[TheOfficeMaven]

I couldn't find a thread for the January 2005 production group, so I thought that I'd go ahead and start a new one...

I just received a production number for my new January build MCS (week #1). Here are the specs:

2005 Hyper Blue/Black MCS
Convenience Package (new for 01/05)
Premium Package
Sport Package with 17" Web-Spoke Wheels (new for 01/05)
Limited Slip Differential (new for 01/05)
Rear Fog Lamp (new for 11/04)
Heated Front Seats (didn't want the heated mirrors/nozzles in the Comfort Package)
Black Leatherette Seats
Chrome Line Interior
Hyper Blue Interior Surfaces
Anthracite Headliner
Navigation System
H/K Sound System

EDIT (12/10/2004): Updated my spec!

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

i was told that the convience package wasnt available.......so wonder if that means a december production date???

Yes, the new Convenience Package option is ONLY available for January and later production slots. Thus, if your MA told you it wasn't available for your order, then perhaps you did indeed get a December production slot. If you really want the Convenience Package (which offers the new auto-on headlight option), then you should just ask your MA to move you to a January production slot instead (although he/she might not be too happy doing that since you already received your production number). While it's not 100% confirmed, there is the possiblilty that the January builds will bring some other "standard" changes to the MINI as well (such as an increased washer fluid capacity with low fluid warning light, re-positioned clock, etc.).

Congrats on your order...

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Another question for the January group: once you get a production number, how long does it take to get an assigned production date? (I don't have one yet and am a bit anxious about it.)

My production number was given to me on the 18th of November (for an early Jan 05 build MCS) and I also have not yet been signed a production date. The OL tells me that my car is "On Order", but when I call the 1-866-ASK-MINI number, the automated voice tells me that my car is "scheduled for production with no confirmed production date". Thus, I'd say that we won't get a confirmed production date (and a VIN) for another week or so (i.e. until it gets a bit closer to January).

The thing that gets me a wondering is that for quite a while now the factory has been running a week or two ahead of schedule with the building of cars. I wonder how they are going to handle this with the new Jan 05 specs? I guess that any orders they have that don't require the new additions to the Jan 05 specs will be put in front of those that do (e.g. if you didn't order LSD, Convenience Package, etc. then you'd be moved to the front of the line so they can keep ahead of schedule). Who knows, but I'm sure they'll work it out as it's their job after all.

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

The sales told me the build date is 01/02/2005... and he also telling me it is the second week of January?? I am a bit confuse about the build week is it week 1 or week 2.. But anyway it won't be a long wait... should have it around mid Feb... is it sonuds right?

Order spec.
EB/W MCS
Sport pack, Premium pack, Cold Weather pack, 6-spd, LSD, Nav. white S-lite and white bonnet

Since the 1st of January 2005 is a Saturday, it is the only day in the first week of January. Thus, the 2nd of January would indeed fall into the second week (I'm not sure if that's really correct though).

Congrats on your order!

BTW, I was told that I have a 01/01/05 build date (which is in the first week of January). My only fear is that all of the factory workers are going to be super hung over from their new year celebrations that my car will end up being another lemon (it's a replacement order for my first 05 MCS that was deemed to be a lemon and bought back by BMW). I really couldn't handle that if it happened to me again!

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Actually the 1st of January is a Saturday.

Joshua

D'oh! That was a typo on my part. I ment Saturday as that's the last day of the week. Sorry for the mixup, and thanks for catching it for me. I'll edit my post and fix it.

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

All,

I just got a print out from my dealer tonight and it says that my January build MCS (with LSD, Convenience Pack, etc.) started production TODAY! I even have a VIN now too...

The printout states that the car is currently at status 150 (Production started) as of 12/20/2004. It also shows a confirmed production date of 2005/01/01 and an Estimated Production Date of 1/9/05. Weird.

BTW, here are all of the status values shown on the printout:

150 Production started
151 Entry body shop/serial # assgn.
152 Entry paint shop
153 Entry assembly
154 Assembly
155 Assembly finish/quality check

Looks like the January build cars are already starting to roll!

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Great News!! What does the owners lounge say about your status while you are getting all this other information?

My OL still says "On Order", but when I call the automated ASK-MINI phone number the voice tells me that my vehicle is "scheduled for production with no confirmed production date yet".

BTW, your MA has access to a detailed "Vehicle Inquiry" program (which is where my printout came from). The program shows the MA a breakdown of the vehicle's production status (including status codes and production dates and times), etc. It even includes a "Design/MSRP" list that breaks down your order spec item-by-item showing all of the order codes, description, and MSRP for each item you've ordered. It's kind of cool and I wish that my MA would have given me a printout for my 1st car (it even shows a "priority status" for the vehicle - my priority status reads: 1-Customer "sold").

It's funny as my "Design/MSRP" list properly shows the Sport Package as containing the 17" Web-Spoke wheels that I ordered, but it still shows the old MSRP of $1,350 for the package (it should be $1,850 with the web-spokes). However, my MA said that one of his other customer's printout showed the proper price of $1,850 for the Sport Package (with the web-spokes), but it also included a separate $1,100 individual charge for the web-spokes as well. Ouch! Thus, it looks like MINI is still working out the details on the dealer's order/tracking program when it comes to the new 01/05 changes.

Now all we need is for MINI to instate the really cool production video feature for our cars so that we can see some video of them being built (I was one of the "test" subjects for my other car which was built on 11/09/2004 and the video was really cool!).



EDIT (12/21/2004): Strike that! I just called the automated ASK-MINI number again and the voice now says that my vehicle is scheduled for production with an estimated completion date of January 9th, 2005.

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

This is a copy of a post by EBMCS03 from an old thread, it usefully gives some dates. 8 days to go from 150 to 151, guess yours, Mr TheOfficeMaven, (& mine) will take longer with Christmas in the way. Hope I've got the One sold by the time it arrives at the dealer, about three weeks

That's great! Thanks for the more detailed list of status codes (and their corresponding timeframes). I'm sure the holidays will slow things down some, but at least we're starting to roll.

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

I just called ASK-MINI and I have an estimated completion date of January 11th - must be right behind yours! Any guesses what boat you'll be looking to catch to bring it over?

No clue really... However, both of my other two MINIs came over on K-Line ships (since I'm on the West Coast), so I assume that this one will too (or possibly a NYK ship). Unfortunatley, us West Coast MINI owners can't track the K-Line and NYK ships using our VIN as can the East Coast owners who's MINIs are loaded on WW ships. Once our cars get to the dock and loaded onto a ship, we should be able to figure out which ship it's on by the departure/arrival dates though. The hardest part is of it all is waiting for the ship to land on the West Coast. The trip across the pond for the East Coast folks only takes something like 8-10 days, whereas it takes 28-30 days for folks on the West Coast. Bleck!

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

my prod. date was the 9th of Jan, and my mini has been released to the shipping company and is waiting at the south hampton docks

My scheduled production date was also the 9th of January. However, when I call ASK-MINI it says that my MCS was "released to a carrier and is awaiting transport to the port of exit". Thus, it looks like my car is a bit behind yours. Since your car is also coming to the West Coast, I bet that our cars will be loaded on the same ship.

The weird part is that I called ASK-MINI yesterday (01/10/05) as well and it stated "Your vehicle is in the paint shop with an estimated completion date of January 9th, 2005"? How could it have been in the pain shop when it was already completed???

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

If anyone wants to see what the new 17" Web-Spoke wheels look like...

Mark Scheuern took a couple of really nice shots of some MINI's at the 2005 North American International Auto Show which happened to of had the new Web-Spoke wheels on them (one hardtop and one convertible):

http://www.scheuern.com/naias05/pages/naias05045.html

http://www.scheuern.com/naias05/pages/naias05047.html

They look really nice to me!

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Still waiting at the dock. It's been almost a week now - very frustrating. Any other west-coasters out there waiting as well?

Yhep! My MCS was completed on Jan 9th and according to ASK-MINI, I'm still waiting at the dock as well. Dunno what's up???

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Here's to hoping we get on the Aida leaving on the 21st - otherwise it's a whole 5 more days after that

I've purchased two other 2005 MINI's and both of them came in on K-Line (or NYK) ships (and both of them sat for at least 10 days at the port in S.H.). Thus, I doubt that either of us will get onto a WW ship. The best thing to do is talk to your MA. They have access to a detailed computer program that will tell you what ship your car is on and when it will arrive in P.H. I'll give it another week, and then I'll send my MA an e-mail message. Please do let me know if you find out what ship you're on before I do (as we're most likely going to be on the same ship).

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

my spec and order also differ, I ordered S Spokes, but the factory spec form shows it as being built with bullets, so looks like I will be getting those changed by the dealer

You should be so lucky...

While I like the look of the S-Lites, the Bullets are just as good looking (if not better) IMHO. PLUS, the Bullets are MINI's lightest OEM 17" wheel. They weigh almost 5 lbs less than the S-Lites do (20 lbs for the Bullets vs. 25 lbs for the S-Lites). Thus, if I were you, I'd hang on to the Bullets as they will perform a bit better on your convertible MINI.

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

my production date was the 9th, and the MINI OL just swiched to enroute today, so that means that it left today--- or a week ago. BTW i am headed to Pt Hueneme

Mine too! Whohoo....

My MCS was also completed on the 9th and the OL also just updated to "En Route" status today. The automated voice at ASK-MINI states that it is still awaiting transport though. This is odd because with both of my other 2005 MINI's I found that the automated voice at ASK-MINI was always more up to date than the OL was (the OL always seemed to be at least 3 days behind and the ASK-MINI automated voice was only about two days behind). It now seems to be reversed.

Anyway, if the OL just updated, then that means that the ship carrying our cars most likely left Southampton two or three days ago (which puts it into P.H. sometime between the 15th and the 21st of February).

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

All,

Sean Bartnik has posted some really wonderful "real-life" pictures and did a great write-up of a lot of the new 01/01/05 (and later) changes made to the new MINIs (including the new weight sensitive air bags and "air bag" off light, low washer fluid warning light, etc.). It's very cool! If you haven't seen it yet, then you can check it out on his web site at:

PHOTOS: Cooper S Auto/Other Jan. 2005 Goodies

Thanks Sean!

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Whowoo!

All you West Coasters out there who's MINIs were build around January 9th (which was my car's completion date), I just got word from my MA today that the boat carrying my car is due into Port Hueneme on February 12th.

According to some other folks in the OL (who called NYK directly), the ship is actually slated to arrive on the 13th (although I guess that it could arrive late on the 12th and then be unloaded on the 13th) and the name of the ship is the Centaurus Leader.

BTW, for my car the OL switched to "En Route" on the 22nd (meaning that the ship probably left Southampton on the 20th or the 21st.

With both of my other MINIs, one of them took only 2 days to go through the VDC (back in October of 2004) and arrive at the dealership, and the other one took 10 days (back in December 2004). That puts my delivery date into the dealership at around February 14th to the 22nd. Awesome! I can't wait.

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Hmm. Mine was finished with production on the 13th. Do you know when this boat left? Wonder if I'm on it. I'm getting so excited - my husband and I are starting to plan a bunch of road trips to take Coop on (named after the O.C.).

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe that the boat left Southampton on either the 20th or the 21st. Thus, you're most likely on the same ship! The person on the OL that called NYK directly was told that the ship can hold 6,500 cars when full and that there were around 700 MINIs on it. Thus, it might take a while to get all of them through the VDC.

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

I really have no clue what boat I'm on =/ . When I type in my vin on the WW site it says no info blah blah. The two ships that I posted above are ships that go to the west coast on WW. However, I'm not sure if any other shipping lines go to the west coast other then WW.

Basically I have no foking clue.

I've ordered three 2005 MINIs in the last six months and none of them came to the West Coast on a WW ship. All three were on either NYK or K-Line ships. Thus, if your VIN isn't showing up on the WW site, then more than likely you're on a NYK or K-Line ship. If your MINI was made between the 1st and the 18th of January, then most likely you're on the same ship as me (see my other posts above).

 

[TheOfficeMaven]

Ah... That's too late to get on my ship then. However, you'll still probably end up on a NYK or K-Line ship instead of a WW ship. All three of my MINIs sat at least 10 days at the port before getting on a ship, so it may take a little while to catch a boat.