[crosebud]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pamlico

Our drive isn't as bad - coming over from Rochester, NY. Roughly 4 hrs or so to the YC. We vacation in your general area, although further South (Ocracoke Island) which really is a healthy drive.

Pamlico--I love Ocracoke Island!! Have vacationed there many times--first visited as a child. I have been thinking about Ocracoke lately--the little lighthouse in particular, as I've decided to name my (still in the paint shop) PW/B MINI "Lighthouse", AKA "Lightie".

[Pamlico]

Quote: Originally Posted by crosebud

Pamlico--I love Ocracoke Island!! Have vacationed there many times--first visited as a child. I have been thinking about Ocracoke lately--the little lighthouse in particular, as I've decided to name my (still in the paint shop) PW/B MINI "Lighthouse", AKA "Lightie".

Great name !!

San Francisco to Ocracoke is really a long drive. We first visited Ocracoke almost 30 years ago (ack). It's changed quite a bit over the years and is trying to move more upscale. Still a great place, but it's best now not to visit in July and August as there are lots more people there. We've had 4 wd vehicles for years and it used to be possible to drive out to South Point at any time of the day and there would hardly be anyone else out there - paradise. Nowadays it can be pretty crowded with the SUV crowd, at least until the end of the day when they all rush back to have a cocktail and things get back to the way they should be. We kick ourselves every time we go for not buying a place there when prices were a fraction of what they are now.

[dpacker]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tazminia

Funny you should mention that Deb! Of all the things I love about the Mini, the one annoying thing was a lack of well thought out cupholders. (an odd complaint I know) The two front ones in front of the shifter are totally useless except as a coin holder. I don't know where a good one WOULD go, but I guess I was hoping for one that maybe folded or slid out to use and then could be hidden when not in use. (kind of like the old ashtrays in other cars) Yea, that newest one looks like a sore thumb sticking out there, doesnt it?
Well, since this is the wifes car..I guess that makes me the official cupholder, eh?

A slide-out cupholder (like a CD player holder) would be nice. I wouldn't think something like that would take up too much room either. Maybe by 2008 (when I'm ready for my convertible) they will have one of those. There's always that cupholder about a foot behind the shifter, but that will be very awkward when trying to drive. I'm curious as to why they didn't think to incorporate a "useful" one. Do Europeans not have this obsession that Americans do about always having to have something to drink?

[Tazminia]

Quote: Originally Posted by dpacker

A slide-out cupholder (like a CD player holder) would be nice. I wouldn't think something like that would take up too much room either. Maybe by 2008 (when I'm ready for my convertible) they will have one of those. There's always that cupholder about a foot behind the shifter, but that will be very awkward when trying to drive. I'm curious as to why they didn't think to incorporate a "useful" one. Do Europeans not have this obsession that Americans do about always having to have something to drink?

I can't speak for the rest of America, but if I'm going to be 15 minutes past the city limits, I am darned well gonna have a drink with me. (usually a diet pepsi or snapples raspberry tea)
I know a lot of Mini owners are not gonna like to hear this one but if I am going to be more than an hour on a trip, I also need something to munch on (yes...eating in the car!) like twizzlers or M&M peanuts.
Of course I still won't let anyone but me and the wife eat in the car. Hey, I gotta draw the line somewhere!

[crosebud]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pamlico

Great name !!

San Francisco to Ocracoke is really a long drive. We first visited Ocracoke almost 30 years ago (ack). It's changed quite a bit over the years and is trying to move more upscale. Still a great place, but it's best now not to visit in July and August as there are lots more people there. We've had 4 wd vehicles for years and it used to be possible to drive out to South Point at any time of the day and there would hardly be anyone else out there - paradise. Nowadays it can be pretty crowded with the SUV crowd, at least until the end of the day when they all rush back to have a cocktail and things get back to the way they should be. We kick ourselves every time we go for not buying a place there when prices were a fraction of what they are now.

Pamlico--Yes, Ocracoke Island is a bit far from San Francisco. My brother, his wife, and their child live in the Netherlands. I'm of course in San Francisco and my father lives in Virginia, so for a while we were renting a house on Ocracoke as a creative way to get together and spend time with my dad. But in recent years we've moved on to other rendezvous's. I'm sure Ocracoke has been changing a lot. September's probably a great time to go, but I guess we shouldn't tell anyone. Well, MINI drivers are allowed!

[Pamlico]

Right - everyone forget about this Ocracoke place - it's really gone downhill - stay away - don't waste your time and money getting there - you'll be very disappointed - really, honest.

When we are forced to make the long hot drive there on overly crowded roads we take our 4wd as the MINI hasn't proven itself to be very good on driving on the beach.

[Ken30307]

Quote: Originally Posted by AprilWhine

WW seems to be MUCH more reliable than ASK MINI right now.

That only helps if your MINI is on a WW ship

[bandrews]

More good news re: delivery of my car! The owner's lounge now has listed an estimated delivery date for me of April 9, 2005. That's really close to now! The Takasago docks in Charleston today... any minute now, my MINI will be motoring on solid ground once again. If you are curious, you can track ship movements in the Port of Charleston at http://www.port-of-charleston.com/Vessel_schedule.asp - at some point today, the list at the top will include the M/V Takasago! Takes a couple days from that point for the cars to get railroaded up to the Spartanburg VPC... not too shabby.

Unfortunately, I reeeeally wanted that date to be April 6, 2005. Guess that was a bit optimistic. I would have so skipped this silly conference April 7-10th in St. Louis if I knew it was going to be my delivery weekend! Maybe if I get lucky, the railroading up to Spartanburg will happen over the weekend here, the car will hit the VPC on Monday and a truckload of cars will go out to Flow by Wednesday- but that's looking like a long shot at this point.

Now, when to fit it in if the car hasn't arrived by Wednesday... Guess I didn't REALLY need to go to combinatorics on Monday!

Ben

[Tom B]

Just checked the WW website and it's now showing 41 cars booked on the Resolve. Bad news is, 90% are "waitlisted". Good news is, mine isn't.


Tom

[AprilWhine]

As of this morning, MINIUSA tracking shows my car as en route; bad news is that the WW site shows my ship as being delayed by one day. The Cypress Trails is now scheduled to pull into NY on 4/2. No biggie, I can't pick up my car until 4/13 anyway because of vacation.

[paulr]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tom B

Just checked the WW website and it's now showing 41 cars booked on the Resolve. Bad news is, 90% are "waitlisted". Good news is, mine isn't.

Hey Tom that's good news! I'm sorry you didn't make it aboard the MB, but the Resolve will dock in NY on April 9 and that's not too far down the road!

And Ben, Congrats on getting a delivery date!

My parents live in Duncan SC down the road from the BMW factory. We pass it every time they take me to the airport down there. I told myself that if I ever purchased a BMW that was manufactured down in that facility I'd do the factory delivery program and drive it back to Chicago from down there. I think I read some where that BMW did that

[paulr]

Quote: Originally Posted by AprilWhine

As of this morning, MINIUSA tracking shows my car as en route

MINIUSA actually updated?

If I were going on vacation around delivery time, I'd probably be ready to come back home the day I went on vacation

[Tom B]

Quote: Originally Posted by monkeynet

Hey Tom that's good news! I'm sorry you didn't make it aboard the MB, but the Resolve will dock in NY on April 9 and that's not too far down the road!

And Ben, Congrats on getting a delivery date!

My parents live in Duncan SC down the road from the BMW factory. We pass it every time they take me to the airport down there. I told myself that if I ever purchased a BMW that was manufactured down in that facility I'd do the factory delivery program and drive it back to Chicago from down there. I think I read some where that BMW did that

Thanks !


I asked my MA if I could pick my MINI up at the factory and drive it home. He just stared at me. What's up with that? I don't get no respect.

Tom

[ryanelp80]

Where in the OL does it list an estimated delivery date? Does that show once the delivering ship is very close to docking?

Quote: Originally Posted by bandrews

More good news re: delivery of my car! The owner's lounge now has listed an estimated delivery date for me of April 9, 2005. That's really close to now! The Takasago docks in Charleston today... any minute now, my MINI will be motoring on solid ground once again. If you are curious, you can track ship movements in the Port of Charleston at http://www.port-of-charleston.com/Vessel_schedule.asp - at some point today, the list at the top will include the M/V Takasago! Takes a couple days from that point for the cars to get railroaded up to the Spartanburg VPC... not too shabby.

Unfortunately, I reeeeally wanted that date to be April 6, 2005. Guess that was a bit optimistic. I would have so skipped this silly conference April 7-10th in St. Louis if I knew it was going to be my delivery weekend! Maybe if I get lucky, the railroading up to Spartanburg will happen over the weekend here, the car will hit the VPC on Monday and a truckload of cars will go out to Flow by Wednesday- but that's looking like a long shot at this point.

Now, when to fit it in if the car hasn't arrived by Wednesday... Guess I didn't REALLY need to go to combinatorics on Monday!

Ben

[HoustonMini]

Once in the Owner's Lounge...track your Mini...then towards the bottom of the list at the left it says "Review Order Detail" Listed before your Production Number, VIN, Current Status and MINI Dealer you should see the 'Estimated Delivery Date' Mine was off by two days as it was Estimated for Deliver on Easter. But not ready until Tuesday. And not at the Dealer until the next Monday (next day) after Easter. Hope that helps.

[twouptons]

Quote: Originally Posted by ryanelp80

Where in the OL does it list an estimated delivery date? Does that show once the delivering ship is very close to docking?

We didn't get our EDD until after the ship docked. Even then it was wrong...
-Eric

[rsinsheimer]

For those of you who've been around this thread for a while, you may recall that it took my dealer two car orders from the factory to order our car correctly. Well, the first (incorrect) car is now at the VDC, so it (presumably) will be at the dealer shortly. If everything had gone right, I would have had my car next week (about 7 weeks from ordering, pretty good for the West Coast!). Instead, it'll be about 10 days later.

Whine, whine.



Oh well.

I will have my car in two weeks!



-- Roger

[Ken30307]

my car showed up on the WW site today. Looks like it ws booked on the 24th and received at the terminal just yesterday. I have a * by my VIN...so I'm not sure I'll make it on the Resolve or not. I wonder why it took 6 days to make it to the terminal??

[Tom B]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ken30307

my car showed up on the WW site today. Looks like it ws booked on the 24th and received at the terminal just yesterday. I have a * by my VIN...so I'm not sure I'll make it on the Resolve or not. I wonder why it took 6 days to make it to the terminal??

Ken,
At least you're booked! That's a step in the right direction.

As to why it takes so long to get to the docks......maybe they should DRIVE them there. It sure wouldn't take 6 days then. Hmmmmmmmm. Driving MINIs for a living. Anybody got an employment application?


Tom

[dpacker]

Quote: Originally Posted by bandrews

More good news re: delivery of my car! The owner's lounge now has listed an estimated delivery date for me of April 9, 2005. That's really close to now! The Takasago docks in Charleston today... any minute now, my MINI will be motoring on solid ground once again. If you are curious, you can track ship movements in the Port of Charleston at http://www.port-of-charleston.com/Vessel_schedule.asp - at some point today, the list at the top will include the M/V Takasago! Takes a couple days from that point for the cars to get railroaded up to the Spartanburg VPC... not too shabby.

Ben

Ben - congratulations! I just checked the link that you posted. Looks like the Takasago made it safely to Charleston. That's so exciting - wish my MINI was on that boat too!

Thanks for the link. That's another web site for me to view daily. I scrolled down to look at the ships coming in on the 4th. There's the Frisia (K-Line - hope that's me and others), the Freedom (WW), and the Patriot (WW). It also shows the Madame Butterfly arriving on the 7th and the Resolve on the 13th. How exciting - lots of MINIs coming to Charleston! OH, and I just noticed that it shows what pier/terminal they will be docking at. That would be so much fun to watch them take them off of the boat. Frustrating to though because you wouldn't want to leave without your MINI.

Debbie