[Sowellman]

Do Mini buyers in the U.K. or other countries other than the U.S. have the opportunity to learn their car's production status while it is being built?

I was able to call a toll-free number tonight and learn that my car was in the paint shop and was getting ready for assembly. They told me it should be completed by the weekend.

The U.S. website allows buyers to obtain their production number, VIN and production status, although the information there and on the automated call-in line is not as fresh as that obtained by a live operator. The website also allows buyers to download the owner's manual, which would have saved rec all that time he spent scanning his manual to post here.

[Paul]

No, well, sort of.

We get to call our dealers who get to check on their internal system and call us back with a vague idea of what's going on.

Wish we had your system, but I think in the UK the belief is a well informed customer is a well armed customer. They couldn't get away with bumping people if they knew you knew the production status and number.

[mrweasel]

your MA shoudl also be able to look up in DealerSpeed to see precisely what is going on with your build. The MiniUSA site always seems to be a few days behind.

Mine was showing " Transit to Dealer" even after I picked it up

[Sowellman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul Mullett (original)

Wish we had your system, but I think in the UK the belief is a well informed customer is a well armed customer. .

It seems odd to me. I would think they'd treat you folks as the most important customers and then go out from there. If you had the system we have and we didn't, then I would just chalk it up as a home field advantage.

But then again, you should have also been treated better concerning your car problems. Sorry to hear about that.

[Paul]

The motor industry here is generally not very customer friendly, you do get the impression some people are trying to change it, but the dealer networks, usually with bunches owned by the same company, are not very keen to give any "power" to the customer.

I used to be a project manager at a company who developed computer based training, one of our clients (as well as BMW/MINI) was a dealership group who sold a large range or marques, and the way they were actually trained to teach customers was pretty shocking. Put me off every getting any cars from their group I can tell you!

[Sowellman]

For a long time here, car sales people were considered some of the lowest creatures on earth. Customers saw them as people who would take advantage of them and do anything to get the sale. And for American cars in the 1960s and '70s, once you drove the car off the lot, it was yours. It was very difficult to obtain warranty service without a lot of hassle.

The sales techniques seemed all geared toward making the sale today. With no thought given to wanting to have you come back to them again in a few years for another car. The rise in sales of Japanese cars in the late 1970s and the large jump in quality of those vehicles helped to change the industry and I believe made a fair percentage of dealers change their style of doing business.

There's still plenty of arm-twisting dealers still around but others truly want your business and will treat you decently. Buying my Mini, which is in production this week and should be finished in the next day or two, has been a different experience.

There is only one dealer in Oregon and it's located in Portland, 200 miles away. All of my dealings with them have been by email and on the telephone. I haven't actually gone there in person. The MA has been very low-key and helpful and is committed to get me the car I'm looking for. I've appreciated that very much.

[Evergreen]

Where can I find that toll free number regarding build statis? I was blown away to find out about the tracking feature on the US website, but I guess it shouldn't surprise it's a few steps behind the action. Would love to have more realtime info without having to drive those guys down at the dealer crazy. Thanks.

[Sowellman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Evergreen (original)

Where can I find that toll free number regarding build statis?

It's (866) 275-6464. It has an automated system where you can say your production order number and determine the status of your car. It also allows you to talk with a live operator during daytime hours.

Interestingly, the website today said my car is awaiting transport to Southampton. The automated system, meanwhile, said it was still in production. The live voice confirmed it had finishing being built and was waiting to hop a ride to the port.

Guess it just depends on the day and the method to determine which method has the most current information.

Where are you in Oregon? I'm in Roseburg.

[Evergreen]

You're farther along than we are. You'll be ripping up the road for weeks before we even get a glimpse of our coop. We just got the order confirmation and are awaiting a production date. We've been told we're getting an April build. Just out of curiousity, how long have you been waiting?

It has been quite the experience buying a mini, almost as enjoyable as the car itself. I am not sure if being able to track this whole thing is good, or just adds to the agony.

We're in Tigard, a little closer to those boys at Rasmussen. Hats off for making the long distance purchase, we both know it'll be well worth the wait! I feel like Ralphie from a Christmas Story.

[Sowellman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Evergreen (original)

We've been told we're getting an April build. Just out of curiousity, how long have you been waiting?

I've had a deposit in at Rasmussen since October. Because I ordered a manual transmission Cooper, it wasn't available until the March build. They submitted the actual order sometime around the middle of February and production began on March 4. Took just over a week to build.

Welcome to this group, by the way. You'll find a lot of good information here and friendly people looking to offer answers and suggestions.

[Hummer2k1]

I just receive a (paper) mail from my Mini dealer.
On the top of the paper, they mentioned the status and wrote STATUS 111- ACCEPT
anyone knows what does it mean?

just found what does it mean (found here http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?f...q_tracking_usa)
"111: Order Accepted at factory" i'm glad to hear it

[jennyanne83]

I really wanted to know the status of my order, as I'm hoping my car is due to go into production next week, so I decided to phone the dealer that I know the car has been ordered through - i've been using a middle man via my company, but they still order the car through the fleet services at my local dealership - Stratstone Maidenhead Mini.

Well, after much confusion ranging from being told they couldn't find me in their systems the woman in charge of the car Fleet services phoned back me in a not too pleasant mood, saying she's just been called out of meetings etc. by numerous people phoning her about my order.

Well, I then asked if I could know the status of my order, and she said she couldn't find out, and she'll only know something about it when the car gets delivered to the dealers??? Is this right??? I assumed all cars would be tracked the same, so Mini could still find out my order status, regardless of if it's a company made order???

What do you think I should do - is there another means by which I can find out the order staus...... as i'm reluctant to phone her back as she was a bit scary!!

[Paul]

MINI can tell the customer at any stage what the status is. Depends if they want to I guess. I don't know your situation, but if I could I'd walk away now. Sounds like you're dealing with an unhelpful and unpleasant company.

[jennyanne83]

Well can't really walk away now, plus I've waited 5 months for this car (and at a very good price I wouldn't get direct from a dealers)!! It's not really the company I've ordered it through, as the rudeness has come from an actual BMW fleet services employee.

I did speak to a nice guy at the dealership, but he said he couldn't find my details in their system, so not sure if i should ring him back to see if he can try to find out anymore for me?? Though I feel it'll just get back to her, and she'll ring saying 'I told you we won't know anything until it arrives etc'.... Maybe i'll ring this guy to discuss the problem...