Order Tracking

[Egret]

Here's the current estimated milestone timeline from RAM for their 2024 factory orders:

• After placing your order, it will be Confirmed within 42 days
• Once Confirmed, it will be Scheduled for production within 26 days
• Once Scheduled, Production will begin within 3 days of the scheduled day
• Once Production has started, the build can take up to 39 days.

So, another way to look at this is that once your order has been confirmed, the maximum wait for completion of the build, according to their milestone timeline, is 26 + 3 + 39 = 68 day (almost 10 weeks)

However, this is according to their milestone plan, and who knows for sure where things will actually turn out.

 

[Eighty]

Here's the current estimated milestone timeline from RAM for their 2024 factory orders:

• After placing your order, it will be Confirmed within 42 days
• Once Confirmed, it will be Scheduled for production within 26 days
• Once Scheduled, Production will begin within 3 days of the scheduled day
• Once Production has started, the build can take up to 39 days.

So, another way to look at this is that once your order has been confirmed, the maximum wait for completion of the build, according to their milestone timeline, is 26 + 3 + 39 = 68 day (almost 10 weeks)

However, this is according to their milestone plan, and who knows for sure where things will actually turn out.

I think there's something you're missing.
Confirmed in 42 days.
Scheduled within 26 days.
Production will begin within 3 days of the scheduled day.
Build can take up to 39 days.

But there's absolutely no knowing how far out they will schedule it. They may put it on the schedule within 26 days, but it could be scheduled to start 3 weeks from then (or 6 months from then).

 

[Egret]

I think there's something you're missing.
Confirmed in 42 days.
Scheduled within 26 days.
Production will begin within 3 days of the scheduled day.
Build can take up to 39 days.

But there's absolutely no knowing how far out they will schedule it. They may put it on the schedule within 26 days, but it could be scheduled to start 3 weeks from then (or 6 months from then).

That's a good point. I read the milestone schedule to mean that the scheduled date would fall within that 26 day window, but I see the ambiguity now that you point it out.

If RAM only means that they'll put the production date on the calender somewhere within that 26 day window, that would be quite misleading (and a crappy thing to do.) If that were the case, their estimated build milestone chart means very little as far as providing an estimated build time!

 

[Eighty]

That's a good point. I read the milestone schedule to mean that the scheduled date would fall within that 26 day window, but I see the ambiguity now that you point it out.

If RAM only means that they'll put the production date on the calender somewhere within that 26 day window, that would be quite misleading (and a crappy thing to do.) If that were the case, their estimated build milestone chart means very little as far as providing an estimated build time!

Yeah, don't count on ANYTHING reliable from them as far as dates are concerned. Here's an example:

First of all, as you're probably aware, VINs are assigned when the orders are accepted. So you know the order in which each truck was accepted by the factory. Sometimes, they'll dump in thousands of orders overnight, but other than those "events", there's a rough timeline that can be followed.

I'm still downloading today's build sheets, but as of right now I'm finding NEW build sheets from the following groups:
110 and 111 groups (these were some of the first orders placed when the banks opened)
167-191 groups (mish-mash of random trucks)
192-198 groups (this is the heavy focus of production right now)
I can't tell you the exact dates that these VINs were all assigned, but the spread on them from earliest to latest is measured in months.

 

[Egret]

How can I find what build group I'm in? Is it in the VIN somewhere?

 

[bigdodge]

builds do not take 39 days

they build over 1200 trucks in a 24 hour period

that is over 50 per hour

 

[Eighty]

How can I find what build group I'm in? Is it in the VIN somewhere?

View attachment 172366

The 109 group (in the example you posted). It's groups of 1,000 based on the last 6 digits (i.e., the serial number).

 

[Eighty]

To clarify a little bit: For MY2024, the serial numbers started at 100,001. That's the 100 group. Currently, the VIN assignments are somewhere around the 215 group (or higher).

 

[Egret]

The 109 group. It's groups of 1,000 based on the last 6 digits (i.e., the serial number).

Thanks! As you pointed out, that wasn't my VIN, but just a sample I found online showing the coding convention.

Based on that, the group is the first 3 numbers of the 6-digit serial number. It looks like some of us who placed our order mid-November are in build group 213.

I think this will be good data to add to the tracking spreadsheet I have posted above - I'll add a column to collect the build group on it's next update!

 

[Kiwiaudio]

Mine seems to be getting fast-tracked. Ordered 11/15 and built 12/4. 19 days ! Workers must be happy with their new pay scale ! No shipping date yet.
Ironically, Sterling heights is about 100 miles from me and whether it travels by Truck or train, itll be going right past me on the way to MD in Louisiana

 

[Eighty]

Mine seems to be getting fast-tracked. Ordered 11/15 and built 12/4. 19 days ! Workers must be happy with their new pay scale ! No shipping date yet.
Ironically, Sterling heights is about 100 miles from me and whether it travels by Truck or train, itll be going right past me on the way to MD in Louisiana

Yeah, for a couple of years now, some of us have been trying to figure out the "secret sauce" that makes some orders fly through - whereas other orders sit for months with no action. The only answer I have is that it's a roll of the dice. There have been hundreds of theories like shortages of specific parts. But every time that has come up, I have been able to point to the daily production that shows hundreds of that part being put into trucks. I have a hunch that there's some favoritism for certain dealerships (Mark Dodge being one of them). And for the most part, the simpler the order, the faster it will be built. A base Bighorn has a much better chance of going quickly, as opposed to a highly-optioned Rebel or TRX.

 

[Kiwiaudio]

Hmmm... interesting. Mines a pretty loaded Limited so certainly not a base build. I didnt get everything, but almost.
Dealer favoritism would be certainly understandable. Higher turnover at high volume dealers. Loaded trucks or railcars all going to the same place perhaps.
Interesting !

 

[Egret]

I would think it'd be very hard to understand the scheduling algorithm.

The manufacturer would probably want to put a preference on building the highest profit margin vehicles, such as @Kiwiaudio 's loaded Limited, and they may be less excited about building my Bighorn But they'll need to build all of their confirmed orders at some point.

They're probably considering all sorts of other factors.... They may also be looking at part availability and matching their needs with their JIT inventory. They might be batching vehicles together that need similar manufacturing processes. They may be trying to manage production levels at their part suppliers so that the supplier can operate efficiently. There could be hundreds of factors going on, and I'd guess it's unpredictable from the outside (and probably internally too). Even if we saw some pattern for a period of time, it's probably changing all the time due to these factors changing.

Delivery stages and milestones are likely the best they can do.

 

[Eighty]

I would think it'd be very hard to understand the scheduling algorithm.

The manufacturer would probably want to put a preference on building the highest profit margin vehicles, such as @Kiwiaudio 's loaded Limited, and they may be less excited about building my Bighorn But they'll need to build all of their confirmed orders at some point.

They're probably considering all sorts of other factors.... They may also be looking at part availability and matching their needs with their JIT inventory. They might be batching vehicles together that need similar manufacturing processes. They may be trying to manage production levels at their part suppliers so that the supplier can operate efficiently. There could be hundreds of factors going on, and I'd guess it's unpredictable from the outside (and probably internally too). Even if we saw some pattern for a period of time, it's probably changing all the time due to these factors changing.

Delivery stages and milestones are likely the best they can do.

Two years ago, I was waiting for a 2022 Rebel that I had custom ordered. I had one of the early VINS (in the 101 group). I watched helplessly as trucks with IDENTICAL specs were built - that were ordered months after mine. I finally gave up on the idea that there was any science to it. There are definitely patterns...but logic doesn't appear to be there (from an outsider's view).
Well, maybe there was some logic. Maybe RAM doesn't like my crappy local dealer.

 

[mplaramie]

I think this is promising????

 

[Kiwiaudio]

Two years ago, I was waiting for a 2022 Rebel that I had custom ordered. I had one of the early VINS (in the 101 group). I watched helplessly as trucks with IDENTICAL specs were built - that were ordered months after mine. I finally gave up on the idea that there was any science to it. There are definitely patterns...but logic doesn't appear to be there (from an outsider's view).
Well, maybe there was some logic. Maybe RAM doesn't like my crappy local dealer.

I find this a very interesting subject. Your experience here would certainly point to your selling dealer being a big part of the equation. Has got to be a volume based algorithm. If you knew the number of Rams that dealer sold/ordered/has left on the lot/aggressively markets them etc, it may point to how hard the dealer is trying to succeed, and thus, where they sit on the totem pole !

 

[bigdodge]

I find this a very interesting subject. Your experience here would certainly point to your selling dealer being a big part of the equation. Has got to be a volume based algorithm. If you knew the number of Rams that dealer sold/ordered/has left on the lot/aggressively markets them etc, it may point to how hard the dealer is trying to succeed, and thus, where they sit on the totem pole !

it's a long story but look at the picture, these are three trucks i ordered because of dealer error
first one group 169 build sheet 11/5/2021
second one group 214 build sheet 2/26/2022
third one group 215 build sheet 12/3/2021

so they do not build them in group order
they build them anyway they want

 

[mplaramie]

I think this is promising????

Got an estimated delivery of 1/4/24 today.

 

[daveomatic]

Finally. Est delivery date to MD is 1/1.

 

[Kiwiaudio]

Finally. Est delivery date to MD is 1/1.

where did you get the estimated delivery date of 1/1?
Mine was apparently shipped 12/8, yours 12/9 but they are probably both on the same train.