Can you track where your car is before delivery?

[sorthund]

I was told my car is on the boat and will arrive sometime this week. Is there a way to see when the boat docks? I was able to with my MINI, but can't remember how....

[amm0bob]

[hiremichaelreid]

Dealer may have access to that info.

Here in Canada, salesguy was able to tell me more or less where the car was as it traveled from port of Vancouver, to Toronto warehouse, and then here to Ottawa.

[jaypeetee]

I'm in the same situation, just got my Vehicle Inquiry Report but would like to know how to track it to the dealership.

[FrankZ]

I've wondered this myself. Come on, we can track a box of paperbacks from Amazon all over the country, there ought to be a way to keep an eye on the prograss of your new car!

[EJFB1029]

From what I can tell, its really not that simple with cars from Japan, they enter the port, get swapped around, dealer gets a list, we are sending you these cars, if dealer has any clout, they get one like you want on that shipment, its not like the car was built for you.

[ZC1]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

...Come on, we can track a box of paperbacks from Amazon all over the country, there ought to be a way to keep an eye on the prograss of your new car!

Okay, do you want your car delivered by UPS?
The way they handle boxes, you'd find it in dented, ripped and punctured state, then they'd drop kick it to your doorstep and run.

ZC1

[sorthund]

Originally Posted by EJFB1029

From what I can tell, its really not that simple with cars from Japan, they enter the port, get swapped around, dealer gets a list, we are sending you these cars, if dealer has any clout, they get one like you want on that shipment, its not like the car was built for you.

That makes sense. But what if you have a VIN number? I assume that all the cars are recorded by VIN number when loaded on the boats...

[hiremichaelreid]

Originally Posted by sorthund

That makes sense. But what if you have a VIN number? I assume that all the cars are recorded by VIN number when loaded on the boats...

Yes, and someone somewhere has a computer that could tell you, more or less where the car is.

These are $20-30k cars !! Whoever is on the hook if it goes missing will almost certainly know, more or less, where their valuable assets are.

I'm not saying YOUR salesman or Toyota regional whatever will be able to tell you.

But MY salesman, here in Ottawa, Canada, gave me the VIN as soon as I left deposit and showed me his computer screen indicating it was in port of Vancouver. I think it was a Toyota Canada ordering/tracking system, but you'd think they'd have same in US. As my car arrived in Toronto, and left Toronto and arrived Ottawa, I got emails each time from my salesdude.


Yes, maybe with the frantic matching and trading of allocations, it's more difficult in US.

[fcc]

isn't wanting to know where the car is globally just a wee bit anal? ;-)
i was simply happy i could go into a dealership, tell them exactly what i wanted,
and wait 6 weeks for delivery. as soon as it arrived the told me the vin and the
rest is history.