As of yesterday afternoon, My MINI was completed and released for distribution two days early!!! Now the waiting will really suck until we can figure out this whole west coast shipping thing...but thats ok with me, I know I am closer than I was when I started this process in January

Andy

andy I hope my car's right there with yours. see U in (hopefully) in sept. Jimbo

Best thing to do is to call 1-866-ASK-MINI on the 18th to see if it was finished, and if so, what shipping line and when it's scheduled to be boated over from Southampton to Port Hueneme. Because BMW recently dropped WW (Walenius Wilhemsen) from west coast shipments, there's a lot of speculation and confusion re these US shipments, what line, (NYK?) how often, (bi-weekly?) etc. so get your info from Mini. Ship line websites are notoriously flaky.

Our cars would more than likely be on the same boat, for mine due's for completion today and it's backtracking 1100 miles to CO. I'll call ASK-MINI monday to confirm my car's completion, and if I get any reliable WC shipping line info I'll share here. Oh the perils (and longer waits) of being in the western division.

Welcome 2 M-2. Jimbo

FYI - My mini got dropped off at the dock today - finished production on Wed (8/11) on its way to Port Hueneme. Called askmini, and they say it will be 7 to 10 days before it gets on a vessel. And that I should call back in a week to find out if it got on. If it actually leaves next week - and there is a 23+ day voyage - looks like it'll be in CA in mid Sept; trucked to AZ, dealer options installed.... and I feel like I'm optimistic to expect it before October!!

i hear ya, bro. optimistic. jimbo

Just got back from a few days in the central CA area, and my Mini is now awaiting transport!!

For you other West coast delivery people. I read an article in the LA Times while I was there about the ports being so overloaded they are going to hire 3000 temporary non-union workers at $20.66/hr to work the docks. It said ships have to wait a day (or more) to be unloaded. I saw quite a few ships stacked up out in the water north of Port Henehune (sp? I forget and don't want to look it up) Hopefully the Minis won't languish too long on the water!!

ASK.MINI now estimating an arrival date at the port of September 2nd. Can that be? He wasn't even able to say if it was on a ship yet. Destined for Port Hueneme.

Doesn't it usually take about 21 days give or take to the west coast? Seems like they'd have to be leaving today and arrive early to make that date.

For those of you waiting in Southampton for a vessel to CA.
Here are the latest arrivals and departures of NYK and K-Line vessels:
Libra Leader - departed 8/14 2100 NYK
Grus - will arrive 8/15 NYK
Olympian Highway - will arrive 8/15 K-Line
(from http://www.thisishampshire.net/hampshire/southampton/shipping/IN_PORT0.html)

I'm pretty sure that Olympian Highway goes to CA - based on the K-Line website - but don't know where the Libra Leader and Grus are headed...

Now we just have to figure out how to tell whether or not we are on these vessels.

Hey - I just found this tidbit from the June production thread...
the company that builds these ships is called Hual (not haul), and they maintain sailing schedules on their website (!!!!) www.hual.com
I've been perusing the June thread for the last hour to get other info... and also trying to decipher the hual schedule!!

But something to go on.... Aztec, who posted in the June thread, put something in an MotoringFile comment about creating a script to download the photos from the panama canal into a viewable .gif so that he could check out what happened every day after work..... the links are in there, and I've PM'd him to ask if he can share with us.... so things are moving... not sure if its in a direction or not, but at least we're not just sitting here getting frustrated (I wish I could just forget about it until I get that call... but just too obsessive!!!!!)

Has anybody been able to track the Patriot? I have not been able to locate it on oceanweather.com.

fs-mini,

What is your status now? Any idea when your car is arriving in the US and what ship you're (booked) on? I need to ask Julie if she can start to estimate when they cars are going to go out from the dealer to CA!

-mike

mike
my MA at classic told me it takes 7-10 days to get from the port to ohio.

Thanks joeyjoe, I had actually already read that. What I was asking Frankie (fs-mini) was when his should arrive in the US, because we are all going out on the truck to CA together, so his delays are my delays. :)

-mike

Hay Mike,

I have no idea where mine goes for this moment. :( I traced back to your posts about the disappearence of yours, and seems you started not able to track on Aug6 and you received a mail from your MA (Julie ?) that yours is already loaded on another vessel on Aug11 or 12. So, if apply that to my case, mine started disappearing since the 12 or 13, so guessing mine will be loaded onto a vessel next week, if one available. Any good way to track yours, or have to wait until the MA send you that 'bill of ...' number?

I mailed Julie last week for date estimation, she said hoped to ship ours before the 23rd of Sept. This is what I received from her ...

"I would guess your MINI will arrive here by the first week in
September, no later than the 11th. I am hoping to ship by the 23rd and yes, I
would put you with Mike's truck! : )"

I am guessing the days difference for our arrivals to Classic could be about a week apart. Not sure but possible, may be mine is not the last one on the list to load on the truck to come to CA, may be more cars, since she is planning for about at least 12 days (23 - 11) between my car's arrival to Classic (Aug11 or before) and the load on truck date (Aug 23). Also, should our shipping fee be lowered (a lot?), since I am, and may be others, are joining the list?

BTW, she may be on vacation until next Sat., received an auto reply mail when I sent her one.

More, Mike ...

If I am following your track, and my guessing is correct as I stated in the previous reply, mine may be possible arriving earlier than 11 of Sept.

Hmm, that concerns me a bit because when I talked to her and told her I'd really like to have it by Sept 20, she told me that she thought the car could be out the by the 10th-15th... Now she's telling you a week later. It's actually pretty crucial I get the car by that time and no later than around Sept 20. I sent her an email as well asking when she expected the last car for our shipment, but got the out of office reply. Guess we'll hear back from her next week.

Thanks for the info. Be sure to call ASK.MINI on Monday, I actually first found out about my car being en route through the OL believe it or not, and then called ASK.MINI and they had more info. That happened the 12th and the car had been loaded the 10th. I would recommend keeping in touch with them because your car will almost certainly be on a ship soon and they will be the first to know. Once I knew that, then I emailed Julie for more details, which included the bill of lading number so I could call K-Line and determine what ship that was on.

-mike

I'm in Wisconsin. My production scheduled to be complete Aug. 18.

Any idea what port my car will come into based on the final destination?

Just trying to get an idea looking at the shipping schedules when is the earliest my car would make it on the boat if it finishes on the 18th.

thanks!

Mike,

Actually if indeed my car goes in the route you experienced, that is already a better news because it was originally booked to be loaded on Freedom, which departs on the 23rd. If it is now disappeared and happens to be shipped some time next week, it is already like 3 to 5 days ahead of original booking. Let's cross our fingers.

As for the ASKMINI, I did call them last Friday, and the customer service person had no info thus far, my OL is currently showing awaiting transport and the auto ASKMINI still says mine is current at the port awaiting for a vessel. Will keep you posted, I also want to see mine sooner.

For those of you waiting in Southampton for a vessel to CA.
Here are the latest arrivals and departures of NYK and K-Line vessels:
Libra Leader - departed 8/14 2100 NYK
Grus - will arrive 8/15 NYK
Olympian Highway - will arrive 8/15 K-Line
(from http://www.thisishampshire.net/hampshire/southampton/shipping/IN_PORT0.html)
...

Thanks,

OL now says "En Route." Don't know if that implies it boarded either the Grus or Olympian highway, which arrived today, or in typical delayed OL fashion, it was actually loaded a day or two ago on another vessel, and the OL is now just recognizing that milestone.

While it will be fun to track if I can find out what ship It's actually on, I mainly just need the date the ship leaves. I figured a week later (which now looks like next weekend) to put my current vehicle up for sale. Washed it yesterday, and will get it smog certified again in the next week.

This is exciting because it's a week earlier than the WW ship I thought I would have been on before finding out about the change to K-Line. So mid September delivery is now a possibility.

Has anybody been able to track the Patriot? I have not been able to locate it on oceanweather.com.

Joeyjoe9,

Patriot is now southwest of Ireland. Call sign is WQVY.

another site to check is

http://wwwa.accuweather.com/adcbin/public/marine_maps_large.asp?type=marine_loc&getarea=atl&btnwave=go.

"Appy" 05 MCS PW?PW is on her way to Texas. :) :) :) :) :)

Thanks. I just found it on oceanweather.com too. Turn left gosh darnnit already!

Yesterday when I called ASKMINI the message said the vehicle production status was offline. They may have been updating it. Today I called again and it said the estimated completion date for my MCS is the 20th - Friday :D :D If it takes about ten days to build a Mini, then production must have started earlier than anticipated as they said it would begin tomorrow. Time to get the truck detailed and put on sale.

My MCS should be unloaded today :)

:cool:

Anyone else's Mini traveling on the Maersk Wind tomorrow(8/17)?

Anyone else's Mini traveling on the Maersk Wind tomorrow(8/17)?

I am!!! MCS - PW/B will be on its way tomorrow! Then onto Massachusetts, then to me in New Hampshire.
Any idea of the call sign for the Maersk Wind? I am sad enough to be tracking the shipping info - but cannot find the call sign for it. It is quite hard to find.

I am!!! MCS - PW/B will be on its way tomorrow! Then onto Massachusetts, then to me in New Hampshire.
Any idea of the call sign for the Maersk Wind? I am sad enough to be tracking the shipping info - but cannot find the call sign for it. It is quite hard to find.


I don't think there is a call sign up yet. I thought I was sad for tracking the shipping info but I'm just too excited about getting my Mini! I'm glad that my Mini won't be alone on the boat!

:cool: <img of WW offloaded status>

:p :p :p :p :p :p :D

Although I am highly jealous, I am very glad your Mini made it to solid ground safe and sound and didn't get beat up by Charley. :D

The Patriot is currently in the North Atlantic, several hundred miles off the coast the UK. (There are no icebergs this time of year, are there?) It cannot come soon enough as my current car is about to die. I stalled and all the brake lights went on. Magically, it started working again fine after a few minutes. Still, I'll be darn if I have to pay repair costs on a car I'm about to return!

Come Patriot, please, soon!!!!

Anybody bringing their cars to the western US heard any updates on what shipping line? Schedules? Any tidbit of halfway-accurate information here? ASK-MINI could not give me any info, just that it's sitting on the dock of the bay waiting. they suggested I CB friday.

wait wait wait--the only bummer so far with this thing called MINI. Jimbo

When I called today to talk to a live person to see what the satus was, they told me that the car was at the port. They also said that this was as far as they tracked and that all information from here on would be from the dealer or the OL. Is this true? Sounded odd to me? At least I know it has some other MINIs to keep it company before it goes on its month long cruise...

Andy