Allocation process - before ship docks or after?

[Diggsy]

As per the title, does anyone know if MG allocate cars to customers prior to the ships docking in the UK, or afterwards?

I know from previous threads that the crazy process was to allow customers to place orders in the UK, but then for these orders to be fulfilled effectively at random, as they weren’t being built to order in China.

I think I’ve seen some threads mentioning dealers knowing what ship a customer’s car was on, which would suggest they’re allocated before the ships dock?

That being the case, is it a safe assumption that MG China provide MG UK with a list of cars being shipped?

Just trying to get my head around MG’s ordering / allocation processes, which seem shambolic, probably chaotic at best. Hopefully there is a marked improvement when they move to building them to order…

 

[siteguru]

In my case cars were "randomly" allocated to dealers, so the dealers knew what vehicles they were getting (model variants, colours, VINs). When I ordered (08-Oct-22) I selected an available (en-route) model/colour and the dealer allocated it (and the VIN) to my order. At this point the car was still on a boat, and the boat didn't dock until ~21-Oct-22.

It then took 4 weeks to clear the docks and arrive at my dealer.

 

[Diggsy]

In my case cars were "randomly" allocated to dealers, so the dealers knew what vehicles they were getting (model variants, colours, VINs). When I ordered (08-Oct-22) I selected an available (en-route) model/colour and the dealer allocated it (and the VIN) to my order. At this point the car was still on a boat, and the boat didn't dock until ~21-Oct-22.

It then took 4 weeks to clear the docks and arrive at my dealer.

Thanks for that. So that would suggest that MG UK can allocate once the cars are shipped from China. MG UK are maybe given a manifest as to what has been shipped, which they then allocate to the dealers from…

 

[WonkoTheSaneUK]

I always thought that they took the truck driver into the office at the docks, and had them throw a dart at a map of dealerships. ?‍

 

[Diggsy]

I always thought that they took the truck driver into the office at the docks, and had them throw a dart at a map of dealerships. ?‍

That seems more like the reality of it all ?

 

[Buster72]

As per the title, does anyone know if MG allocate cars to customers prior to the ships docking in the UK, or afterwards?

I know from previous threads that the crazy process was to allow customers to place orders in the UK, but then for these orders to be fulfilled effectively at random, as they weren’t being built to order in China.

I think I’ve seen some threads mentioning dealers knowing what ship a customer’s car was on, which would suggest they’re allocated before the ships dock?

That being the case, is it a safe assumption that MG China provide MG UK with a list of cars being shipped?

Just trying to get my head around MG’s ordering / allocation processes, which seem shambolic, probably chaotic at best. Hopefully there is a marked improvement when they move to building them to order…

Why should this be any more or less chaotic than any other car imports from abroad; in this case China.
As I believe, you place your order with your dealer who places that order with the vehicle manufacturer. And it is up to the vehicle manufacturer to fulfill that order and ship the vehicle to the UK - Portbury Docs Bristol.
As to how much information the dealer gets is an open question. But I would expect the dealer to know when your vehicle is either on the ship or unloaded at the Dock.

 

[Diggsy]

Why should this be any more or less chaotic than any other car imports from abroad; in this case China.
As I believe, you place your order with your dealer who places that order with the vehicle manufacturer. And it is up to the vehicle manufacturer to fulfill that order and ship the vehicle to the UK - Portbury Docs Bristol.
As to how much information the dealer gets is an open question. But I would expect the dealer to know when your vehicle is either on the ship or unloaded at the Dock.

That would be the best way for it to work, and it may start to work that way from this month, but before now, sadly this wasn’t the case…

 

[Deleted member 10041]

Why should this be any more or less chaotic than any other car imports from abroad; in this case China.
As I believe, you place your order with your dealer who places that order with the vehicle manufacturer. And it is up to the vehicle manufacturer to fulfill that order and ship the vehicle to the UK - Portbury Docs Bristol.
As to how much information the dealer gets is an open question. But I would expect the dealer to know when your vehicle is either on the ship or unloaded at the Dock.

That's not being happening up until now, as has been said before. You place your order, the dealer places their order, then from there it's just been pot luck as MG allocate random cars to dealers