Just checking in to say hi and thanks for the helpful posts that I've benefited from reading where others have gone before me. I put my order in with MINI of Mountain View on 8-16. It is now 30 days+ later and I am still waiting to do my happy dance when the "On Order" status flips to "In Production".

In the meantime, to keep me occupied I have purchased a set of wheels and tires from Tirerack. All I've got to show for now is the wheels and tires. I was told to be patient until Nov. 10 for this new ride!

So I am trying to enjoy the wait (somehow...). I am enjoying looking at other people's pictures since I didn't get to see a very close replica to what I am ordering in the showroom. -Bill

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of waiting.. I also ordered my MINI from MINI of Mt. View last July. Mine's just arrived to Port yesterday so my wait is almost over. I was also gonna purchase a set of rims and tires before my car arrives but thought I'd wear out the runflats instead so I can make them my winter/wet set later and then go buy my summer rims/tires. Its too bad your MINI is arriving a bit later in Nov or else you could join us at Thunderhill for a Hooked on Minis driving event.

 

Congrats on the order - and welcome to MINI land...We'll be here waiting along side of you...

Donna

 

Nice Kumho tires!! I recognized the tread even before I saw the Ecsta. I have the same and they are excellent!!

 

Darmog, you read my mind on that one. I will unfortunately not have a MINI in time for Thunderhill, but I have driven there in the BMW. Great time of year for that track (i.e. avoid peak summertime temperatures). Hope you have a great time!

 

Nice! Another LiB MINI in the works!

Just to give you a heads up, since your car is being built post-Week-32, with the whole Tire Pressure Monitoring System thing up, you may need to swap the tp sensors, or get another set if you intend on keeping/using the stock wheels as well. Good luck on the wait, it's some of the most excruciating times of your life, haha.

 

I am planning to take the runflats off the OEM rims and sell those tires right away and keep the rims. While I am in there, I hope to see what the "guts" of the TPMS looks like. I'm curious...

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...jsp?techid=152

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=44


Guess I'll have to spend some more $ to support two sets of wheels. I wanted one set for street and the other for track. I presume that you get a persistent alarm on if you don't have it (for track duty)? -Bill

 

Have you called "Ask Mini"??? I placed my Order on 8/31 (East Bay Mini / Pleasaton CA) and my Mini is completed and on the ship waiting to leave the dock and head to California....

 

Chances are that since he has no prodduction number as of yet, and with the delivery date he was given it just a longer wait from MV. Mountain View had a longer wait time than EB when I ordered.

Also you were very lucky to order and get such a fast production time for being on the west coast.

 

Ya, we will see how my luck holds up... Tasco is still sitting at the dock.... Sure wish that Captain would get back from his date???lol

BTW - Been having fun with this link

http://aisfree.aislive.com/Influx.as...%20Southampton

I know the link is working - keep hitting the refesh and watching the "Green" pies (ships) running around....


Bgregg - hang in there - maybe the "Tasco" is waiting for your Mini....

 

like I mentioned before Harley, you got really lucky! When I spoke to Mtn. View, they said the next open slot would be for Nov/Dec production. EB Mini said early Nov. Bgregg, gosh, you've got so much patience! Good luck, and I hope it goes into production soon!

 

Going from an M5 to a Cooper-S, Will you be ready for the step down in power? BTW, nice rims.

 

Yes, I think that there will be some changes from M5 to MINI Cooper-S. Some good and some bad. I am looking forward to better gas mileage (I get 14 MPG in city driving with the M5). I know I am giving up a functional back seat. But, the lack of power will be made up for by less weight and better cornering (on the track). I know that the fun factor is there in equal measure, since a lot of the BMWCCA driving instructors speak highly of the MINI. The other car I considered was the BMW 335i, but I went with the MCS (mainly by the vote of my 3 children and wife who think the MINI has the "coolness" factor).

Still no progress toward being "In Production" yet...aaarrrgghhh! I am taking a business trip to Europe and was thinking of stopping by Oxford to see if I can help move it along. It would be cool to see your own car on the production line, but I doubt I can time it right.

Oh well, I got my MINI T-shirt and baseball cap today to ease the pain.

-Bill

 

I can now do my "happy dance" for reaching the first milestone of several to come. See attached picture. Wonder how long it will really take till I see it?

-Bill

 

Keep up with your cars progress by calling the 866-ask-mini, they seem more accurate than the web site.

Mine said awating production, and when I called the hot line, they told me it was actively in manufacturing. 2 days later, it was done, and on the docks waiting to cross the atlantic.

Enjoy the wait!

 

While waiting, I am planning the first mods:

I think I will go ahead and paint the wheel arches body color, as my first modification. The wheel arches in black seem to say "sport truck" or "jeep" to me. I saw this in another posting here on NAM and liked it a lot.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...=111948&page=2

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=104223

-Bill

p.s. Actually I did preorder these already painted in Lightning Blue from Way Motorworks.

 

Made it to the next step, Awaiting Transport. Hope I find out if I made it on the Figaro which departs in a couple of days. Then it is about 5 weeks or so of more waiting I guess?

 

Prob less than that. 2 weeks maybe to get to the west coast..allow another 2 or less for the VDC and dealer. It'll be here before you know it.

 

Once you are boarded the shipping time on WW ships to Port Hueneme is an average of 21 days, some ships a couple of days less. Then depending on how busy the VDC is and if you have any dealer add ons to be installed there, add transport time, on average 5 - 9 days to the bay area once your Mini is off loaded from the ship.

 

If you're on the Figaro, your VIN should be up on the WW website by now. It's 21 days from Southampton to CA.

 

Well, the Owner's Forum finally did update status with a bit of a lag. I figured I would post this so I could read it later, remember the journey and pass the time while waiting. Out in the middle of the Atlantic now on FIGARO, headed for Panama Canal. Attached are some more pictures. -Bill

 

OK, I've got to ask... do you set up the wheels/tires in your garage, sit in the middle and pretend to be motoring? Hey, that's what I'd be doing!

 

Yep -- mine did, too (finally). Come join us on the Figaro thread!

 

Congrats on your MINI order... You're going to love it. Don't forget to check out the local MINI club in your area

www.norcalminis.com

 

Status: The Motoring Advisor called today to confirm the options to be installed at the Vehicle Delivery Center, which are the JCW rotors and the iPod integration kit.

The dealership will install the JCW Engine Tuning Kit. And the roof decal graphics too.

Glad to see that they are paying attention to the progress! It feels like it has been ages since I have had any interaction with the dealership, so it is getting more real now. It has felt like I left a $1000 deposit and entered some kind of hibernation period. The dehibernation is not quite in reach yet, but is coming...

As Mister-TV-Lamp points out, it is getting kind of embarrassing sitting on my garage floor between 4 sets of wheels tires wearing my MINI baseball cap and T-shirt!