Just imagine how effectively they must forecast sales considering it takes min 8 weeks for trucks. One mistake and they'll have an empty truck lot or one of the biggest TRUCK sale weekends ever!

 

I agree. The very first time I called them (when my truck originally went D1), before I had a VIN, I gave them my VON, and read my name back to me (I didn't volunteer it) . Our names don't appear on Insight, so Insight information is being downloaded from somewhere else.

After MANY years in the financial services industry, I can tell you one institution keeps the same or similar information in several different computer systems.

I keep coming back to the point that, while this is very annoying for us shmoes being impatient , this is a REAL business concern for the dealer. My salesman told me that he was invoiced on 2/18 (the day my truck went KZ). It is my understanding that everyday they hold that invoice without selling a truck (on the lot, for instance) or delivering a sold order, is COSTING THE DEALER money. NOT the way I would want to do business. Not to mention that the dealer COULD lose additional business by someone with an ordered truck which is not being delivered CANCELLING that order, and taking their business down the street, where there is a truck in stock. Since my truck is a personal use vehicle, I can afford to wait (don't like it), BUT, IF I needed this truck for business purposes, I might think different.

TexasZach, if you're following this thread, your truck was on the same timeframe as mine, if I recall. What's the status on yours?

 

If you are talking about the Insight site I think the information you received is incorrect. When my truck was loaded onto a railcar and begin to move I used both Union Pacific Web site with a railcar number and the Insight Web site with the VIN.

When the train was on the move both Web sites were updated several times a day. Insight was always a few hours behind. The UP site seemed to be close to real time.

I quit calling DC because, using the two Web site I mentioned, I always had more current information than they did. One representative told me that they are there primarily to answer product questions and really know little about the production schedule of any one truck.

jr

 

Thanks for the input Jarmar. I think that NJTackle's rep was trying to be helpful, but may not have had ALL the information correct.

So, let's review:

1. DC reps don't know exactly where our trucks are
2. DC reps don't know exactly when they will arrive in port
3. Insight information is marginal at best
4. WE usually know more than our salespersons (that's what mine told me)

Bottom line - hurry up and wait some more.

 

Extremely good point Scott! This seems very plausible. From a financial aspect, DC really has nothing to gain in rushing delivery since the vehicles have already been invoiced. That is if they don't mind pissing off the dealers and some impatient customers!

EDIT: And if the dealers can't light a fire under DC's butt to speed up the delivery process (and improve tracking), there must be some complicated unaddressed issues with both parties....

 

 

One would think that since the DC is now a German-owned company, and with the Germans being famous for precision and detail, that the tracking system would be foolproof. I guess Daimler's influence hasn't extended that far yet.

 

From your understanding of this, is the holdback based on this invoice date, i.e. if the truck was sold from the lot inventory or was previously ordered and picked up on that day, the dealer would get 100% of the holdback?

I read a while ago that the holdback is mostly gone in 3 months. If a truck invoiced 2/18, and you bought it off the lot 4/18, then 2/3rds of the holdback is gone (if the 3 month # is accurate)?

I feel bad for dealers if this is true. I hope DC compensates them somehow.

 

Once the railcar arrives at the destination, in my case Benicia, CA, the trucking aspect of things complicates things further. My truck arrived and was unloaded on 03.06, but it is predicted to take 11 days to go the c. 200 miles to Carson City, NV!

I asked my dealer about this and was told that they were supposed to be able to 'red flag' a vehicle. At least this is the theory. He said that their experience was that 'red flagging' a vehicle seemed to do just that—and the vehicle would arrive at least a week or two later then first predicted.


jr

 

Not sure how the holdback works, but I just checked Insight for all my dealer's trucks. I just counted 3500s on order. Out of 13, one was delivered, I think, in December. Not sure why it's still on there. Out of the remaining 12, 11 are SOLD, like mine. It appears only 1 is for the dealer's stock. And here's the kicker:

Some of those sold 3500s show a plant release date as far back as 1/20/04 , and STILL show has enroute. There are 2 showing January release dates. ALL have an estimated ETA of 3/23, like mine. So, there are some people who have ordered from my dealer whose trucks were KZed a full month ahead of me, and THEY are still waiting. I guess I shouldn't complain, as that means there's a couple guys here near me who are in a worse boat than me. It also shows that the ETA is COMPLETELY bogus.

From a quick perusal of the 2500s, it looked about the same.

This does not give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Supposedly, my dealer is one of the largest Dodge dealers in the East. If THEY can't get their inventory, how do the smaller dealers do it.

 

I know how you feel. My truck is supposed to arrive in MY town this Saturday. My dealership, about 12 miles from the rail yard isn't supposed to get the truck until 3/25!!

Twelve days to go 12 miles.

 

Does it make you wonder if they are pulling it over there with a team of mules?

jr

 

I tracked my truck through Illinois and Indiana last night. It arrived in Sterling Heights (Detroit) this mornig at 7:42AM. Now the next wait, supposed to be at the dealer the 17th. Ordered 12-23

 

Greetings Fellow Owners in Waiting.....

I've been lying kind of low the last couple of weeks, perusing the board every day but not posting much. Frankly, some of the problems posted gave me chills. All in all I still think the majority of us will not see any problems but I will go over my truck from stem to stern when it gets here.

SPEAKING OF WHICH.....my truck is in a railyard, two miles from my home. It was unloaded there on March 4! My salesman called me Monday of this week to report that it should be in that day or yesterday, THIS DESPITE still showing a March 12 delivery. Well, it must still be sitting in the railyard. as of this evening it hasn't arrived at the dealer. This on top of which a buyer make me a nice offer on my current truck tonight and he wants a yes or no answer by in the morning. LOL SUCH PROBLEMS! Worse case scenario, were I to go ahead and sell my truck, shoud the new Dodge comes in damaged or not right in some way, I have access to a Chrysler Sebring until I find a truck. (groan)

Yesterday I had a customer show up at my shop in an '04 2500 Quad Cummins 4x4 in dark blue. (Patriot I assume) He has 8,000 miles on it, I gave a quick walk around on the truck and the paint looked great, saw no rock chips but I didn't have time to give it a thorough going over. The truck was gorgeous! Again it was an '04 not a '04.5 but he's had no problems except having to go back to the dealer for the recall on the 48RE.

I am thrilled that Chrysler threw another grand on the rebate pile this month.

Misery loves company! I've made up for not posting much lately in this novel.

Hang in there guys,

Zach

 

For all you folks patiently waiting, how long did it take from the time you ordered to the time your VON showed up on insight?