involved.

heliochrome85 > heliochrome85 08/25/2014 at 13:15

0

My car was stuck at Brunswick, GA for 2 weeks awaiting customs evaluation. That delay ended up pushing the VPC date far enough that i got stuck in the winter shut down for holidays and new year. Ended up tacking 6 weeks on the delay from the time it arrived in Brunswick, to the time I was able to pick it up at the Performance Center.

GhostZ > Battery Tender Unnecessary 08/25/2014 at 13:26

0

That, or a bunch were pre-sold to people who wanted first picks, and the only way that's going to happen is if they make everyone wait so they all get them at the same time.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > GhostZ 08/25/2014 at 13:48

0

And if that's the case, they once again avoid learning the lesson of "sometimes life isn't 'fair' and other people sometimes get things before you."

GhostZ > Battery Tender Unnecessary 08/25/2014 at 14:05

0

From the other perspective, these people are paying a premium for the distinction, probably, through dealer markup. I can imagine other people looking at it as buying a service or experience because it means a lot more to you if you're one of the first. There's never a question of why being the first matters (although that can boil down to a legitimate argument about the leverage gained through elevated appearance) but the idea is that being first does matter, somehow, therefore those who can afford it will do so.

Just like how legroom does matter on a plane, therefore you should buy a business-class ticket instead of economy, even if the flight isn't actually any faster, because there's a real need.

It just so happens that human beings are really bad at recognizing tangible needs (like leg room) when they aren't necessary to survival, so we latch onto intangible needs (like an idea of a public image) instead of the real things they represent (in this example, the heightned likelihood that a certain event, for example, people taking photos of your car because it's the first one in the area, happens. These events might actually be important, if you're a rap artist, having the first i8 could mean slightly more exposure, which translates into better sales.)

We live in a big wobbly ball of expectation and disappointment. It is the human condition, and I don't blame them one bit for wanting to buy these cars early.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Battery Tender Unnecessary 08/25/2014 at 14:18

0

Lame.

Guess they thought it was necessary because of the "i" in the name.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > GhostZ 08/25/2014 at 14:30

0

I guess that's why I have a hard time wrapping my head around that type of thinking. I'm much more pragmatic and logical about things. In this case, if someone's car was built before mine, then it would be irrational to get mad at them getting theirs first...that's just the way logistics work. If I was paying a premium, under the assumption that I was getting one "first", shame on ME if conditions outside of the control of the people taking my extra money result in mine being after someone else's. I usually book the cheapest room in a hotel because all I'm doing there is sleeping and showering, so why do I need a living room, kitchen, and Jacuzzi tub?

I get the type of person they're trying not to piss off. I met one at the AMG driving academy at COTA this year. He was flabbergasted how anyone could order a SLS without the $5-7k+ carbon fiber covers for the engine bay (which you can only see if the hood is open) because "who wants to look at all those hoses, mechanicals, etc?!?" And I'm standing there thinking "why would you pay thousands for something that adds weight, hides the beautiful engineering, and is only noticeable when you open the hood." Not to mention "why are you opening the hood if you don't like to look at the engine?"

I still think it's a dumb reason to hold everyone's car because some people can't take not being first. But I guess they gave up trying to keep dealers from charging over MSRP and are now facilitating them, making everyone "first."

For the record, I'm paying sticker.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > GhostZ 08/25/2014 at 14:37

0

Again, I get it...I just don't like it. Seems like a lot of wasted time, expense, and effort to coddle a couple major dealers/customers used to always getting their way.