Got my VIN number from my MA today, so at least I can finish the paperwork with the bank!

Meanwhile, Ask Mini is giving me conflicting dates for it to be finished, from tomorrow to next Friday. Patience right? Patience.

/starts to twitch/

 

OMG! My parents had his and hers Triumph Spitfires ('74 and a '75) when I was a Junior in high school. Yeah, I had a blast driving them all over town with my BFF back then and a couple 4-packs of California Coolers stashed in the compartment behind the seats. Hands down the absolute best car for rippin' a corner without slowing down and no rocking motion. Went through U joints a lot, tho, b/c the bolt holding the joint would loosen up due to vibration. Only bolt we ever found that would stay put was an aircraft bolt that locked. Geez, I just had a mass flood of memories hit

 

Pics! We want pics posted. You don't graduate outta here without 'em! Congratulations!

 

Three ships have sailed since my Mini was ready but its STILL WAITING for transport.

I'm checking WW website every time a new ship sails but NO RECORDS...

I hate this because I'm in the limbo where no one can tell me anything. Ask-Mini or my MA are in the dark as well.

Oldies/Graduates: how long did your Mini sit in Southampton before getting on a ship? How many ships did they miss?

 

COKESTR: ordered Oct 1, born Oct 12, arrive Southampton ~ Oct 15-17, depart Southampton via WW Topeka Oct 25, arrive Port Hueneme, CA Nov 15, at VDC ~ Nov 16-21, arrive at NW MINI dealership in Tacoma, WA on Nov 23. I think we missed 1 ship at most. We had Priority 1 status, which helped get our MINI on the next available ship. Hope this helps!

 

What is priority status and how did you get on it?

 

At the time we placed our order, our MA established the Priority 1 status for us, which means our MINI would move through the "system" at a fairly fast rate, including having priority loading on the ship. The reason it has taken so long for our MINI (Oct 1-Dec 1) is due to the 21-day voyage "across the pond", through the Panama Canal, and up the "left" coast of North American continent.

From what I've been able to cobble together via this thread is that Priority Status (1, 2 or 3...or higher?) possibly correlates with the number of available order slots per month for any given dealership, but this is just a slightly educated guess. I'm not sure exactly how those order slots are broken down by model, configuration, or priority status. If you don't know your priority status, you should ask your MA direct. If you have a Priority 2 status or higher, it could be your MINI is sitting on the dock at Southampton awaiting a ship, and maybe getting bumped by another MINI (or BMW...the horror!) that has higher priority. I know some owners on this thread had Priority 3 status and did get bumped. Don't know if this info help; perhaps other veteran owners have better specific info.

 

Acrys, you and I will have very similar cars! Where are you based? I'm in Boston.

Can I just say again how totally useless the Owners Lounge are has been? Both my MA and the 866 number now tell me the completion date is Dec. 7. The owner's lounge still won't accept my VIN number yet (tells me I'm too early) and shows a 2009 Hot Chocolate Clubman S when I use my Production Number. Useless, I tell you. When I ordered my '04 the Owners Lounge was awesome. I'm not sure how it could fall so far from grace when stuff like that should only get better as time goes on. At least I know it's being birthed.

keal: Why a robot name? Just curious.

Yam: That sweet burgundy colored Miata a year or two before the 2001 BRG is what I always wanted but I was VERY happy with the BRG. I almost did a BRG Coupe with wood and beige interior but MINI took a lot of those options away before I came to my final decision.

 

As of a few minutes ago, marinetraffic.com had the Asian King on the eastern (or northern?) side of the Panama Canal, at a dock. Does anyone know, do they go through at night? And what website is good for getting a live photo of the ship going through?

 

Kurtster - I'm in San Antonio, and our cars are incredibly similar. My wife gave me crap for choosing the same color scheme that they had in the booklet but I fell in love with it. Good to see someone with the same taste

 

How's about a video, it's the pickup of my mini, a short walkaround, and then my little drive home from work on my first day with my MINI (we're debating a name tonight)

 

Keal: AWESOME!

All that chrome looks so sharp. I might need to get a GoPro camera.

 

Confused... The ship my MINI was on has left the port and gone to another one in Newark, NJ, yet when I look up my VIN there is no further info past "Loaded on Vessel" I'm hoping they just haven't updated the system yet.

 

Last of the Topeka class!

 

Keal, that's a great video! What kind of mount did you use? It was cool to watch the shadow of the car stretch and change.

Can't keep your eyes off your MINI, can you? Keep just looking at it all the time? Yeah, that feels good.

Beautiful, beautiful MINI.

 

Thanks! It's a suction cup mount, the contour roam camera (only 129 bucks!) has a regular tripod threadhole, so I bought a 25 dollar mount and leave it in the glovebox. Now we can just open the sunroof and stick the camera on the roof while driving around!

I look at my MINI in the driveway and I still can't believe it's mine. I don't miss my old car at all

 

THAT is a very kewl video, keal. Oh, and that's a hot lookin' MINI too! Like the chrome mirrors. Congratulations! You are now officially graduated from this support group. Have fun, stay safe and HAPPY MOTORING!

Name? Well, it did kind of remind me of a LADYBUG, but don't know if that would fit for a name. If you went shorter to BUG, then it's a nod to VW, which has absolutely no bearing/influence on a MINI. Perhaps BUGGER? or BUGGA? OK, maybe something else that has specific meaning for you and absolutely nothing to do with the names listed here I had a dozen or so names before I settled on one. My last name is Coke, hence, COKESTR. Have fun figuring it out!

 

FINALLY got a production number! Now the "official" waiting begins.

 

Ah, but what does tpthrshr mean? That's a mouthful of consonants...

Can we please buy a vowel?

 

tpthrshr, my online handle since the inception of the web (early 90's) is the short version of TYPETHRASHER, because I type very fast with a hard touch (think machine-gun sound). I've been known to trash a few keyboards here and there due to HEAVY keyboarding. It's really not my fault; I formally trained in Word Processing back in the mid 80's, and clocked out at 100 wpm on a typing test before graduating. These days, I cruise around 75 wpm, and I do much more than just word processing for a living. It did launch my career, though, so I'm grateful for the skills. Do any of you remember these: ****, Word 3.1, Word Perfect? I also have a deep appreciation and understanding of typography, which actually caused me to rear-end another vehicle back in the late 80's due to my looking at the design of a billboard using a really cool font Moral of this story? FOCUS on driving!

 

Hi all, First post, San Antonio TX.

I have been lurking for a while, but the wait for my 2013 has had me climbing up the walls, I need moral support! My mini finished production on the 22nd and has been sitting at port waiting for a ship ever since. I already missed a ride on the Courage, but I hope I can get a ride on the Aida!

 

spinlock... Hope yours hitches a ride soon. I know what you mean about climbing the walls!! Mine has finally made to NJ and is off the boat. This is the latest status report I have.
DELIVERED FROM NEW YORK, NY 30-11-2012 08:00:00 1
DISCHARGED NEW YORK, NY 29-11-2012 16:00:00 1
LOADED ON VESSEL SOUTHAMPTON 19-11-2012 12:31:00 1
RECEIVED AT TERMINAL SOUTHAMPTON 16-11-2012 17:53:00 1
BOOKED SOUTHAMPTON 14-11-2012 08:48:37 1

I am not certain what "delivered from" means, or if I should be seeing any customs info in here. There are a lot of conflicting reports.

 

OMG! I'm on the same boat (situation)!

My car finished 21st and arrived in Southampton on the 22nd. But missed a ship leaving 23rd, 25th, and the courage.

I feel like this is the worst part... I really hope I make Aida also.

My MA assured me that I am priority 1 and it should be moving shortly.

I'm driving my MA crazy... I hope we both make Aida!

 

I'm marked priority #1 as well. My MA is a personal friend so I occasionally get screen shots of the info on my car, but i still feel in the dark on most of this!

 

Climbing walls? Check
Priority 1? Check
Driving your MA crazy? Check

Sounds like a perfectly normal tracking experience to me!