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Hi, not new to the forum but cannot recall username or password so have registered again! The forum is as always forever helpful.
Ive just signed up for a Volvo xc40 petrol automatic soft hybrid in Pearl white after a great test drive and excellent service from ‘Ben’ at Crawley showroom. Was a little tempted by the pale blue but it seemed a little too flat for me and I always love white! Felt very informed, valued and happy with our choice. May date given but I’m not banking on that but was assured to contact him anytime for updates. Seamless application accompanied by coffees.
Currently have a Peugeot 3008 and will be happy to wave it goodbye but my other half not as much so! ?
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There has to be an explanation for this situation. Goodness knows how it’s managed or been allowed to get to this point-I just have a feeling there’s far more going on with our orders than Volvo/Motability want to divulge.
Is it just Motability orders or all factory orders? I did follow another forum about Bristol port delays for the XC40 but that’s gone quiet since April maybe all their cars have turned up? Just be interested to find out. I’m fed up of taxis and hiring cars it’s costing a fortune.
My opinion, and it is merely my opinion, is that it is mainly only Motability orders that are being affected. I have been provided with a VIN number and from such, have recently been advised via Volvo HO, that my vehicle has been sat in Zeebrugge long stay holding facility, since the middle of March! It baffles me why no one, it appears, can explain the reason for the delay. I (re)placed my order on 020124 and now have confirmation that the MY24 vehicle was built on 180324 and left the factory for Zeebrugge port and arrived at such on 190324. It’s now 080524 and still no movement, apparently. I’m not sure I’ll ever set eyes on my order, but hope springs eternal!
My opinion, and it is merely my opinion, is that it is mainly only Motability orders that are being affected. I have been provided with a VIN number and from such, have recently been advised via Volvo HO, that my vehicle has been sat in Zeebrugge long stay holding facility, since the middle of March! It baffles me why no one, it appears, can explain the reason for the delay. I (re)placed my order on 020124 and now have confirmation that the MY24 vehicle was built on 180324 and left the factory for Zeebrugge port and arrived at such on 190324. It’s now 080524 and still no movement, apparently. I’m not sure I’ll ever set eyes on my order, but hope springs eternal!
I too asked for a VIN number and dealer said they don’t supply them! LOL, it’s a struggle to get the truth, isn’t it? Out of interest, did you then track the VIN through the Volvo cars app?
I can’t be sure obviously but .. I’d wager that if your car is in the holding area at Zebrugge then it’s probably down to the massive batch of electric EX30’s that were dumped there off a boat from China some weeks ago that the port authorities have complained about. It was reported in Forbes magazine, said as milk float sales were down everywhere and the cars were not orders Volvo had just dumped them there in front of existing ordered cars. Volvo gambled big and made lots of cars that very few people now actually want. Port wants them shifted because it is not a long term storage area but a holding yard for cars awaiting shipment but Volvo don’t know where to put them apparently!?
Volvo, the clown show that never gets any funnier! 😣
I have the VIN information within an email regarding my order, so I assume it’s definitely possible to get although I was unable to track it in the Volvo app. I wasn’t aware of the XC30 fiasco at the port although it would make sense. I’ve learnt a lot of information on this forum, thank you. I am holding out for the XC40 owing to it being a petrol vehicle, and a good spec to suit my needs, at an extremely reasonable AP price. Fingers crossed our orders will eventually materialise!
then it’s probably down to the massive batch of electric EX30’s that were dumped there off a boat from China some weeks ago that the port authorities have complained about. It was reported in Forbes magazine, said as milk float sales were down everywhere and the cars were not orders Volvo had just dumped them there in front of existing ordered cars. Volvo gambled big and made lots of cars that very few people now actually want.
Do you have a link to the article? Can’t seem to find it.
No worries. Actually I just checked back and it wasn’t Forbes but FT Edit. Article on 09.04.2024 but you need to pay them to view it, I did find a copy on archive_dot_org to view it back then but can’t seem to find it now. Wish I’d taken a screenshot. Member on the XC40 forum posted about it and he said:-
” Just read an article on FT Edit about problems at the port in Zebrugge. Allegedly the Chinese have shipped vast quantities of EVs to the port but have not booked onward transportation due to much lower sales than they expected. They are effectively using Zebrugge as a European storage depot and thus blocking the usual movement of new cars through the port…”
To which another member posted this further info …..
“Having been in Zeebrugge yesterday, I can confirm the above, baring in mind that Volvo Car Group (well, actually Zhejiang Geely Holding of China), i.e. mostly with the new Volvo EX30, is one of those Chinese car makers.”
then it’s probably down to the massive batch of electric EX30’s that were dumped there off a boat from China some weeks ago that the port authorities have complained about. It was reported in Forbes magazine, said as milk float sales were down everywhere and the cars were not orders Volvo had just dumped them there in front of existing ordered cars. Volvo gambled big and made lots of cars that very few people now actually want.
Do you have a link to the article? Can’t seem to find it.
Yes jOhn, it wasn’t Forbes but FT Edit and it’s pretty hard to find in a search. Here is the link but as I said above you have to pay FT Edit to view it –
https://www.ft.com/content/496f3bfa-9f0c-4145-9024-188572a280fd
I copied and pasted in to Google search “European ports turned into ‘car parks’ as vehicle imports pile up” and found website “mishralk.com” states the following headline “ Hoot of the Day: Belgium’s Ports Drowning Under Glut of Chinese EVs” and then “ ‘Some are parked here for a year, sometimes more.” It’s not sounding very positive!!
Thanks @UncJ for the reply. Here is the free archived version – https://archive.ph/8Ncmr
Thanks @UncJ for the reply. Here is the free archived version – https://archive.ph/8Ncmr
LOL, well done jOhn you beat me too it! 😁👍
Yikes, have been watching with interest. Just an update from me, as far as I know my (new) handover date remains as Monday, instead of yesterday as planned. However I have now also got an actual email from Motability informing that car almost ready to collect and to contact dealer. It’s just a generic, automated one but it gives me a bit more reassurance that something is actually happening if now both Volvo and Motability seem to be linking up somewhere in the background on my order. Again, it seems so odd that I’m in NI, and allegedly getting it first (not the norm here 🤣) – where is it coming in from!? Can’t imagine through the Republic, for various reasons you are probably all familiar with i.e Brexit! But then who knows?
Sounding very promising now I’d say Steph, the car has to be with them I reckon. Hope it all goes smoothly on Monday, make sure you post a pictures of the car when you get it … kinda like proof of life and might just boost the rest of us on our never ending wait. LOL 😆👍
Proof of life 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Aye, proof of life and it’s not valid unless there’s also that day’s newspaper in the same picture too. You know, like kidnappers show for proof of life before the blackmailed pay up to get their loved one back. 🤣🤣🤣🤣👍
Hi all,
I’ve been quietly observing these posts over the last few weeks, wondering if the same plight would affect me and my XC40. I thought it seemed too good to be true that our order seemed to be going to plan. And all was going swimmingly well, that is until this morning when I was scheduled to collect my car.
We had the day and time confirmed by the dealer, which was literally this morning. Plans had been changed, my old car had been cleaned, run low of fuel, and ready to go. Then 25 minutes before the scheduled collection time, a call comes from the dealer to say there is an issue with the dvla taxing system – and they cannot tax the car. The problem might take an hour or two, they said, possibly a day to resolve and instead of waiting at the dealership we should wait at home for an update.
Anyway, I thought we’re all ready and dressed to go, let’s just head down and see the car (which is all part of the excitement), even if we can’t drive it away there and then..
We get to the dealership at the collection time agreed, and there are lots of XC40’s out the front. None of them our spec. That’s weird, I thought, it should be sat ready and waiting to go if it’s just a tax issue. I say can we have a look at the car as that’s what we came over for and we could kill some time locally until it was ready… and then suddenly he searched the system and he can’t find the registration for it. In fact, he can’t confirm the car is even on site. He can’t remember if he’s even seen it. He doesn’t know where it is or how this is happened.
I am not making any of this up, I still cannot quite believe that this has taken place. The dealer said they would search the compound for the car, but I have zero hope that they will “find” it. I am frankly speechless that we could get to the point of a confirmed date and time collection for a car that hasn’t even been seen. I just felt the need to share this experience with you all. Suffice to say this is beyond shocking.
Wow, that’s crazy. 😳☹️
Was it the motability dealer him/herself saying they couldn’t find it? Please keep us all updated as to what happens next. Wishing you all the best with your car and hoping it’s just been misplaced.
Also, did you see this post from Steph the other day about them moving her handover due to DVLA tax issue?
Hi Gang,
Ive just been catching up on all posts I’ve missed since last night,
WOW 😮
UncJ I have to agree with all you said it’s absolutely bonkers and I too as positive as I try and be have lost all hope! It would be very sad if you cancel your car as I know you really was looking forward to it, and thank you for all the Docs on Zeebrugge etc very helpful!
Steph I do hope Monday is your day!! I have everything crossed for you!!
CJM- WOW WOW WOW that is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard!! And we have heard a lot of things through this thread, please do keep us updated!! Did you get the “Collect your car” section on the MB app with your pin to collect?
This all feels the most bizarre thing I’ve ever been involved in!! All we did was order a car LOL 😂😂😂 Beggars belief!
Steph L xx
<p style=”text-align: left;”></p>Also.. my little update from My Dealer yesterday was…
He has no update as it’s been Bank Hols!
and just that he’s still waiting for my ARN to be swapped over 🤷🏻♀️ but it shouldn’t be a problem as he has had 3 done already and I am one of 3 others still waiting….Pointless email!
Just picking up on CJM’s post again..
I do remember a few weeks back my Dealer saying he had EX amount of cars delivered and 2 customers turned up to collect theirs and they hadn’t been loaded, they were in the “sheet” but been forgotten on the loader, they arrived the next day.
Ps… Retail not MBTalk about incompetence 🤨
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