Production week 43 (2009), anybody?

[zemina]

Originally Posted by C H I C K L E T

So zemina...do you know how long it takes (extra) to get to you in SoCal versus Brunswick, Georgia? Just curious because I'm in Atlanta.

It took 6 weeks (from production to dealership) when I got my first MINI, so I think SoCal will take between 6 weeks and 8 weeks. And according to the WW schedule, you will get your MINI between 2 weeks and 3 weeks?

[zemina]

October 29, 2009 - Dahlia just left Southampton U.K. I think this boat is fast

[zemina]

According to the port H web site;

the estimated arrival date is 11/21

http://www.portofhueneme.org/documen...1029153346.pdf

Anyone else on the Grand Dahlia?

[C H I C K L E T]

Originally Posted by zemina

It took 6 weeks (from production to dealership) when I got my first MINI, so I think SoCal will take between 6 weeks and 8 weeks. And according to the WW schedule, you will get your MINI between 2 weeks and 3 weeks?

Wow thanks for the info zemina! I should be getting my baby a week after yours. I'm too excited now. I watched the "Faust" on the Mighty Ships show last nite...I got even more excited to see Minis being loaded up...now it's really setting in. My girl should be done this Tuesday.

[Tallman]

My MA just emailed my MINI should arive in South Carolina November 11th. I am now wondering if he perhaps made a typo? Maybe Nov. 21? Or, maybe I'm in the wrong support group? It couldn't be that soon.....could it ?

Woo-woo! It would still have a long way to go, up here in Michigan. But I'm hoping!

[nrc]

Our MA also reports that my wife's Clubman will arrive in Charleston on 11/11. The closest arrival I can find to that is the Integrity arriving on 11/10. For some reason she still doesn't show up on the W&W tracking site, though.

[zemina]

Originally Posted by Tallman

My MA just emailed my MINI should arive in South Carolina November 11th. I am now wondering if he perhaps made a typo? Maybe Nov. 21? Or, maybe I'm in the wrong support group? It couldn't be that soon.....could it ?

Woo-woo! It would still have a long way to go, up here in Michigan. But I'm hoping!

Originally Posted by nrc

Our MA also reports that my wife's Clubman will arrive in Charleston on 11/11. The closest arrival I can find to that is the Integrity arriving on 11/10. For some reason she still doesn't show up on the W&W tracking site, though.

Ah! that sounds good. At least one more week to go...... Can't wait

Tallman/ hope there is no typo problem... it will be 11/11... how sweet

[vpm]

1. Elektra's ETA in Brunswick has gone from the 9th to the 10th to the 11th...come ON already! The pointy end goes forward, guys!
2. I went for a ride in my friend's new (to him) MCS today. Big mistake - that sort of thing only makes waiting worse.
3. Is it weird that I have both my VIN and the WW tracking URL memorized? I think maybe it is.

[Tallman]

MINIUSA has my MCS listed as En Route! Yeah, looking like 11/11 in South Carolina could very well happen.

We had our first snow flurries here today . I am SO hoping for a late Indian Summer when it arrives. It won't happen, but I can still hope, teehee.
Oh, and "here" is in Michigan.

I'm fielding daily questions at work - "is it here yet?" and so on. I think they believe after I get my MINI, I will stop walking around with a goofy smile on my face. Hmmmm, just the oppisiste, ....don't you all think?

[anodyne]

Hi fellow Week 43ers! Just recently starting obsessing over my little guy's arrival, thanks to this site!

According to WW, my mini is supposed to leave southampton tomorrow and be in CA on 11/27. Woohoo! For those who have ordered before, how long does it take after your car gets into the port? Mine is scheduled right now to arrive 11/27 and I *really* want to have him home by the weekend of 12/4. Is this realistic or should I not get my hopes up? <keeping fingers crossed for the next 4 weeks>

[zemina]

Originally Posted by anodyne

Hi fellow Week 43ers! Just recently starting obsessing over my little guy's arrival, thanks to this site!

According to WW, my mini is supposed to leave southampton tomorrow and be in CA on 11/27. Woohoo! For those who have ordered before, how long does it take after your car gets into the port? Mine is scheduled right now to arrive 11/27 and I *really* want to have him home by the weekend of 12/4. Is this realistic or should I not get my hopes up? <keeping fingers crossed for the next 4 weeks>

Your MINI will be home soon... wait just 4 more weeks to go

I think I got my MINI after a week once she gets into the port. Actually I got an email from my MA and she said that my MINI is HERE at dealership after 4 days she gets into the port, but I had no time to get her that day so I went to dealership Saturday (so I had to wait 2 more days) same week to get her.

I think you will probably get it within a week once she gets into the port

[zemina]

The Grand Dahlia is supposed to arrive at BALTIMORE,USA yesterday. Now, two more weeks.... our MINI should arrive in Oxnard port H, CA November 21st

[Tallman]

Wow, that is a rather large ship! (or is it a vessel?) Humoungous.

I noticed the cars on the dock. Our MINI's don't get driven until delivered to the dealer, .... yes? Or do they wash the cosmo-slime off, at the port, and drive on to the haulers?

Just curious.

[nrc]

Originally Posted by Tallman

Wow, that is a rather large ship! (or is it a vessel?) Humoungous.

I noticed the cars on the dock. Our MINI's don't get driven until delivered to the dealer, .... yes? Or do they wash the cosmo-slime off, at the port, and drive on to the haulers?

Just curious.

No. These are drive-on, drive-off ships so the cars are driven on and off. I believe they're also driven on and off the transports that take them from the factory to the dock and from the dock to your dealer.

[Tallman]

That's fine. However, now I'm a bit confused. I've performed a few searches, but cannot find acceptable answers. If they will be driven around, do they wash off the cosmoline first? Or are they driven as is, with the coating on it?

Or, do these type of vehicle-cargo-ship-carriers even need the application of the cosmo-"slime"?

[Danae]

Having worked for the non-MINI VDC right next door in Port Hueneme, I think I can help --

Nothing is done to the cars at the port itself unless (god forbid) there is a flat tire or a car won't start for some reason. Very very few cars run into any problems on the ship, though.

They are driven straight off the boat and down a public street for about 2 miles to the VDC. The speed limit on that street is 35 mph IIRC but the new car parade tends to maintain about 20.

They arrive with a white plastic sheeting that covers much of the paint, epecially in the front. This white sheeting is removed at the VDC before bath-time, at which point most of the cosmoline is removed as well. The cars are inspected for any mechanical or body issues. Any repairs or post-build service bulletins are addressed, if needed. Lastly, the white plastic is re-applied to protect the car between the VDC and the dealer.

When your dealer gets the car, they perform a similar process - remove the white sheeting, inspect, wash, etc.

And yes, the cosmoline is necessary -- even though the cars are incubating in the dark for weeks on the boat, the decks are not vacuum-sealed chambers and thus are exposed to circulating sea air. Besides that, they sometimes sit for a week or more at the port in Southampton before boarding, and there is also a great deal of sea air near the VDC in Port Hueneme. Ideally, all that cosmoline comes off in the VDC bath, but we've seen that isn't always the case, so I'd advise discussing it with your dealer. Mine has promised they'll do their best to make sure there's no goo.

[zemina]

Originally Posted by Danae

Having worked for the non-MINI VDC right next door in Port Hueneme, I think I can help --

Nothing is done to the cars at the port itself unless (god forbid) there is a flat tire or a car won't start for some reason. Very very few cars run into any problems on the ship, though.

They are driven straight off the boat and down a public street for about 2 miles to the VDC. The speed limit on that street is 35 mph IIRC but the new car parade tends to maintain about 20.

They arrive with a white plastic sheeting that covers much of the paint, epecially in the front. This white sheeting is removed at the VDC before bath-time, at which point most of the cosmoline is removed as well. The cars are inspected for any mechanical or body issues. Any repairs or post-build service bulletins are addressed, if needed. Lastly, the white plastic is re-applied to protect the car between the VDC and the dealer.

When your dealer gets the car, they perform a similar process - remove the white sheeting, inspect, wash, etc.

And yes, the cosmoline is necessary -- even though the cars are incubating in the dark for weeks on the boat, the decks are not vacuum-sealed chambers and thus are exposed to circulating sea air. Besides that, they sometimes sit for a week or more at the port in Southampton before boarding, and there is also a great deal of sea air near the VDC in Port Hueneme. Ideally, all that cosmoline comes off in the VDC bath, but we've seen that isn't always the case, so I'd advise discussing it with your dealer. Mine has promised they'll do their best to make sure there's no goo.

Thanks for posting!!! Now I understand the process. Hope every one's MINI cosmoline comes off completely in the VDC and no repairs at all.

[zemina]

Our MINI on the way home I guess no one with our MINI in this ship.

The ship will arrive Panama on 11/12 so now I can say that she will arrive in Oxnard port H, CA NEXT WEEK.

from http://aprs.fi/info/355222000
Destination: PANAMA CANAL (ETA Nov12 08:00)

[C H I C K L E T]

Cool zemina! Maybe we will get our Minis at the same time?

[nrc]

Hmm. Our ship disappeared. The INTEGRITY was scheduled to land in Charleston on 11/10. It no longer shows on the Charleston harbor web site as either schedule to arrive, docked, or recently departed. It also hasn't updated on sailwx.info since 11/9. Hope she's not delayed.

[zemina]

Originally Posted by C H I C K L E T

Cool zemina! Maybe we will get our Minis at the same time?

Yep, that will be great.... sounds good!

Originally Posted by nrc

Hmm. Our ship disappeared. The INTEGRITY was scheduled to land in Charleston on 11/10. It no longer shows on the Charleston harbor web site as either schedule to arrive, docked, or recently departed. It also hasn't updated on sailwx.info since 11/9. Hope she's not delayed.

Probably the ship already in port? that's why you don't see it? hope every tings goes well.

[vpm]

Looks like Elektra successfully unloaded yesterday...wonder how long from Brunswick GA to TX. Google Maps says only 14.5 hours, so I don't know WHY I'm not driving a Mini yet...mamcki0, I assume yours made it off the ship ok too?

[Tallman]

You're right VPM. Only 14.5 hours. You SHOULD be driving it by now. Good Gosh! (teehee)

Actually, I don't see why they don't just drive 'em right up to our driveways. I mean, they have our address's, yes? And if they don't, then they should!

All kidding aside, why does MINIUSA still list my delivery as "en route"? What a jip - or is it "gyp"? Oh well, its just as well, since I've yet to decide about getting the clear bra applied.

[mamcki0]

Originally Posted by vpm

Looks like Elektra successfully unloaded yesterday...wonder how long from Brunswick GA to TX. Google Maps says only 14.5 hours, so I don't know WHY I'm not driving a Mini yet...mamcki0, I assume yours made it off the ship ok too?

Yes, everything is showing up fine on the WW website. Now for more waiting...

I spoke with my MA this afternoon and he said it could be another 7-10 days until they reach the dealer. I don't expect to see it before this weekend, but it better be here before the next...

[vpm]

What's REALLY frustrating is, I think I'm the only loser in our week still sitting in "neutral." I have to think of more reasons to post.