Mozza, my brother I grieve with you. This just blows. Any reason why?

 

no way.. that's awful! Someone ought to give you a discount or throw in some more freebies.

 

What the heck happened? I went on vacation for a week, thinking my car would start production around June 22 (according to Ask Mini). Today, I check and the car has been built and is awaiting transport? Not that I'm complaining...it's just causing some worry about travel plans for the summer...

Amungus - who's your MA at Desert MINI? Are you getting much info from them? Mine is Donovan.

 

My MA is Gordy. I haven't asked him for any info. I just call 1-866-ASK-MINI for info.

 

FYI, striking truckers in Spain are going to cause the MINI factory to suspend production for the weekend.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=143757

 

-- geesh! Wonder if excessive sun spot activity will affect gyros and compass headings on our mini cargo ships? If it does, our cars may end up in China!

 

UPDATE! Production started yesterday and I've got a VIN! YAY! I hope the slow down in production over the weekend won't affect my baby! This is the best news I could have hoped for as I head to the Hamptons for the weekend.

 

Beauty - your labor will be a little longer, but what mother never reminded her favorite child that they were in labor for a week and a half.

 

Can anyone figure out which boat I might be on next week? My car is at the port waiting for a shipping vessel, at least that's what the automated system just told me. My car will be coming into Charleston, SC....Hmmm I wonder why they don't come into port in Galveston, that is much closer.

I was reading that lovely map wrong

 

You just need to get your VIN and plug it into the WW shipping website - there are instructions on how to do it in the "how to track your mini" sticky near the top of the first gear thread.

 

I did that and nothing so far. I guess I'm jumping the gun.

 

Next WW boat bound for Charleston from Southamption is the Courage on the 21st... Hoping my MINI makes it from the shop on the 19th to the dock in time for that one, otherwise I have to wait another week for the Integrity.

 

thanks! I think I get it now I'm hoping mine somehow got on the boat today The Western Highway but I'm not holding my breath. That's a K line boat though.

 

Got my fingers crossed for you!

 

Think I might be on the W. Highway, too. ASK-MINI told me yesterday that I'd been released and the OL has moved me to awaiting transport. Asked my MA for ship info but he didn't have it so I'm essentially in lala land. If I missed the boat, I'll be hanging at the dock until the 21st when the next departure for Charleston is scheduled.

 

Hello Fellow Week 24'ers. I would love to join in the collective fingernail-biting

I put an order if for an '08 Cooper S [hardtop] at Classic MINI [they rock!] end of May, and as of June 7th it began production and assigned a VIN Just for fun, my configuration goes like this:

2008 MINI Cooper S
Laser Blue with Black roof
White turn signals
Cold Weather package
LSD
Xenons
16" bridge spokes that will be removed ASAP for hotter/bigger wheels
Cloth seats w/checker trim
Rear Fogs
Anthracite headliner
MFSW
Hi-Fi stereo

That should be a good setup! I haven't seen too many other configurations being posted, let's see 'em!


--->tboner4me: What's up! It's been a long time [remember the April Club], and it looks like we're both itching for a new MINI

Cheers,
Ryan

P.S. I just hope that damn Spanish fuel strike doesn't mess up the timing of the cars too much

 

Hey Ryan - it has been a long time. Great to see that you have stayed active on the board (really active!!). This time around the mini (non-S Clubman) is for my wife, but I am seriously thinking of going back also - I am still driving the GTO that I gave up my R53 for (talk about completely opposite cars in every sense) but the price of gas is taking its toll. I've been averaging 22K to 25K miles per year on the GTO - switching to a mini S will save about $2500 a year just in gas.

On another note: I know you were not impressed with the handling of the R56 compared to the R53 and would be interested in what recommendations you would have for a turbo R56 that would be used as a daily driver exclusively (I know I'm not as demanding as you are, and I wouldn't mind if it was a little less harsh than the R53, but I did like the way the R53 drove).

Long live THE APRIL CLUB!!

 

I just took a look at your configuration. Its almost spooky how similar it is to mine - we both ordered standard wheels because we knew we'd be replacing them, white lenses, MFSW, HiFi, Anthracite, cold package, and fogs. I added the nav because its for my wife and she deserves to be spoiled, you added the LSD because you knew you would need it. Neither of us bothered with the 'sports suspension' for obvious reasons. And of course each of us took delivery of our first mini's in April of '03, and another one (2nd for me, not sure how many you have had) was built in week 24 of 2008.

Its a sign. Great minds think alike

Phil

 

Hi -- looking for some help on reconciling various data on what carriers are next from Southampton to Charleston.

Per the K-Line's schedule
http://www.kline.com/KAMCarCarrier/S...g_Schedule.pdf and the Wallenius Wilhelmsen schedule http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSchedules/portList.do (Identifying the to/from ports)

6/13 Western Highway (K-Line) 6/26 Charleston
6/21 Courage (W&W) 7/5 Charleston
6/23 Emden (K-Line) 7/3 Charleston
6/28 Integrity (W&W 7/12 Charleston

Are there other lines that BMW/MINI use to ship? My MINI was completed on 6/9 and shows awaiting transport ....but ships have sailed and I still haven't heard a peep... Getting FRUSTRATED

 

Hi -- looking for some help on reconciling various data on what carriers are next from Southampton to Charleston.

Per the K-Line's schedule
http://www.kline.com/KAMCarCarrier/S...g_Schedule.pdf and the Wallenius Wilhelmsen schedule http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSchedules/portList.do (Identifying the to/from ports)

6/13 Western Highway (K-Line) 6/26 Charleston
6/21 Courage (W&W) 7/5 Charleston
6/23 Emden (K-Line) 7/3 Charleston
6/28 Integrity (W&W 7/12 Charleston

Are there other lines that BMW/MINI use to ship? My MINI was completed on 6/9 and shows awaiting transport ....but ships have sailed and I still haven't heard a peep... Getting FRUSTRATED

Also -- the Charleston Port doesn't show the Emden inbound on its site: http://www.port-of-charleston.com/vessel_schedule.asp what's with that?

 

Great to hear everything is going well on your end. That GTO must be fun, but I can totally understand the fuel pricing pain. The R56 gets amazing fuel economy, even when driving spiritedly. You bring up a good point on the R56 not tickling my happy-handling bone right out of the box. I recently found "the cure" if I may be so bold. Thanks to fellow MINIac paulsminis in Ohio, we found out that replacing the front control arm bushings to "not stock" [like solid poly from Madness or the ALTA PSRS bearings] eliminate the wandering and unconfident steering feeling the R56 has from the factory. While this is a simple change on paper, in reality it's an intense and timely install. Nevertheless, it's a million-percent worth it, bringing the steering feel to 95% as precise as my full-spherical-bearing R53. I plan on doing the front control arm bushing swap along with coilovers as soon as I take delivery of this R56. It's the only way to appreciate the brilliance of the chassis and fabulous new engines, IMO.

Cheers,
Ryan

 

Looks like my MINI completion date has been pushed back to June 17, from June 14, the original completion date, probably due to the strike. According to OL my MINI is in the paint shop right now. Oh well, I guess I can wait a little longer. I was hoping to get a ride on the Fedora which leaves for NY on June 17, but I probably won't make that one. I don't remember the name or departure date of the next boat to the east coast.

 

I think my MA told me that once the car is done it takes about a week to get on a boat. Mine still says, at port of exit waiting on a vessel but no shipping information yet. Its been that way for 3 or 4 days now. My baby will hopefully get on a boat this week :D

 

If you are at the port but not booked I think that's a pretty good indicator that it will be a K-line ship - mine was booked on a WW ship 2 days before it was even completed (and then bumped off that ship and booked on another a couple days later).

Isn't waiting fun?

 

noooooo don't say i will be on the K line....I want to be able to track it :(

Oh well....