Another delay...

Shane,

It's been my experience that Fisker Corporate doesn't seem to know the exact details and dates of anyone's individual car - they always refer you to the dealer. What I suspect (and sincerely hope) is that the response you received isn't specifically accurate about your car and is just the general-purpose response Fisker's communication group gives about all inquiries. When I've asked Fisker Corporate for specific information, their systems didn't seem so tell them much and they always referred me to the dealer.

Brent

Shane said:

It gets worse. My car was scheduled to be built on 9/26, with delivery early November.

Today, I received this from Fisker's marketing division:

Thank you for being a part of the Fisker Automotive family. Your Karma should be available for delivery no later then the first of Feburay. If you have any questions, please contact our office. Thank you for your business.

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My original build date was 9/7, which was moved to 9/14, which was moved to 10/7, which was moved to 10/20, which was moved to 11/14, which is now "slightly delayed". Every time I approach the supposed date that my car is to be built, they slip the schedule.

I think it is important that you press your dealer for a revised production date, and once you reach that date ensure that a VIN number has been assigned. It is the only way to know that they are actually building your car.

- Dennis

I just received some additional info from my dealer.

Facts - The colors that are delayed are Deep Ocean, Inferno, Laguna and Earth. The slip has not been quantified, but they promised to update the dealers by the end of the week.

Speculation - We haven't seen any production cars in these colors, only White, Black and Silver. My guess is that when they tried to paint the first cars in these colors, they encountered some problem and are having to reformulate the paint. I remember them saying at the roadshow that the color samples had more Diamond Dust in them than the production colors would have.

- Dennis

dennis said:

I just received some additional info from my dealer.

Facts - The colors that are delayed are Deep Ocean, Inferno, Laguna and Earth. The slip has not been quantified, but they promised to update the dealers by the end of the week.

Click to expand...

I am sure this is hard to hear but I think we definitely want them to get their paint formulation perfect since it would be very disruptive and difficult to get the car repainted, as opposed to a software upgrade or replacing some bit in the engine. I have been known to call the Karma the Zeno's Paradox of cars so I know well about slipped production dates and "slightly" delayed productions but I also understand the need for the first few hundred cars to be as perfect as possible, so I have given quality priority over deadline, but of course, none of us have infinite patience and that particular well is going to run dry eventually.

Hang in there, your pain is our pain.

-- Fab.

dennis said:

I just received some additional info from my dealer.

Facts - The colors that are delayed are Deep Ocean, Inferno, Laguna and Earth. The slip has not been quantified, but they promised to update the dealers by the end of the week.

Speculation - We haven't seen any production cars in these colors, only White, Black and Silver. My guess is that when they tried to paint the first cars in these colors, they encountered some problem and are having to reformulate the paint. I remember them saying at the roadshow that the color samples had more Diamond Dust in them than the production colors would have.

- Dennis

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It would follow then that other color choices would move up in the queue.
Right?

Billy O

Billy O - Stop using common sense and rational reasoning. This is Fisker we're talking about...

Considering they haven't delivered the Signature Series cars yet and I have known my VIN since May 10th, 2011, I wouldn't hold my breath on delivery. I still don't even have a delivery date and my car supposedly was built in August. Until you see a lot of posts of the first 100 cars having been delivered, don't get too excited because disappointment will follow. It certainly has numerous times for me.
Cheers,
Sigurd
PS, I'd rather wait for a quality product than them rush me a lemmon.

dennis said:

My car was scheduled to begin production next Monday (11/14). On today's dealer conference call with Fisker HQ, my dealer was told that there would be "slight delays" in certain colors, including Deep Ocean (my color). No quanitification of what "slight" is, but we are on Fisker Time. And its only been 6 1/2 months since I placed my firm order for this color.

Anyone have more info on this?

- Dennis

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I heard the same thing, but I wqs Laguna.

dennis said:

My car was scheduled to begin production next Monday (11/14). On today's dealer conference call with Fisker HQ, my dealer was told that there would be "slight delays" in certain colors, including Deep Ocean (my color). No quanitification of what "slight" is, but we are on Fisker Time. And its only been 6 1/2 months since I placed my firm order for this color.

Anyone have more info on this?

- Dennis

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My car was schedule to start on 11/3/11 Fisker told me a 3 week delay just yesterday.

My car's status has been “vehicle in production- started in body shop with no VIN assigned" since last Friday (confirmed yesterday). The nice lady at Fisker told me that the VIN should be assigned a couple of weeks after the start of production, so I am guessing that is how long it takes to build one. The last estimate they gave me for when the car will actually arrive was "right at the end of the year", by which I hope they meant 2011. Since I will be on a trip at the end of the year, even if the car gets here in time, I would probably not be able to take delivery in 2011.

My color is not one of the ones affected by the delay, so I am hoping that there will be no "slight" delays of a month or more, but with Fisker, who knows.

-- Fab.

Well good luck now you have to wait another year to get the car tax credits if you don't sign by end of 2011

Charles Wright said:

Well good luck now you have to wait another year to get the car tax credits if you don't sign by end of 2011

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Thanks, luck is definitely needed here. When I get the tax credit is not as critical since it does not appear to be tied to the calendar year, and not having to spend the money to buy the car is a much bigger savings than the tax credit.

-- Fab.

I just got an update from my dealer, with good news. My car has chassis number A000332. It is dated October 3, but I'm not sure whether that is the date that production started or finished. Anyway, it is finished now. The car is still at the factory, which fortunately is just a boat/road trip of one week away. All it needs now is the EU-certification. Let's hope the EU acts faster on that than it did on the euro-crisis.

So, if your #332 and my #500 which have been supposedly done for a while now are still in Finland then Fisker has a hell of a delivery backup to deal with.

-Brian

Dutch said:

I just got an update from my dealer, with good news. My car has chassis number A000332. It is dated October 3, but I'm not sure whether that is the date that production started or finished. Anyway, it is finished now. The car is still at the factory, which fortunately is just a boat/road trip of one week away. All it needs now is the EU-certification. Let's hope the EU acts faster on that than it did on the euro-crisis.

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Congratulations! If I lived in Europe, I would be tempted to go to Valmet and pick the car up myself, but I don't think they are set up for that yet. Keep us informed of the progress, please.

-- Fab.

I Have a VIN!

Fisker just notified me that a VIN has been assigned to my car (No. -641) and that the car's status is changed to "General Assembly". Sounds like progress is being made, at least in the computer database.

Now about those U-Boats ...

-- Fab.

Glorious Leader (not such a great name, having seen the faith of many a 'glorious leader' over the last few years) is on its way from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Emden in Germany. That's the wrong way, so I do hope it is not carrying any Karma's.