Monitoring ships from Emden

[JeffS]

I must be getting too impatient waiting for delivery of my 1.4TSI Elegance Estate (ordered 20th February, built on 8th April). Having been told that it had arrived at Grimsby on 12th April I was becoming alarmed at how long it seemed to be in transit to the dealer - had it been damaged? - had it 'disappeared'? I was told yesterday that the information I had ben given was wrong - the car had arrived at Emden on 21st April and was on a ship that had left for Grimsby on the 22nd (yesterday). I remembered seeing a posting from about being able to track the shipping movements and the names of two of the ships - SCHELDE HIGHWAY and ISCAR HIGHWAY. Googling 'SCHELDE HIGHWAY' took me to the MarineTraffix.com website. Selecting 'Ports' and 'Emden' showed that a K-Line vehicle transporter called the MAIN HIGHWAY had just left bound for Grimsby. Selecting 'MAIN HIGHWAY' brought up a map showing the ships position, course and speed - oddly fascinating. Looking again I know that MAIN HIGHWAY docked in Grimsby at 12.14 today - so hopefully my car is now in the country at least.

No doubt it will take forever to get from Grimsby to the dealers. Am I being realistic in hoping that it will reach them (in the Midlands) by the middle of next week and be ready for collection on 1st May?

[NeilM27]

Well I hope mine was on that ship, or before, I was told last Friday that the car was on it's was to or at the port in Emden, so I'm hoping it should be in Grimsby by now, They said I should get it before the end of April, well that is next week, so fingers crossed.

Edited 23 April, 2010 by NeilM27

[JayTee]

I must be getting too impatient waiting for delivery of my 1.4TSI Elegance Estate (ordered 20th February, built on 8th April). Having been told that it had arrived at Grimsby on 12th April I was becoming alarmed at how long it seemed to be in transit to the dealer - had it been damaged? - had it 'disappeared'? I was told yesterday that the information I had ben given was wrong - the car had arrived at Emden on 21st April and was on a ship that had left for Grimsby on the 22nd (yesterday). I remembered seeing a posting from about being able to track the shipping movements and the names of two of the ships - SCHELDE HIGHWAY and ISCAR HIGHWAY. Googling 'SCHELDE HIGHWAY' took me to the MarineTraffix.com website. Selecting 'Ports' and 'Emden' showed that a K-Line vehicle transporter called the MAIN HIGHWAY had just left bound for Grimsby. Selecting 'MAIN HIGHWAY' brought up a map showing the ships position, course and speed - oddly fascinating. Looking again I know that MAIN HIGHWAY docked in Grimsby at 12.14 today - so hopefully my car is now in the country at least.

No doubt it will take forever to get from Grimsby to the dealers. Am I being realistic in hoping that it will reach them (in the Midlands) by the middle of next week and be ready for collection on 1st May?

Yes - But, did it show you whereabouts your car was on the ship??

John.

[foregonereality]

I must be getting too impatient waiting for delivery of my 1.4TSI Elegance Estate (ordered 20th February, built on 8th April). Having been told that it had arrived at Grimsby on 12th April I was becoming alarmed at how long it seemed to be in transit to the dealer - had it been damaged? - had it 'disappeared'? I was told yesterday that the information I had ben given was wrong - the car had arrived at Emden on 21st April and was on a ship that had left for Grimsby on the 22nd (yesterday). I remembered seeing a posting from about being able to track the shipping movements and the names of two of the ships - SCHELDE HIGHWAY and ISCAR HIGHWAY. Googling 'SCHELDE HIGHWAY' took me to the MarineTraffix.com website. Selecting 'Ports' and 'Emden' showed that a K-Line vehicle transporter called the MAIN HIGHWAY had just left bound for Grimsby. Selecting 'MAIN HIGHWAY' brought up a map showing the ships position, course and speed - oddly fascinating. Looking again I know that MAIN HIGHWAY docked in Grimsby at 12.14 today - so hopefully my car is now in the country at least.

No doubt it will take forever to get from Grimsby to the dealers. Am I being realistic in hoping that it will reach them (in the Midlands) by the middle of next week and be ready for collection on 1st May?

Whoa, Jeffs. That's a quick delivery time! I ordered two days after you and have yet to hear anything. Is your car a fresh order or did you select from a list of cars already queued for building?

[JeffS]

Whoa, Jeffs. That's a quick delivery time! I ordered two days after you and have yet to hear anything. Is your car a fresh order or did you select from a list of cars already queued for building?

[JeffS]

It was an existing dealer order - otherwise I guess it would be a few weeks more yet. I think that the quality of the information provided about delivery is poor. I have bought plenty of new cars by factory order in the past and I have never known such uncertainty.

[gp1000gp]

Just been on the tracking site, your right strangely interesting. It also shows two highway ships on their way to Grimsby due in this afternoon. Hopefully some good news for some will be onboard!.

[tomasis1]

Does anybody know what's the usual journey for the Skoda Octavias sold in Northern Ireland? Czech Republic > Emden> and then? Are they shipped to Grimsby or is it another UK port? Tyne or Sheerness? Waiting there for a few days and loaded on another cargo ship to Belfast? Is my thinking anywhere close to reality? Thanks.

[nealb]

N Ireland ones also come into Grimsby. What Octavia did you buy?

[tomasis1]

N Ireland ones also come into Grimsby. What Octavia did you buy?

Ordered Octavia hatch 1.4TSI DSG from a Belfast dealer (Mervyn Stewart). Placed on 16th of Feb, build week 15, already in Emden, waiting for a cargo ship on 27th of April. I wouldn't object if the car was on one of the 2 ships arriving to Grimsby from Emden today. But don't want to be overexcited. Still a bit of a journey to go (Belfast, few days at the dealer's, bringing it to Dublin.....). Still, it will be within 12 weeks.

Edited 25 April, 2010 by tomasis1

[NeilM27]

I was hoping to have heard something by now, my dealer thought it would be available by this week, but nothing so far :(

[king6897]

These ships look huge I wonder how many they hold ??? I have been told that mine was at Emden today and I notice that Schelde Highway and Neckar highway have left this afternoon for Grimsby so fingers crossed mine will be on there , however knowing my usual luck with cars it will have been the only one to have missed these ships!! ha ha

[gp1000gp]

Schelde Highway holds 869 units the Neckar highway only 850.

Tiny when compared to their big sister the Brasilia Highway (holds 6,237 units) Thats a big ship!

Still got weeks until I have the concern of which ship my new arrival will be on!!!

[JeffS]

Thankfully I heard yesterday that my car has reached the dealer and I pick it up on Friday - Yippee!!

I feel that the dealers are having to struggle with an inadequate information system and I told them that in an age when I can routinely track the progress of inexpensive items bought online it isn't acceptable to spend £1000's on a car and then have to put up with such uncertaintly about delivery dates. I am assured that Skoda UK are well aware of the problem and my comments will be passed on to the regional manager. Glad to have all this nonsense out of the way and I am looking forward to actually driving it.

I haven't read too many reports on here about the 1.4 TSI engine - although I was hugely impressed with it on the test drive and it is always the one recommended by the motoring magazines - What Car say "we love this little engine". It certainly felt livelier than my 2.0 Nissan Primera and I am hoping that it gives the best of both worlds with 200nm torque between 1500 and 4500 rpm but with petrol refinement. I had set out with the intention of buying a diesel - but the 1.4 TSI was a revelation and frankly the sums just don't add up unless you do a higher mileage than I do (about 12000 a year). Interesting though that according to the dealer many people who only do about 5000 miles a year go for diesels - and on the basis of costs - diesel brainwashing perhaps. Anyway I will post my impressions of the 1.4 TSI in a week or two.

[Sammycarp]

Yes - But, did it show you whereabouts your car was on the ship??

John.

The OP's car was on the lower deck, 2nd row, 3rd from the left - facing the stern of the ship!

[fraserpants]

After reading this thread I phoned my dealer as delivery is imminent. Car was in the UK on the 26th and will be at the dealers next week. Fingers crossed I can collect next weekend.............. yippee :yes:

[NeilM27]

After I rang the dealer yesterday for an update on my cars whereabouts, they rang today and said my car should be delivered to them today, and it should be ready to collect late tomorrow, the reason for that is I've been pushing them as I'm trying to get my current car to them as scrappage before the tax runs out on the 30th April, didn't want to pay anymore tax for it, it mean I effectively lose a month in tax for my new car though with it being registered on the 30th April.

EDIT: Just got the Reg of the car, now I'm excited, lol.

[Ranger]

After I rang the dealer yesterday for an update on my cars whereabouts, they rang today and said my car should be delivered to them today, and it should be ready to collect late tomorrow, the reason for that is I've been pushing them as I'm trying to get my current car to them as scrappage before the tax runs out on the 30th April, didn't want to pay anymore tax for it, it mean I effectively lose a month in tax for my new car though with it being registered on the 30th April.

EDIT: Just got the Reg of the car, now I'm excited, lol.

New registration cars can be taxed for 12mths + up to 3 weeks, you could do yours for 12mths plus a week and save losing a whole month. Dealer will advise

[NeilM27]

New registration cars can be taxed for 12mths + up to 3 weeks, you could do yours for 12mths plus a week and save losing a whole month. Dealer will advise

Oh right, probably do that then, cheers.

[ado]

Thought I'd use this thread instead of starting a new one.

I've been sitting here bored so decided to track the vessels and found out 3 of them arrived in Grimsby yesterday.

Neckar Highway

Isar Highway

Main Highway (Back in Emden now)

Also checked some other K Line vessels and SCHELDE HIGHWAY is in spain at the moment. All other vessels seems to big for UK ports.

Hopefully mine was on one of these.

Edited 15 May, 2010 by ado