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Hi all - Looking for a gut check here as I have hit a pretty high level of frustration. I pre-traded my old 911 back in October and ordered a 2017 GTS PTS back in January, pretty much the first week after the GTS was announced. This would be my third Porsche, though the first purchased from this dealer. I did my best to time the order so I would have the car for as long as possible during the nice weather in the Northeast. Original plan was for a delivery in early May some time which slipped to "hopefully by Memorial Day" a bit later in the process.
Car was completed April 27th and entered the Port of Emden on May 4th. There has literally been no update on the Vehicle Management System since May 4th. I have checked in with the SA each week and have pretty much gotten an "I don't know what to tell you" message or "maybe it is on its way and they haven't updated the system". After another week of nothing, I finally lost what is left of my patience and called the Sales Manager. He apologized and said that of course he wanted to get the car to me - no kidding. He also said he has never seen a car sit at port for six weeks and that he now thinks it will get on a boat next week, though no confirmation of that and that may just be wishful thinking. I got the feeling that no one on the dealership's end was pushing to get this car on a boat until I called up angry today. I honestly doubt they did anything more than check the system and only did so when I affirmatively asked for an update.
The lack of follow through and communication at the dealership bothers the hell out of me - I am in the client service business and I would have been on the phone with Porsche management advocating for my client weeks ago. It took me raising my voice to get any kind of answer.
All the reported deliveries on the forum are killing me (though congratulations to all of you) as are the YouTube review uploads.
My wife thinks I am nuts but part of me wants to cancel the order and go buy a gently used 570S in stock from the McLaren dealership across the street from the Porsche dealership for comparable money.
First world problems I know.
Hopefully someone can talk me off a ledge. Has anyone seen this happen before? Any recourse here? Should I just sit patiently and wait to pick the car up whenever they get around to delivering it? Any way to contact Porsche North America to get my own answers as to what has happened? Anyone have a manual Cayman I can borrow for a month or two?
Frustrating. Unfortunately I don't think that your dealer or anyone else at PNA has the authority to "get your car on a boat" different from the one that's scheduled to carry it. I highly doubt that they're going to get your car out of a queue of hundreds of cars to appease a single individual.
We live in an age in which there's too much information available. We want/need to know every detail of every process and it's hard to realize that some things are beyond our control. It's a car, not your health or something more important. I would try to get over it.
I'm sorry this is so frustrating for you. It would be to me as well.
It looks like you are going to have to do some work since your SA is not doing his. I would do a couple things:
1. Call the dealer and ask him to screen shot the Porsche Sales and Vehicle Management System screen. Mine is below and is a bit different since I am doing European Delivery so I don't have ports assigned yet etc. Your screenshot will have it. Check to see what the expected delivery date is versus current status. If it should have been delivered by now, and it is not then there is a problem. This screen shot should help you diagnose the problem for him or at least give you some clues so you can help him. Maybe he is telling a story?
2. Call PCNA. You can google their phone number and email address. (Your SA should do this for you). He seems to be unresponsive because his sale is already done. PCNA can contact the port authority and their tracking system and get you an answer.
I'd be very annoyed as well especially since you did your best to plan ahead for this to have the car. I too have to have clear communication and delivery in my job. They certainly aren't going to let you slide on paying the bill now are they?
Unfortunately the auto industry likes to over promise and under deliver at times. Sounds like your dealer could be doing more. I don't know if they could bump it on the boat for you though.
If you really love the car you ordered then stick with it. Getting mad and leaving the dealer with the car won't really matter to them, they will just sell it to someone else at likely the same profit.
I would probably be on the phone with PNA and trying to get some answers myself.
Your only recourse if you take delivery is to ding them on the survey which does matter to the dealer.
The dealer likely has zero clue or input as to why your car is being held up. There are avenues for them to explore through Porsche to at least get some kind of answer, though I doubt it will expedite anything.
Although they have made the sale, they still get surveyed. Those things do matter to them. I would think going the extra mile for a repeat customer would be enough.
It will likely take you physically going to the dealer and making them do this stuff in front of you. Have them pull up the vehicle management system and look at it yourself. It shouldn't be necessary, but it may be the only thing that gets you an answer.
They often do minor repairs to damage at the port, I wonder if PTS has anything to do with the delay, and Porsche does not want to admit there was a problem in transit.
Somewhere on Rennlist a few weeks back was mention of some cars being held at Emden for a pre-delivery warranty item, sorry I can't remember what it was (PCM, fuel tank fix?), but Porsche decided to fix it at the port rather than have the dealers do it. Maybe someone with a better memory can fill in the blanks... your car may have been snagged in that scenario.
I had a similar experience, 1st the ship was delayed for no known reason, secondly mine sat in the Port of Davisville for over a month before they transported. Something about being caught in the Panamera EPA hold and a QC hold on cabriolets. My advice is to find the PCNA regional rep that services your dealer, once I found mine the communication improved. PCNA HQ was useless, they would just refer me back to my dealer that only had the info from the vehicle management system. My local PCNA rep at least pestered the port to expedite my car and kept me informed of truck location while car was in transit. He also arranged for a few extra years of pre-paid maintenance for my troubles. Since your car is in Europe, there might be nothing he can do, but get to know him so he can help when the car hits a US port.
In the end, do not cancel, it's still worth the wait ...
Ah! This brings me back memories of the time I ordered my Cayenne. Your dealer should be able to check the latest on the build sheet. If your car is actually awaiting a car carrier in Emden, then your option is to check the schedules of the boats carrying car to the US. Porsche, as part of the VW group, uses VW logistics to transport its cars.
Go to this website: http://www.pwl.de/en and on the right hand side check linear schedules. For the US, the website gives you two options, either gulf coast or east/west coast. I found that both give you the same information when you click on Volkswagen logistic export. It will provide you with a .pdf of the schedule of ships leaving Emden to the three ports in USA. I remember I needed to check mine for San Diego.
It is not perfect but gives you a ballpark of when your car may be coming. I remember my guess were correct and was able to tract the ship all the way through the Panama Canal (and actually see it through the canal's webcam). I actually knew when the car arrived at the dealership before the SA knew.
Anyway, as you said first world problems. But it was fun tracking my Cayenne at that time
...oh, I doubt your dealer is nonchalant. The SA does not get paid until you pay for the car
I have the screenshot - I have been able to get these when requested. They confirmed today that this has not been updated, and this was the version I received on May 5. As you can see, it entered the Port of Eden on 5/4 and was expected to leave by May 19.
If you keep the car I would work the dealer hard for some freebies..maintenance, extra warranty, floor mats, and the list goes on. Remind them of their dealer survey when they say "oh I can't do that...."
06-09-2017, 05:45 PM
Delivery Issues
