Procyon Leader for me, too. I'm told she departs Southampton May 18, and gets to Hueneme around June 10.

Procyon Leader for me, too. I'm told she arrives in NY on May 18, and Hueneme June 10. Is this consistent with what you folks have been told ? Seems like a long time (3 weeks) to go from NY to LA.

Cool! Looks like a few of us will be getting our MINIs within days of each other :)

Here is the NYK-Line route map to give you an idea of where the ship may stop:
http://www2.nykline.com/nykinfo/car_carrier_services/service_network/14.html

Next stop is Baltimore (according to the destination shown on the southampton vts site.)

BTW, are you guessing that you are on the Procyon Leader or do you have more information??

Anyone else on the NYK ship, Hudson Leader. I think it left Southampton on 5/8 and should arrive at Port Hueneme on 5/31.

I'm not on the Hudson leader, but am watching that one because the Procyon Leader will probably make the same trip. It's scheduled to arrive at San Diego on 5/29 and leave on 5/30. I would assume it's next stop is Hueneme, and would probably arrive same day (only speculation though).

We made our weekly visit to the local Mini Dealers prep lot today.

We noticed that the Minis there had a date in the very lower left hand corner of the price sticker.

Looks like it was printed at the Charleston VDC. The new ones there had 20050517. Some of the older ones had 20050506 and 09.

05/17/2005 could not have been printed at the factory because they would not be in the Midwest so fast.

But if these got there on 05/20, that shows that it takes no more than 3 days to catch a transport and be delivered from Charleston.

You know, it seems like it would be faster to deliver the west coast cars to Charleston and then truck them all the way across the country. I am one third of the way to the west coast and that is only 2 or 3 days drive for the truckers. I believe a 4-5 day truck drive from Charleston is faster than the ship going through Central America.

Oh well, I guess the Minis want to see the Panama Canal.

I am guessing that we are 2 weeks from getting our Mini if the Frisia hits Charleston on the 30th.

It's great to hear some of the May production group is getting their new Minis now!

By the way, I noticed that we have passed the April production group in numbers of posts. We will never catch the March group. They have like 9 times the posts we do.

Like I said, some notorious big mouths in the March group. :D

Like I said, some notorious big mouths in the March group. :D

User Name.....Posts
Tazminia............196
AprilWhine.........183
Ken30307..........169

Wow you and Taz have almost as many posts in the March Group than our whole groups number of posts.

But you are number 2, you've got to post another 14 times to pass Taz!

I am guessing that we are 2 weeks from getting our Mini if the Frisia hits Charleston on the 30th.


Went to the dealership Saturday and we are confirmed arriving at Charleston on the 30th. On the Frisia with you. I start vacation on the 3rd of June, so I am hoping I can get the car and go have some fun before I go back to work on the 12th. :)

Went to the dealership Saturday and we are confirmed arriving at Charleston on the 30th. On the Frisia with you. I start vacation on the 3rd of June, so I am hoping I can get the car and go have some fun before I go back to work on the 12th. :)
The 30th is a Monday so if the VDC (VPC) can turn them around quick and they catch truck transport right away yours will hit Atlanta by Friday the 3rd. Hopefully the dealer will do his part quickly. I understand the dealer doesn't have too much to do.

The Minis that have just rolled off the truck here have plastic on the seats, shipping hook holes open in the bumper, white Styrofoam on the doors and plastic on/behind the door handles.

If you have any dealer installed options I guess you are at the mercy of their schedule for installing them.

Good luck on that. It would be rough having it arrive on Friday at the dealer and have to look at it on the lot all weekend waiting to be prepped!

I called my MA at the dealer. My MC is on the Frisia as well. He told me they should have it on the 6th. I am in Jacksonville, FL. It's looking like an early June party for us. :D

Just been to my dealers, MCS is in transit (thankfully it doesn't have to go as far as most of you) and will be delivered to the dealers on tuesday, which means i should get it on friday or saturday YIPPEEE :D :D :D

The 30th is a Monday so if the VDC (VPC) can turn them around quick and they catch truck transport right away yours will hit Atlanta by Friday the 3rd. Hopefully the dealer will do his part quickly. I understand the dealer doesn't have too much to do.

If you have any dealer installed options I guess you are at the mercy of their schedule for installing them.

Good luck on that. It would be rough having it arrive on Friday at the dealer and have to look at it on the lot all weekend waiting to be prepped!

My concern is that the 30th is also Memorial Day. Will the VPC even be open?
The only dealer installed option I have is the window tint. I have been told that once the car makes it to the dealer, the plan is to send it to be tinted straight away. Should be 2 days later I take delivery.

What about you? Dealer options?

My concern is that the 30th is also Memorial Day. Will the VPC even be open?
The only dealer installed option I have is the window tint. I have been told that once the car makes it to the dealer, the plan is to send it to be tinted straight away. Should be 2 days later I take delivery.

What about you? Dealer options?

Right now, we haven't selected any dealer options.

We'd love the invisishield, but that is pretty expensive.

Yeah, I didn't think about Memorial Day. That'll probably put things back a day.

Hey all-

My baby is all alone on the Boheme, supposed to arrive on Firday 5/27.

Don't lose hope with the ship tracking! I thought the Boheme captain wasn't going to report in, but I kept checking the sailwx website and it finally showed up. Here's the link - very cool to track the journey. Just zoom out a few times to see the journey across the pond.

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=SIVY

My dealer is in Hartford, CT - about 2 or 3 hours from NY, and he is telling me it takes a week to get from the dock to the dealer!! Does this sound ridiculous to anyone esle??

He really hasn't been very helpful at all throughout this whole process, i think he is new and I seem to know more about this process than he does.

Anyway, I really want to pick it up June 4th, because I'm driving up from Philadelphia to CT and have already rented a car and hubby has taken the day off. If I have to cancel dealer options and have them installed locally so I can pick up the car 6/4, I'll just do it.

My dealer options are:
Large Cupholder
Alarm
Rubber Floormats
Wind Deflector

Happy waiting, guys!

Of the options you listed, only the alarm adds any significant prep time. Nugget had no dealer installed options, though they threw in a cupholder gratis. His ship hit NY on Friday, and he arrived at the dealer in Latham NY on the following Monday afternoon. I brought him home that Wednesday, and was the first one of that shipment to go home because of the lack of options. Good luck! pb

Hey all-

My baby is all alone on the Boheme, supposed to arrive on Firday 5/27.

Don't lose hope with the ship tracking! I thought the Boheme captain wasn't going to report in, but I kept checking the sailwx website and it finally showed up. Here's the link - very cool to track the journey. Just zoom out a few times to see the journey across the pond.

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=SIVY

My dealer is in Hartford, CT - about 2 or 3 hours from NY, and he is telling me it takes a week to get from the dock to the dealer!! Does this sound ridiculous to anyone esle??

He really hasn't been very helpful at all throughout this whole process, i think he is new and I seem to know more about this process than he does.

Anyway, I really want to pick it up June 4th, because I'm driving up from Philadelphia to CT and have already rented a car and hubby has taken the day off. If I have to cancel dealer options and have them installed locally so I can pick up the car 6/4, I'll just do it.

My dealer options are:
Large Cupholder
Alarm
Rubber Floormats
Wind Deflector

Happy waiting, guys!

Hey all-

My baby is all alone on the Boheme, supposed to arrive on Firday 5/27.

My dealer is in Hartford, CT - about 2 or 3 hours from NY, and he is telling me it takes a week to get from the dock to the dealer!! Does this sound ridiculous to anyone esle??

Anyway, I really want to pick it up June 4th, because I'm driving up from Philadelphia to CT and have already rented a car and hubby has taken the day off. If I have to cancel dealer options and have them installed locally so I can pick up the car 6/4, I'll just do it.

Happy waiting, guys!
Hi Genevieve,

Wow the Boheme tracking on that site is excellent! Every 6 hours it is updated and shows a great track. I wish the Frisia had ANY location reports at all.

A week from the dock to the dealer is not all that unusual and here is why.

1.) The 27th is a Friday before a 3 day weekend.

I saw 2 Minis from the same truck at my local dealer (at least they were parked together and still had Styrofoam on them) their VDC stickers showed one was processed on the 6th and the other on the 9th of May. The 6th was a Friday and that car must have sat idle over the weekend waiting for a truck to take it to the dealer. I've been told they wait until they have enough Minis going in the same direction to fill a truck transport.

2.) It supposedly takes about 3 days at the Vehicle Distribution (Processing) Center at the docks where most of the prep work and import inspections are done.

3.) You can wait 1-2 days for a truck to be available to transport the Minis.

4.) Maybe the dealer also meant his prep time for dealer installed options. He may have a little backlog.

So to add it up.

Arrival on the 27th of May which is a Friday and unloading. You probably don't know what time of day it'll dock either.

They may work on Saturday but figure there will be no work on Sunday or Monday (Memorial Day). So if there is 3 days at the VDC It might be ready to leave on June 1st. Hopefully only has to wait a day for a truck and it'll probably make the dealer later that same day June 2nd (but not in time for the dealer to schedule and work on). So the dealer may get their workers on it on Friday the 3rd.

Would it be ready for the 4th? Maybe if everything goes smoothly.

Problem is you are probably like me in that you have to plan ahead to make the trip, but you (and we) won't know for sure when it'll be ready until it actually appears at the dealer.

That's great! My car is also on the same boat! Was doing the same tracking and it seemed to take a day or 2 until SIVY showed up.

When was your car done?? I think mine was completed on 5/12.

Jason.

Hey all-

My baby is all alone on the Boheme, supposed to arrive on Firday 5/27.

Don't lose hope with the ship tracking! I thought the Boheme captain wasn't going to report in, but I kept checking the sailwx website and it finally showed up. Here's the link - very cool to track the journey. Just zoom out a few times to see the journey across the pond.
Happy waiting, guys!

I first got my name on a wait list for my Chili Red S in November 2004. About 6 weeks ago, I called and said to my dealer Ralph Schomp in Denver, what's my number. They said I was at 5 and they'd call in about 3 weeks. At 2 weeks I got the call and finally had to make all those final decisions. I went with the red dashboard and red tartan seats. ( my three year old daughter liked those the best, you can always count on a woman to make those tough choices) My MINI was finished on May 15 and left on the PROCYON LEADER on the 18th. Arrival at PORT HUENEME on June 10th. The dealer said approx 7 days to the dealer and 7 days prep. Maybe I'll get my dream car by the 4th of July.

Hey 8 months and I'm still waiting. I friend heard about the length of time for a MINI and flew to Vegas and took delivery on a new 2003 that afternoon. The next closest dealer is in Albuquerque, then Salt Lake, each had equally long lists. Sooooo I read all about 8 weeks from first deciding to delivery. East Coasters only 2 weeks from production to delivery. Just be glad you don't live in Great Falls, MT

Hello!

Boondox and BobsWifesMini: Thanks for always being there to help me with my questions and obsession! It does sound like I'm cutting it close - I think I'll just have the alarm put in at a local dealer. For whatever reason I got a quote for a couple hundred more locally, but its worth it to pick it up that weekend.

I'm a little confused on one thing - do they put the alarm in at the dealer, or at the VPC place before it gets to the dealer?

Jason - I'm so psyched I finally have a Boheme/SIVY buddy! Where is your dealer located? Mine is New Counrty Mini in Hartford.

Fingers crossed for June 4th pickup

-Genevieve

Hello!

Jason - I'm so psyched I finally have a Boheme/SIVY buddy! Where is your dealer located? Mine is New Counrty Mini in Hartford.

Fingers crossed for June 4th pickup

-Genevieve

Picking the MINI up at Princeton in NJ. It's the most convenient even though I'm in PA.

You know, not a bad idea on the alarm. I'm wondering how much that would delay mine. Maybe I could have it fitted at the next service. Have to contact my MA about that one.

Saw that SIVY-Boheme is clustered around a lot of other stuff out there in the ocean today.

Here's to things going smoothly in getting our cars!....
Jason.

Hello!
It does sound like I'm cutting it close - I think I'll just have the alarm put in at a local dealer.

I'm a little confused on one thing - do they put the alarm in at the dealer, or at the VPC place before it gets to the dealer?

Fingers crossed for June 4th pickup
-Genevieve
I'm not sure about the alarm installation. They supposedly do a lot at the VPC, but I'm not sure about things like the alarm. I believe that is at the dealer.

Alarms can vary greatly depending on whether you are going through a dealer or a local alarm shop. Your local dealer may just simply send it to a local "Mom and Pop" alarm place.

If I were you, I'd probably rather have the alarm installed locally. That way if there are any problems with the alarm you won't have to go back to Hartford!

If you look a little bit, I'll bet you can get the same price as the Hartford dealer. Ask the local dealer if they recommend a local place for the price the Hartford dealer would charge. Call the local dealer this week and tell them what the Hartford dealer is charging and see if they'll match or come closer.

My local dealer wanted $2000 over MSRP, when I told them forget it I would buy in Indy, they instantly dropped to $650 over MSRP. So maybe to get your add on business, if they know there is competition they'll match.

You can always tell the Hartford dealer that as long as they have the car ready by the 4th, you'll get the alarm from them. But if the alarm pushes it past the 4th, no alarm. They may schedule the installation without the car that way and meet your deadline.

Without the alarm, my guess is that you will have no problem picking up the car on the 4th.

Our car hits the docks on May 30th, and I'm hoping for a June 6th delivery. If not, then I'll have to wait until the 9th.

If the stars all align and you believe in miracles, maybe we could even pick it up on the 4th or 5th.

Regardless, we'll be motoring with the top down within a week of you.

Awesome! Miracles can happen and maybe we'll both be motoring the weekend after Memorial Day!

The antiicpation, although excruciating, can be fun :)

My first instinct was to simply tell the CT dealer that I would cancel the alarm if I couldn't p/u the car on June 4th, but then I thought I don't tortally trust him, and he may be dishonest about when the car actually comes, telling me its not there when it actually is, so that I'm "stuck" getting the car after June 4th and therefore getting the alarm with him. I know the MAs make their $$ on the dealer add-ons.

Maybe I'm paranoid. :p , but trying to play strategically - I feel so out of control being down in Philly with these clowns up in CT holding my baby's fate in their hands!! ;)

PS - i forgot, I'm also getting an iPOD adapter. Do you think this is a time-taker, too?

-G

PS - i forgot, I'm also getting an iPOD adapter. Do you think this is a time-taker, too?
-G
Don't know about the ipod adapter for sure, but since I always have an opinion about everything I'll take a shot!

My wife found a list of costs for installation of Mini Options. An Aux input costs about $53.50 of labor to install. That does not include the part, just the labor. Since there are notes on Mini2 about the installation of the Aux input we know it just plugs into the back of the radio. Then you drill a hole, mount the socket and put the shroud back. My guess this is less than an hour of work for a Mini dealer.

An ipod adapter is $107 for labor. Not that much more, double actually. So it depends what the hourly rate is. I'm sure that labor is not LESS than $53 and hour, so at the most it should take 2 hours. But my guess is an hour or less. To install cloth seat covers on the front seat is $107 also, how long can that take?!

So it doesn't seem like a long install. (The security system has $700 of labor).

So kind of backwards answer, but maybe it'll help.

By the way, how much did Hartford Mini want for the Security system? Was it $1,199?

An Aux input costs about $53.50 of labor to install. That does not include the part, just the labor. Since there are notes on Mini2 about the installation of the Aux input we know it just plugs into the back of the radio. Then you drill a hole, mount the socket and put the shroud back. My guess this is less than an hour of work for a Mini dealer.

An ipod adapter is $107 for labor.

By the way, how much did Hartford Mini want for the Security system? Was it $1,199?

Pardon me for a dumb question ((Im new to the ipod world) but can you use the upod with the aux input? it seems a cheaper quicker install., Im aware that w/ the ipod adapter I could control the ipod from the radio, but im not the type to change/flip from one song to another... and only use the cd player on long drives, not for the daily commure - Im an NPR and Air America kind of guy...

BTW Mini #2 is also on the Boheme docking this coming Friday.

Genevieve: with MINI #1 my boat arrived on a Saturday and I picked up from Prestige in Mahwah NJ the following Monday afternoon.,..

Pardon me for a dumb question ((Im new to the ipod world) but can you use the upod with the aux input? it seems a cheaper quicker install., Im aware that w/ the ipod adapter I could control the ipod from the radio, but im not the type to change/flip from one song to another... and only use the cd player on long drives, not for the daily commure - Im an NPR and Air America kind of guy...

BTW Mini #2 is also on the Boheme docking this coming Friday.

Genevieve: with MINI #1 my boat arrived on a Saturday and I picked up from Prestige in Mahwah NJ the following Monday afternoon.,..
Wow! Boat arrived on Saturday and picked up on a Monday!

You got it about the Aux Input. It'll work, just not as integrated.

My MINI is currently on the Takasago, which left Baltimore, MD today. The cargo tracking web site says that the ship will arrive in Charleston on the 26th. I didn't think it was that far from Baltimore to Charleston, and for the life of me can't see why it would take 2 days for it to get there.

I guess the next big question is: How long is it going to take at the VDC? How long will it take to get from the VDC to the dealership in Arlington, TX.

Then how long is it going to take the dealer to get the options installed that I ordered?

Security System
Checkered Sunroof Graphic
Checkered Mirror Caps
Sirius Satellite System

Am hoping that I get take delivery on the 10th of June, but based on what my MA says, it probably won't happen then. He initially indicated that once the car arrived in port on Charleston, it would be about 4 more weeks before the car would be ready for delivery.

That just seems like an awful long time.

I think Chris is just shooting long that way you're not angry if it's a day late. He would prefer to be 2 weeks early than one day late.

With the Ipod adapter, you can control the Ipod through the steering wheel controls. That is the major difference. :)

Oh Happy Day! The automated Ask MINI voice told me that my car has started production with an estimated completion date of June 4!!

HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY....HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY :) :) :)

June 4th :confused:

Nevermind...

HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY, JOY :D :D :D

Now I don't feel like an interloper on the May 2005 thread, watching you lot track your cars with a precision that would make Donald Rumsfeld envious.

I don't have to listen to that annoying and useless "Your car is scheduled for production with no confirmed production date" claptrap message on Ask MINI. :p And I never have to deal with various Ask MINI customer service reps who would pull a new estimated production start date from their Magic 8 ball, or wherever they get their estimates from.

I don't have to listen to that annoying and useless "Your car is scheduled for production with no confirmed production date" claptrap message on Ask MINI. :p And I never have to deal with various Ask MINI customer service reps who would pull a new estimated production start date from their Magic 8 ball, or wherever they get their estimates from.

Congrats on getting a production date.

My MINI has been waiting at the port to get shipped for the last week and I'd say the wait is not nearly as bad as the wait for production to start. For me it was a "until it gets built it doesn't exist" anxiousness versus the "it is just a matter of time" anticipation. Analogous to asking a girl out on a date versus waiting to go on the date.