6 hours.... still my VIN isn't showing up, but.. I called Ask-Mini AGAIN ( ) JUST to be sure that I was receiving the same info. My Mini WAS released to the carrier... so who and where the carrier is, I don't know! I know that by train - it's a short trip, so there is still a chance they could load some of us who aren't yet showing.. a chance.

 

Oh, that's great news. I thought she had docked today. I'm seriously so much happier now. I really hope we all get on that ship tomorrow!!! 1 week in port is just too much for me to take. heh heh heh

 

Hey Tinker,
I really hope we both get on this ship. Just knowing those MINIs are on their way will help to relieve my insanity.

 

Me too! I am trying to distract myself! I have an upcoming cruise - I should be planning that - but I can't.. my mind is focused on my Mini!

 

Just talked to my MA. He said not to worry. All the MINIs have been coming in between 5 and 7 weeks. I'm on week 4, and guessing mine will be closer to 7 weeks...so it should be on the next ship.

 

My car is finally done and ASK MINI told me that it is on its way to the port... Now what?? She said that it could take several days before it gets loaded onto the ship. WHICH SHIP?? No one knows. She said it has to wait until the whole fleet is full, then it gets loaded.

Now, I think it may leave by the end of the weekend... what ship would mine be on?? It is coming to CA.

 

OMG...just think...if you concentrate on your cruise, the MINI will get here faster! That's it! I need to plan a cruise!!!

 

I was just thinking... How do they get all the MINI's into the carrier? If you think about it theres alot of MINI's that need to be loaded onto that ship. So what do they do with all the keys??? Can you imagine trying to find the right key out of 1000 for a certain car? This is probablly a dumb question but i just thought about it and wanted to know

 

They probably use a huge piece of strapping tape and tape the keys to the hoods of our cars, right over the factory stripes. Hopefully when the dealership guys pull the tape off, the stripes don't peel off too. Just kiddin...I hope.

 

The next ship that is going to CA is WW's "Maersk Wind", and it leaves Southampton for Port Hueneme on Aug 13.

So, I'm afraid it's a no-go for you to leave this weekend.

But, on the bright side, you will only have the option of traveling on a WW ship because K-Line doesn't go to California. So, since it will definitely be shipped via WW, you will be able to track it.

 

Keys stay in the car.

 

Yeah I figured it was something like that Otherwise it would be like finding a needle in a haystack

 

Something I've been wondering about is how many miles are put on these cars typically before a person takes ownership? Under 50? Just curious.

 

There was a thread in the General Talk forum on exactly that topic.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=149158

 

BTW they can't tape the key to the stripes, because the cars ship over in their birthday suits!! The stripes (and driving lights) are put on at the VDC after they reach the US!

I'm actually a week 31er (finished on Aug 2nd) waiting VERY impatiently for a boat assignment!! With fingers and toes crossed for one of the ones leaving this weekend.

 

I don't understand why you aren't getting your VIN... my car is still in production to be completed Aug 10 and I already have the VIN showing up on OL, the automated message, and from the live rep who fielded my initial call. You should get your VIN by now ....

 

Hey Doc - I think mine may be on the same boat as yours... mine completes on the 10th, destined for CA also. Maersk Wind, I have my fingers crossed because the next boat to CA is two weeks later by WW's schedule!

 

Wow.. a full week later.. + 21 days of sailing + a week at VDC possibly = 2nd week of September... just as I thought.. Long away... sigh.. Did i tell you guys I made this order BEGINNING of July... its just that my dealer (Southbay) doesnt charge above MSRP. This is what i get i guess.. Almost 2.5 month if it gets here middle of sept....

Would you guys have paid over MSRP to have your car in 6 wks or wait like me and pay MSRP....

I'll do that definately. It sucks that our ship is leaving so late...

 

Actually, the bonnet stripes are applied at the factory. Sport stripes are applied at the VDC.

She's got her VIN... It wasn't showing up on WW.

 

Ahh I see.... I had heard stripes and so just thought they applied both types there. Wonder why they do one kind and not the other at the factory?

I was surprised that I was encouraged by the dealer to have the driving lights put on at VDC instead of by the service dept @ the dealership.

 

kechman, yes - I did get my Vin, it just hasn't been showing yet on WW's site - still isn't!! Guess I am not getting on the Independence!!

Doc, I paid MSRP - not a penny over. If it came down to getting my Mini sooner for MORE $$$ , I would have waited an extra 2 weeks. I called all the dealers in my area, and they all seemed to charge the MSRP and not over.

I still am debating the rally lights!! I need to make up my mind - real quick!

gbsim, I was in week 31 and finished on the 4th... but my Mini wasn't even released to the carrier until yesterday! I am hoping that if I am not on the Independence (unlikely now) I'll be on the FIDELIO!

 

Independence II is at port!!! I kind of figured there were some week 31'ers waiting with us. I hope there is a enough space for all of us on the two ships. Maersk Wind will be the next ship to California, it's currently at one of the Zeeland ports.

Our VIN is not showing up on WW either.

 

[quote=Doc Cooper;2412694]Wow.. a full week later.. + 21 days of sailing + a week at VDC possibly = 2nd week of September... just as I thought.. Long away... sigh.. Did i tell you guys I made this order BEGINNING of July... its just that my dealer (Southbay) doesnt charge above MSRP. This is what i get i guess.. Almost 2.5 month if it gets here middle of sept....

Would you guys have paid over MSRP to have your car in 6 wks or wait like me and pay MSRP....

My car was completed on 8/5 and is also waiting for
a ship to California.
Do you think it is held for a whole week at the VDC?
I thought it might be a day or two at the most.
I bought mine from Long Beach Mini at msrp.
It's $2500-3000 above sticker prices at all the dealers
in the San Fransisco area where I live.
I would never pay over sticker price if I could find a dealer
somewhere in the country that sells at msrp.
But I guess other people are paying it.

 

Doc don't feel too bad look at my sig - I ordered June 3rd. If we don't get on these next two ships our choices will be the Patriot or Caribbean Highway both arriving at Charleston near the end of August!

 

[quote=jimj;2412855] If you want ANY MINI at my dealer, aside from a few JCW spots, you have to wait until DECEMBER! And you got MSRP in Cali, which seems rare! You should be celebrating, not complaining!

Also, when the order is completed depends on when the slots are allocated for. I ordered only a few days before my JCW started production, but others had ordered a few weeks before and would have theirs do the same at the same time, because the order slots were all for the same week (month?).

Time at VDC depends somewhat on if you have anything that needs to be installed.