And no, I don't mean in imperial miles. Google Earth can tell me that.

But from the "estimated production completion date" until it's on the dock? I've got a two day window until the DON CARLOS sets sail. Any estimates as to if my MINI will make that ship or the next?

I guess there's capacity issues all along the way: lot in Oxford, trains, lot at the dock, and then the ships themselves. But with most things just-in-time these days, I've got to figure there's a pretty good predictor somewhere.

thx,

--dwf

 

I would say that the process - including transport - is very quick. Best as I can tell my car was assembled last weekend (probably Saturday 1/14 or early Sunday) and showed up on the WW (shipping line) booking register for my ship on Monday 1/16 at 11:04pm. Exactly three hours later just after 2:00 am on 1/17 it was shown as "received at terminal" and on Wednesday 1/18 at 4:45 pm it was loaded on vessel.

Now, one thing I noticed is that WW originally had my ship leaving on Wednesday but they changed their schedule during the week for a departure a day later (today) and given that the ship no longer appears on their schedule I would surmise that it has departed a day late.

The other thing I noticed was that my "estimated production completion date" was ALWAYS January 18, the day that the ship was set to sail. It actually seemed to be completed and moved to the port before that - maybe they define "completion" as being loaded on the boat.

On Google Earth, you can see MINIs being loaded on a rail siding next to the plant - but I have heard that they are actually trucked to Southampton. The rail may be for European shipments. From the map it looks like a short drive - a few hours at most I would think.

Your mind will be put at ease when your car begins to show up in the WW shipping registry - use your full VIN number under "Auto Tracking" and it will give you the run-down on all the above events. From what I experienced, the WW system updates FAR more rapidly than the MINI tracking systems (web or ASK MINI - which for me still has me awaiting transport or "at the port" with no shipping info). On your record it will advise the ship you have been assigned and you can compare all that to their "schedule" utility on the website to get further details about departure and arrival of that vessel.

I am guessing that my ship is now at sea - and I have other sites that should begin to pick up the Elektra on the high seas by tomorrow, so that I can chart its progress hour by hour across the Atlantic.

I never thought I could be so obsessive about a car....

Bill

 

Obsessive... No kidding. I have always told everybody that a car is just a car and just buy anything. Now I am waiting for Betty and keep going online and calling my dealer.... I swear I am acting like a girl......lol

 

You're not truly obsessed until you find yourself testing the various limits of the voice recognition software at ASK MINI.

--dwf

 

My obsessive behavior peaked when I watched my ship (Teal) depart Southampton on the Solent AIS. It was cool, you could watch it come down the channel and make the turn out into the Atlantic, but I was glad they did not have any ship tracking in the Atlantic or I would have watched it the whole way.

 

You are not REALLY obsessed until you are tracking the real-time gps coordinates of the transport ship here.

 

Yeah, it is a good morning. Elektra left port yesterday and is now showing up as having cleared Lands End... I love that system.

Hoping for clear weather and gentle swells....

Bill

 

Bill,
I hear that your Mini has already ordered room service twice. That real time ship tracking web site is awesome. Hope my mini gets here soon so I can get back to work.

 

My wall at work and home looks like the control room for a shipping company - not only the latest locator maps, weather reports and voyage details for the Elektra - but also a magnificent photo printout of the ship from a TIFF file downloaded from the WW site. Been thinking of Photoshopping the image to put my MINI on the deck sunbathing but that may be too much. Don't want to be seen as obsessive...

Bill