But seriously here, I think your experience speaks VOLUMES aboot just going out and picking up the car and driving it home. U get to take personal delivery, possibly get to see a new town, meet Julie, and not have to sweat the fine details of some trucker's personal and professional life :( :rolleyes: :eek: Jimbo

...and rack up miles, bugs, and rock chips. ;) That's why I didn't choose to fly out. I had the time and the inclination, but decided that in the end I'd be happier if I got my car in CA for the first time in perfect condition, which is why I decided to wait. :) But yes, it has been a trying few weeks!

-mike

At what point should my dealer ask how I want the programmed options set?

After it leaves VPC?

...and rack up miles, bugs, and rock chips. ;) That's why I didn't choose to fly out. I had the time and the inclination, but decided that in the end I'd be happier if I got my car in CA for the first time in perfect condition, which is why I decided to wait. :) But yes, it has been a trying few weeks! -mike

It's too bad uninformed, greedy pinheads rule most of the western (read CA) d'ships, forcing your hand to go elsewhere.

It's too bad uninformed, greedy pinheads rule most of the western (read CA) d'ships, forcing your hand to go elsewhere.

Yeap, actually when I inquired in the July 4th weekend at a local dealership, I was told that I will be on the "Sept prod/Oct del" train if I made my order at that time with a $2500 markup on the MCS. But now I got mine from out-of-state, not only no markup (but the trucking fee), it was "Aug prod/Sept del", so one whole month earlier than the local (w/ markup). Besides, I rather spend the $$ on the trucking fee (which is 1/2 of the markup) than just for no reason to someone else's pocket. :)

Besides, I rather spend the $$ on the trucking fee (which is 1/2 of the markup) than just for no reason to someone else's pocket. :)

Same here. The last time I checked, which was admittedly awhile ago, I could have a whole lot of fun enjoying some of America's best for the $4000-$5000 privilege local dealers were offering.

It's too bad uninformed, greedy pinheads rule most of the western (read CA) d'ships, forcing your hand to go elsewhere.

Agreed. :rolleyes: Oh well, I'll let all the other Californians who actually pay the markup go ahead and pay it. They are helping to fund the service center I'll be taking my car to. ;)

-mike

Sequence, Sportty, let's challenge those "classics"...

by next week, we'll have our cars, and we can post tons o' pics, pics of us driving, pics of the cars in OUR garages, pics of our partners in the cars.... and they will be o so jealous :D ;) ...

Meeting that guy today who just drove the car off the lot made me realize how much we appreciate our cars. We think about our choices, and then mull them over in comparison with other owners for months while we consider, and reconsider. And then we get all this anticipation and joy when we get this close to pick-up. He has none of that, and as a result, he has no appreciation of his car. He really was very flat when I talked to him - I thought "you're not a Mini owner" !!

I know a guy here with a Mini and I told him the story and he agreed... the waiting is part of the rite of ownership passage... and all of us with our journey through the black-hole canal, and trucking across the US - we are going to APPRECIATE receipt of those beautiful cars!!!!!! :D

Sequence, Sportty, let's challenge those "classics"...

by next week, we'll have our cars, and we can post tons o' pics, pics of us driving, pics of the cars in OUR garages, pics of our partners in the cars.... and they will be o so jealous :D ;) ...

But we'll have our cars by next week too. :D :p

And totally agreed about the waiting being a rite of passage. It totally is!

-mike

Except for us in Seattle, Portland, and Denver, who have the longest post-VDC transits in the western division. End of the month, at best, for us. Jimbo

ahhh... another day.... I wonder what surprises await us today...... :p

Hehe, yeah Alfredo, I'm wondering when we'll get a call or email. :)

-mike

... the waiting is part of the rite of ownership passage... and all of us with our journey through the black-hole canal, and trucking across the US - we are going to APPRECIATE receipt of those beautiful cars!!!!!! :D

You guys are right on! This has been a trying period but worth it as the Mini is something worth waiting for. I cried when my local dealer told me last May it would be at least 6 months b4 he would order me my MCS and then at least 9 months after that! After getting the Markup run-around from the CA/NV dealers I looked to the East. My Mini was on US soil in a little over 6 weeks from order and no markup. The only hiccup has been getting it from NY to WA. I decided not to drive it out but use an auto-shipping comp. More wait time as they quoted 1 to 3 weeks. I was told Rocket (my DS/MCS) was to be here between the 13th & 18th. (I even took this week off) Now it's looking more like the 20th :confused: Patience, patience, patience.

(You guys thinking that the Auto-carrier will take less than a week to get from the mid-west to CA hold on and expect a little longer... :eek: )

We are a select group of individuals: naming our babies, fretting about their journey across the ocean and then across the land, and taking time off from work to get more drive time!
I've never regretted my decision.
Enjoy!

CMINIGO :dsblack:

more than a week you say? I guess that's just the price you pay........

Yes, Alfredo is right, "some auto-shipping company" is not the same as "Concours Transport". Concours is one of the best and most respected auto transport firms in the business, and do not mess around like other companies. Many have seen delivery times of 4 days from Ohio to CA. They almost never exceed a week, and certainly not in this case where they are coming directly from Ohio to CA.

We did the auto shipping route because while it may be a bit more expensive than some shippers, (1) they know how to do their job (no accidents, etc), (2) it saves the expense and toll on the car of driving back and (3) they are professional enough to deliver within a week.

Sorry to hear your wait will be longer! But ours won't.

-mike

Sorry to hear your wait will be longer! But ours won't.

Hope so Mike. But now is half past noon at OH already, they said it was a AM pickup, no email/call received on my side, wonder if they really did a AM pickup?! How about on your side? Alfredo? Any notification yet?

frankie - nope... I emailed Bill and have not heard.....

Folks I just called Bill and he said they are in the process of loading the cars right now. :) He said 2 of them are already on the truck and the other 2 are in the process. He said they are taking lots of pictures and Julie will email them out on Thursday.

Sounds good to me!

-mike

Meeting that guy today who just drove the car off the lot made me realize how much we appreciate our cars. We think about our choices, and then mull them over in comparison with other owners for months while we consider, and reconsider. And then we get all this anticipation and joy when we get this close to pick-up. He has none of that, and as a result, he has no appreciation of his car. He really was very flat when I talked to him - I thought "you're not a Mini owner" !!

I know a guy here with a Mini and I told him the story and he agreed... the waiting is part of the rite of ownership passage... and all of us with our journey through the black-hole canal, and trucking across the US - we are going to APPRECIATE receipt of those beautiful cars!!!!!! :D

You should have just taken it from him. He will just go buy a GTi or something and be just as happy.
;)

Mike - that is great news... did he happen to say if this is the last pick up before heading out to the west? are we the first ones to be dropped off? closer and closer......

Alfredo, from what Fred told me next stop after Ohio is SoCal, so you should be next. :) Unless he's picking up/dropping off the other stuff first in SoCal, in which case you'd be second, but that shouldn't take long at all. I think it's safe to say you'll have your car in a week, maybe even a few days sooner. :)

-mike

hopefully, it will be Monday... it would be nice to get it on the weekend but I will be up by your neck of the woods to visit some family...... tell Billy to email those pics!!! :)

Good !! They did it. So, we will be notified later when the cars are about to get here? Mike, this weekend, you and I should think seriously about where is the best place for us to pick up !! :)

I asked about the color (thought it was PH 'cause it was darker than I thought HB would be)... Turns out its a HB MCS with JCW,...

JCW?
Hyper blue means 2005, which requires a newer kit, which I thought wasn't going to arrive for a few weeks or more.

Are you sure about the JCW?
Did the dealer install the old kit? Or are they really loved by MINIUSA and or JCG and got one of the first kits.

okay - stepping away from the "mlebeau, asaulo1,fs-mini" delivery thread :)

anyone want to show what wheels they're going to be putting on once they get their babies...... assuming that you're going to change shoes that is....... I was thinking of this... in either silver or maybe hyperblack.... hmmm... decisions.... to think I haven't even gotten my car yet.... :)

I FINALLY GOT MY CAR!!!

I just went to day and picked up my car it is so awesome and i had so much fun driving it today i am going to load some pictures up tomorrow. if anyone has any questions about the new 2005s let me know and maybe i can help you out

JCW?
Hyper blue means 2005, which requires a newer kit, which I thought wasn't going to arrive for a few weeks or more.

Are you sure about the JCW?
Did the dealer install the old kit? Or are they really loved by MINIUSA and or JCG and got one of the first kits.

I didn't ask him about this... It had the logo on the back and we talked about the HP... he did not seem impressed.... I said "JCW, this means you have 220HP, or something"... he says "No... on paper its 210, but its really only around 200".... or something like that....

He did not know anything about that car!!!

okay - stepping away from the "mlebeau, asaulo1,fs-mini" delivery thread :)

anyone want to show what wheels they're going to be putting on once they get their babies...... assuming that you're going to change shoes that is....... I was thinking of this... in either silver or maybe hyperblack.... hmmm... decisions.... to think I haven't even gotten my car yet.... :)

VERY nice shoes!!!

thanks, cadbury.... what color should I get... silver or hyperblack? it's a pepper white/black MCS...... here's the hyperblack... .I don't really like to go dark on the wheels but it looks like the hyperblack isn't that dark....

Congrats liljoe! :)

Alfredo, I like the wheels a lot. I personally think they'd look badass in the darker color, with your car's color combo. As for my own car, I'm going to try to wait a while before I do any serious mods... I know how I can get once I get into it (last car was a highly modified A4 1.8t), and I'd like to enjoy the car stock for a little while before taking the plunge on mods. :) I have a whole plan worked out, though, for when I start to get the itch. I think I've decided to go with Mini Mania as a tuner.

My plan is: First autocross the car a bit while it's stock. That'll help me decide whether I want to do much mods or not; if I get into the auto-x, it's in my best interest not to mod, if not, I'll mod away. :) If I decide to mod, first will be suspension upgrade (sway bar, springs and shocks or coilovers), then later Mini Mania Stage 2, then clutch, lightweight flywheel, and Quaife LSD, then later Mini Mania Stage 3, if I'm still feeling the need for more power.

I have a fair amount of experience modding cars and I tend to have this need to push cars' abilities to their limit in terms of modifications... I doubt the MINI will be different, but I'm going into it trying to enjoy the stock car as much as possible and only modifying if my gut REALLY makes me. ;) That being said, I will probably be feeling the itch bad within a few months.

-mike

Talked to my MA today, my car is at the dealer! Cadbury, I think that means you too!!! I'm picking it up Friday morning.