Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone else out there is experiencing this: I finally decided to order a Mini Clubman and went to the dealer to place the order (Mountain View, CA). They told me there would be about an 8 week wait time, and $1,500.00 over MSRP. I said no thank you and found another dealer (Concord, CA), and they gave me $500 OFF MSRP. So, I gave my cc number placed the order, got the financing all lined up and waited to get the ball rolling. This was around June 7. After about a week my card never got charged so I phoned the dealer and he said he's waiting for allocation. I wait another week and still nothing. He said to check back at the end of the month. I go on a trip for two weeks, come back and he said he's still waiting. So, my order still has not been placed on July 5, yet he's sure I will get my car by the end of September. Is anyone else experiencing this? Does this sound normal? Do you have any suggestions besides just wait (ie can you suggest another dealer).
Cheers,
Waiting in Northern Calhttps://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif

 

East Bay Mini is telling new customers October. I think MINI is getting ready to retool for the new convertible and model year. I know their inventory is a little low (15 cars less than they had in May when I ordered). You may have just picked a bad time to pull the trigger.

 

Up in the Northwest the wait time for a clubman S is 4 - 6 months, when I ordered, they did deposit my check, but it took about six weeks for a production slot.

 

Wondering if rlopez457 got their Clubby ordered. I just put my card down for an MC on July 3 (EB MINI at Concord too) and was told the orders were to be taken this week. Dude told me 45-60 days to expect my MINI. I'm waiting for word to sign some papers.

 

Hi,

Here's my experience. I've gone to the 2 MINI dealers in Mass. They both said "If you order today (middle of June at the time), you'll get it in November". The location in Boston, didn't even have a demo...they sold them all. Talk about short sighted...they probably lost over a dozen sales by satisfying that one guy/gal!

The locaion outside of Boston had demos, as they are "the biggest MINI dealer in the country" in terms of sales, so they have to keep "one of everything" in stock...makes sense. But they still say November. In fact, they say sales of regular MINIs are up, because all the people who come to look for a Clubman, when told that it will take until November, get talked into getting a regular MINI in a month or two or one that's on the lot. Well, I've always been buying off the lot, and with MINI, I like the idea of having it the Burger King way...MY WAY!

Now, I needed a new car, so I looked at used MINIs but having one of these for a few months and then selling it would soak me! So, after looking at a particular dealer in Long Island, NY - Mini of the Hamptons, they told me something interesting.

Every dealer has an allocation every quarter. This is a number of vehicles they have pre-ordered to be used as demos or retail sales. They get X number of manual trannys and X automatics, X S-type, etc. according to some formula.

Well, Gregg of Mini of the Hamptons, told me he had 3 for this quarter, one manual and 2 auto. The priority of a dealer allocated vehicle is "priority 3". But Gregg was able to convert this into "priority 1 - customer sale" with my deposit. This allowed me to order it with whatever I wanted. So I configed it, and sent him the sales order via fax with my credit card info.

My car was "on order" for a few weeks - like 2 or 3, now it's in production, and will be done in about 4 days (production week 28). If there is a boat to take the car to the US by about the 15th, I should have this before August. Maybe the first week of August. THis is a full 14 or 15 weeks sooner than ANY place in Mass was going to do.

I will fly down to South Hampton, or drive my 10 yerar trade in (depending if I get anything for it) and pick the new Clubby up in about 4 weeks or so.

So, morale of this story? Ask the dealer about their allocation. The allocation has a pre-made production date as a priority 3. Then find out what it would be if that car was priority 1. And get out your credit card!

Cheers!

P.S. I usually don't want a car delaer to put their logo in the middle of my new paint job. So, I make sure they don't do it when I order. But in this case, I probably WANT to have them put "MINI of the Hamptons" on it, it would be kiinda cool! Interestingly, they don't usually do it either. They settle for a license plate frame that says it. But they can probably find the chrome-esque logo for me, I'm told!

 

If that's true that's good news! I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

I'm going through the same thing here in KC. Ordered my Clubman on 6/17. My MA said 8-10 weeks until I would see. My C/C has not been run through yet for the deposit.

Spoke with him yesterday, he's still waiting for the allocations to come down. I asked him if I was first in line or at least going to hit this months allocation but of course he did not answer that specifically. Just said as soon as he got my production number he would let me know. Still looking at Mid September is what he keeps saying.

I'm not too concerned as it appears several people have gone through the same thing. I already knew I was an impatient person. Didn't need a reminder.

It is a little strange that so many of us have to get on this site to find out "How it Works" to order a MINI. Maybe this is how it always is ordering a car, I've always bought off the lot or used.....

 

Colorado..... 6-7 MONTHS from time of order being placed!

 

In agreement with Ambidexter -

I tried to order via Boston as well in May and was looking at August/September production dates, quick call to Inskip MINI in RI, got a June slot and production number immediately w/CC deposit.

Past performace is no guarantee of future results, but call around if you can travel.

 

I'll consider myself lucky then...

I had originally ordered a JCW Clubman and had the dealer's one and only early allocation for a June Build.

After finding out that MINI Canada was forcing the the factory Aero Kit on all JCW cars, but not painting the arches on the JCW Clubmans, I balked and changed my order to a Cooper S Clubman. That was June 8th or 9th.

The dealer was able to swap allocations with another dealer in the province (I'm in Calgary, the other one is in Edmonton) and I was still able to get a June build date.

The car completed production June 26th, was loaded on the Elektra, and is now on final approach to the Halifax car port (schedule to now arrive tomorrow - July 9th). Then there is a 7-10 day train ride across Canada...

The dealer projected an "end of July" delivery date, and after factoring in prep, etc., that sounds about right.

Hoping to motoring in August!!!!

 

I ordered mine June 30th. I already got the 112 code and my dealer told me it would be produced July 29. I was shocked that it would be made so far into the 6 wks but he told me that it only takes about a day to put the car together. I am hoping he is right about the 6 weeks. Thanks for the ordering guide. It puts alot of us at ease on what to expect.
thanks

 

I had the exact same experience at the Princeton, NJ MINI dealership - they had no Clubmans to test drive when my wife and I stopped in 6/26. Since I would NEVER buy a car without test driving it, they lost any chance of selling us one.