Happy to hear yours is moving along. Once the cars are completed, they seem to move to the port rather quickly. I wouldn't surprised to see yours on the water before months end.

 

That would be nice, thanks....

This has seemed like a long time so far.....but hopefully, will be worth the wait....

 

Just got email from MA that my car is at the port awaiting to go on a ship.......

 

Asked if I could get ship info, but MA said system doesn't show that info, but might be able to get date when it leaves port.

 

Once your car is loaded, you can call the MA (I'd call in a couple of days from today. They will have a ship's name for you.



You can go to Marintraffic.com and search for your ship name. It will come up, you can track "past tracking" and "future tracking" there is a live map section showing where your ship is. First time I Googled it, mine was still docked Southampton, a day later the ship was a-sea.

Congrats...bet you'll have yours before the end of June.

 

At some point soon your VIN # will be associated with a bill of lading and that number will be linked to a ship.

We ALL remember this part. I was like a kid waiting for Santa. I checked that ship more than once per day. Actually was able to watch it transit the Canal via web cam.

There used to be web cams at Port Hueneme. Maybe still are. I saw the ship docked there. Actually tried to find my car... At our age, we're past embarrassment. It was just fun.

We share your excitement. Wishing your MINI fair seas.

 

Thanks for all the info....and good wishes....would be nice to see it before the July 4th holiday if possible.....



Yes, definitely feels like an early Christmas is coming.....

Would be fun to see the ship moving along through the canal and at port...

Thank you for the good wishes...

 

When I call I am now told that my car is on dispatch from the factory. Closest one on your code list is 160. Hoping to join ArchiMark in the port real soon (assuming his car has not already shipped). Starting to get very excited.

 

My car's vessel hits Halifax NS tomorrow morning 5 AM. Should be a 24 layover to unload whatever and then on to the next port...Boston? Savannah? Brunswick GA. is where it needs to get to eventually get to me.

 

Lucky you!

I called the MINI customer service number and automated service says my car is still at port in England.....been about a week there.......

 

That's strange, usually 2-3 days at most for a car to get loaded.

Mine is on it's way to Baltimore. ETA 1 June. then Savannah?, if not stopping there, then Brunswick GA. which is where mine gets off.

Sorry to hear your is being held up at port.

 

Thanks....maybe the ship got lost....

 

Mine sat at the dock for over 10 days before it boarded a ship.

 

You'll get more updated info if you actually speak to a person after getting the automated info.

 

Yikes!


After getting the automated info, I emailed my local salesperson. She replied that system shows my car still at port, awaiting ship.

Should I speak to someone at the 800 number to try to get more info?

 

Routinely, the transport runs pretty smoothly. Generally, there is enough cargo at the port to fill a ship (as they use every available space when loading). Still, I'd surmise your car would have been assigned a transport vessel....unless there isn't one available at present.

You can certainly call MA and ask, but they are pretty clueless as to ship assignment ( until the car is actually manifested) or the ship's ports of call. My MA told me (when I asked destinations for my ship), that the voyage takes 15 days and it should be going straight to Brunswick GA. Having done the order process twice before, I knew the actual voyage was less than 15 days, and neither of my previous two cars came directly to my POE. I think the MA's have the 15 day estimate to to allow for other stops and a ball park estimate for your car to reach its drop off port..

When my BMW sat in port for 2 weeks I was able to contact the shipper and find out why my car was delayed in England (I could see on the map where it was docked at a pier and then it would be moved to an anchorage position and then back again ( a couple of times during that 2 week period).. I had to contact the shipper and was told the ship's engines failed and the cargo would be transferred to a new ship. He was able to tell me what the new ship's name was so I could track its progress, But trying to get to the right person at the shipper and get specifics was a PITA. Luckily I found someone that would take the time and get on their computer and share the information. Assuming many would not help someone wanting to track their car on the carrier ship as they have bigger fish to fry.

I do know that once a ship is assigned, it is usually loaded withing 24 hours and a sea. They run a very tight schedule.

I think this is the hardest part (for the car owner) of the order process. Knowing it's done but somewhere in the transportation system. Bad enough for us living where East coast port drop off is scheduled. Cannot imagine the having to wait for the canal passage and travel to the West coast.

Fingers are crossed for you buddy............... .

 

Thanks, as always, for your detailed and informative input.......and for the good wishes....

And yes, this is the hard part.....

Especially, since on my way home from work yesterday, I went by 4 MINI's in the same color combo as I ordered....

 

Called the MINI Customer Service Center this morning....lady that assisted was very nice and tried to be helpful....

However, my car is still sitting at the dock.......

 

We're in the same boat (hardee har har). Mine's been at the port for a week. Every time I call, the agent tells me to check again the next day, which I do every morning like clockwork. Today I was told that depending on how many cars are waiting, it can sometimes be up to two weeks at the port but there is simply no way to know until your Mini is finally on board. I will recklessly speculate that due to the April closing of the plant, they might have been producing more cars than normal in May and it eventually caught up at the port.

 

Well, since it looks like we'll be on the same boat, maybe we can share a room.....

I'm at 11 days at port now....so, looks like I'll be hitting the 2 week mark before getting onboard.......

You may be right about the backup at port....or maybe there aren't that many large ships that are designed to fill up with cars......who knows...

 

Wow guys. That's terrible. Are either of your cars a part of the $2K incentive that Mini offered if you ordered your cars before 31 March? The deal was order before 31 March and take delivery before 30 June and get $2K off. Mine was and I had some concern because of the April plant shut down. It could be (and I'm grasping for straws here), that maybe cars falling into the Incentive area are taking up ship storage and causing the delay.

The MA's are not always read into goings-on behind the scenes...they can only check order status and where the car is in the delivery pipeline. I was originally told my car was a direct delivery from England to Brunswick w/ a 15 day ship voyage and an approx delivery to Brunswick GA of 4 June. In reality the ship stopped in Halifax, then Baltimore, then Dundalk (across the river from Baltimore) and is now (just off Virginia Beach) on it's way to Brunswick VPC with an ETA of 5 June @ 8PM. So arrival time to ultimate destination was close, itinerary was no where close.

When mine (the 2019) was competed it didn't stay in port for more than 24 hours before loaded on a ship. Past orders (1 Mini and 1 BMW) were only a 24-48 hours from factory to ship's hold.

Hope your cars find a ship soon.............

 

I ordered my car on 5/3.....

 

I ordered mine around April 11 if memory serves. My current lease is up on June 30 so I'm hoping to take delivery by then but can manage if it's a few days later. Since I'm on the east coast I still feel reasonably confident that I'll have my car before the end of the month. On the positive side, I've noticed that unlike many manufacturer's Mini seems to occasionally increase incentives the last week or so of the month. The June incentive for a 4-Door Justa is only $500 (which IMO is ridiculously low for the last month of a quarter). Hoping that if I can't get the car until the tail end of the month it might increase.

 

OK, some good news!

Called MINI again....was told my car left port on 6/3......and ship name is 'Alpair'......

However, when I enter that name at marinetraffic.com it does not find that ship.......




Was told it should arrive at port in California on 6/27...

 

That is good news. Happy your car found a "berth" and is enjoying an ocean cruise. I'd call MA back and ask them to spell the ship's name...Alpair could be Altair or some other variation.

Mine is on the "Victoria Highway"....heading to Brunswick as I write this. Woo Hoo!.