Yeah, I heard about 10 days, too, for Texas, so that may just be a standard answer. It looks like the Emden has stopped reporting (hasn't reported weather in over 24 hours), so it may be too close to dock to track anymore. The Port of Charleston website still has it scheduled to dock in the Union Pier Terminal, Berth 3 on the 12th, though.

So, it looks like we're down to waiting blind from now on.

 

The Tristan will get to NYC tomorrow, my mini is on the boat and I emailed my MA asking if he had any idea when I could pick him up. I can't stand all this waiting. I am off from work all next week and I hope he is ready to be picked up sometime then so I can get some motoring in before I have to return to work. The good thing though is that I am off starting the end of June to September so I plan on taking alot of road trips.

 

Found this on a BMW page. Thought those of you on a ship headed for Charleston would find it useful. It shows vessels currently docked as well as vessels expected in next 30 days. They provide updates every 30 minutes.

http://www.port-of-charleston.com/Vessel_schedule.asp

 

Lol. That's the exact one I was talking about, joejoe. I just did a Google search for the port of Charleston.

 

My status changed to in Vehicle distribution center.
According to this site, my mini is here, spend at least several days...

 

Just called my MA and I'm taking delivery Friday, April 18th at 10:30AM! w00t w00t!!!!!

Just one more long excruciating week

 

Congratulations Drew!!!! You must be so excited.

 

Thanks MJB, I can't wait, I'm getting really impatient, and quite honestly I can't take it much longer. But knowing it's almost time to go get her is saving my sanity.

Wish I could say the 5 week wait flew by, but it didn't.

 

Already taken Friday off, Drew? Lol. Mazel tov!

 

Oh yeah, I'll be spending a three day weekend with her. Nothing special really planned, just a lot of driving, with hopefully lots of twisties. Best way to have fun without pushing the rev limiter

Also have to dust off the SLR and tripod and take some quality glamour shots. I've gotta gallery here to upload to

 

I finally spoke with my MA today, who previously hadn't responded to any of my voice- or emails. I am pleased to report my Clubman, which has been sailing on the Emden, will land with some of y'all in Charleston tomorrow, and this Yank is counting on tender Southern hospitality at the VDC.

I've been collecting goodies: detailing supplies, badges, local club decal, a "no holes" license plate holder, back seat straps... and I started cleaning the garage last weekend. What a mess, but less so now. I'm guessing it will be the 21st or later before delivery, but perhaps the 19th if all goes extra-smoothly.

So cheers to all of us landing tomorrow. I hope the "slight chance of storms" in the forecast doesn't bring troubles. Do we have a count for how many of us are on the Emden? joejoe1, Fig Faun, and I... any I've missed?

Hey! Just checked the Port of Charleston schedule, and it shows Emden docking today (or tonight... 4/11, but no time listed)

 

I emailed my MA today but he did not respond. I asked him if he had any idea when I pick my mini up but he never got back to me. I can't help it I am really not patient at this time. I know the end is in sight and I guess I just want to hurry it along.

My mini is on the Tristan and it hasn't checked in only this morning usually they check in 4 times a day this time only once. I hope it is because they are so close to docking.

 

Alto Clef,

You beat me to it. I just checked the Port of Charleston website and saw the same thing. Looks like it's slightly ahead of schedule. Thanks to the crew. Great Job!

I was also trying to find out the port hours of operation. I wanted to know if they would be unloading when it got there or if would have to wait. Seems that if BMW/MINI runs their own dock, it could happen at their schedule, which I was unable to find. I hope it doesn't take long.

BTW Alto, You are in Wisconsin, right? I wonder why Charleston is your entry port and not NJ, or Baltimore

 

C,MON! DOCK ALREADY!

 

BTW Alto, You are in Wisconsin, right? I wonder why Charleston is your entry port and not NJ, or Baltimore[/quote]

Yeah, I thought Baltimore was it, but the MA said otherwise. I get a two-day jump, though, so I'm happy about that.

 

I need to get all your input on this. My mini is supposed to arrive in NYC today (4/12) I emailed my MA no response from him. I found a site for the NYC/NJ ports and got on vessel search and typed in Tristan and the call sign for Tristan and nothing. It said no information found. What do I do? I actually did a search for the past month without any call sign or name of ship and still no Tristan. I just want some answers and don't know where to go to find out. I actually called the port they have a 1-866 number and the automated information said they are having technical difficulties and to please call back later.

 

MJB,

As much as we might wish otherwise, the fact is email is still an imperfect mode of communication, and we're all still human. I had to phone my MA repeatedly to get his attention, but it did the trick for me, when I finally got to speak with him directly. I would suggest you try that first, and if that doesn't get the results you want, call the dealer's sales manager, and on up the chain to the general mgr if you need.

It's too bad MINI/BMW has created unrealistic expectations about how well customers can truly follow the order process, because it naturally follows that said customers will be disappointed, and that's bad for business in the long run. Sigh.

Keep at it, and good luck.

 

MJB -- not sure this means much, but the sailwx tracking map for Tristan looked identical to the Patriot, it stopped reporting the day before.

Although I saw information for the Patriot in the http://www.firstnynj.com/ website, the last update was 3 days before it docked and it never re-updated, so personally, while it gave me a general idea that it was docking, I didn't really trust that info was up to date. I'm not even sure that website covers ALL of the ports in NYC.

Your best bet is to call (not email) your MA. Once you get this close you're pretty much flying blind until it gets to the dealer. Your MA also has his/her own tracking system along with an actual ETA it will arrive at your dealership. Good luck!

 

Yeah, the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey website doesn't look like it has a way to look at the vessel schedules. Now it's just time for a little patience, because we're all basically blind once it hits stateside until the MA calls to say when you can pick it up.

My MA is actually really good about responding to e-mails; that's how he got this sale in the first place. But e-mails can be ignored. Telephone calls can't, if you catch them at their desk.

 

Thanks everyone I will let you know what I find out

 

I called my MA and left him a message on his voice mail, hopefully he will call back soon.

 

My MA called me this afternoon and my mini made to the NJ port and he told me he would call me on Monday to go over everything I wanted and that they should receive it at the dealership sometime before the next weekend.

 

Good news MJB! IF you have a lot of accessories that need to be installed at the dealership then they may ask for you to wait a few days before you can actually pick it up. Otherwise it looks like you're golden

 

The accessories I am having put on is the Checkerboard roof, dash, rear view mirrors and side mirrors but that is it. Not sure how long that will take my MA said he will call me Monday. I will ask then

Thanks Drew I can't wait till we all get our minis Happy Motoring to all of us!!

 

Cool, those accessories shouldn't take long :fingers crossed:.

Yeah, and as much as everyone has been awesome on this thread, it'll be even better when we all have our babies and we can lay this thread to rest. We've all got a long journey with our Minis ahead of us, though, I'm sure everyone will be sticking around