JoJO check out car rental companies. Some have Jeeps with stick shifts and you could rent one for a few days before U get your car. If U put 2-3 days in of solid learning and driving you'll do OK. That way U don't have to learn with someone else's car.

that's how my dopey ex learned. I wouldn't let her touch my Toyota. Jimbo

FYI: I have started a new thread for those prospective owners looking for ways to track vessels to the west coast:

http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?p=370475#post370475
"track shipping to Port Hueneme"

If anyone has any info... please will you help out and add a post.

Thanks!

Well as of 7:38am Wednesday according to ASK MINI My car is being built!! I even have a vin, the estimated completetion date is 8/14. Woohoo!!!

I updated the list with the newest info:


week #34 (8/20):
John in Vancouver - week #34 but no updated info (all alone so far! :( )
aautobee - est. scheduled completion 8/14


Yay for aautobee, and yay for John in V. - you finally have some company! :D

Just called ASKMINI and she's made it the the Paint Shop!!!! and looks to be ahead of schedule! I knew she'd be a good car (and fast too!).

Thank you all for the encouragement. I went out again today driving my friend's Ford Escort. Did better out of the gate, but still stalled a few times. Hopefully, I'll get it soon.

I'm so determined to learn stick shift. After another tough lesson, I sat in a chair at home for an hour practicing the foot movements. Clutch out, gas in. Again.
Then I went out in my 330i, put it in steptronic mode and shifted with an imaginary clutch driving around for about a half an hour. I'm learnin'!

Whoa.. Umm.. Problem. Can people scheduled for the Patriot please check your VIN at the WW site? I just entered both mine and my friend's (who is also scheduled for the Patriot), and NEITHER came up.. Although they did in the past.. Anyone else having the same problem? I really hope it's a momentary glitch. :-/ For that matter, can anyone verify that their car is showing up on the WW site?

-mike

over 1 day at sea, and my MINI is still on board (the Jingu Maru) :D that's a good thing! ;)

If my car is due to be finished with production on 8/9, what are the chances it will make the Patriot?

Whoa.. Umm.. Problem. Can people scheduled for the Patriot please check your VIN at the WW site? I just entered both mine and my friend's (who is also scheduled for the Patriot), and NEITHER came up.. Although they did in the past.. Anyone else having the same problem? I really hope it's a momentary glitch. :-/ For that matter, can anyone verify that their car is showing up on the WW site?

-mike


*****! Mine isn't showing up either! :eek: :eek: :confused: :confused:

mike - I guess I'll keep checking and let you know if it shows back up. Can you please do the same for yours? TIA.

My mom and little sister came in town yesterday for my birthday this weekend, and I took off early from work. I decided that since it was the middle of the work day, we'd swing by the Mini dealership so I could show my mom and sister the EB/EB that they had on the floor so they could get an idea of what it was like. (No Minis where they are at all!) So we get to the dealership and the EB/EB is sitting outside, with dealer tags on! So I rushed inside and got the key and drove it. Lovely, lovely! The shifting was very smooth. As for the horsepower increase, I couldn't personally tell because I've only driven an '02 MCS and an '04 MCS once each, so not much comparison there. Same with the yo-yo - I didn't feel anything, but then again not a big frame of reference for me. But it was so much fun, and it made me even more impatient for mine. :D

My mom said one thing - "Well I was afraid of you killing yourself in the Mini since it's so small. Now I'm not afraid of that, I'm afraid you'll get too many tickets!" LOL! :D

speed_racer,

I will definitely let you know. How odd...

joeyjoe9,

I'd say there's a very good chance you could make the Patriot, unless it fills up fast like the earlier SC ships did for us (hence making us wait till the 12th to leave, despite being finished the 2nd or 3rd)... But all I do know is that plenty of people have had their car finish and get on a ship within 0-1-2 days of each other. Here's to hoping we'll have another shipmate (assuming the Patriot is still going!). :)

-mike

I just called ASK MINI and my car is awaiting transport... so it must be at the port by now! I tried checking the WW site, but it's still not showing up.

Mike - are you one of the Ca. folks that ordered from Classic Mini? I wonder how close we'll take deliver of our vehicles!

joeyjoe9,

If your VIN's not showing up, it could be that it's simply not up yet, or it could be that you're on the Patriot and for some reason your VIN is suddenly not showing up just like the rest of us. And yes, I ordered from Classic. I'd say there's a very good chance your car will come to Classic about the same time, as my bet is that it will be on the Patriot. But then you'll still get it plenty before me, because it depends on how quickly Classic can ship out cars to CA (i.e., how soon they all arrive). :) Ah, the glorious wait I'll have to endure...

-mike

What are your estimated delivery dates?

We don't have those yet.

-mike

I've given up on the MINIUSA Owner's Lounge - it still says my MCS is on order. Seems the only up to date info you get is by talking to a real person. A week 34 build probably means catchng a ship across the pond toward the end of August. :confused: In the meantime I content myself with buying some bits - magnetic bonnet stripes, wheel locks, etc. Those of you who will be getting your cars soon, please let the rest of us know what you think of the new headlights and tail lights. I prefer yellow turn indicators to all red lights.

John

Try calling the automated ASKMINI service. That's what I did and how I got the info that my car has finished production and now awaiting transport.

I just called ASK.MINI myself. I haven't bothered to call in a few days because I knew where my car was and how long it had to sit there. With the change in the WW site, though, I thought I'd check it out. It says my vehicle is at the port waiting for a ship, and there is no shipping info right now. Did anyone on the Patriot call earlier and get shipping info, or is this normal?

Thanks.

-mike

By the way, did anyone on the Patriot happen to get a print out of their status, which has their booking number on it? If so, try entering that booking number into the Booking Number search at WW and see if anything comes up. Thanks!

-mike

By the way, did anyone on the Patriot happen to get a print out of their status, which has their booking number on it? If so, try entering that booking number into the Booking Number search at WW and see if anything comes up. Thanks!

-mike

I did, but I left it at work. :rolleyes: I didn't think I'd need it. If nothing shows up between now and then I'll check it on Monday and let you know. BTW, what are you doing up at 4:22 am??? Yikes! :D

John - When I drove the EB/EB yesterday, the tailights were all red. However, I forgot to have someone press on the brakes while I looked at the lights. But they are def. ALL red. :confused:

I believe it was actually 8am here when I posted that. Look at your own post time, it appears they're set to some other time zone or something. I did wake up at 7am this morning for some reason, though... I have no idea why on a Saturday.

-mike

The Jingu Maru reported location as of this morning :)

My MCS is born!
ASK MINI says she is complete and ready for shipment. I haven't had any success with the WW site to find out if she is booked on a ship.
The Isolde is leaving for New York on Wednesday the 11th, do you think I'll be lucky enough to catch that ship? Although I'm not too superstitious, I hope my Mini is not on the Tai Shan as that ship leaves the UK on Friday the 13th :eek:
Here's to motoring my favorite winding, curvy road by Labor day weekend! :D

MM

It's very possible for you to get on that ship MiniMoons. Good luck and congrats. :)

-mike

The Jingu Maru reported location as of this morning :)

What site did you find that on? I doesn't look like the oceanweather site I got on... :confused:

Woo-hoo !
My MINI is also on the Isolde departing on the 11th scheduled for New York on the 18th !! I bought mine from MINI of Peabody. Any idea ( or fun guesstimate ) of pick-up date ?

Here is a tip I got from this forum:

Go to this site:

http://213.31.205.37/GLWebApps.AppTracking

Track by Cargo ----> Auto
Enter you VIN in the cargo ID and click "Track"
Get the Booking Number
Go back to http://213.31.205.37/GLWebApps.AppTracking
Choose Track by Booking Number
Enter the Booking Number
Click "Track"
You'll see the list of VIN's on that boat.

Dave

What site did you find that on? I doesn't look like the oceanweather site I got on... :confused:

nope, another one...Track By Name (http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/search.phtml)

mike-

Grrr..... I got to work and checked the booking # (it's GBSOU248685) and 51 Minis were listed and mine is not one of them!! What the f*** is going on????? :confused: :confused: And it's still not showing up under the "auto" look up! Can you find yours the list?