I ordered my MINI S on December 19th from MINI of Sterling (VA) and my MA said my car will have a build date of January 4th, 2006. The other day however, I was listening to the whiteroofradio.com podcast, and they said that BMW is closing down the Oxford, England MINI plant for the first three weeks of January. Apparently, BMW is pouring more money into the facility so they can ramp up production. As a result, all builds will be delayed three weeks. Anyone else heard otherwise or differently?

 

I've also read in a few places about the plant shutting down for 3 weeks in Jan.. Although I haven't seen any exact dates for it. With a Jan 4th build date you may just make it before the shutdown. Cross your fingers, you may get lucky.

http://motoringfile.com/2005/11/08/m...ause-shortage/


Good luck,

Chuck

 

Sweet!.. im on week 12.. so this makes the closest support group for me!

ITs gone by soooo fast!

Welcome to the waiting game!

 

I am still not so sure about slipping by the shut-down. According to a piece in Motoring File, the normal "holiday shutdown" is to be entended through completion of the planned expansion -

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

According to this article -

"Most of this investment is in further optimisation of production capacities, allowing the plant to react to the high demand for MINI throughout the world, as well as increasing production flexibility of the various MINI model variants.


To allow this work to progress and minimise disruption to production, the plant is extending its Christmas shutdown and will re-open on 13 January 2006."



Now, I guess I am supposed to be a "Week One" person as well as my MA (and Ask MINI) both stated that my car would be assembled the first week of January and due to be leave the facility on January 18. Current status according to Ask MINI indicates that my car is in "the paint shop", which I am guessing is one of the early steps.


I am getting increasingly nervous that things have already ground to a halt in Oxford and won't pick up until mid-January at best - and then my paranoia tells me that the workers having a nice 3 week break will not have gotten their groove back by the time my baby rolls by....


Nothing much to do except wait - as I have found no real source for what happens with the people in production during the shut-down. Let me know if you hear anything further on it !!


Bill

 

I was also told that my Cooper would have a Week 4 production date, however it was moved to Week 1

 

Wow! Maybe they are trying to push a month's worth out of the factory before shut-down - would make sense as BMW seeks to minimize the financial impact of the shut-down.

Our MINIs will be famous as the very last few to have rolled out of the original (un-expanded) plant !!

Bill

 

I just found out from my MA that my mini won't be affected by the construction. He said it should be delivered the 3rd week of Feb.