Thanks for everyone’s help i ordered the X1. I contacted bmw after querying things with motability and have been informed it is not yet in production which I expected under the current conditions. I thought there was a live chat option on the website but I haven’t been able to find it anywhere, I have been quite confused and anxious about it all as I’m new to the scheme. How or when would I be able to track the vehicle production status please?
Hi Lou. You have already received a lot of great advice from others, so I won’t repeat it all again, but it’s not a VIN number you want, it’s an order number. It’s been over 5 years since I last ordered a new BMW, but their order tracking wasn’t great back then. Hopefully it has improved.
The reason it’s always important to get an order number is that many dealers don’t actually order the car for a month, or sometimes a few months, after you think you have ordered it. Dealers have build allocations per model each month or quarter and will not willingly tell you if they have used up all of their allocations, as they don’t want you to go elsewhere. VW dealers are terrible with this. I always ask about where they are versus their build allocations when I consider placing an order and then chase them relentlessly until they give me an order number, as only then am I convinced that they’ve actually placed the order with the manufacturer!
You are where you are with the deposit. I find that dealers often want optional extras paid up front, as that’s where they are ‘at risk’ if the customer subsequently pulls out but, as with everything, it’s a negotiation.