Wexman,

You may have tried this, when the railcar I was following stopped for several days, I called Union Pacific on their 800 number. Can't remember where I got it but can look if your are interested.

I bypassed all the digital/recorded information by punching 0s and *s till I got a live person. The guy did not know but asked someone else to check while we chatted about their impending move from St Louis to Omaha, NE.

He found that the entire 45 car train was on a siding near Colton because they had a traffic jam in southern California. "We will try to get a crew down there in the next few days and pull it on up to Benicia," he said.

jr

 

Jarmar -

Thanks. Mine is on CSX, and I'll give it a couple days. If on Monday, there is no update on the automated line, I'll see if I can get a live person.

Scott

 

Just got back from Tallys Dodge for an update. What a great bunch of guys! I looked over their shoulder when they checked and the screen appeared VERY much like the Insight screen. It also showed the same info...nothing new to report. I'm disappointed on how little info they offer their dealers with this. I'd be blowing steam as a dealer being invoiced for a truck which is nowhere to be found. Is it on a boat? On a railcar? Is it even in the country?

I also inquired about the old engine. I'm REALLY concerned about the mileage these rigs are pulling down. I do well over 40k a year and the difference between 12-14 to 20-22 is not marginal...... I know, 40k is nothing compared to the guys that drive/haul for a living. You guys are probably really ******!!!

So, I'm second guessing this purchase. He doesn't have any old 555 motors with the 6-spd and 8ft bed or I'd jump all over it. They're going to do some more research. As for me.....I'm on the fence. Keep this truck on order or try to find an old one that may or may not have the options I want.

 

I hear ya. I checked Insight today, even though I KNEW what it would say. Yup - due date ticked up another day.) Almost all the 3500s on order from my dealer have the same due date as mine, and they all have ticked up. If I owned a dealership, I would be spouting off the DC, big time. Only consolation is, is that it's not just my truck. If only mine were ticking up, but the others were not, then I would be worried. I do feel bad for the two sold 3500 orders that were KZ on 1/20/04 - a full month before mine. Those two guys, whoever they are, must be REALLY ******.

NJ, hang in there. I'm convinced these 600s will offer the mileage once they break in, and you're gonna have the baddest, hotten-tottenst diesel available in a light truck. If and when our trucks arrive , we'll laugh at this.

Believe me, I have been tempted to go peruse the lots. Even though there are many Dodge dealers around me, only two really specialize in the the HD trucks, mine, and another, with whom I don't really want to do business. My salesman has been very accomodating through this whole process, and seems as frustrated as me. Remember, he probably won't make his commission until he delivers the truck to me.

Scott

 

I also checked other trucks on order from my dealer and they show the same incremental date syndrome. It seems this tracking system is on auto-pilot! I hope whomever is driving the train or ship isn't!

I guess I'm going to stick with what I have. If I switch, I'd loose the 0% $2k and I'd be screwing the dealer over both of which I don't want to do. However, I also don't want to drop $40k on a truck I'm going to be unhappy with...........but it does have some sleek lines, the strongest and longest lasting motor available anywhere.

Yep...its a tuff decision. And you are right...in a few weeks (or months) we'll all look back at this and just laugh. The wait really isn't a big deal. We all just have to adjust our skirts and suck it up. Hopefully DC will have the MPG, vibration and whatever issues ironed out by then. God knows by the time we get our trucks they'll have enough time to do so....

 

called DC yesterday!!!Dc stated that the truck was in the process of being unloaded at the dealership as we speak!!!!!! It's about time, a full 14 weeks of waiting coming to a close So off to the bank I went (financing). And then to see my new baby!!!!! As I arrived there it was, a nice shiney white Ram being unloaded as I pulled in!!!!!!!The salesman was standing next to it, with a large smile!!!! As I yelled "IT"S ABOUT #%$&*$ TIME". The saleman said " NO, this ones a gasser, yours is'nt coming today" " try back next week"AAAAggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!! So Monday I start my 15 th week of waiting

 

What I can't understand is WHY DC can't give us an explanation of WHY those of us in the Northeast are waiting so long? As I and NJTackle have stated several times, I would think the dealers would be screaming also. How are they getting trucks for stock?

This is BS, if you ask me.

P.S. - You said you went to line up financing? What were the offers when you ordered your truck? And what are Chrysler Financial's offers now?

 

I'm going through a Credit Union. 3.24% for 5 years. Chrysler is 6.25% for 5 years. Now that I think of it, if I go through Chrysler, I could send my monthly payment back on the same slow boat to Vera Cruz. And when they call for thier money. I can say "I don't know where it is " " try back next week"

 

That seems very high. Most 4 yr rates are around 5% , I thought.

On edit: just checked Dodge's site. Current offers are 2.9% for 60 months OR a rebate. Are you taking a rebate, if not, then something is funny about the above 6.25% rate your were quoted.

You have more patcience than me. If I get to 14 weeks, I'll probably try to find one in a dealer's stock that I like.

 

I just thought of something. I test drove the new 600 at Circle Dodge in Brick, NJ (don't buy it there though, they suck) on 1/28/04. If DC didn't start with the 600's till around 1/2 or 1/5, how did Circle get one by 1/28? Doing the math, that's about 23 days from build date to lot. Mine was built on 2/19. So, using a 23 day ship time from factory to lot mine should be here around 3/15....that is this Monday! Waaahoooooooo!!!!

But I know this week will not be the week...or next week...or the week after that. I'll go now and wait some more.

 

I've been wondering the same thing, NJ. I actually think the first ones were built in late December - still, how they got shipped sp fast I don't know. All my dealers trucks' ETAs stay a steady two weeks from the current date. I've ordered vehicles from other manufactures, and DC's delivery and (non-functional) tracking systems are the worst.

People in the Midwest and Northwest shipments go more quickly too.

I'm hoping we're going to be pleasantly surprised in the next couple weeks by getting a phone call saying "it's in!" And I'll say, but Insight says two more weeks.......

Scott

 

njtackle
The only way that dealership could have recieved the "600" in 23 days is, they must have ordered it through a sister dealership farther west!! Or traded with another dealer!! However, no "600" was produced before 01/01. The plant shut down several days before Christmas and DC used that time to change over to the "600".

Are you sure it was a "600"?
Odie

 

Very positive! I checked the tag on the motor along with the window sticker. It was also much quieter then the 555 I listened to that day. The dealer said he just got these in (had two 600s).

I agree...I don't understand how quickly he was able to get two of these when other dealers had none. If I knew then what I know now I would have bought an old 555 from his lot and would have saved time, money and aggravation. The wait, as much as a nuisance it is, I can deal with but if this truck comes in with problems I'm going to blow a freaking gasket!!!

You're going on 14 weeks......****. I feel bad for you, and anyone else in the same spot. That really stinks. All I can say is hang in there. As Wexman said we'll look back at this one day and just laugh (and will probably never order another truck again. I'm buying from the lot next time!).

 

He probably ordered them as soon as they were available for order in December, and they might have been a couple of the first off the line. He must have had a good allocation to get a couple so early on, and so quickly from the factory. It's a mystery of the universe.

This Thursday will be four (4) weeks since my truck went KZ. I'm basically going to check in with my salesman every Friday. My current truck is due for registration renewal, and Pennsylvania State Inspection next month. I really don't want to have to pay the registration fee if I'm about to trade it, and I think it's going to need brakes ($$) to pass inspection. If my truck is NOT here in the next four weeks, I'm going to seriously see what I can find in someone's stock, even if I have to travel a bit to find it. I hope I won't have to implement this contingency plan.

 

I have been lurking here for a while now. Finally took the time to join. I ordered my 04.5 on 12/15(2003). The truck was built 1/9, Shipped to storage 1/9, shipped to another storage 1/30, Plant release 2/1, Loaded onto railcar 2/2, Arrived at Vera Cruz 2/6, Loaded onto a "Vessel" 3/2. Like many of you here on the east coast I have seen the Insight ETA change almost daily starting from ETA of 2/2, now ETA 3/29. I really think something bad has happened. My dealer is waiting on about 20 diesels on the same boat (or whatever vessel" Their lot is bare.