New truck leaves plant today

[GSchmitt]

First time poster, long time lurker. Just wanted to thanks for all of the info I have gained on this site. Great group! My new truck leaves the assembly plant today, hopefully wont be long now. Ordered 12/30/2003, so I have been waiting awhile. For all of those who think the engine is the only great thing about a Dodge, my gasser has been a very trouble free truck in 156000 very hard miles. Again thanks for all the help.

Gary

 

[HOCummins04]

Congratulations

My truck is also supposed to leave the plant today. It hit Plant Release (KZ) status yesterday evening. I also ordered mine on 12-30-04.



Driving an oil burner is in some ways very different from a gasser. I am not a long-time veteran as many here are.



You have already taken a very important step - TDR Membership.

 

[swexlin]

Congrats. I also had a 97 2500 4x4, but the V10. Nice engine, but no hot rod. I don't know how you handled the 5. 9 in that truck.



Welcome to the sight. Compared to your 235/335 gasser, this is gonna be WAY different.

 

[JLockhart]

Mine left the factory January 29. You guys are in the east like me, so your truck will be on a slow boat to Baltimore. Latest arrival date on mine is March 25, but that changes daily. Too bad Dodge makes the best trucks, cause they sure don't deserve our business based on the way they operate theirs.

 

[KBlanchard]

Mine left the plant today also. I ordered on Feb. 16, and delivery to dealer will be March 29. The wait on my 98. 5 was 5 months, so this wait is nothing in comparison. I just hope this truck serves me as well as the other did.

 

[KBertetto]

Mine too

I also orderd on 30 Dec, and just found out she was released from the plant todayOo. This is my first diesel, and my 3rd Dodge. First 2 were really good pickups. My truck has to travel to Wisconsin where I'll pick it up and drive to Alaska with the 5er. I'll be sure and give a full report on mileage figures etc... :-laf

 

[cummins600]

I allso ordered on Feb 16 but no information on build date. Was told by dealer 6 to 8 weeks. Time shure goes slooooowwwww.

 

[swexlin]

You guys are in the east like me, so your truck will be on a slow boat to Baltimore. Latest arrival date on mine is March 25, but that changes daily.

Very true statement. However, it *may* be on a train. I thought mine was on a slow boat, but my dealer found a railcar number, so it is on a train. I traced it to South Carolina, and that is where all information ends.



A couple guys over on DTR in SoCal and Dallas got their trucks a little over 4 weeks from ordering. Some guys here in the East have been waiting a long time. My dealer has 13 inbound 3500s, 10 of which are customer orders, 2 of which were released from the factory Jan 19 and 20th , a full month before mine, and THEY still aren't there.



So sit back, relax, have fun reading these forums and learning about your new ride. You have some time yet.

 

[GSchmitt]

Mine is coming by train to Winston Salem, then by truck. I guess they wont let me pick it up off the train(due to prep I would think). Winsto is only an hopur from me.

Gary

 

[Huntercrg]

ordered mine on Jan. 28, called dealer 3 weeks later and said truck was in paint shop, called 2 weeks later and truck was on rail car in st. louis, called dealer 3/11/04 said truck ** be in sitting at rail yard in spokane wa. on 3/13, but they have 4 days to move to dealer lot, I told him I was wasn`t working today and would be more than happy to drive some trucks off the rail car and over to the dealer for them. Said can`t do that, I can`t believe that, someone turning down free labor, no wonder these trucks cost so much. Hunter

 

[swexlin]

ordered mine on Jan. 28

Well, you're ahead of me by 10 days, and you'll still get your truck way before me. The use mule teams to get our trucks here.

 

[JLockhart]

Progress! Mine is now on American soil, "in bay at facility" in Baltimore! I think it's 23 weeks now. I think the dealer must have told me 4-8 MONTHS when I ordered, because that would have made him right on!

 

[GSchmitt]

Mine is still south of the border. Suppose to be loaded today. If it makes you feel any better, my last Ford was ordered the dasy after Thanksgiving and was delivered Mar 28. I guess they all have the problem. My salesman told me 6--8 weeks and its going to be double that. I guess thats about right!!

Gary

 

[swexlin]

All my Insight data changed. Remember, I was tracking a railcar - well yesterday, Insight changed to "loaded on vessel", Vera Cruz.



So, I may be tracking a railcar that does NOT have my truck in it. I'm thinking that it was SUPPOSED to be on that railcar, but someone goofed, and it wasn't loaded. Now, it was sitting on a lot in Vera Cruz, someone said "oops", and loaded it on a vessel.



Which means I now have ANOTHER month, and more mileage on my trade in. I am in week 9 already.



JLockhart, I think I asked before, but where are you in PA, and who is your dealer? I know mine, D'Ambrosio, has had a couple of these that were released a month before mine, and they arrived in port yesterday.



On EDIT: Just checked CSX. Railcar is EMPTY!!:{ So, I am on a ship after all. Looks like another month before I see my truck.

 

[SP Diesel]

Scott that stinks..... at this rate I'm going to see my truck before you get yours... . I wish... .

 

[swexlin]

Confirmed with DCs 800 number (on the second try, first time rep said it was going by rail, and gave the me railcar number which is empty ) that it was indeed loaded on the ship yesterday.



Now, whether the ship has left port is another question? Even if it has, looks to be another 3-4 weeks before I get this thing.



I may have to reregister my currenttruck and get it PA inspected after all. Not to mention I'm racking up miles on the trade-in.

 

[NDanecker]

This wait it awful! :{ And them telling you incorrect information is making it worse! :{ :{



I think I can now easily make that decision between whats important to have on a truck and WHEN to have the truck!



Would someone please kick the donkey in the ass please. It seems he's sleeping again!!!

 

[AQuaglieri]

Well I ordered my truck on 1/26/03. Scheduled to build on 2/6/04 and sitting at plant release since 2/26/04. Everyday I check they just keep adding a day onto the port arrival date (Newark, NJ). Today it said something like 3/20/04 for port arrival. That's pretty good since it didn't get on a ship yet. I hope I get it before summer.

 

[swexlin]

Aquag, you should have your dealer start making some calls, or start looking at a truck from someone else's stock (if there are any - all the dealers here in the East seem to be in the same predicament).



At least mine is now on a boat - whether it has sailed is another story, however.

 

[GSchmitt]

One week on the yard

Well, my truck has been sitting south of the border for one week now. Sure hope they have it parked inside(haha). Seems ridiculous that it just sits. Must be something to the rail car shortage.