Of all the mailbag questions I get, a majority focus on buying advice, which leads to questions about ordering and tracking a BMW. Is it hard? (No). Can I get anything I want? (Sort of). I wrote one of these before, but some things have changed – mostly for the better.
Let’s go shopping!
Step 1 – Colors, and BMW Individual
Let’s just put this right up front. BMW’s Individual program has evolved from a few unique colors on an E46 M3 to a full-blown make-your-dreams-come-true package.
First, head to BMWUSA and select the model you want to build. Every color you see here is readily available. Some are more “exclusive” and thus more expensive, but they are readily available to order.
Nothing in your size? The next thing is to head here, to BMW’s Individual site. Select your model, then see what it looks like in over 160 available shades. Everything here is usually $4,500 (though it can sometimes vary), and everything here is automatically approved as well.
Want something else not on this list? You’ll have to ask permission, and pay as much as $10,000. BMW will often test the color to see if it will work, and then approve or deny based on the results. But it could also have to do with where they are in the model’s production run, or many other factors. Your dealer will often ask you for two backup options as well, in case it doesn’t work.
A final note – the BMW 2 Series Coupe and M2 are not a part of the program because BMW’s Mexico factory is not yet set up for individual paint production. However, they have expanded the color palette to include some unique shades on these cars.
Why is BMW Individual paint so much?
Normally BMWs are painted by robots, but when your Individual color comes up, they can’t just plop it on the line alongside a normal car. Instead, they must be painted by hand. This requires a specialized skill worker, and thus takes longer. Some cars can require as much as three coats of paint to properly cover everything.
The unique colors come from a central factory in Germany, and they must wait until there is enough demand for a color to produce it in a large enough batch. They also take longer to produce, which is why my M3 has sat in the paint booth for over 48 hours, as oppose to the typical 24 (or less).
Can I order an Individual interior in the US?
As far a I know, you cannot. If a car like the X7 says “Individual” interior, it just means it costs more.
Step 2 – Where do you take delivery of your BMW?
Your car could take anywhere from eight weeks to six months to produce, and one thing they must know right away is where you’d like to take delivery.
It can either be at the dealership, or at the BMW Performance Center in South Carolina. Euro delivery is no longer an option.
Step 3 – Production numbers
Your dealer should provide a production number within a few days of ordering, but you’ll often have to wait. You will get a nice email from BMW saying your order was received and approved right away, which is a new development. My current M3 took almost three months before it received a production number, so just reach out to your sales rep once in awhile to ask.
Once you have a production number, you can go to BMW’s site or the MyBMW app, plug in the number and watch it be built.
What will my BMW look like?
Something new is a preview link they send when the car enters production, and it’s full of CGI images of both the interior and exterior of your specific car, with all options. This is likely the first time you’re seeing your actual car, especially if it’s an individual color.
How long will it take to build my BMW?
From the time production starts until the car is finished and waiting to be loaded should be about a week. If it seems stuck, it could simply be the portal not updating, but BMW is very efficient – they won’t let a car sit in the middle of the line (that’s impossible). If it started on a Monday, it should be ready by Friday.
Step 4 – Tracking your BMW
At this point, it’s out of BMW’s hands. If you’ve ordered an X3, 4, 5, 6 or X7, your wait should be short because they are all built in South Carolina or Mexico. No ocean to cross.
Everyone else will have to contend with shipping schedules and port delays. It’s not uncommon for the website to say “in transit” for over two weeks. However, you can call BMW of North America and ask for the name of the boat that your car will be on, then use that to track the boat cross the ocean with a site like this.
BMWs typical leave from the town of Bremerhaven (somewhat ironically named).
What happens at the BMW VPC?
The VPC, or Vehicle Processing Center, is where they take your car off the boat and make sure it’s okay after its long journey.
Yes, your baby might have been damaged as it sailed (or railed), but the VPC has everything needed to fix, from minor blemishes to entire new doors. They are not obliged to tell you, and it’s doubtful you’d every be able to find a flaw.
That said, there is a point at which the car can be too damaged to sell. BMW will inform you of this, and build you another post haste. This is also where “port-installed accessories” are put on – anything from an M Performance Suspension to floor mats.
Step 5 – Take Delivery
Once it’s at the dealer, they will let you know when you can pick it up. It’s rare, but sometimes there could be a hold on the car for a recall.
If you’ve chosen to take delivery at the PDC, your trip will have been booked by them in advance (you pay for the flight and hotel). Once you enjoy your track day, you’ll drive the car home (or ship it if you prefer, but the PDC won’t help you with that).
Be patient, and enjoy the process – just don’t settle for that random one on the lot. It’ll be worth it once your new ride is here.
