Hi all! My mini was released from the Oxford plant last Friday but is still pending transport. I keep checking the OL everyday for a new status update but there is no change.

Does anyone have any ideas what the delay might be? I'm starting to get nervous. I want my baby to set sail to the U.S. ASAP! The waiting is killing me! What's the holdup?

Signed:Desperately seeking my MINI!

 

Just hang tight. It will move. Sometimes the boats are delayed. Sometimes the data is delayed. Don't get nervous. On my car it missed the first boat. Made the second boat and then when I received it the interior was wrong. The dealer had to reorder and I had to wait all over again. So take it from me just relax. You baby will be on it's was before you know it.

Regards,

Pat

 

It takes 1 to 3 days to transport your car from Oxford to Southampton. You either made it on the Falstaff which departed on 8/16 with arrival in Port Hueneme on 9/7 or you'll wait around at the port for a couple of weeks (like my car did). The Toscana would be the next west coast ship which is scheduled to depart on 8/30 and arrive on 9/21.

Follow the directions from the tracking post at the top of the page and enter your vin# on the WW lines tracking page and it will tell you if your car was boarded.

Hope that helps.

 

Additionally once your car is showing as boarded on the tracking page cut and paste the booking number and put that into the booking number on the tracking and trace page and it will show how many mini's were boarded on the ship in Southampton. A total of 208 onboard with my car.

 

Thanks for the feedback Treadwell and Pat M.

I checked the WW tracking page and input my vin# but there was no record of my Mini on file, so I guess I missed the 8/16 departure leaving southhampton.

I thought WW ships depart from SH weekly? So why is it that the next ship is not scheduled to leave SH until 8/30? Two weeks from today? I'm so bummed..

Thanks again for your support guys.

 

Once per week to the east coast and every two weeks to the west coast. It's going to be at least 8 weeks start to finish for me. Hang in there, at least it's built.

 

Ahhh! I see! Well thanks Treadwell. I have to admit that I was pretty steamed last night and lost some sleep last wondering why my Mini missed the ship on Tuesday when she was released from the plant on last Friday. But it is what it is, and you are right at least my mini is built. I can't help but wonder if she is parked in a garage or outside exposed the elements waiting for the next ship to arrive 8/30.

 

I'm hanging in there. Thanks again for your support Pat M.

 

Believe it or not but it's kind of fun to track the ship your Mini is on! I often wonder if it would be possible to book passage on one of those vehicle carriers. It's weird to think my car has traveled the world more than I have.

When you do find the ship it's on, please post back with the name!

Meanwhile watch this video if you haven't already...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzEsyVI55-M

and this one...

http://www.eukor.com/homepage/manage/cargo.wmv

Also, would you mind telling us the details of your Mini?

 

Being able to track your Mini's progress has made the waiting more tolerable. The OL is only helpful until your car reaches the port. After that you have to track it yourself using the instructions in the post at the top of the 1st Gear page.

Mine is currently onboard the Don Juan which is transiting the Panama Canal this morning. Through the Gatun Locks and headed towards the Miraflores Locks and the Pacific. Now just have to watch those hurricanes on the way to Port Hueneme.

Minnie 2012/R55 MCCs CR/B, Polar Beige w/ Pano Black, Auto Trans, Premium Pkg, 17" Conical Spoke, HK sound, garage door opener, usb/ipod/bluetooth, heated seats, center armrest, mirror with compass.

 

Mine is on the Asian Emperor with an ETA in NY of 8.25. My boyfriend better get on the ball with giving me manual lessons because I am driving it off the lot myself! The cargo details says 2011 MINI hopefully it's just a typo.

 

Lol!! Withflyingcolors! That's so funny because I told my husband the same thing the other day! It's been over seven years since I've driven a manual so I'm a little rusty, but I told him that there is no that he's driving my MINI off the lot. NO FREAKING WAY! MY ETA isn't until 9/21 which should give me some time to practice but the problem is that I don't know anyone who owns a manual car. Uggghhhh!

 

Hi there, our Minis are ship buddies! :D Good luck with learning manual. That's one heck of an adventure lol.

 

But Mini's are easy to drive and shifter works real easy. It's a very simple drive compared to say my GTO. That car is a beast and needs to be pounded into submission.

The Mini is very easy to shift and feel part of.
You'll do fine.

 

I am really excited for those of you who are waiting for your cars to cross the ocean. I agree with Pat that the manual MINIs are easy to drive. I have not driven a manual car for more than 4 years and the only recent practice I had was a 10 minute test drive at a dealership prior to my purchase. On the day I took delivery, my friend dropped me off at the dealership and I drove my car home (almost 40 miles) without any problem. My motoring advisor was right, it is just like riding a bike. Definitely drive it off the lot yourself! It would feel great!

 

FYI - A ship called the Virgo Trader left Southampton yesterday, bound for Port Hueneme. It's supposed to arrive on the 15th of September, but it is already one day late, from what I can tell. It's a weird ship because it's not on the ww schedule and I don't think it belongs to them. But it came up in the ww search just a few days before departure, and my MINI is supposedly on it.

treadwell - are there hurricanes on the West side of the Panama canal? I thought it was just the Eastern side. I'm wondering if my ship might be delayed by hurricanes, as it's only leaving the channel right now.

 

Awesome!!

Ha ha I had lessons from my father many years ago on a 1988 Ford Escort Pony so I think this will be a better experience!

 

Hi Rachael,

Yes hurricanes occur throughout the Pacific. They call them Cyclones in the Eastern Pacific and Typhoons in the Western Pacific. Cyclones in the Eastern Pacific tend to originate off the Central American coast and generally track away from populated areas to the west/northwest. You can track their formation and movement on the the National Hurricane Center website, Eastern Pacific tab.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

 

That's unbearable! It's not easy since I'm not an extremely patient person ...but I'm trying my best! haha, hopefully I make it to my delivery date in one piece!

And about driving manual...a Mini is one of the easiest cars to drive manual in my experience. Try driving an 80's Lotus! The gearbox's gears are about .5 or less inches apart! Makes for a lot of missed gears and attempting to start in 3rd The mini is seemless and effortlessly will head right on into the next gear for you. So don't fret! You'll be driving off the lot just fine.