Having doubts about the Grande Sicilia

nickjs1984 said:

So, I've been watching the journey of the Grande Sicilia after it departed Emden, and it's starting to look less and less likely that my car is on it as it's just gone to Portugal and is now off to the Mediterranean (specifically Valencia, Spain). I guess maybe Audi did give my dealer the wrong info? Unless anyone else has seen such a counterintuitive course charted to get to Davisville?

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How do you know how your Q3 is on it or not?

My dealer sent me the information from his view of the order, including the projected dates for each of the ports and the vessel Audi thought the car would be loaded on. Based on the dates that he'd sent prior to the vessel field being populated (that still hadn't changed after), I'd expected the Kentucky Highway or the Cougar Ace (based on the PWL schedule), but his information specifically named the Grande Sicilia. Both of the vessels I'd found are bound directly for the east coast of North America after loading up in Emden and on track to meet the dates in his latest information...not so much the Grande Sicilia.

nickjs1984 said:

My dealer sent me the information from his view of the order, including the projected dates for each of the ports and the vessel Audi thought the car would be loaded on. Based on the dates that he'd sent prior to the vessel field being populated (that still hadn't changed after), I'd expected the Kentucky Highway or the Cougar Ace (based on the PWL schedule), but his information specifically named the Grande Sicilia. Both of the vessels I'd found are bound directly for the east coast of North America after loading up in Emden and on track to meet the dates in his latest information...not so much the Grande Sicilia.

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Thanks for the info.

Last I heard my Q3 was waiting to be shipped and that was around 11/29 (as per dealer). So I just emailed him for an update.

As I said before, Audi's updates are slow and often incorrect until the obvious. Since the Grande Sicilia is not even on their (VW logistics) map at PWL, I wouldn't even consider that vessel - recall they told me my car was on the Grand Benelux (also NOT on PWL map), but by the time I figured it was on the Sunrise Ace, they were STILL more than a week later to come to the same conclusion.

I'd trust the date they forecast combined with the PWL plan and go from there. Again, as I said, by the time you do this AND your ship loaded date comes up (give Audi another day our 2) and they will likely confirm your own discovery. Once that occurs (ship loaded date past, and then status showing a vessel) you can have good confidence in which ship to track...

You called it, Roger. I was definitely confused about the non-PWL vessel so I'm assuming Audi just picks one to report to their dealers by pointing to one randomly on MarineTraffic.com. Haha.

I've emailed Marty at Sewickley and we'll see what he comes back with. Unless it's totally off schedule (Davisville on 12/8) it should be on one of the two that were on my original PWL list. Kentucky Highway is on track to be in Rhode Island on 12/6 just before midnight, so that's where my money is...

So, Marty doesn't seem to be getting any clear information at all from what he's able to see. There is no longer a vessel listed at all, the car seems to be in limbo from released from manufacturing status on 11/7 through now and there's a conflicting set of port loaded dates (11/22, 11/28 and 12/3). I've called Audi corporate to see if someone there can find their inventory. So not like ze Germans...

My status updates went thru exactly the same kind of gyrations - including the naming of a wrong vessel (Grand Benelux), my preponderance of evidence against that vessel, no change from Audi about that, then - on the day it was to be ship loaded to what HAD to be the Eternal Ace, the change in ship loaded date to two weeks later - still had the wrong vessel - my repeat evidence against that vessel (the simple assertion that that ship was never on PWL's lists), then FINALLY after almost three weeks of my discovery (and Eternal Ace disappointment) - confirmation that my car would be on the Sunrise Ace (which I had surmised more than a week ahead of Audi's reports).

At least the vessel DID come in a bit earlier than Audi's forecasts even after getting the vessel name correct - and an expedition letter sent to the port by my dealer got my car to them in 3 days over a weekend, so I could have my car that afternoon...

perhaps its fallen in, or has been absconded by pirates as collateral in an international string bean heist?

From where I'm sitting, no matter how much information you figure out bit by bit, no matter what information Audi finds or doesn't find, it doesn't make the ship move any faster.

Have a bourbon, have a nap, the show will be on shortly...

What Arabay said.

Just be patient and wait for it.
No point fussing over all this stuff although some of it can be interesting.

Quatto said:

What Arabay said. Just be patient and wait for it.
No point fussing over all this stuff although some of it can be interesting.

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I agree. Mine was a few days out of landing port when I ordered it as a scoop from another dealer. I had an "in" with Audi, he can literally make things move around.... and even he was unable to divert the car on landing to truck delivery in 2 days rather than rail in 10 days.....

There's this built up impatience once we have committed to the order. I wanted it NOW. I thought I'd read the manual online..... nope, Audi is the ONLY German brand to NOT offer pdf's of manuals. Even Trabant manuals are online. And all the Japanese and North Americans. Pester your dealer to borrow one and read up!