Mine have been fluctuating for a couple weeks now. I wouldn't worry about. The OL is very unreliable.

 

It's currently 4.75% for up to 72 months if you apply online. I originally applied back in June and it was 4.50% at the time. Back then I was assuming I could just go to the lot and buy a car so my approval expired before my ordered Clubman has arrived and I had to reapply. One important note: unlike home mortgages, auto loan rates vary until the time of disbursement and are only locked in then. So, in my case, although PFCU has a 4.75% rate today, but I will get the rate in effect on the date of disbursement. So it may stay the same, go up or down during that time. PFCU told me that feel pretty confident that their rate won't be moving too much though.

This will be my third loan with PFCU (I've been a member for more than 25 years). Got a 2.99% balance transfer on credit cards earlier this year (and that is for the life of the transfer, not six months or a year). When I was looking this summer, I actually thought about buying a car on a traditional auto loan and then "transferring the balance" to my credit card at 2.99%. PFCU told me that was OK with them. But I wondered if having such a high level of unsecured debt, as opposed to a collateralized auto loan, might have a negative impact on credit so I decided against it.

I was looking at the shipping schedule and saw that Tortugas, Talisman and Independence II leave Southampton on the 14th, 16th and 18th respectively and arrive in Baltimore on the 25th and 29th. My dealer is Mini of Annapolis, so I'm hoping I make one of those ships since my car was completed yesterday.

 

Went with PenFed also. Was the best rate I could find at a CU that I was able to join. There are some better deals out there but most are at CU's with restrictive membership. You can always ask your CU/Bank to match a low rate. Sometimes they will.

As for the balance transfer, I considered doing this myself. Same deal, 2.99% until balance paid in full. It will affect your credit score. To what degree depends on % of available credit used (on that card) and % of overall credit used (on all cards, combined). The exact formulas used to calculate this are a closely guarded secret of the credit bureaus so I am guessing a bit here and speaking from some personal experience. If you have excellent credit I'm not sure it would matter much. Another thing to consider is the minimum payment required by that card. It could be 1%-4% and some are a fixed percent plus all interest accrued that month. Additionally I do not know if a CC issuer can change the repayment terms (not interest rate but required min payment, etc) at any time. I would have to talk to them and read the fine print before I did this.

 

my jcw is finally on "awaiting transport" so i hope it will catch the oct 14th vessell...
can't wait

 

Congrats SRQ. We are going to have to arrange a Sarasota get-together when they are all here.

 

sounds good....its yours going to be on the same vessell do you know?

 

Yesterday I stopped over at Mini of Annapolis (was in the area and wanted to check on the status of my Clubman) where I spotted a red JCW hardtop with no tags. My salesman came out and explained it was a return (!) with 475 miles. The buyer had paid cash and after a week couldn't stand how it drove. Said it was "noisy", "rough riding" and "uncomfortable". He promptly exchanged it for a BMW 528. Soooooo, I just had to ask "Can I take it for a test drive"? Next thing I know we're out there giving it a go (all below 4500 RPM of course). After that test ride all I can say is I am more happy than ever I decided to go with the JCW. It's like a completely different car compared to my stock '06, while still unquestionably a Mini: the ride, the awesome engine/transmission combo, and yes the exhaust note with that satisfying snap, crackle and pop were veeerrry nice. I told my girlfriend this morning "When the Clubman arrives, we're day tripping every weekend until we hit 1,000 miles on the odometer. And then we're going to KEEP on day tripping after that". Happily, she's cool with the idea.

 

Isn't it funny how some people hate the things you love?

I drove my friends and I loved it being loud, loved the hard feel- right now, I have an IS 350. Very cushy car. Very fast, but also rides like a pillow.

I cant' wait to get into my mini and feel it.

 

Mine is already aboard the Tombarra that departed Southampton on Friday.
I hope you make the next boat.

FYI. I am working with Driving Expressions (Coral Cove Plaza where the old Oyster Bar restaurant was) for clear-bra, tint and stripes.

 

My build is done so now it's the long wait while it float (hopefully on a ship) over to me.

 

The Caribbean Highway is under way. Anyone on it? The lack of a tracking system for "K" Line makes it hard to find out… The automated ASK-MINI service says my MINI is still at the port, but the unreliability of it has me clinging to a hope that she made it onto the Caribbean Highway. If my baby didn't make it, I guess her next shot is the Tortugas, this Tuesday.

 

ASK-MINI is still saying my car is in the paint shop with an estimated completion date of Oct. 10th. i sure as hell hope this means that it's done and waiting at the docks and they just haven't updated. ahhhhhhhh this wait is going to drive me out of my mind

 

the OL said ours was still awaiting transport (the train to the harbor) when in fact it was booked and loaded onto the Tombarra friday and is now on the way here. So i would suggest all week 41ers to take your vin number and put it into WW's website and see if you are really on a boat.

Swflaboy im down with a Ferman Mini takeover lol. My girl and i will be going up there either on a Tues or Thurs what ever is closer (only days i have off)

 

What is WW's website? My car's done so I should have a VIN now. Would be nice to know where it is right now...........

 

go to: http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppTracking/

click auto cargo

enter vin

profit!!! (hopefully)

 

to SWFLABOY-
i know exactly Driving Expressions i have used them to install a clear bra in my porsche carrera s last year and they did a good job, let get together when we get the cars.

 

Honestly, here's what I would do- don't go into OL for a while and just relax. Seriously. Not trying to be a smartass, but I read a thread about a guy who calls Mini about every day. That can drive you nuts. My mini is week 41 right now awaiting transport. My philosophy is when it gets here, it gets here. Calling like a madman isn't going to do anything. Knowing the transportation company? LOL. Why?

While my wait has sucked, it went by pretty quick because I have it out of my mind. Control what you can control. The wait has been a lot easier than I thought it would be. Suddenly, car is done and its awaiting transport. Its another 20 days on the boat and week when it gets the JCW aero on. So why peek at X-mas presents when you can't open it? I'll be driving it in no time.

Just my .2 cents since this thread cracks me up. Make your life easier.

 

dude i have called and talked to mini 1 time since we ordered the car. That was when the OL was messed up and i wanted to be sure the car would be right. If you look at the stickies on in this forum there are people that have found sites that you can follow the ship your mini is on. All i did was type in my vin to see if it got on a boat this weekend or not. This thread is about people with a week 41 build that like to see where their car is. Excuse some of us for being a lil excited about our new purchace and take your smartass comments somewhere else.

 

Wow. You took my rather innocent approach to waiting for a Mini (not an easy task) and whined about it like a nagging wife in a bad marriage.

Do what you want, buddy. And switch to decaf.

 

I say we should embrace our obsessions. I've checked probably everyday. I'm not ashamed. I'm already in love with my MINI and we haven't met yet. Love can't be forgotten.

I don't think Dwell was trying to be a smartass. He speaks logic, but when you're in love... logic just isn't appealing.

 

the way i see it is that theses threads are for people that DO want to track the progress. If he has no interest in doing so, why come in here and try to make other people look stupid?

 

I've been waiting since 8-13, so don't whine about anything, pal. I probably have one of the longest waits on this board, so I was offering advice as to how to relax a bit- not check every single day, not call 800-MINI and certainly not find out the transportation company.

And Week 41 Support Group to me signifies MINI enthusiast getting together on a thread to show support, because we all know a wait like this sucks. I know the wait sucks, been waiting since 8-13, so I'm sharing my knowledge as to how to make the wait easier. You want to call everyday? Want to see "Awaiting transport" till you're blue in the face? Want to call the transportation company and ask if the boat is on its way, or if its sitting at the dock well whys its just sitting shouldnt it be moving? move move! thats what boats do gas who the hell needs gas get it moving?!!!

Maybe you have a lot of time on your hands between History homework and cheer tryouts?

Worry about what you can control, but I suppose you haven't learned that yet. Oh well. Not every one gets it.

 

Nothing wrong with tracking the progress of your Mini. I mean come on! Mini created the OL site in part to facilitate that very pursuit! So if one wants to track their Mini's every move through the production and delivery process then they should and not give a second thought to anyone who'd imply there's something wrong with it. If someone "copes" with the wait by putting their fingers in their ears, shutting their eyes and generally engaging in an information embargo then that's their right too. I'm sure those who take that approach can find like minded people with whom to commiserate......

 

Reminds me of a poem by Horace:
The super quick translation is something like:

Put some more logs on the fire and bring down that really good wine, dude. Let the gods handle everything else. Don't ask what tomorrow will bring, and whatever fortune days bring, assign to profit.

I'm pretty sure Horace had us in mind when he wrote that . If you want to follow his advice, don't track and live life. Personally, I can't stand that so I'm just going to continue tracking daily.

Whatever differences you two have, let's not resort to personal attacks. It makes it an uncomfortable atmosphere for everyone.

 

you dont read to well do you? I said i only called once to make sure the options we picked were good. I did NOT find out the company, others on this board did (go read the sticky "how to track your MINI"). So before you go taking shots at me you may want to know what you are talking about. All i have done was read these boards to learn more about the Mini. Im not worried about anything, just having a lil bit of fun during the wait is all.