Someone else already told you the sad fact -- your car has to move further from Chicago before it gets put onto dry land. It'll get extra-special TLC at the Charleston factility, then it gets shipped off to Chicago. One (of many things) I don't know is whether they truck it all the way from South Carolina to Illinois, or whether there's a rail component somewhere along the way.

Anyone?

I ride the train in/out of Chicago every weekday from lovely Geneva and pass a rather expansive vehicle processing facility on the Union Pacific just west of West Chicago. I see lots of VW, Audi, Toyota, and Nissan cars but never any BMWs or MINIs. It would be cool to see my MINI there on my way to work and say, 'hey that's mine!' :)

I'll ask my MA next time I talk to him.

-paul

Understood - thanks AprilWhine and btdoyle!

I'm planning on a 4/22 pickup - that's a week for the VPC and transit and a week for dealer prep, so hopefully everything stays on schedule and I can drive it back before the end of the month!

Hi Don, another MB cruise mate! Were you a week 12 production? What did you order?

I also ordered mine from Patrick and was given an estimated delivery of around 4/21.

Maybe I'll see you at the dealer :)

-paul

Interesting. I've been wondering why I can't seem to find any MINIs on the streets around here with driving lights. Maybe this is why. I don't have to have the lights or anything and didn't order them with my car. But I think they look cool.
In fact, the MINI Rear Fog Light was illegal in California until January 1 of this year.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc24602.htm

I guess they measured that it was "not lower than 15 inches" when there was no one sitting in the car.

:D

-- Roger

To all my Mini friends:

Found my Mini!
I had written a 6 instead of a G in my VIN. (got it by phone...askmini)
So I thought my car was on the K-line (maybe Andes Highway)
My car was on the W&W line's Cypress Trail. She is now in N.Y.! Unloaded 4/2 I think.
"At distribution center" should show up at OL later today.
What helped solve my mystery was "review order detail" at the OL site.
I had never looked in there before....

One thing that I don't understand....if I live in Maryland, why did they choose this ship?
The Cypress Trail does not go to Baltimore.
The next ship, Madam Butterfly arrives in Baltimore on 4/6.
Maybe it gets to the dealer faster by road transport, and all the costs just cancel out?

Well I should be able to see my Dark Silver Cooper S :dark: sooner than I thought!
I had expected an end of April delivery considering that I ordered the car on 3/4/2005.
Only about one month from order to delivery! That is fantastic. :D
Thanks to April, and all those who had posted hints and links about their car's journey.
All the information from this Minni2 forum was helpful!
Good luck to all the April and May production parents!
Steve

For Steve and Monkeynet:

MINI has vehicle processing facilities at NY, SC and Pt Hueneme CA. That is why all cars come into one of those three places.

Steve, my car was on the Cypress Trails also. The WW site hasn't updated yet, but the car was turned over to the VDC on 4/2 and I have an estimated delivery date of 4/7.

Yes...but you have the satisfaction of knowing that your MINI was built JUST for you and it's EXACTLY what you want. When I was looking at my MINI..they were some that were close to what I wanted..but I wanted MY MINI...it's worth the wait.


Ken,
My feelings exactly. The wait was, at times, excruciating, but it's almost over. :D

Tom

To all my Mini friends:

Found my Mini!
I had written a 6 instead of a G in my VIN. (got it by phone...askmini)
So I thought my car was on the K-line (maybe Andes Highway)
My car was on the W&W line's Cypress Trail. She is now in N.Y.! Unloaded 4/2 I think.
"At distribution center" should show up at OL later today.
What helped solve my mystery was "review order detail" at the OL site.
I had never looked in there before....

One thing that I don't understand....if I live in Maryland, why did they choose this ship?
The Cypress Trail does not go to Baltimore.
The next ship, Madam Butterfly arrives in Baltimore on 4/6.
Maybe it gets to the dealer faster by road transport, and all the costs just cancel out?

Well I should be able to see my Dark Silver Cooper S :dark: sooner than I thought!
I had expected an end of April delivery considering that I ordered the car on 3/4/2005.
Only about one month from order to delivery! That is fantastic. :D
Thanks to April, and all those who had posted hints and links about their car's journey.
All the information from this Minni2 forum was helpful!
Good luck to all the April and May production parents!
Steve
Steve, from what I have been able to gather, a lot of the WW ships and even the K-Line I was on stop at Baltimore but for other deliveries, not our Minis. They still need to go to the VPC which uses the Charleston SC port. So they DO make a stop up north first, but nothing as it relates to us. :rolleyes:
Hope that helps and congrats on making U.S. soil!
Randy

Grrrreat news. looked at the owners lounge at my order details and what do i see? a 4/11/05 delivery date! I am guessing that this is a little optimistic for a delivery date so I don't know why they put that up since I did not even think my car was getting into the port until the 11th. Maybe it is on another ship :D the 11th is next Monday! I do not think i can get out there until maybe Thursday but still. That is really exciting. Check it out!

How many of you guys and gals are going to have daytime running lights programmed to be on when you get your car? I am seriously considering doing it. It is supposed to cut down on avoidable pedestrian accidents quite a lot.

How many of you guys and gals are going to have daytime running lights programmed to be on when you get your car? I am seriously considering doing it. It is supposed to cut down on avoidable pedestrian accidents quite a lot.
The wife and I decided to not have the running lights on during the day. Don't ask me why...maybe we are just old fashioned. I never was a fan of them even though they are probably a good thing to have.
From my experience on running to calls of pedestrian/vehicle accidents, the largest (by far for around here anyways) cause was the pedestrian running/darting out between cars and not paying attention. We had come to the conclusion that if the person was going to be that careless and not look, no amount of lights would prevent those particular accidents.
Hence, I just don't want to have lights on all the time. :cool:

Also, on your delivery date...(mine is the 10th) is that to us or the dealer? I never had heard either way.
Randy

The wife and I decided to not have the running lights on during the day. Don't ask me why...maybe we are just old fashioned. I never was a fan of them even though they are probably a good thing to have.
From my experience on running to calls of pedestrian/vehicle accidents, the largest (by far for around here anyways) cause was the pedestrian running/darting out between cars and not paying attention. We had come to the conclusion that if the person was going to be that careless and not look, no amount of lights would prevent those particular accidents.
Hence, I just don't want to have lights on all the time. :cool:

Also, on your delivery date...(mine is the 10th) is that to us or the dealer? I never had heard either way.
Randy

Good point. I am not sure if it is the dealer or us. I can not take delivery until at least that Thursday so I am not that worried about it

There really isn't much to say when you know the car is in the middle of the ocean and when it's going to dock. Other than tick... tock... tick... tock...

Driving lights are hot. I'd love to get them. But, since I've already paid for Xenons, I can't justify the extra $800 to get them (p & l).

In Texas, IIRC, you can have all the lamps you want but have to have them covered. I don't think it really matters since driving your mammoth SUV with extra-bright lights and fog lamps on is illegal too but I've not seen an SUV without their fogs on (except when they have their brights on... in the city... in heavy traffic...). I've mastered adjusting my mirrors to shine extra-bright lights back into the eyes of the jerkwad beind me.

The MB lands on the 9th in S.C. (two days behind the earlier schedule). I expect to be motoring within 10 days... (7 seems to be normal in Dallas).

tick


tock


tick


tock

How many of you guys and gals are going to have daytime running lights programmed to be on when you get your car? I am seriously considering doing it. It is supposed to cut down on avoidable pedestrian accidents quite a lot.

We're going to have it programmed on. We have this on our current car now and I kinda like the way it looks. BTW, if you have xenons, the DRLs use a pair of halogens and not the xenons. This is different then our current car which just has the xenons on all the time. I've never touched the light switch, I think it's just there for decoration :)

AprilWhine, so I guess then they are truck driven to the dealers after arriving to the BMW facilities? Thats what the faq states, but Chicago is quite a haul from SC :) We were wondering if between those facilities and their final destination they were railed for some of the longer distance final destinations.

thanks, paul

We're going to have it programmed on. We have this on our current car now and I kinda like the way it looks. BTW, if you have xenons, the DRLs use a pair of halogens and not the xenons. This is different then our current car which just has the xenons on all the time. I've never touched the light switch, I think it's just there for decoration :)

AprilWhine, so I guess then they are truck driven to the dealers after arriving to the BMW facilities? Thats what the faq states, but Chicago is quite a haul from SC :) We were wondering if between those facilities and their final destination they were railed for some of the longer distance final destinations.

thanks, paul

Chicago is only about a solid day of truck driving to get to. especially if you are not going into the city at all. I am not sure the route that trucks take. I don't think they are railed. All the info that I have read said that they were shipped in enclosed truck beds. Maybe I am wrong?

AprilWhine, so I guess then they are truck driven to the dealers after arriving to the BMW facilities? Thats what the faq states, but Chicago is quite a haul from SC We were wondering if between those facilities and their final destination they were railed for some of the longer distance final destinations.



I don't know if they go by truck or rail, just that the rest of the journey is over land. :)

I think that may be why you can get an estimated delivery date so soon: the truck is already booked. Maybe? :)

No Daylight runnling lights for my mini. I just prefer not to have them. I can't wait to use the Xenons though, since I never had car with xenons before. Now I can irritate people ahed of me with the lights, and not be the one irritated.

The Xenons on the 05 cars are very cool too, just like something out of Buck Rogers. :cool:

April:

I see you are online. Thanks for the answer to the "why not Baltimore" question.
The OL is not yet updated. OL had a delivery date of 4/6 (and says my car is still at sea), but dealer says delivery by 4/11 to receive proper preparation. That is just fine with me. The dealer did know that she had arrived in N.Y.
We will have so much fun with our new cars! All that is left is just S Cooper mats,
and trunk mat for me at this time. (I think :p )
The weather here in Washington D.C. is starting to get beautiful. What a perfect time to enjoy a new car. Maybe I should call her "Cherry Blossom"...ha.
Well I hope to at least visit my Dark Silver Mini some time this week.
Thanks to all for the support,
Steve

ps: count me in for a shirt (maybe 2)...if it works out.
hey...maybe something printed with "March Mini Madness"..that might be appropriate for what we have been through!

Steve, check out Mid Atlantic MINIs and DC Metro MINIs for some motoring clubs. See you around!

Grrrreat news. looked at the owners lounge at my order details and what do i see? a 4/11/05 delivery date! I am guessing that this is a little optimistic for a delivery date so I don't know why they put that up since I did not even think my car was getting into the port until the 11th. Maybe it is on another ship :D the 11th is next Monday! I do not think i can get out there until maybe Thursday but still. That is really exciting. Check it out!
WOW..I'm getting so excited. Although I feel like my car SHOULD have made the MB...I'm very glad to be on the RESOLVE. I've been gearing up to get my MINI.....it's been so beautiful here it's hard to see others in their convertables and not be jealous! But school's out at the end of April..so I'll have more time to motor around than ever!

KC

I emailed my MA and she said about 2 weeks? All confused now. I knew that the ETD were not exact but i thought they were right within a couple of days. 2 weeks is 7 days over... I emailed her back to see what the deal is. Our school does not get out until mid may... we also have a 4 week winter break though... did not start until jan 20th or something like that.

WOW..I'm getting so excited. Although I feel like my car SHOULD have made the MB...I'm very glad to be on the RESOLVE. I've been gearing up to get my MINI.....it's been so beautiful here it's hard to see others in their convertables and not be jealous! But school's out at the end of April..so I'll have more time to motor around than ever!

KC

WOW..I'm getting so excited. Although I feel like my car SHOULD have made the MB...I'm very glad to be on the RESOLVE. I've been gearing up to get my MINI.....it's been so beautiful here it's hard to see others in their convertables and not be jealous! But school's out at the end of April..so I'll have more time to motor around than ever!

KC

Passed both a CR/W MC and a (I think!) Purple Haze MCC with a blue top on my way to class today. I hadn't seen either of them around until recently. It's tough when you see other MINIs while you're waiting to get your own! :D

Especially since it's such a beautiful day for motoring on the east coast today...

For those keeping track at home, the OL updated to say "At Dealer" with estimated date of 4/2/05, which is the actual date it arrived at Flow.

Ben

It's tough when you see other MINIs while you're waiting to get your own! :D


I know that feeling. When I see other mini's on the road, it just makes me want mine a lot sooner.

Well I should have my MINI in about two weeks also.... I've been busy in the last 24 hours ordering bits to have on hand when it arrives.

just ordered:
auto-up with the aff option
glovebox tidy - red
another cap :)

some things I need to ask my MA to include prior to delivery
rubber boot and back seat mat
rubber S floor mats (just the front)
chrome mirror caps
euro parcel shelf

free from the dealer:
cloth floor mats (set of 4)

not sure about:
alarm system

oh yeah - don't know what to do with the ipod.... aux or the mini ipod kit or the ice link ?? or have installed an after market stereo?

Can I ask for your opinions? Am I missing anything?

A personalized Whalen shift machine? :D

Ok - not to panic but - I called my MA today to see how things are going and about how long from when it arrives at Charleston to when it gets to Texas. Anyhow - he looked in his system and shows I'm still waiting at the dock and not on a ship.

I told him I understood MiniUSA was a bit behind, but that I show I sailed on the Resolve this past Friday. He said they use a direct BMW system and was puzzled as to why I still show at the dock. Could he just be wrong? Or should I not trust what I'm seeing on the WW site. It still says "loaded" on the WW site.
:confused:

A personalized Whalen shift machine? :D


Not having any direct experience with the Whalen, the $150 price tag seems too steep for a shift knob (as nice as it may be). As much as I'd like one I have a hard time justifying the cost - am I missing something? (I'm easy to convince)

Monkeynet


You said that you received the cloth mats for free, I believe you bought yours at Bill Jacobs right? Who is your MA? That would help me out a bit in getting a possible discount on the rubber mats or at least pick me up a set of the cloth ones for free and then get the rubber ones. Any help for a fellow march build ;)

Not having any direct experience with the Whalen, the $150 price tag seems too steep for a shift knob (as nice as it may be). As much as I'd like one I have a hard time justifying the cost - am I missing something? (I'm easy to convince)

It's hard to explain, it just feels good. My hubby calls them man jewelry. :D He would get one for our MCSCa if Doug made one to fit.

I'm sure someone at MoT will have a Whalen if you want to see.

After looking over some maps, I am planning a MINI run to Ocracoke Island. We'll take the free ferry and cruise the town. No fun roads, but it will be nice I think.

Ok - not to panic but - I called my MA today to see how things are going and about how long from when it arrives at Charleston to when it gets to Texas. Anyhow - he looked in his system and shows I'm still waiting at the dock and not on a ship.

I told him I understood MiniUSA was a bit behind, but that I show I sailed on the Resolve this past Friday. He said they use a direct BMW system and was puzzled as to why I still show at the dock. Could he just be wrong? Or should I not trust what I'm seeing on the WW site. It still says "loaded" on the WW site.
:confused:

Jeff, the BMW system is slow to update. I tend to believe WW, even though the WW site says my car is still on the Cypress Trails. But it's a toss up as to which one is right.