a I used the hi-res web cam on the Miraflores locks and the trial version of Time Snapper. I just left my computer on. The webcam times out after a while so set it to auto refresh the page every 15 mins (I think, it's been a while). I set time snapper to take pictures every 55 seconds (ditto) so I ended up with a time lapse movie. I would suggest setting everything up and doing a dry run.

I created a separate thread to track the ship itself as it enters and leaves all the ports on the itinerary; you can see all the tools we used over there.

 

Woohoo! My ASK-MINI status changed today. According to the friendly pre-recorded voice, it should be done May 28.

I still find it completely comical that we have to piece together completely disconnected bits of info:

OL status: still says On Order - no VIN yet.

ASK-MINI recording: scheduled to complete production May 28

ASK-MINI real person: "looks like it started production yesterday, but I have no information on when it will be completed and I have no VIN yet."

Is it too early to start speculating about what boat I'll be on??

 

I am leasing. I was told that I can "lock in" today's programs. When your car arrives if the rates are better then I get those rates. If the rates are worse, I'vealready locked in Mini Financial's rates. I assume the same is true if you finance. Where are you located?

 

Ordered 5.9.09 and given production number at time of order. ASK MINI advisor said week 23, MA said week 21. I just received a VIN in the last 5 minutes and status changed to "Scheduled For Production". This is not going to be as painful as I thought! Yes, it is an easy life living here in the land of denial. This is to replace wife's dream car, BMW 328 hardtop convertible, which we just turned in as the two year lease was up. Her only two requirements were Comfort Access and Heated Seats - once you have confort access, you'll never go back and heated seats extend the time you can have the top down! This is not going to be hard . . . right?

 

SoCal, picking up my MC at Long Beach MINI. It wasn't the most convenient MINI dealer, but they offered the best price. Plus it'll make the drive home in my brand new car a bit longer, thus more enjoyable.

My MA tried to get me to purchase a car off the lot to take advantage of the financing options, but they were definitely out of my price range, even with the low APR. And I'm not going to lease the car just to get cheaper financing. I was told that the standard APR for MINI is 6%, which I hope isn't the case. Even the payment estimator on MINIUSA.com starts you out at 5%.

I guess I just have to cross my fingers and hope they extend the APR program until July. But as I type that I'm thinking its pretty unlikely. Suppose I'll have to shop around for a loan...

 

robovega - you can not lock in the special finance rate. But if a special rate does exist when your car arrives you'd be able to get that rate. So here's to hoping a good rate is offered by Mini in July.

Long Beach huh? I ended up with Mini of Universal. Great folks there. My MA is the best.

 

UH HU YEAH!!! I have a VIN number and the status now is "Scheduled for Production"!

 

Congrats! I keep calling ask-mini for updates but all I know is the estimated completion date. Good luck!

 

I got email from my MA that my car went into production at 7:00 AM (EDT) this morning! The OL is not updated yet, but ASK-MINI confirms.

 

Hi folks! Joining the Week 23 Club. Ordered a Mignight Black JCW hardtop on May 19th. Looks like the Dealer bumped me up as I had the wrong car on the OL for a few Days. Just got off the phone with ask mini and they estimate the completion of my mini for June 3rd as it started on May 22. Cant wait!!!! I really hope we get our mini's before the 4th of July :D

 

My MINI is scheduled for completion tomorrow (5/27) according to the Ask MINI automated guy. So I checked the schedule of boats leaving Southampton for Port Hueneme. I think at least three MINIs in this thread are headed for California (please chime in if yours is headed elsewhere ).

Turns out the next boat for that route is June 6, with an estimated arrival of June 26. I was hoping for a quicker turn around from Oxford right onto a boat, but I guess it just wasn't in the cards. Our MINIs will just be hanging out by the docks for a little over week until they get a ride.

I must admit, however, this whole process is going very smoothly thus far, so I really I can't complain. I know we are all just eager to start motoring.

 

Mine is scheduled for completion on my birthday (5/28). It will be headed for Atlanta, so I don't know if it's more likely to come to Brunswick or Charleston...

 

Mine should arrive in Charleston on June 16th and only three hours away from Charlotte. Should definitely should have it for Independence Day!

 

Just called and my completion date is 06/03/09 .... how you know which boat the car will be?

 

Now that is really awesome! I'd like to share my birthday with my MINI...

So lucky to have such a quick boat ride from Southampton to the Charleston VDC, and then a from the VDC to your dealer. Have fun motoring around on the 4th, but be extra careful! You don't want to put you or your MINI in harm's way of a drunk driver who's celebrated a tad bit too much.

Here is a link to the WW shipping schedules. It creates a PDF of the trade routes for the next couple of months. If your MINI will be born 6/3 and it'll be headed for California, you should be in time to hitch a ride on the Otello, departing 6/6 and arriving at Port Hueneme on 6/26. I say should because you never know what happens between Oxford and Southampton, but typically it takes just 36 hours. If you miss the Otello, the next boat to Port Hueneme is the 6/20-7/11 Turandot. It would be a bummer to miss the first boat, so keep your fingers crossed for a 6/6 departure.

 

Hey everyone, I'm now in the paint shop! Scheduled for completion tomorrow!

 

bah... looking at that shipping schedule my mini is going to probably sit around from the 3rd when it is done until June 9th to make it to the NYC dock on the 18th. Why cant it just come to Baltimore that's where i live. Just boat it right to my house! F you NYC!

 

It's 2009 – shouldn't we have teleporters by now?

 

Nice MINI. Not to rub it in but mine is enroute on the OL and I found out from my MA that it is on the Western Highway (K-line) Cargo liner. I just used the AIS vessel tracker to locate the boat and it is half way across the Atlantic. It has to stop in Baltimore first on June 2nd and then it drops off my baby in Charleston on June 4th.

 

Uh huh. Whatever.

I have to hold myself back when I see all these posts from folks like "I just ordered it yesterday from the dealer and it's already on a boat!" etc,etc

I'm just glad our cars don't have to get shipped from South Korea... that's sounding more and more like a dangerous place to be right now.

 

I called up ASK MINI and they confirmed my MINI's birthdate of 5/27.

The OL hasn't updated my status yet, but they told me my car is in transit to the port of exit. No rush though because the next ship to Port Hueneme departs in a little over a week. At least I'll have a good spot in line to board the Otello.

I guess its time to shop for a birthday gift. Prima wash kit? JCW grill?

 

Mine has finished paint and is scheduled to be completed tomorrow. It was birthed on 5.19.09, which is my 25th wedding anniversary, so this should really be a good anniversary present. Next, transit - I hope I don't run out of popcorn during the wait!

 

Not that it really matters, but is the birthdate of a MINI the day it begins production, or the day it completes production?

 

Since it suits my purposes, I am deeming the "birthday" to be the date the car commenced production. The only date that really matters is the date I get my hands on the beast!

 

What are you guys driving while you wait for your mini?


I'm driving a freaking 1997 Ford F150... It is going feel weird when I start driving my MINI...