Question.....So when your California reaches build?

[Ocean Spirit]

I have a couple of questions on this.
I searched the 'Factory visit' threads but didn't find my answer.
What I do see on You tube are painted bodies having interior camping area assemblies loaded in and bellows and roof being fitted.
So,
1) When your order goes into build as per confirmed build week what does this mean?
Is it from scratch or is this a base vehicle being personalised? for instance, painted body with your engine spec, running gear and windows getting the right bits and bobs added.

2) If it's literally from scratch, does it first share a production line common to other variants of transporters until a given point then split away to a dedicated California area?

I'd be interested to understand the sequence if anyone has that sort of info

 

[Kmann]

It is built from scratch ;-)

All T6 based vehicles come in a totally mixed order and are assembled one by one. It takes a huge logistic demand. VW does only build when an order is given and accepted.

After the base is built, it is transferred to another special plant, where the California assembly is made. On that trip, its interiør is protected by a special roof.

 

[Hotel California]

It does not matter if it's a Cali , people carrier or a pick-up version . They only start building your verhicle if they know all the chosen options are availeble to actualy build in ,most parts arrive "just in time" at the factory , coming from transport and straigt in the factory next to the build line .
Only two diffrent lines , one with people carriers and the Cali the other line builds pick-up , high tops , special verhicles
From the first welding of the underbody the chassis is pointed out to an specific order , the chassis gets a chip throughout the further trip down the line , this chip holds all the info on build specification.
If you have say that version of the alloys as option and they are out of stock at the supplier your builddate move further.
A Cali gets build into a rolling naked verhicle without the wardrobes and roof as they are build in at a diffrent plant (also in Hannover )
They put a temporary roof on the Cali , and transport it with a lorry to the other plant to finish it of . In the Cali plant they do have a stock wardrobes , kitchenunits, roofs,...to build say 100 Cali's . There's a constant income with goods from theire contractor suppliers .

 

[Jonathan Duke]

They complete 870 units per working day in the main factory, about 60-70 of these, per day, then get transported to the "camper hall" and finished out as Californias. At this stage, it's a fully rolling/working empty van, with a hole in the roof. The hole is covered using a temporary plastic transportation piece. The pop-top, kitchen etc etc.... all fitted in the camper hall.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I wonder what the status of build is after 2 complete days or is it 24 hour operation?

Did I mention mine went into build this week?

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Thanks for all the posts - interesting process. The factory videos on YouTube are a good watch (on a cold wet evening while waiting for your new California to arrive...)

And it's great to realise that they do all of the above in a week (or less). My order was for Build week 44 (last week) and it is now already in Emden awaiting shipping this week .

Pete

 

[CampervanTime]

Wow, that's quick considering the custom nature of the build process. Very quick.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

And it's great to realise that they do all of the above in a week (or less). My order was for Build week 44 (last week) and it is now already in Emden awaiting shipping this week .

WHATTTTTTTT ???????????

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Wow, that's quick considering the custom nature of the build process. Very quick.

I hope they didn't forget anything! Or maybe the 'A' Team were on shift .

 

[Pete_Hampton]

WHATTTTTTTT ???????????

Ask VW Customer Services (online chat via www - simpler than phoning) they, or your dealer, can give you order status codes so long as you have your order number.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Ask VW Customer Services (online chat via www - simpler than phoning) they, or your dealer, can give you order status codes so long as you have your order number.

I will be trying for an update tomorrow (after all its been 2 whole days...what the hell are they playing at? ).
Joking aside the online chat has been down for me but I don't know if thats my laptop or VW's problem.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Mine ended up in Emden, two days after it went into build week, made it to UK port a couple of days after.... But then sat there for 10 days.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...msi:212949000/imo:9195145/vessel:ISAR_HIGHWAY

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Mine ended up in Emden, two days after it went into build week, made it to UK port a couple of days after.... But then sat there for 10 days.

Are you lot sure you aren't just ragging me...huh? ....hum?....com on now? having me on eh?
I know what you lot are like...

 

[CampervanTime]

This forum is getting as bad as the various BMW forums where everyone hyper stalks their new BMWs though the system including status updates daily, looking at crossings, looking at CCTV at the ports, looking for *their* car on the CCTV at the ports and on the motorway highways england CCTV cameras.

Not that I've ever done that of course

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Are you lot sure you aren't just ragging me...huh? ....hum?....com on now? having me on eh?
I know what you lot are like...

Reading this thread.... Is spurring memories of when I was eyeballing everything, like a maniac.... Last January..... We all really wanted to beat the VED rise back then.... The build, and shipping operation is massive..... thousands of vehicles on each load ship, takes 5+ days just to load another 5+ days to unload.... There are some really good treads on this forum somewhere also....

I remember someone who phoned the Grimbsy Harbour office, asking if he could nip down and collect his van, as he was told it was in port.... He got a fairly comical response.... Something along the lines of, its gonna take 5 day to unload this ship, with a team of 25 drivers working 24x7.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

The build, and shipping operation is massive..... thousands of vehicles on each load ship, takes 5+ days just to load another 5+ days to unload....

Wow.....

 

[Pete_Hampton]

I will be trying for an update tomorrow (after all its been 2 whole days...what the hell are they playing at?

Did you successfully get an order status update for you Ocean? I wouldn't mind betting that your build week 45 T6 catches up with ours from build week 44.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Actually no
I have had no luck with live chat working on my lap top so I rang again but in fairness they were close to closing time and the girl couldn't get anyone to pick up the phone from the relevant department. She took my details and called me the following day but there were no firm details. She just re-iterated that this is the build week confirmed and better tracking would be available once it was finished and ready for dispatch.
I was under the impression some anticipant owners got better status updates than that.

 

[ChrisS]

Found out today that my beach is build week 46 - this week apparently. The estimate was another 6 weeks to get here. I got that info from ringing vw customer services -very helpful person there, so will ring them again in a week or two for an uodate. My dealer was quoting me beginning of December but that seems unlikely. They are not at all communicative unfortunately. Would be great to hear any updates from 2020 freedom and Pete Hampton.

 

[Properjob]

Found out today that my beach is build week 46 - this week apparently. The estimate was another 6 weeks to get here. I got that info from ringing vw customer services -very helpful person there, so will ring them again in a week or two for an uodate. My dealer was quoting me beginning of December but that seems unlikely. They are not at all communicative unfortunately. Would be great to hear any updates from 2020 freedom and Pete Hampton.

Chris, ours is build week 46 as well and we were told to allow 6 weeks - so just before Christmas. I haven't done any more chasing yet though.

 

[Pete_Hampton]

Would be great to hear any updates from 2020 freedom and Pete Hampton.

@ChrisS My latest update for our build week 44 California was on Sunday 12th - VW CV chat informed me that order is at code 38 'in port of exit - released to shipping' waiting to be assigned to a ship*, expecting at least another week before arrival in UK port. [*Emden to Sheerness]. Then plus whatever is normal from port to dealer via customs, plus the dealer pre-sale checks etc. Oh and I suppose we might have to pay the outstanding balance at some point!

So 6 weeks from build week seems to be a reasonable estimate.

We also have a good sales POC at the dealership who sends screen grabs of the order tracking system each month.

Like @itguy describes at post #15 - this is all just a bit of harmless hyper stalking...

hyper stalking = good name for a separate thread perhaps to keep all of us stalkers together until we have grown out of it once our pride and joy has arrived?

Now where is that Sheerness CCTV hyperlink...

 

[Jason wallace]

You would think with the amount of time they take on phone calls and email re status.....it would be easier to just put this info on the tracker app they have for cars.

 

[Pete_Hampton]

You would think with the amount of time they take on phone calls and email re status.....it would be easier to just put this info on the tracker app they have for cars.

Err Yup!

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Found out today that my beach is build week 46 - this week apparently. The estimate was another 6 weeks to get here. I got that info from ringing vw customer services -very helpful person there, so will ring them again in a week or two for an uodate. My dealer was quoting me beginning of December but that seems unlikely. They are not at all communicative unfortunately. Would be great to hear any updates from 2020 freedom and Pete Hampton.

I had an email from SMG today. Code 30, which apparently means its on its way to the port in Germany.
Thats a week 45 build (6th November). I was also told earlier in the week via Live chat that it was built but hadn't moved off code 20 at that time. So as its the 16th today I'd say build has taken 8 days or less.
SMG Tonbridge expecting it within 14 days.
Now @ChrisS
It's kind of spooky that your post was at 11.08pm yesterday and the e-mail from my dealer appears to have come in at 11.08am today....what you think about that then eh?