I didn't even know that the delivery date was there until today it showed up. That is when the Lil Guy was admitted to the Vehicle Distribution Center, VDC. They have given a date of 10-24-2010 but I really doubt that date. I think that a more realistic date of 10-29-2010 might be a bit closer. And, I'd be very happy with that date. The 10-24 date might be close to the delivery date to my dealers, but I even that is a bit optimistic. They even say that the date that they give you is questionable. I think that a week from time of landing at the POE is reasonable, unless your dealer is within a couple hundred miles of the Port. Just my opinion, I've nothing to go on, really,

 

Thankfully my dealer is only about 8 hours drive from the VDC in South GA so my calculation for my best guess at delivery date has 2 days in VDC and one day of transport. I wonder how long the dealer will take to PDI the car and be ready for me. I know that will be dependent of how many cars come in at the same time...

Hemi - I hope that your car makes a fast delivery to IA from port!

 

Sounds good to me! It's a win win really. If the deal doesn't go through, we still have the deal we already arranged anyway. I would just be thankful for no shenanigans!

 

Hi Dirkback! Sounds like you and I are both in Week 44 of production. Race ya!

 

I don't think there were any posters of my week? Other than me, of course.

 

The update from MINI today is that production has started on my car with an estimated assembly completion date of Nov 3rd. Odds are against a Thanksgiving weekend delivery for me at that rate. But at least there is progress!

It'll be interesting to see when OL shows any change of status.

 

and with my latest post, my NAM status has changed from neutral to first gear. Fantastic! I wonder what gear I'll be in when the r55 arrives.

 

Squonk: You'll be the way I am, wound up tighter than as my grandmother use to say, as a tick. I'm fully wound out in sixth gear. And, my *** hasn't called me yet. I've promised myself that I'd wait until she called me first, but it's hard.

As for when it will arrive with a Nov. 3rd build date, well it takes just about 10 days to get to the USA from Southampton, maybe 4 days to catch the ship. 3 days at the VDC and then the ride to your dealers. You do the math. My Lil Guy arrived at Baltimore POE on Wednesday and should have been released today, so I'm hoping for next week bringing him home.

 

hemi: I cannot imagine waiting on your MA to call you to let you know that lil guy has arrived. I'll probably be calling my MA a day or two after the car hits VDC asking "so how long do your deliveries take once the car reaches the VDC?"

And I'll be calling ASKMINI to track when my car actually hits the production floor and paint room so I can best calculate from there.

Wound up? Me? Over a new car? The only car that I've actually ordered??? HECK YEAH!

 

hahahahahaha
I'm where Hemi was a few days ago: my ship is a few days away, and sitting on your hands is that much harder. Plus over on this coast we don't see the ships pop onto GPS until they're near station...

 

when you have ordered YOUR CAR, you do tend to get excited about it, rather than just pulling into the local car dealer and taking what they have on the lot. You know, not really the color you would want, having some options that you will NEVER use, and not having all that you want. Yeah, it's different. Just remember, this is the way all use to buy cars. Order the first of the month, driving it the end of the month impressing the girls. Guess I'm telling on my age now.

This car does remind me of my first car though, same excitement. Now, that's tough.

 

Ordered 10/6/10
Born 10/21/10

Now waiting to get on a boat and get here...

 

squonk: I was all set to take you on but then I read that your car started production and your dealer is 8 hours from the VDC! Sounds like you have me beat. That's excellent that they started on it!

I'm really getting frustrated it's taking so long just to get the car into production, but I'm hoping I'll calm down a bit when they do.

Back in '05 it took the dealer a week to "prep" the car (put the center caps on the wheels). It was just sitting out on their lot but I couldn't have it! I visited it 2 or 3 times which helped a little, but it was agonizing.

 

Hemi and others: IF you don't want anybody touching the paint (buffing and leaving scuff marks) you need to tell the dealer that before the car arrives. Otherwise they will clean the car for you without asking. At least that's what happened with the one I ordered. Wasn't all happy with their work.

I am one of those guys who like to sit & admire their cars in the garage, clean them & wax them (but of course to drive them too, outside and not just in the garage). And yes I like to give my cars names. So someone else cleaning my car and doing a poor job on it..... you get my point.

 

Thirdraildesignlab

Well, your ship will arrive in San Diego tomorrow night at 8PM.

http://www.sdmis.org/schedule/

I don't think you will be able to watch it come in on the webcam because it will be too dark. However, you will be able to watch it leave on Sunday, 10/24 at 4PM.

You will be able to watch it leave on this webcam (two links, same cam)

http://live6.truelook.com/face/newfa...verlay=default

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/webcams/marina/

I was able to watch a car carrier ship depart San Diego yesterday on the cam link above.

You can follow your ship on radar at Marinetraffic.com, so you will have an idea when you will be able to see it on the webcam

Recently, I noticed many MINIs in our area have the San Francisco MINI dealer decal on the back of the car. If you don't want that, you should contact your Motoring Adviser to tell him not to install it. It would also be a good time to tell them not to drill holes on the front bumper if you plan to install a tow hook plate holder.

 

Well we can race to the port in England then! Deal? If you are on the schedule for week 44, you should get some good updates early next week for sure!

A whole week to take delivery? That is stupid!

 

My MA just called me to give me my VIN!!! Awesome! And he said that they are counting my sale as a November sale and feel confident that I'll be taking delivery in Nov. I asked him how long it takes them to PDI the vehicle, and he said 2-3 hours of PDI and 1 hour in the detail shop and BAM it's mine!

Now that was just the update I needed to get me through the rest of the weekend!

 

ORM: Thanks for the reminder, I e-mailed Maria and she was aware of what I was talking about. They will clean off the residue from the trip but not wax the beautiful Midnight Black paint. She said that it isn't all that necessary with the lighter colors, but with the darker colors and especially Black, care must be taken. Black shows everything.

She said that she's expecting Lil Guy in on Monday, Tuesday at the latest for an end of week delivery. It's starting to get difficult. Now Olga is looking at the new Mazda Tributes and Subaru Foresters. Her Jeep lease runs out in January, and Chrysler is not allowing extensions to leases, like Mazda offered me.

 

One of the reasons that I didn't go with Bloomington Mini. Plus, I hope they did better with you, but they would not offer a deal of any kind.

When did you order your Mini? Do you have a production start date? With me, mine took four weeks, but it was held up on account of the Chili Red interior trim, they didn't have it. But, mine started production on 9-28 and reached the dock in Baltimore on 10-20. That should give you an idea on delivery.

 

My MA has only been selling cars for a month (just my luck) so I knew more then he did about many aspects of the car and ordering process. Mine will arrive in Brunswick,Ga on Monday. When I questioned him a on the $1000 rebate, he said I would get "everything coming to me when the car is delivered". I'll let know how that works out.

 

Have you been able to track the Michigan Highway at all??

 

Thanks for the reminder on the bumper!
The ship should appear on gps in a few hours. It only transmits within range of port. K line, I think. Anyhow, I'll be keeping an eye on it!

 

Suppose to arrival in Brunswick on 10/25

http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shi...MMSI=432633000

Ship just not reporting its position yet.

 

The Michigan Highway, where it is located on the GPS, my Fedora was there for 7 days, then it showed up, all at once, just off Nova Scotia. With me, that seems like that was years ago. I'm ready for Lil Guy to hit my dealers lot. NOW.....

 

Be patient. You will get your car very soon.