How to Track your MINI: Revised, Expanded and Updated
3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
From: Littleton, CO
Anyone know how often that sailwx.info/ site updates?
I logged on and it's last report was 11/22 between France and the UK. Am I in the dark until they get to Panama or will it update again before that? It says that the next stop is the Panama Canal and they show an ETA of 12/3.
Is the ship tracking done now until it hits PH?
I logged on and it's last report was 11/22 between France and the UK. Am I in the dark until they get to Panama or will it update again before that? It says that the next stop is the Panama Canal and they show an ETA of 12/3.
Is the ship tracking done now until it hits PH?
2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Anyone know how often that sailwx.info/ site updates?
I logged on and it's last report was 11/22 between France and the UK. Am I in the dark until they get to Panama or will it update again before that? It says that the next stop is the Panama Canal and they show an ETA of 12/3.
Is the ship tracking done now until it hits PH?
I logged on and it's last report was 11/22 between France and the UK. Am I in the dark until they get to Panama or will it update again before that? It says that the next stop is the Panama Canal and they show an ETA of 12/3.
Is the ship tracking done now until it hits PH?
2nd Gear
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
Mine showed as logged onto the ship the day before it sailed. Some owners show the day the ship sails. See you are in Miss. Will be back home over Christmas. Relatives live in Gulfport. Enjoy the process.
2nd Gear
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
From: Biloxi, Mississippi
Yeah, there's no Mini dealerships here so I've order mine thru Baton Rouge Mini. It sucks but it also means you rarely see a Mini here, which is good.
Thanks for the info!
2nd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: VT - USA
How to order and track production and shipping of a MINI built in Oxford, England:
In August I ordered a 2013, 6 speed manual, MINI Cooper. It was shipped through the MINI Distribution Center in New Jersey to a New England dealer. This document is current as of November 2012. The MINI Production Plant in Oxford can be viewed on Google Earth.
First, visit MINIUSA.com and build your new MINI on the Internet. Be methodical; be sure to examine all the available color options, available Packages, vehicle options and accessories. Talk to MINI owners and a dealer. Follow the instructions. It is great fun and a very simple process.
Shop dealers, talk to MINI owners and have confidence and trust in your chosen MINI dealer. Not all car dealers, even including MINI dealers, are created equal. MINI's are made for motoring. A three or four hour drive to pick up your new MINI can be very rewarding and certainly offsets the advantage of purchasing from a local dealer in whom you have no confidence. Huge discounts on MINIs are not normal but a quality dealer makes a big difference.
The dealer will assign you to a Motoring Advisor (MA). Next to you, the MA is the most important individual in this process. The MA is with you from start to finish. They are there to help with planning, ordering and delivery of your new MINI. You should develop a bond with your MA. You need to have mutual trust. Your MA should be responsive to your MINI and purchase related questions or concerns. They can be one of your greatest assets during the purchase and waiting process. A good MA should know more than you and always be able to answer, or find the answer, to your MINI, motoring, dealer and purchase questions. Another great source of information about all things MINI is ASK-MINI, discussed later in this article.
Know in advance about fees. Fees vary greatly from dealer to dealer and appear to be cash cows for some dealers. If you choose an out of state dealer they may not perform services allegedly covered by these fees. In some cases dealers will not mail the documents you need for out of state pre-registration. In that case you will need to take care of all the bureaucratic hassles after you take delivery of your new MINI when you should be motoring. This is not always the case but you should ask if this is important to you.
The MINI Owners area at MINIUSA.com is fun. You need to create an account with your Production Number. This number, and additional login instructions, should be provided by your MA. This is where you learn about your MINI, its ordered options, and see videos that show how things work. You can read and/or download an owner's manual and warranty information. Unfortunately this site is slow to update. Once you get to the production process, it is virtually useless. It could be a wonderful resource but many of the links are out of date. Your MA will always know more than you can find on the Internet.
Always have the following numbers handy:
Production #: ____________________________________________
VIN #: __________________________________________________
Your MA will provide this information to you shortly after you place your order.
Once your MINI appears in the Owner's Lounge call 1-866-275-6464 (ASK MINI), ext 2, (production #), ext 1, for Production updates. Call often. Talk to a real person, the automated system is not much better than the MINI Owners Lounge area. Your question should be "Have you the status of production for my MINI please?" Use the production number, not the VIN. They can tell you projected dates like when production will start/finish, when your MINI is in the paint shop, the body shop, etc. Once they tell you it has arrived at the port, you can move on. The ASK-MINI customer service people are extremely, friendly, patient, knowledgeable, and well trained. This is a great resource!
Useful information they can provide include these dates:
Production has started:
Production is complete:
Awaiting transport to the port:
MINI is at the port:
When production starts, figure eight days for production to be complete. Awaiting transport can be hours, days or weeks. The Oxford factory is 67 rail miles from the Southampton Port. Cars are transported when there is space at the port and your MINI has been assigned to a vessel.
Check Wallenius Wilhelmsen Schedules to determine what ships are sailing from UK, Southampton to USA, NY:
http://sagaweb.2wglobal.com/AppSchedules/
http://sagaweb.2wglobal.com/AppSched...esselSearch.do
Use your VIN to Track & Trace cargo.
Go to: http://www.2wglobal.com/www/wep/index.jsp
See the drop down box under Customer Tools, I want to, on the right.
Click on "Track & trace my cargo."
Enter your VIN as the Cargo ID.
Click the black Track button under the Quick Search box.
You will also see your Bill of Lading number and Booking number. Make a note of these numbers. It is best to just enter your own Cargo number (VIN) when you track your MINI so you don't need to scroll through all the vehicles on the manifest to find yours. The Bill of Lading or Booking numbers will tell you how many MINIs are on the ship for your port.
If you want to do some investigation you can enter some Bill of Lading or Booking numbers adjacent to your number. You might learn what other makes of vehicles are on your ship, and how many vehicles are going and where.
You will be able to track your MINI through Booked, Received at Terminal, Loaded on Vessel, Discharge, Delivered From, Customs Release and Liner Release entries as they appear. They seem to be fairly current, within a few hours. Once that process is complete you are at the mercy of your MA. MINIs remain at the Vehicle Distribution Center for final checks and then are sent, by road or rail, to the dealer.
To learn about your ship - you need to join to get additional information.
http://www.fleetmon.com/en/vessels/
http://www.fleetmon.com/live_trackin...tmon_explorer/
Radio checks: You will need your vessel's call sign from the above link:
http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shi...ml?call=(enter callsign)
Join: https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/ (NAM).
There is a lot of useful MINI information on this Blog. You can learn about much of what is condensed here and see the experiences others have had buying and owning a MINI.
Now for the most fun, and excitement, of all. . . actually track your ship live at:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/
To zero in on the Port of Southampton go to:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...50.6000&zoom=9
To zero in on the Auto Port Halifax go to:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...44.4000&zoom=9
To zero in on the NJ port go to:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...40.6600&zoom=9
At each of the above links, use your mouse to move the map and zoom in or out. You should only need to watch Cargo Vessels, Ships Underway and Anchored/ Moored. The other vessel types can be unchecked on the left side menu. If you look at all ship traffic the screen gets too busy. You may want to also check "Show Ship Names." You will not be able to track a vessel in the open sea but you will get them as they approach and depart land masses. You will be able to look at exactly where they dock on the satellite view. Cool!
MINI had an uneventful docking in New Jersey. The day after she was released from the shipping vessel she was put on a truck for the one day journey to my New Hampshire dealer.
MINI had suspension blocks, protective wrap, etc. removed at the dealership. The dealer installed two pre-ordered accessory options, performed a final cleaning and last minute checks. MINI was ready for delivery exactly 58 days from my initial order date. The entire process went extremely well. This transaction yielded no unpleasant surprises. The exact MINI ordered was delivered within the time frame initially promised.
In August I ordered a 2013, 6 speed manual, MINI Cooper. It was shipped through the MINI Distribution Center in New Jersey to a New England dealer. This document is current as of November 2012. The MINI Production Plant in Oxford can be viewed on Google Earth.
First, visit MINIUSA.com and build your new MINI on the Internet. Be methodical; be sure to examine all the available color options, available Packages, vehicle options and accessories. Talk to MINI owners and a dealer. Follow the instructions. It is great fun and a very simple process.
Shop dealers, talk to MINI owners and have confidence and trust in your chosen MINI dealer. Not all car dealers, even including MINI dealers, are created equal. MINI's are made for motoring. A three or four hour drive to pick up your new MINI can be very rewarding and certainly offsets the advantage of purchasing from a local dealer in whom you have no confidence. Huge discounts on MINIs are not normal but a quality dealer makes a big difference.
The dealer will assign you to a Motoring Advisor (MA). Next to you, the MA is the most important individual in this process. The MA is with you from start to finish. They are there to help with planning, ordering and delivery of your new MINI. You should develop a bond with your MA. You need to have mutual trust. Your MA should be responsive to your MINI and purchase related questions or concerns. They can be one of your greatest assets during the purchase and waiting process. A good MA should know more than you and always be able to answer, or find the answer, to your MINI, motoring, dealer and purchase questions. Another great source of information about all things MINI is ASK-MINI, discussed later in this article.
Know in advance about fees. Fees vary greatly from dealer to dealer and appear to be cash cows for some dealers. If you choose an out of state dealer they may not perform services allegedly covered by these fees. In some cases dealers will not mail the documents you need for out of state pre-registration. In that case you will need to take care of all the bureaucratic hassles after you take delivery of your new MINI when you should be motoring. This is not always the case but you should ask if this is important to you.
The MINI Owners area at MINIUSA.com is fun. You need to create an account with your Production Number. This number, and additional login instructions, should be provided by your MA. This is where you learn about your MINI, its ordered options, and see videos that show how things work. You can read and/or download an owner's manual and warranty information. Unfortunately this site is slow to update. Once you get to the production process, it is virtually useless. It could be a wonderful resource but many of the links are out of date. Your MA will always know more than you can find on the Internet.
Always have the following numbers handy:
Production #: ____________________________________________
VIN #: __________________________________________________
Your MA will provide this information to you shortly after you place your order.
Once your MINI appears in the Owner's Lounge call 1-866-275-6464 (ASK MINI), ext 2, (production #), ext 1, for Production updates. Call often. Talk to a real person, the automated system is not much better than the MINI Owners Lounge area. Your question should be "Have you the status of production for my MINI please?" Use the production number, not the VIN. They can tell you projected dates like when production will start/finish, when your MINI is in the paint shop, the body shop, etc. Once they tell you it has arrived at the port, you can move on. The ASK-MINI customer service people are extremely, friendly, patient, knowledgeable, and well trained. This is a great resource!
Useful information they can provide include these dates:
Production has started:
Production is complete:
Awaiting transport to the port:
MINI is at the port:
When production starts, figure eight days for production to be complete. Awaiting transport can be hours, days or weeks. The Oxford factory is 67 rail miles from the Southampton Port. Cars are transported when there is space at the port and your MINI has been assigned to a vessel.
Check Wallenius Wilhelmsen Schedules to determine what ships are sailing from UK, Southampton to USA, NY:
http://sagaweb.2wglobal.com/AppSchedules/
http://sagaweb.2wglobal.com/AppSched...esselSearch.do
Use your VIN to Track & Trace cargo.
Go to: http://www.2wglobal.com/www/wep/index.jsp
See the drop down box under Customer Tools, I want to, on the right.
Click on "Track & trace my cargo."
Enter your VIN as the Cargo ID.
Click the black Track button under the Quick Search box.
You will also see your Bill of Lading number and Booking number. Make a note of these numbers. It is best to just enter your own Cargo number (VIN) when you track your MINI so you don't need to scroll through all the vehicles on the manifest to find yours. The Bill of Lading or Booking numbers will tell you how many MINIs are on the ship for your port.
If you want to do some investigation you can enter some Bill of Lading or Booking numbers adjacent to your number. You might learn what other makes of vehicles are on your ship, and how many vehicles are going and where.
You will be able to track your MINI through Booked, Received at Terminal, Loaded on Vessel, Discharge, Delivered From, Customs Release and Liner Release entries as they appear. They seem to be fairly current, within a few hours. Once that process is complete you are at the mercy of your MA. MINIs remain at the Vehicle Distribution Center for final checks and then are sent, by road or rail, to the dealer.
To learn about your ship - you need to join to get additional information.
http://www.fleetmon.com/en/vessels/
http://www.fleetmon.com/live_trackin...tmon_explorer/
Radio checks: You will need your vessel's call sign from the above link:
http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shi...ml?call=(enter callsign)
Join: https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/ (NAM).
There is a lot of useful MINI information on this Blog. You can learn about much of what is condensed here and see the experiences others have had buying and owning a MINI.
Now for the most fun, and excitement, of all. . . actually track your ship live at:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/
To zero in on the Port of Southampton go to:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...50.6000&zoom=9
To zero in on the Auto Port Halifax go to:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...44.4000&zoom=9
To zero in on the NJ port go to:
http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...40.6600&zoom=9
At each of the above links, use your mouse to move the map and zoom in or out. You should only need to watch Cargo Vessels, Ships Underway and Anchored/ Moored. The other vessel types can be unchecked on the left side menu. If you look at all ship traffic the screen gets too busy. You may want to also check "Show Ship Names." You will not be able to track a vessel in the open sea but you will get them as they approach and depart land masses. You will be able to look at exactly where they dock on the satellite view. Cool!
MINI had an uneventful docking in New Jersey. The day after she was released from the shipping vessel she was put on a truck for the one day journey to my New Hampshire dealer.
MINI had suspension blocks, protective wrap, etc. removed at the dealership. The dealer installed two pre-ordered accessory options, performed a final cleaning and last minute checks. MINI was ready for delivery exactly 58 days from my initial order date. The entire process went extremely well. This transaction yielded no unpleasant surprises. The exact MINI ordered was delivered within the time frame initially promised.
Dunno if anyone mentioned this previously but if you click the Google maps link for the factory and zoom all the way in to see the cars, almost none of them have contrasting roofs. That seems kinda weird unless that's done elsewhere.
Neutral
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Mini CMS arriving in Baltimore today!
Lurking on this site for weeks now.....my first MINI....supposedly arriving on the Courage in Baltimore today, 12/10/12.
Does anyone have experience with how long it takes for the car to leave the Port and get to the Dealership (in Ohio)? is it usually days or weeks? i ordered the car at the end of October and my financing rate was locked in until December 31 so i am getting nervous (AND EXCITED) about the delivery date. i did see "Priority 1 Customer Sold on my paperwork".
2013 CMS Crystal Silver, Black Roof, Black wheels, Xeon Headlights, Black headlight housing, White turn signals, Technology Package with Nav, Carbon Black color line, Red Mirrors and Red side stripes, Bench seat with Flat load floor.
Does anyone have experience with how long it takes for the car to leave the Port and get to the Dealership (in Ohio)? is it usually days or weeks? i ordered the car at the end of October and my financing rate was locked in until December 31 so i am getting nervous (AND EXCITED) about the delivery date. i did see "Priority 1 Customer Sold on my paperwork".
2013 CMS Crystal Silver, Black Roof, Black wheels, Xeon Headlights, Black headlight housing, White turn signals, Technology Package with Nav, Carbon Black color line, Red Mirrors and Red side stripes, Bench seat with Flat load floor.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,552
Likes: 10
From: Des Moines, Iowa
You should be driving it by the 20th, if all goes well. Unless you have a lot of port options, it's usually two to four days from Baltimore POE. My delivery was to Chicago area. Happy motoring!
Neutral
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
zonedguy, thank you for your great post on tracking your new Mini! I was in the dark on this process and was relying on miniusa.com to get me updates, now I know the ship, port, and arrival date of my Mini. Thanks again!
- Dean "Mini" Krupa
- Dean "Mini" Krupa
Neutral
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Picking up my CMS tomorrow!
Thanks for the response. The ship came into Baltimore on December 11 and the car was at the dealership in Ohio by the 14th! It would be ready for pickup on the 18th (because of the weekend and the stripes). Once the ship got to the port, the process in my case was fast.
Neutral
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
MINI newbie
Hello,
I am a MINI newbie! I ordered a 2013 MCS on Nov. 24. The OL says that it is "Awaiting Transport". AskMINI says that it is at the port and awaiting a shipping vessel. The port loc is Brunswick, GA. (It was completed on Dec. 6 and arrived at the Southampton port on Dec. 7.) My priority code is 4 stock. (Didn't know about priority codes at the time of order or I would have discussed this with MA.)
I have checked the WW track and trace and my VIN does not show any records. Is it possible that it made it on one of the last ships from Southampton to Brunswick for the 2012 year and the WW site is just not updated?
OR did it make it on a K-Line ship?
OR is it really still in Southampton at the port waiting to be shipped?
How long does it take to be loaded onto a vessel once it is at the Southampton port?
Any information regarding experiences or help is greatly appreciated!!!
I am a MINI newbie! I ordered a 2013 MCS on Nov. 24. The OL says that it is "Awaiting Transport". AskMINI says that it is at the port and awaiting a shipping vessel. The port loc is Brunswick, GA. (It was completed on Dec. 6 and arrived at the Southampton port on Dec. 7.) My priority code is 4 stock. (Didn't know about priority codes at the time of order or I would have discussed this with MA.)
I have checked the WW track and trace and my VIN does not show any records. Is it possible that it made it on one of the last ships from Southampton to Brunswick for the 2012 year and the WW site is just not updated?
OR did it make it on a K-Line ship?
OR is it really still in Southampton at the port waiting to be shipped?
How long does it take to be loaded onto a vessel once it is at the Southampton port?
Any information regarding experiences or help is greatly appreciated!!!
Neutral
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Quote:
Originally Posted by SmurfRod
Make a good relationship with your MA...they have all the info...ask for ship carrier/name specifically and a link to track...if they are skilled...you'll be able to follow it. IF you're on Kline..and ship called the Athens Highway (seems common for southern US deliveries)...here's the link....looks like it's in the middle of N Atlantic now... But ask your MA to confirm. See attached schedule... http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...0&type_color=7.
Thanks for your response! Unfortunately, I don't have that much confidence in my MA. (After 3 weeks, he forgot who I am when I called today. How many people has the MA placed orders for within the last 3 weeks that merit forgetting a customer?) I spoke to a manager and the only information that he was able to give me was that it was at the port in Southampton, the same info that AskMINI gave me; so, I am not so sure the information from my dealership is accurate. Would the priority code 4 stock cause an extreme delay in shipping?
Originally Posted by SmurfRod
Make a good relationship with your MA...they have all the info...ask for ship carrier/name specifically and a link to track...if they are skilled...you'll be able to follow it. IF you're on Kline..and ship called the Athens Highway (seems common for southern US deliveries)...here's the link....looks like it's in the middle of N Atlantic now... But ask your MA to confirm. See attached schedule... http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/def...0&type_color=7.
Thanks for your response! Unfortunately, I don't have that much confidence in my MA. (After 3 weeks, he forgot who I am when I called today. How many people has the MA placed orders for within the last 3 weeks that merit forgetting a customer?) I spoke to a manager and the only information that he was able to give me was that it was at the port in Southampton, the same info that AskMINI gave me; so, I am not so sure the information from my dealership is accurate. Would the priority code 4 stock cause an extreme delay in shipping?
Sent from my iPad using NAMotoring
1st Gear
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
I've been trying to place my Hardtop order ASAP, but have been told that the factory is closed until January 8th and orders can't be placed until then. Can anyone confirm?
I was hoping to make the Southampton departure on the 15th
to California.
I was hoping to make the Southampton departure on the 15th
to California.
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
Hello future Motorers!
NAM member Jeffherbst originally published a guide on How to Track your MINI (https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=70301) during May of 2006. This has proved invaluable to countless MINI owners in the last two years, but it is time for an update to that information to standardize what we know as a group as of June 2008. As I was unable to reach jeffherbst to make alterations to his original posting, I have attempted my own updates. I take no credit for any of this information; it is truly a group effort by all NAM members. I have simply collected it as I went through this very process with a wonderful group of Week 23ers (https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138049). Unfortunately I can only write from the perspective of a MINIUSA customer, those of you from elsewhere may venture down very different paths. Also please keep in mind that any time frames or dates are mere averages. Your experience may be significantly faster or slower than times stated here for a plethora of reasons.
If any NAM members have any additions, suggestions or corrections to the information below, please PM me and I’ll be sure to make the correction as well as credit your work. Thanks.
3/7/2011 Update -
Hello again motorers. As you might notice this post was first published in 2008 so some of it shows some age. Additionally I moved into Manhattan in 2010 and keeping my beloved MINI was simply not a fiscally responsible thing to do in my case. As much as I miss it (horribly!), it has been sold so my participation in NAM is far more limited. However I do take having a sticky here very seriously so I try to update it as you all find new information or provide corrections in the thread below. I can't promise it will be fully up to date but hopefully it will continue to serve you well. I still subscribe to PMs so it something needs updating please give me a shout and I'll tidy things up in a jiffy!
At the moment it appears as though Countrymans are produced and shipped from Austria. I've seen no information provided on how to track Countryman MINIs from their origination. You might check the latest posts in the thread to see if any further information has been provided by fellow NAMers.
How to Track your MINI:
This post is divided into several sections that detail the ordering, production, and delivery:
1)Ordering
2)Stakeholders in the Process
3)Production
4)Transport and Delivery
5)Additional Comments
6)Links
Section 1 – Ordering
Ordering your MINI is typically straight forward. The process is quite linear once you have taken the plunge and have configured your order, signed the paper work and put down a deposit. If during your signing you did not receive a piece of paper titled “Vehicle Inquiry Report”, you should receive it within roughly the next 24 business hours from your Motoring Advisor (MA). This piece of paper describes in full detail your MINI of choice along with all its options. It is the very diagnosis for MINI fever you will catch over the next 6-8 weeks. There are several key items to be aware of on the top of your Vehicle Inquiry Report:
-Prod. No: This is your Production Number! Your MA should also supply this to you verbally in the next 24 business hours if this field is blank.
-Port Loc.:This is your Port Location, it describes which port your MINI is going to be dropped off at and then placed on a truck for delivery to your dealer. We’ll reference this later
Your Production Number is the single most valuable piece of information in this entire process. It identifies your vehicle from the day of order until you take delivery (depending on how badly you catch the fever, you may have it memorized by that point). This number will determine where you are in line for production and is entirely dependent upon your dealer. See the Additional Comments section for more details on your Production Number.
Once you are armed with your Production Number, the quest to track your MINI can begin.
Section 2 – Stakeholders in the Process
Your Motoring Advisor (MA): (Production Number, Shipping, Delivery)
Your MA should be the expert when it comes to the status of your MINI production. Your MA has the ability to tap into the MINI systems and ascertain the status of your order at any step in the process. If you luck out and have an MA who is attentive and well versed in tracking orders, your MA should be your key point of reference during your arduous waiting period. Forget the rest of this guide and work with them to build a strong working relationship with your MA. Call them often. Unfortunately, most of us have MAs who are not terribly familiar with how to track MINIs in the system and are often times not as responsive as we may like.
Once you have placed your order with your MA, they will be the ones to supply you with a Production Number, no one else can do this. They then may very well step out of the picture until after your MINI is put on a truck here in the States, but more on that later. Your MA will of course coordinate and arrange for the final preparations and delivery.
MINIUSA Owner’s Lounge (http://ol.miniusa.com): (VIN, Production Status, Shipping Status)
Once you have placed your order your MA and emails from MINIUSA will strongly encourage you to sign up with the Owners Lounge on the MINIUSA website. In order to signup, you’ll need the Production Number supplied by your MA and/or found on your Vehicle Inquiry Report. Select the “First Time Here?” link and set yourself up with a username and password.
Once inside, you’ll find an array of news and information related to MINI. I encourage you to look around this site and appreciate it for the valuable references it provides.
IMPORTANT: The Owner’s Lounge is a great source of information, but it is slow to update, and once you get into Production, it can be entirely incorrect. If you see something that doesn’t look right to you, call your MA or 1-866-ASK-MINI, which we’ll discuss next.
1-866-ASK-MINI (1-866-275-6464): (Production Status and Dates)
ASK-MINI is a live support center setup by MINIUSA to handle all of your calls and inquiries related to your MINI order. ASK-MINI is your best bet for information related to the current status of your order from about two weeks after you order until the day it leaves the factory in Oxford. This system is divided into two main interfaces:
-Automated: The automated system is okay for when you need your fix and it is outside the hours ASK MINI is open (9am to 9pm EST). However the automated system is not much better than the information found on the Owner’s Lounge.
-Customer Relations: Real live people, and incredibly friendly / helpful ones at that! I strongly encourage you to skip the automated piece and ask directly for Customer Relations. If you supply them with your Production Number, they’ll be able to tell you your current status and anything they might know about the future of your MINI. They are the first resource that will be able to tell you final information for your production and completion dates and can also tell you at what stage of production your MINI is in (assembly painting, final quality check, etc.)
Not all ASK-MINI Customer Relations reps are created equal, sometimes you will get one who does not know the system entirely or is unfamiliar with the process, sometimes you will get incredibly personable and highly informative reps. Call back multiple times to ensure the information you’ve been given matches with what other reps tell you.
You: (All Stages)
You are by far the most important factor in the process of tracking your MINI. Unless you have an unusually attentive MA, you will have to be proactive in determining the status of your order either by engaging 1-866-ASK-MINI or through numerous other vehicles described below.
Section 3 – Production
On the first page after you sign into the Owner’s Lounge you should see a message “Where’s Your Baby?” with a prompt to Track Your Mini. This will open a new window with a Flash site that is going to provide you with some valuable insight into your MINI’s current status.
There are multiple phases of the ordering process and they are all listed here:
-On Order
-Scheduled for Production
-Awaiting Transport
-En Route
-At Distribution Center
-At your MINI dealer
-Review Order Detail
At first your status will show “On Order” and you should expect this status to not change for several weeks. The most helpful section of the entire site is the last item in the list “Review Order Detail.” In the Order Detail section you will see listings for your Production Number, VIN, Current Status and the vital details around your MINI. This information may initially be blank or even incorrect! Do not panic, this is normal. You will not see a VIN until closer to production. If the vital details about your MINI are wrong, you’ve been lucky enough to override one of your dealer’s earlier production slots and ASK MINI will need 48 hours or so to update.
On average, you have about two weeks to sit and agonize over the Owner’s Lounge on MINIUSA.com. About two weeks after your order, you should begin calling ASK-MINI. At some point in the next few days, they will be able to tell you when you are scheduled for production and completion. Typically they will give these to you as dates, but they can also tell you your Production Week. This will enable you to head to the 1st Gear section of NAM and join your Production Week support thread. Typically 72-48 hours prior to the start date that ASK MINI gave you, the OL will move status to “Scheduled for Production” and you’re your VIN will appear in the Review Order Detail section. With the VIN you can now apply for loans, leases and/or insurance as may be applicable.
The average MINI build takes about 8 days from start to finish. MINIs are assembled in Oxford, England at a large BMW facility. The output is approximately 700 MINIs per day over 3 continuous shifts. Yes they are working 24/7 to get your MINI to you. The first 5 days of production are staging days where all the pieces and parts are put in line and grouped to go into your MINI. This seems like a long time, but it has to be perfect – the wrong piece in the wrong car would cause it to have to be taken apart and rebuilt, think about how many more days that might take! The actual assembly is done in just one day. Painting and drying typically take up Day 7 and your final quality check at the plant is completed on Day 8. Once your MINI has passed Final QA, it sits for up to 24 hours at the plant and then is loaded onto a rail car and shipped 67 miles to Southampton, England for transport!
Section 4 – Transport and Delivery
At this junction in the process, ASK-MINI will be unable to give you any information beyond confirming the Final QA has been completed. Your own detective work and maybe some helpful hints from your MA are all you have to rely on at this point. Typically it takes about 36 hours for your MINI to arrive at the Southampton docks once you’ve passed Final QA. This is of course entirely dependent upon the freight train schedules which are out of anyone’s control.
Both BMWs and MINIs are carried over together to the US on “Roll-On, Roll-Off” shipping carriers. This means that your baby has been built and is healthy enough to get itself onto the ship. MINIs are shipped through two different carriers, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WW) and K-Line America of KLTL Total Logistics (K-Line). American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC) has a shipping partnership with WW so some of their ships may in fact be used for transport. WW integrates ARC ships into their system, so I will treat them as one entity during the rest of this discussion. While both carriers service a variety of ports in the United States, they typically stop at the same routine ports of call. Where you live will determine to which port your MINI is shipped.
It is now time to go back to Section 1 where we referenced your “Port Loc.” on your Vehicle Inquiry Report. This information will tell you which port your MINI will be shipped to before it is placed on a truck and delivered to your dealer. The Ports of Call for MINI deliveries and their shipping companies are:
-Halifax, Nova Scotia (Port Loc = ?) : WW, ~6 days for transport
-New York City, NY (Port Loc = NYCPOA) : WW, ~8 days for transport (truly based in Jersey City, NJ)
-Charleston, SC (Port Loc = CHSPOA) : WW and K-Line, ~15 days on WW, ~13 days on K-Line
-Brunswick, GA (Port Loc = SSIPOA) : WW, ~17 days for transport (thanks to Bandit for the Loc Code!)
-Manzanillo, a.k.a. Panama Canal (Point of reference only) : WW, ~13 days
-Port Hueneme, CA (Port Loc = PHMPOA): WW, ~21 days for transport (thanks krim)
-Baltimore, MD (Port Loc = BALPOA) : ~17 days on WW (thanks er.)
The process for tracking your MINI as it cruises over to the US differs between WW and K-Line. WW provides a healthy amount of information about the vehicles booked aboard its ships and their scheduled departure/arrivals. Unfortunately, tracking your MINI through K-Line is next to impossible without your MAs help. Once your MINI is loaded onto a ship, your MA should have the ability to tell you what the ship’s name is and when it will get into port. Whether or not your MA can actually provide you with this information varies greatly among MAs.
WW provides a great website for you to check to see whether your MINI is booked aboard WW (or ARC) ships. You will need to start at the WW Cargo Tracking website: https://att.2wglobal.com/gstattweb/. The page will allow you to enter your VIN (which you can obtain from the OL) in the Cargo ID field. If your MINI has been booked aboard a ship, your VIN will bring up a “Cargo Status History” and present you with a wide set of information related to your MINI’s cruise. You will find the status of your MINI as it progressed through the four stages of shipment – Booking, Reception at Terminal, Loaded on Vessel, and Discharged – at the bottom of the page. It is IMPORTANT to remember that WW is a European company, so dates on the WW site are listed in the European format of DD/MM/YYYY. Another incredibly helpful section is the schedule page which is accessible by clicking on your Voyage ID information. This will tell you the expected arrival and departure information for the various ports of your voyage.
For those of you who are not yet booked on a ship or are on the informationless K-Line boats, you still have some hope. You can pull up the shipping schedules for both WW and K-Line off of their websites to determine the next boats leaving Southampton and try to guess which boat you’ll be on. Again, for K-Line customers, your MA is the only one who will be able to confirm you are on one of these vessels. The links to the schedules are as follows:
-WW Cargo: (Give it a minute to generate…) http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSche...pe=generatePDF
-K-Line Cargo: This is a pretty complicated schedule, your main focus is the North American Shuttle Service at the top of the schedule. http://www.kline.com/KAMCarCarrier/S...g_Schedule.pdf
Once you have determined what ship you are going to be loaded onto, you can use the AIS Live site (link below) to track your ship as it comes and goes from the Southampton Port! After you are loaded onto a ship, you are at the mercy of the sea while you await your MINI delivery. You can however follow your ship through the Atlantic (until Halifax, NS or the Panama Canal whichever is first) using a very helpful website SAILWX (http://www.sailwx.info/). On SAILWX select “Ship Tracker” at the top of the page and then “Find specific ship by name or callsign”. The last entry on the page will allow you to enter the name of your ship. Once you find your ship, you will be shown the latest information for your ship’s position at sea and any other ships in the area. See the Links section for tracking information for ships at NYC, Charleston and other US ports.
When your MINI has been discharged from the ship, it will be taken to a BMW Vehicle Distribution Center (VDC) and run through a final quality check. At this point only your MA will be able to provide you with timetable information for delivery. MAs should receive delivery information once your MINI arrives at port, but as with all MA activities, the availability of this information varies greatly. The activities at the VDC can take as little as 48 hours to over a week if your poor MINI was damaged in some way during transport. Once it has been released from the VDC, your MINI is loaded on a truck with its BMW brethren and sent to your dealer. The time required for trucking will clearly depend on your distance from the port.
At this point the process, you’re probably dying to have your MINI, call your MA and work with them to make the final arrangements. Congratulations on your order and don’t forget to wave once you are driving down the road with a perpetual grin!
Section 5 – Additional Comments
Production Numbers
There is an exact time and date when each production number is going to start its way through the factory. Each dealership has a certain allocation of production number each week and it is up to them to spread them across their customer’s orders and the dealerships own cars that they keep on the lot. Furthermore, the allocated production numbers are subdivided by the different models available. So your dealer may have several JustaCooper slots open next week but have a four week wait for a Clubman slot. Some dealers have been known to swap out customer orders for one of the dealer production numbers in order to speed up the process (earlier number = earlier production), others simply place your order under the next slot they have available. Your dealer’s policies on this will vary greatly and are likely to be fairly rigid once your Production Number has been provided.
VDC Hours:
NYC VDC: 6am to 2pm EST M-F. No weekends.
Charleston VDC: 6am to 2pm EST Sun - Sat. Full week production.
Section 6 – Links
MINIUSA Owners Lounge: http://ol.miniusa.com/
Northeast Auto Marine Terminal: http://www.neautoterminal.com/
Port Hueneme Vehicle Distribution Center: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&highlight=vpc
WW Auto Cargo Tracking (by VIN): http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppTracking/
WW Shipping Schedules: http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSche...pe=generatePDF
K-Line Shipping Schedules:
http://www.kline.com/KAMCarCarrier/S...g_Schedule.pdf
AIS Tracking Information for Southampton and NYC (thanks MINIspud): http://www.siitech.net/VTSLite/AView.aspx
AIS Live UK (Tracking Ships in and out of Southampton): http://www.southamptonweather.co.uk/liveais.php (the official one seems broken at the moment so using a 3rd party site instead -- does anyone have a better suggestion? PM me)
SAIL-WX (Tracking ships in the Atlantic): http://www.sailwx.info
NYC Shipping Port Arrivals and Depatures: http://traffic.nymaritime.org/
Charleston Port Authority Vessel Schedule: http://www.scspa.com/vessel_schedule.asp
AIS Isle of Wright (thanks krim)
http://www.john-ambler.com/ais/google.html (Shows Southampton and about 1/2 way across the channel)
Google Earth Vessel Tracking Plug-In (thanks krim)
http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Googleearth.html (has a KMZ showing vessel locations - 24hr delay for free version)
Oxford, England Manufacturing Plant via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e....0209&t=h&z=16
NYC BMW VDC via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...02612&t=h&z=19
Brunswick, GA VDC via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=16&iwloc=addr
Greer, SC VDC (all Charleston bound MINIs go here): http://maps.google.com/maps?q=greer,...num=1&ct=image
Port Hueneme, CA VDC via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=14&iwloc=addr
NAM member Jeffherbst originally published a guide on How to Track your MINI (https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=70301) during May of 2006. This has proved invaluable to countless MINI owners in the last two years, but it is time for an update to that information to standardize what we know as a group as of June 2008. As I was unable to reach jeffherbst to make alterations to his original posting, I have attempted my own updates. I take no credit for any of this information; it is truly a group effort by all NAM members. I have simply collected it as I went through this very process with a wonderful group of Week 23ers (https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138049). Unfortunately I can only write from the perspective of a MINIUSA customer, those of you from elsewhere may venture down very different paths. Also please keep in mind that any time frames or dates are mere averages. Your experience may be significantly faster or slower than times stated here for a plethora of reasons.
If any NAM members have any additions, suggestions or corrections to the information below, please PM me and I’ll be sure to make the correction as well as credit your work. Thanks.
3/7/2011 Update -
Hello again motorers. As you might notice this post was first published in 2008 so some of it shows some age. Additionally I moved into Manhattan in 2010 and keeping my beloved MINI was simply not a fiscally responsible thing to do in my case. As much as I miss it (horribly!), it has been sold so my participation in NAM is far more limited. However I do take having a sticky here very seriously so I try to update it as you all find new information or provide corrections in the thread below. I can't promise it will be fully up to date but hopefully it will continue to serve you well. I still subscribe to PMs so it something needs updating please give me a shout and I'll tidy things up in a jiffy!
At the moment it appears as though Countrymans are produced and shipped from Austria. I've seen no information provided on how to track Countryman MINIs from their origination. You might check the latest posts in the thread to see if any further information has been provided by fellow NAMers.
How to Track your MINI:
This post is divided into several sections that detail the ordering, production, and delivery:
1)Ordering
2)Stakeholders in the Process
3)Production
4)Transport and Delivery
5)Additional Comments
6)Links
Section 1 – Ordering
Ordering your MINI is typically straight forward. The process is quite linear once you have taken the plunge and have configured your order, signed the paper work and put down a deposit. If during your signing you did not receive a piece of paper titled “Vehicle Inquiry Report”, you should receive it within roughly the next 24 business hours from your Motoring Advisor (MA). This piece of paper describes in full detail your MINI of choice along with all its options. It is the very diagnosis for MINI fever you will catch over the next 6-8 weeks. There are several key items to be aware of on the top of your Vehicle Inquiry Report:
-Prod. No: This is your Production Number! Your MA should also supply this to you verbally in the next 24 business hours if this field is blank.
-Port Loc.:This is your Port Location, it describes which port your MINI is going to be dropped off at and then placed on a truck for delivery to your dealer. We’ll reference this later
Your Production Number is the single most valuable piece of information in this entire process. It identifies your vehicle from the day of order until you take delivery (depending on how badly you catch the fever, you may have it memorized by that point). This number will determine where you are in line for production and is entirely dependent upon your dealer. See the Additional Comments section for more details on your Production Number.
Once you are armed with your Production Number, the quest to track your MINI can begin.
Section 2 – Stakeholders in the Process
Your Motoring Advisor (MA): (Production Number, Shipping, Delivery)
Your MA should be the expert when it comes to the status of your MINI production. Your MA has the ability to tap into the MINI systems and ascertain the status of your order at any step in the process. If you luck out and have an MA who is attentive and well versed in tracking orders, your MA should be your key point of reference during your arduous waiting period. Forget the rest of this guide and work with them to build a strong working relationship with your MA. Call them often. Unfortunately, most of us have MAs who are not terribly familiar with how to track MINIs in the system and are often times not as responsive as we may like.
Once you have placed your order with your MA, they will be the ones to supply you with a Production Number, no one else can do this. They then may very well step out of the picture until after your MINI is put on a truck here in the States, but more on that later. Your MA will of course coordinate and arrange for the final preparations and delivery.
MINIUSA Owner’s Lounge (http://ol.miniusa.com): (VIN, Production Status, Shipping Status)
Once you have placed your order your MA and emails from MINIUSA will strongly encourage you to sign up with the Owners Lounge on the MINIUSA website. In order to signup, you’ll need the Production Number supplied by your MA and/or found on your Vehicle Inquiry Report. Select the “First Time Here?” link and set yourself up with a username and password.
Once inside, you’ll find an array of news and information related to MINI. I encourage you to look around this site and appreciate it for the valuable references it provides.
IMPORTANT: The Owner’s Lounge is a great source of information, but it is slow to update, and once you get into Production, it can be entirely incorrect. If you see something that doesn’t look right to you, call your MA or 1-866-ASK-MINI, which we’ll discuss next.
1-866-ASK-MINI (1-866-275-6464): (Production Status and Dates)
ASK-MINI is a live support center setup by MINIUSA to handle all of your calls and inquiries related to your MINI order. ASK-MINI is your best bet for information related to the current status of your order from about two weeks after you order until the day it leaves the factory in Oxford. This system is divided into two main interfaces:
-Automated: The automated system is okay for when you need your fix and it is outside the hours ASK MINI is open (9am to 9pm EST). However the automated system is not much better than the information found on the Owner’s Lounge.
-Customer Relations: Real live people, and incredibly friendly / helpful ones at that! I strongly encourage you to skip the automated piece and ask directly for Customer Relations. If you supply them with your Production Number, they’ll be able to tell you your current status and anything they might know about the future of your MINI. They are the first resource that will be able to tell you final information for your production and completion dates and can also tell you at what stage of production your MINI is in (assembly painting, final quality check, etc.)
Not all ASK-MINI Customer Relations reps are created equal, sometimes you will get one who does not know the system entirely or is unfamiliar with the process, sometimes you will get incredibly personable and highly informative reps. Call back multiple times to ensure the information you’ve been given matches with what other reps tell you.
You: (All Stages)
You are by far the most important factor in the process of tracking your MINI. Unless you have an unusually attentive MA, you will have to be proactive in determining the status of your order either by engaging 1-866-ASK-MINI or through numerous other vehicles described below.
Section 3 – Production
On the first page after you sign into the Owner’s Lounge you should see a message “Where’s Your Baby?” with a prompt to Track Your Mini. This will open a new window with a Flash site that is going to provide you with some valuable insight into your MINI’s current status.
There are multiple phases of the ordering process and they are all listed here:
-On Order
-Scheduled for Production
-Awaiting Transport
-En Route
-At Distribution Center
-At your MINI dealer
-Review Order Detail
At first your status will show “On Order” and you should expect this status to not change for several weeks. The most helpful section of the entire site is the last item in the list “Review Order Detail.” In the Order Detail section you will see listings for your Production Number, VIN, Current Status and the vital details around your MINI. This information may initially be blank or even incorrect! Do not panic, this is normal. You will not see a VIN until closer to production. If the vital details about your MINI are wrong, you’ve been lucky enough to override one of your dealer’s earlier production slots and ASK MINI will need 48 hours or so to update.
On average, you have about two weeks to sit and agonize over the Owner’s Lounge on MINIUSA.com. About two weeks after your order, you should begin calling ASK-MINI. At some point in the next few days, they will be able to tell you when you are scheduled for production and completion. Typically they will give these to you as dates, but they can also tell you your Production Week. This will enable you to head to the 1st Gear section of NAM and join your Production Week support thread. Typically 72-48 hours prior to the start date that ASK MINI gave you, the OL will move status to “Scheduled for Production” and you’re your VIN will appear in the Review Order Detail section. With the VIN you can now apply for loans, leases and/or insurance as may be applicable.
The average MINI build takes about 8 days from start to finish. MINIs are assembled in Oxford, England at a large BMW facility. The output is approximately 700 MINIs per day over 3 continuous shifts. Yes they are working 24/7 to get your MINI to you. The first 5 days of production are staging days where all the pieces and parts are put in line and grouped to go into your MINI. This seems like a long time, but it has to be perfect – the wrong piece in the wrong car would cause it to have to be taken apart and rebuilt, think about how many more days that might take! The actual assembly is done in just one day. Painting and drying typically take up Day 7 and your final quality check at the plant is completed on Day 8. Once your MINI has passed Final QA, it sits for up to 24 hours at the plant and then is loaded onto a rail car and shipped 67 miles to Southampton, England for transport!
Section 4 – Transport and Delivery
At this junction in the process, ASK-MINI will be unable to give you any information beyond confirming the Final QA has been completed. Your own detective work and maybe some helpful hints from your MA are all you have to rely on at this point. Typically it takes about 36 hours for your MINI to arrive at the Southampton docks once you’ve passed Final QA. This is of course entirely dependent upon the freight train schedules which are out of anyone’s control.
Both BMWs and MINIs are carried over together to the US on “Roll-On, Roll-Off” shipping carriers. This means that your baby has been built and is healthy enough to get itself onto the ship. MINIs are shipped through two different carriers, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WW) and K-Line America of KLTL Total Logistics (K-Line). American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC) has a shipping partnership with WW so some of their ships may in fact be used for transport. WW integrates ARC ships into their system, so I will treat them as one entity during the rest of this discussion. While both carriers service a variety of ports in the United States, they typically stop at the same routine ports of call. Where you live will determine to which port your MINI is shipped.
It is now time to go back to Section 1 where we referenced your “Port Loc.” on your Vehicle Inquiry Report. This information will tell you which port your MINI will be shipped to before it is placed on a truck and delivered to your dealer. The Ports of Call for MINI deliveries and their shipping companies are:
-Halifax, Nova Scotia (Port Loc = ?) : WW, ~6 days for transport
-New York City, NY (Port Loc = NYCPOA) : WW, ~8 days for transport (truly based in Jersey City, NJ)
-Charleston, SC (Port Loc = CHSPOA) : WW and K-Line, ~15 days on WW, ~13 days on K-Line
-Brunswick, GA (Port Loc = SSIPOA) : WW, ~17 days for transport (thanks to Bandit for the Loc Code!)
-Manzanillo, a.k.a. Panama Canal (Point of reference only) : WW, ~13 days
-Port Hueneme, CA (Port Loc = PHMPOA): WW, ~21 days for transport (thanks krim)
-Baltimore, MD (Port Loc = BALPOA) : ~17 days on WW (thanks er.)
The process for tracking your MINI as it cruises over to the US differs between WW and K-Line. WW provides a healthy amount of information about the vehicles booked aboard its ships and their scheduled departure/arrivals. Unfortunately, tracking your MINI through K-Line is next to impossible without your MAs help. Once your MINI is loaded onto a ship, your MA should have the ability to tell you what the ship’s name is and when it will get into port. Whether or not your MA can actually provide you with this information varies greatly among MAs.
WW provides a great website for you to check to see whether your MINI is booked aboard WW (or ARC) ships. You will need to start at the WW Cargo Tracking website: https://att.2wglobal.com/gstattweb/. The page will allow you to enter your VIN (which you can obtain from the OL) in the Cargo ID field. If your MINI has been booked aboard a ship, your VIN will bring up a “Cargo Status History” and present you with a wide set of information related to your MINI’s cruise. You will find the status of your MINI as it progressed through the four stages of shipment – Booking, Reception at Terminal, Loaded on Vessel, and Discharged – at the bottom of the page. It is IMPORTANT to remember that WW is a European company, so dates on the WW site are listed in the European format of DD/MM/YYYY. Another incredibly helpful section is the schedule page which is accessible by clicking on your Voyage ID information. This will tell you the expected arrival and departure information for the various ports of your voyage.
For those of you who are not yet booked on a ship or are on the informationless K-Line boats, you still have some hope. You can pull up the shipping schedules for both WW and K-Line off of their websites to determine the next boats leaving Southampton and try to guess which boat you’ll be on. Again, for K-Line customers, your MA is the only one who will be able to confirm you are on one of these vessels. The links to the schedules are as follows:
-WW Cargo: (Give it a minute to generate…) http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSche...pe=generatePDF
-K-Line Cargo: This is a pretty complicated schedule, your main focus is the North American Shuttle Service at the top of the schedule. http://www.kline.com/KAMCarCarrier/S...g_Schedule.pdf
Once you have determined what ship you are going to be loaded onto, you can use the AIS Live site (link below) to track your ship as it comes and goes from the Southampton Port! After you are loaded onto a ship, you are at the mercy of the sea while you await your MINI delivery. You can however follow your ship through the Atlantic (until Halifax, NS or the Panama Canal whichever is first) using a very helpful website SAILWX (http://www.sailwx.info/). On SAILWX select “Ship Tracker” at the top of the page and then “Find specific ship by name or callsign”. The last entry on the page will allow you to enter the name of your ship. Once you find your ship, you will be shown the latest information for your ship’s position at sea and any other ships in the area. See the Links section for tracking information for ships at NYC, Charleston and other US ports.
When your MINI has been discharged from the ship, it will be taken to a BMW Vehicle Distribution Center (VDC) and run through a final quality check. At this point only your MA will be able to provide you with timetable information for delivery. MAs should receive delivery information once your MINI arrives at port, but as with all MA activities, the availability of this information varies greatly. The activities at the VDC can take as little as 48 hours to over a week if your poor MINI was damaged in some way during transport. Once it has been released from the VDC, your MINI is loaded on a truck with its BMW brethren and sent to your dealer. The time required for trucking will clearly depend on your distance from the port.
At this point the process, you’re probably dying to have your MINI, call your MA and work with them to make the final arrangements. Congratulations on your order and don’t forget to wave once you are driving down the road with a perpetual grin!
Section 5 – Additional Comments
Production Numbers
There is an exact time and date when each production number is going to start its way through the factory. Each dealership has a certain allocation of production number each week and it is up to them to spread them across their customer’s orders and the dealerships own cars that they keep on the lot. Furthermore, the allocated production numbers are subdivided by the different models available. So your dealer may have several JustaCooper slots open next week but have a four week wait for a Clubman slot. Some dealers have been known to swap out customer orders for one of the dealer production numbers in order to speed up the process (earlier number = earlier production), others simply place your order under the next slot they have available. Your dealer’s policies on this will vary greatly and are likely to be fairly rigid once your Production Number has been provided.
VDC Hours:
NYC VDC: 6am to 2pm EST M-F. No weekends.
Charleston VDC: 6am to 2pm EST Sun - Sat. Full week production.
Section 6 – Links
MINIUSA Owners Lounge: http://ol.miniusa.com/
Northeast Auto Marine Terminal: http://www.neautoterminal.com/
Port Hueneme Vehicle Distribution Center: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...&highlight=vpc
WW Auto Cargo Tracking (by VIN): http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppTracking/
WW Shipping Schedules: http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSche...pe=generatePDF
K-Line Shipping Schedules:
http://www.kline.com/KAMCarCarrier/S...g_Schedule.pdf
AIS Tracking Information for Southampton and NYC (thanks MINIspud): http://www.siitech.net/VTSLite/AView.aspx
AIS Live UK (Tracking Ships in and out of Southampton): http://www.southamptonweather.co.uk/liveais.php (the official one seems broken at the moment so using a 3rd party site instead -- does anyone have a better suggestion? PM me)
SAIL-WX (Tracking ships in the Atlantic): http://www.sailwx.info
NYC Shipping Port Arrivals and Depatures: http://traffic.nymaritime.org/
Charleston Port Authority Vessel Schedule: http://www.scspa.com/vessel_schedule.asp
AIS Isle of Wright (thanks krim)
http://www.john-ambler.com/ais/google.html (Shows Southampton and about 1/2 way across the channel)
Google Earth Vessel Tracking Plug-In (thanks krim)
http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Googleearth.html (has a KMZ showing vessel locations - 24hr delay for free version)
Oxford, England Manufacturing Plant via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e....0209&t=h&z=16
NYC BMW VDC via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...02612&t=h&z=19
Brunswick, GA VDC via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=16&iwloc=addr
Greer, SC VDC (all Charleston bound MINIs go here): http://maps.google.com/maps?q=greer,...num=1&ct=image
Port Hueneme, CA VDC via Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...=14&iwloc=addr
3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
From: Simi Valley, CA
SOUTHAMPTON 29/01/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 20/02/2013 TOPEKA CD304-TOP 22
Book It SOUTHAMPTON 12/02/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 06/03/2013 TOMBARRA CD306-TOM 22 Book It SOUTHAMPTON 26/02/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 20/03/2013 TONGALA CD308-TOL 22 Book It SOUTHAMPTON 03/03/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 26/03/2013 QUEEN SAPPHIRE CX309-QUS
4th Gear
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 334
Likes: 0
From: Southern California
Here you go! Departures and arrivals in Port Hueneme for the next couple months for the W&W ships...
SOUTHAMPTON 29/01/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 20/02/2013 TOPEKA CD304-TOP 22Book It SOUTHAMPTON 12/02/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 06/03/2013 TOMBARRA CD306-TOM 22 Book It SOUTHAMPTON 26/02/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 20/03/2013 TONGALA CD308-TOL 22 Book It SOUTHAMPTON 03/03/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 26/03/2013 QUEEN SAPPHIRE CX309-QUS
SOUTHAMPTON 29/01/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 20/02/2013 TOPEKA CD304-TOP 22
Book It SOUTHAMPTON 12/02/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 06/03/2013 TOMBARRA CD306-TOM 22 Book It SOUTHAMPTON 26/02/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 20/03/2013 TONGALA CD308-TOL 22 Book It SOUTHAMPTON 03/03/2013 PORT HUENEME, CA 26/03/2013 QUEEN SAPPHIRE CX309-QUS
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,552
Likes: 10
From: Des Moines, Iowa
Guess I belong on this site, again as I just ordered my next Mini on Friday. My
MA says that it won't take very long to get into production. My order is a Mini S Roadster, with the JCW interior and exterior packages, Mini Connect, no NAV, black headlights, auto headlights, Xenons, rear fog and Cold Package. This is my second Mini and I just hope that this Lil Guy brings me as much pleasure and no problems as Lil Guy no. 1 has. Just hope that the eight weeks goes by quickly.
MA says that it won't take very long to get into production. My order is a Mini S Roadster, with the JCW interior and exterior packages, Mini Connect, no NAV, black headlights, auto headlights, Xenons, rear fog and Cold Package. This is my second Mini and I just hope that this Lil Guy brings me as much pleasure and no problems as Lil Guy no. 1 has. Just hope that the eight weeks goes by quickly.
Neutral
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
