Speaking of that, I kept a relatively thorough log of my order status throughout the entire process. Here's that log, if it helps anyone estimate the time between one stage of the order process and another. :)

06/28/04: Car ordered, production number received
07/??/04: Status 112, scheduled for production
07/22/04: Car starts production, to be completed 08/03/04
07/25/04: Owners Lounge says "Scheduled for Production", has VIN!
07/30/04: ASK.MINI says "vehicle in body shop"
08/01/04: ASK.MINI says "vehicle in paint shop"
08/02/04: ASK.MINI says "vehicle completed production, going through final QC"
08/03/04: WW says vehicle scheduled on Patriot to Charleston - 8/12 to 8/23
08/04/04: WW says vehicle received at terminal
08/06/04: WW stops showing VIN
08/12/04: ASK.MINI says "vehicle in transit"
08/12/04: ASK.MINI human says "left the 10th, should arrive the 24th"
08/12/04: Dealer says "left the 10th, should arrive the 21st", gives bill of lading number, determined to be on K-Line ship "Carribean Highway" to arrive the 21st
08/20/04: Caribbean Highway rescheduled to dock one day early, which is today, 8/20
08/23/04: MA says vehicle is en route to distribution center, to arrive today, 8/23
08/24/04: MA confirms vehicle was at distribution center as of yesterday, 8/23
08/25/04: Owners Lounge says "At Distribution Center"
08/27/04: Car arrives at Classic MINI! (Will be shipped west on 9/10)

Hope you're right, and this is just a Port of Charleston thing - they do show other WW ships arriving in the next 30 days (but not the Freedom), which has caused me some concern. I just wish that all these different data sources would match, or that they would simply fly Frieda here to me NOW!!! - :eek: -

Hey, do you guys know that you can track the progress of the ship all the way across the pond?

Let me know if you're interested, and I'll look up the links for you.

I was in charge of tracking "Stella" my wife's MCS all along the way. This was a HUGE responsibility, as she required daily status and location printouts on her nightstand before she awoke.....lol

:D

http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/BartMack/42232.jpg

Bart - Yay! In the driveway, huh? Congrats on officially being the very first proud new parent for August. When does he/she get the aero kit on? Anyway, congrats! :D

Bart - What a beauty! That HB is just so rich looking! Congratulations! I envy you!

Hey, do you guys know that you can track the progress of the ship all the way across the pond?

Let me know if you're interested, and I'll look up the links for you.

I was in charge of tracking "Stella" my wife's MCS all along the way. This was a HUGE responsibility, as she required daily status and location printouts on her nightstand before she awoke.....lol
Thanks - I'd love to have the links!

I'm on the Freedom too!!

Have you been tracking it??

Use http://www.sailwx.info....go under "ship search", then "find specific ship by callsign"

Freedom's call sign is wdb5483...Right now it's N43, W21, right in the middle of the Atlantic :cool:


It's moved farther since I posted this. That website makes it very easy to continually track and shows progress.

The Oceanweather website linked from the FAQ page here is not as intuitive or updated as often as sailwx.info.

Use that website MoutainGal and you'll be happy. :cool:

IT'S HERE!!!!!!

I'm picking it up at Classic today at 4 p.m. EDT. They won't be able to install the alarm today, but I will just come back later in the week to have that done since I have a few days off.
Will post pictures when I return assuming I can handle my big first stick shift drive solo all the way home.

Yippee!

IT'S HERE!!!!!!

I'm picking it up at Classic today at 4 p.m. EDT. They won't be able to install the alarm today, but I will just come back later in the week to have that done since I have a few days off.
Will post pictures when I return assuming I can handle my big first stick shift drive solo all the way home.

Yippee!

Joey,

Awesome, congrats! Be sure to take lots of pictures of your car and mine. :) Any pics you can get of mine, up close, interior, everything, would be totally awesome, hehe. Thanks, and again congrats! Wish I could just cruise over to Classic and pick mine up like you. ;)

-mike

Man, everyone who's ordered from Classic are receiving them... I just emailed Julie and she said mine has not shown up yet :( ...... Man, all this waiting is just too much to bear... Congrats, Joey.... hopefully, I can post the same soon

Man, everyone who's ordered from Classic are receiving them... I just emailed Julie and she said mine has not shown up yet :( ...... Man, all this waiting is just too much to bear... Congrats, Joey.... hopefully, I can post the same soon

Don't worry about it man - like I said before, we're all getting them the same time anyway, so nothing to worry about. :) Your car will probably come in the next shipment.

Have you decided if you're flying up to the Bay Area to meet your car yet? Man, my friend Peter is picking up his HB/B from his dealer in Chicago TODAY and it's killing me - we were always right together on the order status, so his car was only a few away from mine the whole process, but he's living in Chicago right now (originally from CA) and already gets his. Sure makes me want mine! The next 2.5-3 weeks it will be hard to distract myself. :)

-mike

BartMack,
Awesome looking car! Thanks for sharing the photos :D

It's moved farther since I posted this. That website makes it very easy to continually track and shows progress.

The Oceanweather website linked from the FAQ page here is not as intuitive or updated as often as sailwx.info.

Use that website MoutainGal and you'll be happy. :cool:
Here's the problem, MM - the Port of Charleston does not show the Freedom scheduled there within the next 30 days, yet it does have other WW ships showing up. So, I'm confused! Where. oh where, will the Freedom land?
- :confused: -

Man, everyone who's ordered from Classic are receiving them... I just emailed Julie and she said mine has not shown up yet :( ...... Man, all this waiting is just too much to bear... Congrats, Joey.... hopefully, I can post the same soon

That's ok, asaulo1. Mine is the last to reach Classic, so don't worry. BTW, I'm guessing yours will be there in the beginning of next week, since Mikes' there already and you both were shipmates. Just think positively, counting down in about twenty days, you will be meeting your baby finally, think of what your gonna do with it together in the first day. :D

Here's the problem, MM - the Port of Charleston does not show the Freedom scheduled there within the next 30 days, yet it does have other WW ships showing up. So, I'm confused! Where. oh where, will the Freedom land?
- :confused: -

You guys really need to stop worrying! I saw you asking around on NAM as well... No one's going to be able to confirm it quite yet, as we all have the same info as you. But trust me, this is not the first time that port of Charleston has not listed a ship right away. Rest assured your car will be in Charleston on the specified date!

-mike

Here's the problem, MM - the Port of Charleston does not show the Freedom scheduled there within the next 30 days, yet it does have other WW ships showing up. So, I'm confused! Where. oh where, will the Freedom land?
- :confused: -


Geez MountainGal,

I serve up a perfect link that shows the Freedom point by point traveling across the ocean. You know your car is on that ship. You know the WW website says it's landing 9/3 in South Carolina.

Yet, you're stressed that the Charleston website does not list the ship docking???

Well, I thought it would have made you feel better tracking your ship hour by hour with that sweet website I posted, but I guess there's no pleasing some people.

I just got back from Classic MINI with my new car!

It took about 45 minutes before I got to see my car when I got there because they were still installing the alarm - on a Saturday, no less! It was all good as I finished the paper work while I was waiting and my MA was nice enough to shower me with gifts such as a MINI replica car, two key chains, some mints and (carpet) floor mats.

Anyway, it's beautiful, but I have to tell you about the drive home. That was the most stressful 50 miles I have driven in my life! As many of you know, I have driven stick shift exactly four times in my life before today. I decided to take a different way home than I normally do from the dealer to avoid Indians baseball traffic and, lucky me, I found myself stopped on a hill waiting to make a right turn and a line of cars behind me! I stalled once, and then I burned out of there, making an awful noise, but I survived. I stalled again at the next traffic light. Luckily, I got to the freeway and the next 40 miles were smooth sailing. I hit a little traffic once I exited, but I escaped without incident and a major heart attack. Most importantlyI survived and the car survived. It's home now and I plan on spending the next several days getting the hang of it.

I posted pictures in my gallery.

BTW, Mike and others w/ cars at Classic - They got their first shipment of convertibles just today and needless to say, those were the only cars in the showroom. I imagine your cars were in another part of the Classic complex, as it is a sprawling dealer. So - no pics. Sorry!

Attached thumbnail:
http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/19932/42267_thumb.jpg (http://www.mini2.com/gallery/personal/19932/42267.jpg)

I stalled once, and then I burned out of there, making an awful noise, but I survived.

Yikes... Burning out in first 20 miles not recommended. Exactly why I said you really should have considered getting a rental for a few days, instead of taking it out on your poor new baby. :p

-mike

I know, I know, but ,quite frankly, I'm just relieved I got it and myself home in one collective piece.

joey - glad to see you made it home in one piece. I like the spec - that's what I had on order before I switched to EB/W. Have fun breaking it in, and just be careful - no more burnouts! :eek: If you're on a hill, pull your e-brake just enough to hold you, put it in gear and give it gas and let out the clutch until you feel it catch, then reach over and release the e-brake and away you go! It will help you get the feel for when the clutch engages without squalling the tires and revving up too high. Don't worry, you won't need that trick very long. Before you know it you'll be a master. Trust me. :D

And just cuz I have to tell somebody - I went to the Chiefs game tonight and when I got home there was a message on my machine saying that according to today's end of day print out, my Mini is on the truck that will be arriving early Monday! Whoo-hoo! :D

Since they screwed up my spec on the anthracite headliner thing, do you all think it's fair for me to ask to be comp'ed with some floor mats or something? :confused:

Joey,

What speed_racer recommends is good advice, although it may help to call it a hand brake rather than e-brake. That's what it's there for. So put it to good use.

Another I might add is that in an emergency stop don't worry about being in a manual with an extra pedal. Simply press the brake pedal first like you would in an automatic. After you've started braking, if you have the presence of mind, then you can worry about depressing the clutch.

Congratulations on the delivery, and enjoy it to it's fullest. :)

Geez MountainGal,

I serve up a perfect link that shows the Freedom point by point traveling across the ocean. You know your car is on that ship. You know the WW website says it's landing 9/3 in South Carolina.

Yet, you're stressed that the Charleston website does not list the ship docking???

Well, I thought it would have made you feel better tracking your ship hour by hour with that sweet website I posted, but I guess there's no pleasing some people.
That's right, MM. And, as if that's not enough, there are hurricanes rolling through the SouthEast!

Actually, a friend of mine did find that his MINI's ship arrived in Jacksonville instead of the scheduled Charleston, and his MINI was trucked to the Charleston VDC. Added yet another delay! That's why I'm concerned about the Freedom.

We all have to choose our own obsessions! - :rolleyes: -

Thanks guys for the advice! I am getting the hang of it. I've conquered a couple of hills since my first experience as I live near a small hill. I think I just panicked since it was my first time in my new car and there were a lot of people behind me and had never done it before. I'll get it.

Racer - what did you think about the Browns?

Racer - what did you think about the Browns?

Well, I'll only comment about the first half since that will be more what it's like in regular season, although our 2nd team looked better than our first last night. :rolleyes:

The Browns looked good last night. The had several good break away runs that of course were frustrating for us because it was like hello! stop that guy! :eek: They seemed stronger on the run than the pass, but I am not as familiar enough with the Browns to know if that is a usual thing. Part of our problem was not that the Brown's defense was that good - we consistently got receivers open, but the over-paid dummies couldn't hold on to a ball that hit them in the hands! We lost four or five good yardage gains because the guys simply couldn't hold on to the ball. The Browns defense actually looked a little weak on the pass plays, but held our RBs pretty well. When I left the game mid 3rd quarter, I believe we only had 17 rushing yards. The Browns also had 5 penalties by the time I left too - silly stuff like illegal formation. Ah, well, it's only pre-season, right? :rolleyes:

Well, signed a few sheets, wrote the big check and dropped 'em in the FedEx envelope today. No turning back now. :D

Just a week and a half until they ship the car... Man oh man.

-mike

Mike - you're way up there in the process.... I'm itching to get any news on my car since I know that we weren't that much apart in the process of coming over stateside..... the agony... to add to it all, I thought I was able to sell my 2003 MC this weekend... but things fell through with the other party.... I guess it gives me more time to sell it since our cars aren't due for another couple of weeks..... did Julie tell you a $$$ for shipping?

Well, signed a few sheets, wrote the big check and dropped 'em in the FedEx envelope today. No turning back now. :D

Just a week and a half until they ship the car... Man oh man.

-mike

The EDD has just appeared in OL, it is 09/05, meaning next week this time. :D

Mike, so you meant you have done with all the financing and paper works? So, you now truely have the ownership of the car? Congrats !! (Or meaning you have just started your financing payment cycle, if you did finance it) ;)

well, just checked out the OL and now it lists my car's EDD as tom., 8/31.... I just hope it's okay... after reading the NAM post on what happens at the VDC...... anyways, still waiting....

OK, not to take away from the general glee of all you east coasters and midwesterners that are about to get your cars, but this whole west coast shipment thing is really starting to :bad::bad::bad::bad: me off. A chronology:

My MCS was built the week of 8/9, completed production 8/12, and when I called ASK-MINI on the 16th, they said it was finished and released and sitting in SH awaiting the next shipment. 2 freaking weeks ago.

Today I call ASK-MINI and get a tortally different answer, that it WASN"T released for shipment until the 19th, and didn't arrive at SH until the 26th! And of course they know nothing about the next boat to Hueneme, except they thought it was WW.

This whole west coast tracking and shipping thing is a joke. If BMW wants to lessen the wait times in western division then they need to get these cars out as fast as possible. It's bad enough we have to wait 6-9 months just to get a freaking build slot, let alone all this dilly-daddling on the English side. Argh. :mad: :mad:

So although my financing has been approved thru 10/31, even that's looking optimistic. Sorry for the rant but I had to vent, for I'm about to explode over the sluggishness and general incompetence and misinformation regarding my car's status. #@%^%#$%^ Jimbo