Sweet ride turbodriver. Hope to see photos as soon as you can post them!

Welcome to MINI2

Final draft of the order submited for "expected" delivery of March 31st. My dealer was putting the options in manually as we finalized the order last night. Still to many variables for him to confirm it for sure. But at least he did give me a shiny new brochure for the Cabrio.

Great news, Derepente - the next few weeks will fly by! And at this rate, you'll be getting your shiny new cabrio before me!!! :eek:

I have an "order number" from the dealer, but no "build week" yet. He advises that Plant Oxford now tries to build the left-hand drive models in batches; yet I thought that every car was a build to order which is why there was such a great variety on the production line :confused:

Does anyone know how one can discover a build week from the order number, or is the order number a dealer code only, not something use at the factory?

Hi all, I spoke too soon, here's an update on my order:
The dealer is making sure its 'one of the first ones off the line' but I won't have it by the launch date. Sooooo, The forcast is 2nd or 3rd week of April. As soon as I get more info, I'll post again.

Looking at the upside, it gives me a little more time to decide 'stripes or no stripes', etc...

Hi all, I spoke too soon, here's an update on my order:
The dealer is making sure its 'one of the first ones off the line' but I won't have it by the launch date. Sooooo, The forcast is 2nd or 3rd week of April. As soon as I get more info, I'll post again.

Looking at the upside, it gives me a little more time to decide 'stripes or no stripes', etc...

That's a really frustrating delay! If it's one of the first off the line, then it should be in build very shortly? Or are they currently too busy building the demo/launch cars for every dealership to have available for the 28th March launch?:confused:

Maybe I don't understand - for me "launch" should mean that the first loyal customers should be presented with their cars on that date, and not "sometime in early April"!!!!

We are still waiting for news - at this rate, we'll not have time to collect it before the MINI United weekend :eek:

Thanks, of course my story is certainly not new. While frustrating it was totally not unexpected...

Yes, I think you're right about BMW wanting MINI to have demo and stock cars ready for the launch at their dealerships. That could easily take up build slots into April.

The wait continues....

I've been pressing our dealer for a delivery date - as far as he knows, it will be built week 10 and delivered with the demo cars (all TBC). This should mean delivery for the 1st April! Ours is/was the first MCS to be ordered - so should be first out of the dealers! Yipee - just hope April isn't too wet!
Here's dreaming LOL
G

That's really great news for you Turbodriver - well done! :D:D:D And that gives some hope for some of the other eager first customers.....

At the moment a build week 13 seems to be about the earliest a LHD customer can hope for, even if they are collecting from the UK.....:confused:

Another thought for all those waiting, especially for the LHD models!

If the global launch is indeed 28th March, then surely that means all dealers must have at least a couple of demo cars by then (a Cooper S and a Cooper)? But considering how long it takes to ship cars (for example) across the Atlantic and then deliver to the dealers...then presumbaly R57s are already in production?

Or have I totally misunderstood the finer points of international commerce :confused:

Ian

That is logical. I think MINI is also making less cars now than if this launch date had happened in a more robust global economy. My dealer says they are getting an allotment of 1 or 2 cars less then they expected due to the cost of acquiring the cars. That's part of the reason why my build slot was not an original client slot but one of their demo car slots that they gave to my order. He had asked for a week 10 build slot, but was given a week 13 slot without any negotiation or consultation. In summary, I theorize that this strategy by MINI means less cars are being made per production week.

That is logical. I think MINI is also making less cars now than if this launch date had happened in a more robust global economy. My dealer says they are getting an allotment of 1 or 2 cars less then they expected due to the cost of acquiring the cars. That's part of the reason why my build slot was not an original client slot but one of their demo car slots that they gave to my order. He had asked for a week 10 build slot, but was given a week 13 slot without any negotiation or consultation. In summary, I theorize that this strategy by MINI means less cars are being made per production week.

That is logical. I think MINI is also making less cars now than if this launch date had happened in a more robust global economy. My dealer says they are getting an allotment of 1 or 2 cars less then they expected due to the cost of acquiring the cars. That's part of the reason why my build slot was not an original client slot but one of their demo car slots that they gave to my order. He had asked for a week 10 build slot, but was given a week 13 slot without any negotiation or consultation. In summary, I theorize that this strategy by MINI means less cars are being made per production week.

I don't understand this idea of the dealer having an "allotment" - this sounds like rationning, which I could understand if demand is much greater than supply! But even then, surely you don't penalise exisitng customers......?

Week 13 and no scope for discussion - sounds familiar! :mad: It's especially frustrating that there seems to be no decent communication, explaining what the situation is.

From what you say, and by implication, it seems that the long-standing and most loyal customers with real orders (not build-for-stock) are expected to wait patiently and be grateful for the delays? If so, and especially in the current market, one might question someone's idea of priorities!

I expect to speak to my dealer on Monday - to be honest I am seriously considering abandoning.....:eek::mad:. The world is full of hungry car dealers desperate for cash buyers, but BMW-MINI don't appear to be amongst them! :confused: I'm sure there are plenty other customers who need "my" build slot more than I do!

We will still collect our Clubman later this month so we won't be ditching MINI altogether. But the original exciting idea of being a 2-MINI family is fading....

Another thought for all those waiting, especially for the LHD models!

If the global launch is indeed 28th March, then surely that means all dealers must have at least a couple of demo cars by then (a Cooper S and a Cooper)? But considering how long it takes to ship cars (for example) across the Atlantic and then deliver to the dealers...then presumbaly R57s are already in production?

Or have I totally misunderstood the finer points of international commerce :confused:

Ian

Ian, I got a mail on friday from MINI Sweden, saying that in a couple of weeks (approx three I think it was) they will have a couple of R57:s at the MINI headquarters in Sweden (BMW Group Sweden, Solna just outside Stockholm).
We were welcome to have a look at them, but yet no official launch party booked.

We were also promised we could lend them on a run, and preliminiary 18 April New MINI Club Sweden is preparing to go on a "spring premiere run" with the various sections spread over Sweden - we will probably bring one or two R57 with us.
Let´s hope for good weather so people in the city aswell as in the countryside can see for themselves what a precious little jewel the R57 is :cool:

Good for you, Fredrik! And for all our Swedish friends! :D

Am I missing something here - I did not read this entire thread but is it some sort of problems for MINI getting the R57 out to waiting customers :confused:

See my site in the link (theSwitchback), basically some customers are not getting the information they expect about their early orders, and it seems that (according to "insiders") there is a problem with some cars needing replacement parts fitted, as a part was altered and "improved" early on, so some cars missed the new part and are, or have been, waiting for this to be installed.

Thanks Paul, will have a look at it.

Any news for you guys waiting for R57´s early off the production line - Ian?

Any news for you guys waiting for R57´s early off the production line - Ian?

Thanks Fredrik - we go to England later today to collect the Clubman, so I hope to be able to get a good update from the dealer on R57 deliveries........watch this space! ;)

Thanks Fredrik - we go to England later today to collect the Clubman, so I hope to be able to get a good update from the dealer on R57 deliveries........watch this space! ;)

:cool: :cool: :cool:
looking forward for your info on this, Ian - hopefully it will be sorted :)

Piccies please from the pick-up of the Clubman, maybe with a bottle of beer in the right position (if Sue is driving, of course) ;)

This month is taking forever.........and its only the second! :rolleyes:

:cool: :cool: :cool:
looking forward for your info on this, Ian - hopefully it will be sorted :)

Piccies please from the pick-up of the Clubman, maybe with a bottle of beer in the right position (if Sue is driving, of course) ;)

Will do - but would have to be in a Clubman thread, not the R57 one!!!!

This month is taking forever.........and its only the second! :rolleyes:

But the wait will be worth it!

Woohoo!!!!!!!! Just been told our new cabrio started build on 27th February :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

This month can't go quick enough!!!!!

Thats great news :D

A super start to spring!

Thanks for that!

The annoying thing is, the car may well be ready for collection on launch date, but I won't be able to collect until a whole week later :mad:

Been to our dealer this morning just to confirm bits & bobs. Our's goes into production wk 12 - 16th March, and should be delivered Week 14. Dealer optimistic that we should be able to take delivery either on the launch date or on the 30th March.
Either way it is their first customer car.
Final spec is Dk Silver / Black hood / Black Lounge leather / Black Bullet wheels (Chilli Pack) and JCW bodykit (once MINI release the coding for R57!)
Quite looking forward to it!!
G

Woohoo!!!!!!!! Just been told our new cabrio started build on 27th February :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

This month can't go quick enough!!!!!

That is great news, Ian :cool:

.......and now we have a chassis number!

Suddenly the dream becomes reality....:smile:

Great news Fredrik and Ian,

I am still at the 111 stage for our Cabrio with an approximate delivery date of 14 April. :-(
as usual, the waiting continues....

Supposedly, our dealership is thinking they might not even get show room cars for the launch date. That's why my delivery date got pushed back another week.

Great news Fredrik and Ian,

I am still at the 111 stage for our Cabrio with an approximate delivery date of 14 April. :-(
as usual, the waiting continues....

Supposedly, our dealership is thinking they might not even get show room cars for the launch date. That's why my delivery date got pushed back another week.

Sorry to hear that! (though I don't know what a 111 stage is)

I'm looking at a delivery on April 6, so not too far ahead of you....