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?

Hey Alfredo,

Sorry to hear about the MC, I'm sure you'll find another buyer. Julie told me it will be $1200, and this was a recent, confirmed number.

-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) ;)

Yup, as soon as they file their paperwork (which will arrive with them tomorrow), it will be ALL MINE. :D I paid for it out right so this is it. :)

-mike

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

Sorry man, that really sucks. I know I'm not the first to say that sometimes I think it might be better if they just didn't have all this order tracking and forced people to take the "it'll be here when it's here" attitude. I think it would save us all some mental health from time to time. ;)

-mike

thanks, Mike... Julie told me $1250 - I guess since I'm farther out.... make sure you take a lot of pics (both your car and mine) when they deliver it to you... at least, that way, I'll have a sneak preview... thanks again...

You can count on it Alfredo. :) So you've decided not to bother with the trip up north?

-mike

yeah, I guess I'll just save the miles (and bugs, rock chips) for another time... I have family up there anyway (pittsburg) so I'm pretty sure I'll be up and around that area with my mini soon... :)

yeah, I guess I'll just save the miles (and bugs, rock chips) for another time... I have family up there anyway (pittsburg) so I'm pretty sure I'll be up and around that area with my mini soon... :)

Sounds like a plan to me. Same reason I decided it wasn't worth driving it back - thank god we're getting a truck in a reasonable time period. :)

-mike

Jimbo ... I totally agree with you. My car finished production on 8/10 and made it onto a boat on 8/16 ... that the last I've heard about it. No one can confirm what boat it is on, although I have an estimated arrival into Port H. (!!! never can remember the name!!!) on 9/5. My dealer then added another 2 weeks for it to make to from LA to SF! I'm hoping they are just trying to buy some time and surprise me with an early delivery.

The good news is however, I'm sure you'll have your car before 10/31 and that this stressful time will be forgotten by the happy memories ... I guess this is kinda like childbirth. :D

mike - just wondering if you've heard from Julie at all today... I emailed her a couple of times and haven't heard... was wondering if she's off today....
so, are you guys going to have sort of an unveiling when your cars arrive? who are you in the truck with that's in the bay area as well? should be pretty exciting.....

** off topic a little here **

Ok, so my Mini is supposed to be in today for pick up tomorrow. The accessories girl called over the weekend and said car to be in Monday, think about any accessories you may want. The only thing I could think of that I would have to get from Mini was the rubber boot and boot extension mats. So she called me about 10 minutes ago and said car wasn't on morning truck like we thought, may be on an afternoon one, what about accessories? I told her yes, I was thinking about the the boot mats, and was there anyway they could be included (free of charge to me) for the anthracite headliner spec mistake? She got all weird and defensive and said well, people who spec'd before you and got delivery in July didn't get that (good for them, they would've been '04s anyway until around Aug 1st for the first '05s, right?) I told her (politely) look, I know you guys did everything you could (not!) to get the spec changed and it just didn't happen. I thought I'd at least ask - it doesn't hurt to ask, right? *silence* "Well, I'll just have to talk to your MA and the sales manager about that." :rolleyes: But I do get a $50 gift certificate - just like any other new Mini owner. Which is great, and I intend to use it, but I don't feel like they have acknowledged the fact that they f'ed up.

Am I being unreasonable? Is my ire unjustified? Please let me know, I'm to pick up the car tomorrow and I want to know if I'm out of line here. :confused:

mike - just wondering if you've heard from Julie at all today... I emailed her a couple of times and haven't heard... was wondering if she's off today....
so, are you guys going to have sort of an unveiling when your cars arrive? who are you in the truck with that's in the bay area as well? should be pretty exciting.....

Hey Alfredo, no I haven't heard from Julie, I did email her a question yesterday which I haven't heard back about. So she may be off. It's just me and Frankie (fs-mini) taking delivery in the Bay Area so it won't be a big crowd like it has been in the past. Probably for the better, then we can meet, greet, get in, and get out more quickly so we can get to motoring. ;)

-mike

To all the west coast people: I feel so sorry for all of you! :( Despite the fact that it was a struggle to finally find out that our babies were on a K-Line ship to SC, at least mike and I did finally find out and were able to confirm they were on the boat, and then had arrived at the VPC and get a better idea of the delivery date. I feel your pain. Sometimes I think, too, it would be better if we didn't have so much info - I swear I'm gonna have an ulcer if this car doesn't get here soon! :rolleyes: Good luck in your quest to get your info!

Am I being unreasonable? Is my ire unjustified? Please let me know, I'm to pick up the car tomorrow and I want to know if I'm out of line here. :confused:

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all, speed_racer. The problem with it is that it's basically up to them whether they decide to play nice or not. If they decide to be stupid about it and lose a potential future customer over a few bucks worth of freebies, that's their choice. The problem is they know that they can probably be stubborn and still get you to the buy the car, because who in their right mind would refuse delivery over something so small when they've been waiting for a few months, and besides, even if they did, they could easily sell the car to someone else. That's the sad part about it. Good luck, and I hope they treat you the way they should. Otherwise just give them some nice low numbers for that dealer rating thing they usually hold in such high regard. :)

-mike

I don't think you're being unreasonable at all, speed_racer. The problem with it is that it's basically up to them whether they decide to play nice or not. If they decide to be stupid about it and lose a potential future customer over a few bucks worth of freebies, that's their choice. The problem is they know that they can probably be stubborn and still get you to the buy the car, because who in their right mind would refuse delivery over something so small when they've been waiting for a few months, and besides, even if they did, they could easily sell the car to someone else. That's the sad part about it. Good luck, and I hope they treat you the way they should. Otherwise just give them some nice low numbers for that dealer rating thing they usually hold in such high regard. :)

-mike

Thanks for the response mike. And you're exactly right, am I going to refuse the car? No, not after all this agony, and they know it. The best I can tell them is that unless my service improves I will go to St. Louis when I buy my next one like I had originally intended to do for this one. To which they will probably say, ok go for it. grrrr.... I love having a "rare" car, but they also know they have you by the danglies. So, I just give them low marks, try to forget the w*nkers and go on and enjoy my car. *sigh*

Oh, the phone just rang - the car is here (came in on the second truck today), but they still haven't gotten to look at it to verify if the interior is gray or black leatherette. And she didn't mention my boot mat request. But, to be positive for once in my life, it's here and I have an appointment at 5 pm tomorrow to pick it up! :D

It sounds like many of us are suffering from increasingly severe symptoms of the serious obsessive disorder, MTF (MINI Tracking Fever)! MTF can take over your life! beware!!! -- :eek: :eek: --

It sounds like many of us are suffering from increasingly severe symptoms of the serious obsessive disorder, MTF (MINI Tracking Fever)! MTF can take over your life! beware!!! -- :eek: :eek: --

No, MG here in the western division it's MEGA MTF, because everything is increased and amplified over what U east coasters/midwesterners experience. In addition to a 25 day transit, we don't even know what ship line our cars are going out on, let alone when they leave SH; and we cannot get accurate information on any aspect of our car's delivery (except build week.) It's totally and completely GOOFY and NOT good customer service. Why it's done is beyond me....

Therefore, I officially GIVE UP. :( No more calls to the "experts" at ASK-MINI. :mad: No more OL peeks. :rolleyes: No more calls to my MA, other than for him to give me ETA to the VPC. :confused: This thread will be my only source of info. $@%$$@#% Jimbo

who are you kidding sequence?? you'll keep looking... ;)

Yah, but only to get a VPC ETA (to get financing secured within the 30 day rate-lock window.) To me that's the important date.

Right now It could come over on a freaking kipper boat and I wouldn't GAS.

But, to be positive for once in my life, it's here and I have an appointment at 5 pm tomorrow to pick it up! :D

That's the spirit! Don't let their ignorance deter you from enjoying the moment. :) Congrats! Can't wait to see pics once you get the car! Just wish I could have mine - although I have to say I'm doing admirably well with this last bit of waiting, seeing as how it's at the dealer and ready to be loved. ;)

-mike

It's here!!!!!!! Julie just emailed me saying that they've handed her the folder of my vehicle's paperwork.... she's with a customer right now but will take pics as soon as she's done..... :) :) :) :)

It's here!!!!!!! Julie just emailed me saying that they've handed her the folder of my vehicle's paperwork.... she's with a customer right now but will take pics as soon as she's done..... :) :) :) :)

Woohoo, congrats Alfredo! Let's see those pics ASAP. :) I wonder if yours and mine will be next to each other. :)

-mike

That's the spirit! Don't let their ignorance deter you from enjoying the moment. :) Congrats! Can't wait to see pics once you get the car! Just wish I could have mine - although I have to say I'm doing admirably well with this last bit of waiting, seeing as how it's at the dealer and ready to be loved. ;)

-mike

Yeah, you know your baby is in good hands, and apparently among lots of friends with all the other CA-bound babies. I'm sure that helps ease some of the pain. Plus you know *exactly* where it is, no guessing right now. :D And I'll be sure to post pics on Wed. Thanks for the support and the understanding!

Okay... here's the 1st batch of pics that Julie from Classic Mini sent me of my baby.... Can't wait to motor in it.... :)

Alright, asaulo1!! Nice to see Casper, he looks just alike to my MCS, except mine has the bonnet stripes and S-Lite wheels. Still good to see yours, help me to imagine how mine will look. :D Again, congrats !

Quick update on my first few days of ownership. I have spent the last two days trying to get the hang of stick shift, with varying degrees of success. I stall every once in awhile, but not too bad. I still can't get the hang of hills. I've been practicing on this hill behind my apartment complex, but I'm thinking it might be the wrong hill to practice on because it's like driving up Mt. Everest. Maybe I should get everything else down before conquering that particular hill.

Anyway, I don't work in a very desirable part of town and the roads are pretty crappy. So my flat tire monitor turns on my drive home! Oh no! When I went to discover the problem, I noticed superficial tears on two of my right tires. Aw geez! I patched them up and reset the flat tire monitor and it hasn 't come back on, so, whew, they're not flat. Add that to the traffic jam I ran into and it was a streesful drive home.

Now would be a good time to encourage me.

I was just wondering how long it took for your cars to get to your dealerships from the there ports in the states....if you could just let me know what port and what dealership.

My car is coming into the new york port and is being brought to philadelphia so i am just trying to figure out how accurate the delivery date is.

My car arrived at Charleston on 8/22. It arrived at the dealer in Ohio on 8/28. The dealer installed the alarm, cleaned it up and I picked it up all in the same day - a Saturday, no less.

Quick update on my first few days of ownership. I have spent the last two days trying to get the hang of stick shift, with varying degrees of success. I stall every once in awhile, but not too bad. I still can't get the hang of hills. I've been practicing on this hill behind my apartment complex, but I'm thinking it might be the wrong hill to practice on because it's like driving up Mt. Everest. Maybe I should get everything else down before conquering that particular hill.
............
Now would be a good time to encourage me.

JoeyJoe,
Hang in there. If you're new to a manual it really feels awkward at very. Hard to get the rhythm down just right. And yes, a stop on an incline when you're new and have that billy goat (shaking) knee makes it seem near impossible. BUT, the learning curve is not that steep. Sure, it'll take you a few months till it's really, really smooth and done without thinking but it'll come. And in a few more months you'll be on forum here giving out advice because you'll truly be proficient. Just don't push it, be slow and deliberate. Speed and efficiency will come later. And when you kill it in traffic, take a deep breath, restart it, and try again (the majority of people witness to it can't drive a manual at all so you're ahead of them). Have fun with you new MINI! :cool:

Lookin' good Alfredo! :cool: At first I thought that HB in the background was mine, but in one of the pics you can see it's HB/W, so not me. :) That's ok, I'm sure our cars will get well acquainted on the truck to CA.

-mike

The Port of SC has just updated some time today that Emden will be arriving tomorrow instead of 9/1, a day earlier. Though I still don't know whether my MCS is on this ship, I think it may be it, since my MA told me mine is arriving on the 9/1. Anyway, I don't care any more about the date, if it is not arriving tomorrow, but 9/1 I am still happy, since I eventually will see it some time in mid Sept. !! :)