lucid,
mtrois, RowanBuds, TLud, Hans D, & JohnnyR: appreciate the commiserations!
BMW ED called me Wed as they realized it had now been 4 weeks since my M3 landed and Customs took it over.
They suggested I'd had the bad luck for my car to be the 1st (or near 1st) selected for the next batch of random audit cars. Customs may then hold back 20-30 cars in the ensuing days (weeks?) until they are ready to examine the cars for contraband / correct VINs etc. en bloc.
BMW ED then told me that they would query Customs again about getting the car processed. Once released they said that the M would be prioritized by the VDC (ie placed near the front of the queue).
Finally, they said if I did not have my M3 in another 2 weeks (from last Wed) then they would contemplate making a partial payment. No mention of how "partial" that payment contribution is.
Frankly, I don't care as much about the payment as getting the car ASAP.
Still, I won't knock a partial payment back as it could be applied to offset a UUC short-shift upgrade
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