Lead Times (ordering May 2018)

[WheelsOnFire92]

Hi everyone,

I've seen some discussions relating to delays in building late last year, and wondered what people's experiences were now, 4-5 months on.

I'm ordering through a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) converter and Motability, here in the UK. It will be a cherry red VW T6 Shuttle SE, Automatic, Diesel. I believe it's going to be the cheapest engine option, so 2.0 TDI 150PS (if that makes a difference).

I've been told by the WAV converter that it will take around to 20 weeks to arrive in the UK, which takes us up to the end of September. When I asked VW about this via Twitter, their customer care team seemed clueless as to what was going on. So I enquired at a more local Van centre (Guildford) and they gave the same timescale as the WAV converter...

Does anyone know the reason why it is taking circa 5 months to build VW Transporters? Or can anyone confirm whether they're being told the same length of time?

Obviously I'm fully aware that given that I need a conversion, and beyond that I need specialist hand controls, means that beyond the 20 weeks I'll have a further wait, but 20 weeks does seem like a long time to wait for the vehicle itself to be built in the first place.

Hoping someone can advise/help

Many thanks

 

[Shredder]

I've been told by the WAV converter that it will take around to 20 weeks to arrive in the UK, which takes us up to the end of September. When I asked VW about this via Twitter, their customer care team seemed clueless as to what was going on. So I enquired at a more local Van centre (Guildford) and they gave the same timescale as the WAV converter...

End of Feb / early March this year, I was told by Guildford that a custom 204ps LWB Kombi order would be 12 weeks. In fact, they told me that was worst case and it could be quicker. At roughly the same time, JCB Eurovans VW of Crawley told me exactly the same thing. About a week later, Leighton Vans, probably the biggest UK T6 customiser, again, told me exactly the same thing if I was to place my own spec order with them.

Sorry, it doesn't resolve your issue but at least it's a data point for you about build lead times ..... and that was at the new reg 'rush' time of year!!

 

[WheelieBealie]

Ordered a T30 150PS Kombi with DSG and a few other options at the end of Jan (from my local VW commercial centre), it arrived mid April, 10 weeks in total.

 

[Loz]

Every year in May the factory stops production and retools for the next manufacturing year this causes a backlog and delays build up. So dealers are prevented from placing orders about this time. This can lead to a longer that normal deliver time for summer orders. This is normal but the recent delays due to real world emission tests for passenger carrying vehicles was an added delay over this last christmas.
The upside is that you are likely to get a MY19 van with any changes that come with the change over.

 

[Ian Dootson]

I ordered a WAV T6 Caravelle Exec TDI 150PS DSG from Lewis Reed just before Christmas. I was initially told approx 20 weeks including the conversion but was then advised in March that there were delays due to emission issues. I got an update earlier this month to say the van was expected in the UK by the end of this month and then the conversion would start. I'm expecting it towards the end of May so overall its going to be around 21-22 weeks.

 

[Martinf]

I ordered a 150 DSG through a camper converter. The order was placed by the VW van supplier on 19/01 and the van arrived at the converter last week, on 19/04, exactly 13 weeks later.

 

[Chrisfraser05]

The retooling/holiday is July.

We ordered one in April 17 and it arrived in the UK September.

 

[Loz]

The retooling/holiday is July.

We ordered one in April 17 and it arrived in the UK September.

I think your correct but it was about this time in 2016 that we ordered ours and the order book closed just after we placed ours and it didn't arrive until end of October.

 

[WheelsOnFire92]

Thanks everyone for your input. It would seem that the 20 week delay is reasonably accurate, based upon other people's experiences! It makes very little sense why they have this delay, but will pursue that with VW

 

[Roadrunner]

Ordered min in may/june 2106 and it came into the country just after Christmas for me to collect in Jan 2017

 

[Twenty Four]

Thanks everyone for your input. It would seem that the 20 week delay is reasonably accurate, based upon other people's experiences! It makes very little sense why they have this delay, but will pursue that with VW

I had a similar wait on a Shuttle SE. I assumed the production line might possibly have geared up for the more popular Kombi more often than the Shuttle, hence the Kombi lead times appear shorter.