Just spoke with ASK-MINI and was told that my Cooper will be built in week 4 of 2006. A little bit later than I expected, but not surprising because I had read about the January factory closure.

I sold my Cooper S to a private buyer, he takes delivery of it from me after the holidays. Looks like I'll be MINI-less for about two months

Haven't seen any Production Week 1, 2, or 3 support group threads pop up, so I wonder if no cars are being built during those weeks because of the closure.

 

Nobody's getting cars built in January? Eager to hear whether or not other people are being affected by the factory closure.

 

Mine is in the paint shop right now with scheduled completion date of 18 Jan. Not sure if that makes it week 2, or 3.

 

I'm guessing that if mine is built towards the end of January that I will be getting it around March sometime ... wow. 12 week wait

 

My MA called today and told me that the car would be build during the week of 1/4. He said that they were trying to get a bunch of car built earlier in January ...

Could it be that they're trying to clear January's production because of the closure at the factory?

 

Don't know, by AskMini said my car was finished today.

 

Great news

 

The Humans at ASK MINI have told me for 3 weeks that I'm scheduled for Week 4; the automated system and the OL just say "On Order with no production date."

What's with the shutdown? Does it really exist? People seem to be getting week 1-3 dates...

--dwf

 

That was my exact scenario too, my OL shows it as being still on Order. ASK-MINI told me Week 4, but my MA just told me Week 1 ... I'm confused?!

 

I just talked to my MA this week and from what I was told the plant is closed until sometime between the 13th & 18th of January. They extended Christmas shut down for the plant vs reopening for a week or two then shutting down until February. My MC PW/B is hopefully going to be in week 4 or 5 production! WOO HOO! That still puts me until May at least before it makes it to the Northwest

 

BUMP.

Have we gotten a definitive on when the plant is shut and when it reopens? We've had far too much conflicting info.

And any clue why some folks have jumped around +/- a week?

I need to ping my MA to see if he's heard anything new. But the last human I talked to at ASK MINI two weeks ago said I was still week 4. Right now I'm shooting for an early enough at-sea date so that I can take delivery before 3/1 and beat the MCS $500 price increase.

Meanwhile, I received two MINI toys for Christmas in hopes of calming me down a bit until then. Not sure if it's going to work. I already have a friend who wants to drive back from LA (South Bay MINI) to SF with me just for kicks. Let's see if he suddenly trades in his Integra GS-R...

--dwf

 

This situation is the one referred to in a recent MotoringFile article, that the plant would close for the "normal holiday break" and reopen in mid-January after the expansion work is complete.

http://motoringfile.com/2005/12/19/m...00000-in-2005/

Like Goaljnky, I was told that my car would be assembled the first week of the New Year and shipped out on the 18th, which makes no sense. I am thrilled that he was informed that his car is done - but mine is still in the ole' paint shop as of tonight.

Guess I had hoped that they would push out a mess of MINIs in advance of the shutdown to keep average profits up with the plant dark for weeks and weeks - I am getting increasingly concerned that my baby won't drop until late in January at best.

Bill

 

I *think* I'll end up with a week 4 production date...

I just called ASK MINI for the first time (this is my 3rd MINI, but I didnt track the first one and bought the second one used) and they said that I'm "scheduled for production with no confirmed production date"....

what does that mean??!

 

Mine has just been mixed around. I was supposed to have a completion date of 12/18. On 12/20 it was finished and off to port. On 12/24, it was scheduled for production and has been so since. My MA said that it should be finished any day now...I am starting to think that I will not be getting my MCS any time soon. :-(

 

Oh!ME!ME!ME!
Just got off the phone with ASK MINI and was told I am scheduled for production in week 4. With an estimated delivery date of late Feb to early March. Wich is around when I wanted it to be delivered. I will be over here till 25 Jan. I can get home, get some time off and get back in the swing of things, then my MINI will be ready for pickup!

 

Hi everybody, first post here. I ordered my BRG MCS on 1/4 from Classic MINI in Mentor, Ohio. According to my MA, my production week is the fourth week of the year. Not sure how the shutdown is going change things for me, according to MINIUSA my car is "on order". Anyways, wanted to say hello to the rest of the week 4 group.

Jason

 

At least the people who will build our cars will be very well rested

Welcome, jasonsmf!

 

I got confirmation from my MA that the factory closure is real. Funny how we knew about it well before they did.

So, Production Week 4 will be the first batch of cars produced in 2006.

 

I am getting a different response from Customer Service at ASK MINI. My car is due to be completed next week but has shown no updates in status since before Christmas - so I was getting concerned. The Customer Service person said that they have segments of the plant shut down for expansion but that they were still generating cars there, though probably at a slower rate.

I think I heard from someone else as well that they would still be pushing cars out during the "shut down" to the degree they could.

I am hoping this is the case - but there does seem to be a large lack of certainty about what exactly the situation is at the plant.

Funny comments this week on "whiteroofradio.com" about the shut-down - they were wondering if they just push the off switch to shut it down, leaving some cars in the tank of primer for three weeks and others inches from the door....

Bill

 

Just got word from my MA about the shutdown: he says that MINI hasn't given them any specifics on dates or length of shutdown, but that there are no week 1,2, or 3 builds allocated to them at all, week 4 being the first week of production for 2006 that they have. This confirms what some others have said here.


Jason

 

yeah, i am...and now i'm mad... Can only imagine the rush jobs they are going to have to do to play catch-up

 

You all realize there is a price hike after March 1st. strange how the plant is closed while all these cars are waiting...Hmmm, I’m guessing most of us now won’t see cars till after March if they stay closed for the first 3 weeks in Jan.

 

If we're all supposed to be week 4, how come ASK MINI can tell some people that, and can't tell others...

 

I have been told by my MA that the price increase is related to PRODUCTION date, not DELIVERY date. He has flat out told me that I have beat the increase and don't need to worry about that. I'm keeping a positive attitude about the whole thing, I really don't think a BMW plant is going to let a bunch of lemons out the door with the first group of the year, I just don't see that happening IMHO, but I really have no grounds to back that up.

As far as ASKMINI giving out production weeks, if I use the automated order tracking, all I get is "On order", but if I talk to a person they will tell me I'm week 4, Monday January 23.

Thats my story.....


Jason

 

I wonder why then my dealer is saying is not on production date but rather when you actually sign on that doted line (when the car is in). In other words he is telling me that if my car arrives after march 1st, I've hit the price increase. They had me convinced that thats how it works...any cars leaving the dealership after that date has to include the increase.