How to track the car you have ordered?

[Corey_R]

So when do you reckon I should hassle the dealer, I dont want to be unrealistic but would really like to track my car.

Keep in mind that the VIN is only good for tracking the car during shipping. The only way you can track the car before it shipping is by asking your dealer to provide a screenshot or printout of the NADCON ETA Data. Once you have an understanding of an allocated build week (which as Prodigy has stated, for most of us is week 37 to around 40, but recent orders have missed those weeks and are yet to have allocated dates as far as we're aware), you can then estimate when the car will be received.

For example.
My order for the R was placed June 12th (Week 22). The ETA for delivery given by my dealer at that point (which is PURELY a guestimate based on existing orders they had in the system and "past experience" was November 30th.
It wasn't until a month later that my dealer was then aware that it had a "planned production week" of Week 38 (September 13 to 19). This means that I will probably receive my VIN sometime in September (since customers (dealers?) are not always lucky enough to receive it before it enters production, such as dave- has!)

My latest update of the NADCON ETA table is that "Handover to Production" is 11/09/10, and "Arrival at Final Destination" is 2/12/10. "Final Destination" is not me nor the dealer btw. So hopefully the shipping is quite zippy and I still end up getting it on November 30th, but really, I'll just be happy to receive the car before Christmas.

As I mentioned before, so far we (at the forums) have had no indication at what the next "Build Weeks" that Australian R orders will go into after the batch planned for week 37 to 40, which is apparently already full. So even if they do another batch in week 45 (November 1st to 7th), this would mean you wouldn't receive your VIN until ~November, and would not receive your car until late January, more likely February.


Edit: Whilst writing that a few peeps have posted.
Angryman - you're the first person I've seen indicate a Week 42 build. Has your NADCON ETA table been updated to indicate a "Handover to production" between Oct 11 to 17 yet?
ozmale & Angryman - given the latest update to my ETA data (detailed above), and Dermot's post here based on the information his dealership can see, I would highly recommend you guys DO NOT plan/hope to see your car in December

[ozmale]

Coreying,

thanks heaps for the detailed response, really appreciate it.
Sounds like i will send the dealer a friendly email in October, but not get my hopes up till the new year.

Chris

[Maverick]

It is NOT possible to get a VIN number until the car has actually been built.

If you have a VIN number then your car has been built early. Having a "Planned Production Week" is exactly that, "Planned", and things don't always go according to plan. The car can be built earlier or late than the planned production week.

Isn't the VIN available a week before the car enters production?

[hooba]

FWIW, I got my VIN / screen shots a week after the car had been built, and 5 weeks after I'd signed the contract. From there it took another 12 days before it actually hopped on a boat.

I've got my car now, but for anybody waiting for theirs, instead of stressing about when it will arrive, enjoy the anticipation and soak it up. Psychological studies have proven that humans get the most enjoyment out of something like this not when they've actually got it, but in the anticipation prior and the reflection afterwards. Think about your last holiday, how much to you looked forward to it, and then how you feel about it now. Ok, that's enough philosophy for a goddamn car forum.

[Corey_R]

I must admit, I've never heard anyone say that they got their VIN number before production until dave- said he got his for the Polo two weeks ago before it was built. However, as Dermot has said, "planned production" is still just an estimate and the car could be built before or after the "planned" production week. Also, judging by the fact that dave-'s sig says that the Polo is due here late Sept, my guess would be that the car has in fact been built already!

[ozmale]

Guys,
Once again thanks for your supportive info. Dont want to create any friendly arguments about when or not the VIN is available. Probably forgetting all about the car till it arrives sounds like a good idea.
I was just really curious to use the web sites in the 1st post to track the car.
Was going to buy some new wheels before it arrived as well but that is probably also best left till after delivery.
I usually replace my cars every 3-4 years but have always bought demonstrators or near new 2nd hand. Must be over 20 years since I bought a new car. Might be another 20 before I do it again if one has to wait 4-5 months.

[hooba]

Probably forgetting all about the car till it arrives sounds like a good idea.

In the meantime, spend lots of time on here, and dream about the first time you take it down McCarrs Creek Road...

[ozmale]

In the meantime, spend lots of time on here, and dream about the first time you take it down McCarrs Creek Road...

It is funny you should mention MrCarrs creek road. I always take my cars for a blurt along there. I sometimes drive a bus along that road. Now that is exciting.

[Dutch77]

As I mentioned before, so far we (at the forums) have had no indication at what the next "Build Weeks" that Australian R orders will go into after the batch planned for week 37 to 40, which is apparently already full. So even if they do another batch in week 45 (November 1st to 7th), this would mean you wouldn't receive your VIN until ~November, and would not receive your car until late January, more likely February.

For what it's worth I'm aware of an Adelaide buyer of an R who placed an order in July and has been advised of a week 44 build for his car, with delivery expected late January.

[giddleberry]

I got my build week yesterday ( 38 ) I ordered in June, now waiting for NADCON table.

[dave_r]

My latest update of the NADCON ETA table is that "Handover to Production" is 11/09/10, and "Arrival at Final Destination" is 2/12/10. "Final Destination" is not me nor the dealer btw. So hopefully the shipping is quite zippy and I still end up getting it on November 30th, but really, I'll just be happy to receive the car before Christmas.

Saturday just past (19/08/10), the dealer printed all the NADCON info for both my orders. Extracts below.

Golf R
"Entry Dealer System" is 26/05/10 (aka ordered)
"Handover to Production" is 04/09/10
"Checkpoint 8 Handover to Sales" is 24/09/10
"Arrival at Final Destination" is 23/11/10

Polo
"Entry Dealer System" is 12/05/10 (aka ordered)
"Handover to Production" is 02/06/10
"Checkpoint 8 Handover to Sales" is 29/07/10
"Arrival at Final Destination" is 31/08/10

I must admit, I've never heard anyone say that they got their VIN number before production

Just to clarify, I misread the info supplied to me. The dealer sent me a printscreen of NADCON on 03/08/10 which had the Vehicle ID/Chassis/Eng Numbers. But as you can see from the info above, the car had already been built by that stage. Appologies for the confusion caused.

[Prodigy]

Saturday just past (19/08/10), the dealer printed all the NADCON info for both my orders. Extracts below.

Golf R
"Entry Dealer System" is 26/05/10 (aka ordered)
"Handover to Production" is 04/09/10
"Checkpoint 8 Handover to Sales" is 24/09/10
"Arrival at Final Destination" is 23/11/10

Exactly the same Handover & Checkpoint dates as me, however my "Arrival port of Destination" is 17/11/10

[dave_r]

Exactly the same Handover & Checkpoint dates as me, however my "Arrival port of Destination" is 17/11/10

That'd probably be because the boat docks in WA, then heads over to Melbourne where it arrives on 22/11/10.

[Prodigy]

That'd probably be because the boat docks in WA, then heads over to Melbourne where it arrives on 22/11/10.

One of the very few benefits of living in WA

[Corey_R]

Exactly the same Handover & Checkpoint dates as me, however my "Arrival port of Destination" is 17/11/10

There's also at least two routes that the ships take, like completely different oceans and stuff.... lol, I haven't tracked any of the boats personally, but I know that some go through one of the canals (Panamara or Sewers) and the other route doesn't go through one or something... (can't be bothered trying to find it). Anyway, there is over a weeks difference between the routes...