The infinite delivery time of the Citroën C3 Aircross

The wait for our Citroën city car seems to be a never-ending story. The C3 Aircross, ordered in January, was supposed to be delivered in August. The delivery date was non-binding, it was not met, which came as no surprise. The Stellantis office in New Isenburg promised November as the new date. Of course with reservations.

But even this date is now obsolete. Hopes are now pinned on December, but they are vague. It's hard to believe, but Stellantis or the Citroën organization aren't to blame for the misery. The roots are somewhere else. It is the crises of our time that are responsible for the problem.

The impact of the crises of our time

The good news to start with. Of the Citroen C3 Aircross is produced. Individually configured, just as ordered, and it left the factory in Morocco. In the meantime he has arrived in Bremerhaven, weeks ago. There he is. And stands and stands.

The port of Bremerhaven, Europe's fourth largest car hub, seems to be the car industry's nightmare. As CNBC reports that vehicles from Tesla, BMW, Volvo, Stellantis and Renault are jammed there. Nothing comes in, nothing is exported. Too few drivers meet too many vehicles and containers. Which is only part of the problem. Military activities, officially designated by “Exercises” spoken in the port area, take up capacities and space.

Add to that the lack of cargo space, the result of excessive ship scrapping in the first year of COVID-19, CNBC reports. The operator of the transhipment point, the shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen, is working flat out to get the problems under control.

According to the Stellantis branch in Neu Isenburg, it is waiting for around 500 ordered vehicles that are currently “stranded” in Bremerhaven.

We improvise the infinite delivery time away

The endless delivery time of the Citroën C3 Aircross can be seen as collateral damage from the current general political situation and the many crises. What customers do who have been waiting for months and who have had to return their leased vehicle is an open question.

Luckily we keep improvising with the Saab 9-3 OG Aero Hirsch. It should go back to the hangar in winter, but the space reserved for it will probably remain empty for the time being. The snow tires were retrieved from the shelves after I put them there, naively thinking I didn't need them.

Now the Saab rolls in everyday operation even in winter. He's doing well, heated seats and heating are great, but sorry about the old sheet metal. Because in contrast to the 9000, which also drives in winter, the body of the 9-3 OG is not particularly resistant to rust.