Change of title.... lack of communication thread
 

*edit* Ok, maybe the problem isn't scheduling, it's lack of communication. Ask MINI says one thing, dealer says another, MA says a third... ok folks, let's get it together here.... but on the bright side, they all agree that I should have Perry in hand around the end of September. See.... my mood has improved already! *end edit*

Maybe this is just for Arthurbang, who seems to be very frustrated at not having an assigned production date, but I have a feeling there are many out there who sit and watch others order their MINIs and get immediate confirmation, production numbers and weeks assigned to them and wonder just what the heck they've done to deserve being overlooked. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, am I not presentable enough to get a production week? Did I not smile nice enough at the salesman? Not show enough excitement? Am I too nice? A thousand questions and wondering thoughts crowd the mind as the unfairness of it all comes crashing down on you when you read another I got my week assigned post.

I really don't think it's a case of anyone out and out lying to you when you place and order but reality is, if I had known it was not going to be the 6-8 weeks I was told I *might* have looked at other dealers and their inventory/delivery dates. I'm sure they don't want to lose any business over the fact that their production week is later over other dealers. I console myself with the reasoning that when it comes to service I'm likely to get better service from the dealer I bought from than a dealer I didn't buy from. (If not true please do NOT enlighten me, let me be deceived about it) I think it is just a matter of timing, and my timing must have stunk.

In the meantime I have to believe that the wait will be worth it and that it will be all the sweeter for having this seemingly unbearable wait. I admit thought that it is annoying and frustrating to see someone post... "OMG! I just order last week and I have a production week assigned to me, I'll be driving my baby in just 28 days!!!" That is the point I grimace, take a deep breath, and say... how wonderful for them. And CHOOSE to be happy for that person. Why am I sitting here still without a production week asssigned after a month? I've no idea but I can choose to not let it ruin my day. (I allow it to ruin a minute, but then I have to shake it off)

So anyone else in the frustration mode or is this just Arthur and myself? :confused:

Just to put your wait into perspective, pm, those of us who bought the new MINI in 2002 had waits of up to a year for an MCS. When I bought my first Cooper in '02, I was put on a waitlist in March, order went in late in May, and delivery was August 28, 2002. I'm sorry your dealership isn't being more forthcoming...hopefully, you'll get word this week. :)

Count me in! I'm not complaining about it, but that doesn't mean it's not frustrating! I ordered on July 25, and was told that it should start production within a few days (counting my lucky stars that I am on the east coast where waitlists are short if not non-existent)...but I'm sill "scheduled for production" with no date yet. I am certainly not blaming my dealer because I'm pretty sure this is due to the plant closing for construction. But, I guess misery loves a little company...:roll:

Hang in there! The waiting will make your MINI's arrival even more exciting!

Maybe you're being too polite. Perhaps you should "politely" demand a number or an explanation of why you don't have one. I would quickly ramp up my displeasure and consider your other options. One option, find a dealer outside of your area who have immediate production slots. I'm in the Midwest and got my prod. # the same day (sorry not to rub it in). Time is running out on ordering 06's so...

Good Luck!

Pottermom, where did you order from? That makes a big difference as well as what you ordered. Arthurbang ordered from Long Beach MINI and really not that long ago, I believe it was in early July. I ordered from South Bay MINI on May 28th and didn't get a production number until June 30th. I didn't receive my Production Week until July 24th! Mine started production on the 25th is scheduled to be completed on August 16th. In total it will be 22 days for production. Now I could be upset about this because it should take only 10 days to produce, but you have to consider the change over to the '07 models.

I was told that it would take 3-4 months to get my MINI. Long Beach told me 4-5 months. This all has to do with how many cars each dealer is allotted a month and how many people are in front of you. Arthurbang was upset about it taking a week or so before they placed his order at the factory but probably there was a queue with others in front of him.

MINIclo is right about the length of time the poor MINI owners before us had to wait. I was quoted 16 months from East Bay MINI only a couple years ago!

I think if you wanted a MINI quickly you could have just bought one off the lot.

I have a production number, but no production week. And I'm told that there is no way of knowing when that production week will be. I'm actually holding up pretty well, driving my family nuts (entertaining my sons-in-law who say they are converting their mother-in-law into a motorhead), and being as patient as possible. I do know that my dealer received a shipment the week after I ordered but all but one of those cars had been sold. Whether they had a load of spec cars already on order I do not know. So I could just be stuck in line waiting for the dealer to have a new week assigned to them. In any case, I was reading Arthurbang's displeasure in another thread and thought there were probably others out there that were secretly annoyed that it wasn't a first come first served system (which would be totally crazy, but hey, we can dream can't we.) It doesn't help that this is the first car I've ever ordered. Every other car I've driven off the lot the day we purchased it.

I ordered here in Houston. I couldn't get one off the lot because they didn't have a single hardtop manual transmission in stock and not a single one coming in their next order that wasn't already sold. I did not want a convertible so I had to order. I called the other Houston dealer and they had the same situation, no MCS in a manual and hardtop and the same wait time given. I guess it is just that they told me 6 - 8 weeks... and then I find out that is probably NOT going to happen. I'm really okay with it, just thought a thread where those who are frustrated could commiserate. Obviously this is only going to draw a bunch of responses of "consider how lucky you are" lectures so on hindsight it might not have been a good thing to post. Oh well, live and learn.

I understand your frustration especially since they told you 6-8 weeks. My impression was that you were in LA (your location is Lala land), which is a longer wait than for most.

If you are really frustrated you could look into ordering from an out of state dealer such as MINI of the Hamptons or Classic MINI in Ohio. They don't have a long wait and they do many out of state orders. I've heard good things about them.

Also have you spoke directly to your MA? I found and actually ASK MINI has told me that they know much more than the automated info. You might want to call him and tell him that you are frustrated.

I would call another dealer and get my money back from the first one.

sorry about your frustration.

Hey Pottermom!

It's all ok. I have an incredibly long wait too. I chose not to order from Classic only because I didn't want to put the miles on my car, and after tossing the numbers around, I realized that it would cost me 1500 more in the end (gas,hotels, miles, licensing). I haven't been given a prod number or week. I only know that I wont be getting it until the end of November. I am frustrated as well. And I have ordered cars before. I have been doing the happy dance because I finally decided to order, and I am sure that in a couple of weeks while I am still in limbo, I will be doing the frustrated dance. :impatient I hope that you get some definite info soon. But, I would be a little more assertive with your dealer in gaining production week info. By pass the MA and go for the manager. He hold's all the slot info. Just remember to keep that smile on your face even when you have to be unpleasant. :nod: Most people will eat whatever you feed them as long as the presentation is pleasing!:lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:

The best source of information once you have a prod. # is from a live person at 1-866-ask-mini. You can speak to a live body during regular business hours, M-F. After hours or on weekends, you can only get automated info. Please read the "Track your MINI" sticky at the beginning of the 1st Gear forum. You say "I am told..." Who told you that? The dealer or someone at ask mini? If its the later, then I'm afraid only patience and tracking skills located in the sticky will get you through.:thumbsup: Hang in there!

:lol: La la land :lol:
I changed it to Lala land because of a thread complaining about newbies posting "where are you at?" I thought it rather ironic that threads that come and go quickly like that were being dissed. I mean reality is, when you are new who wants to go through a three year old thread that lists where everybody is? (I personally wouldn't because my old brain wouldn't remember everything anyway) A quick post asking gets some responses, then moves to the bottom of the pile and isn't heard from again. I figure if the topic of a thread doesn't interest me I don't open it so I didn't understand the irritation at new threads. (After all not everybody finds the search function right away).... so my ironic tongue in cheek response was to say I was in lala land (as in dreamland).... I've changed it to a more reasonable location. :lol:

As to who told me it would be 6 - 8 weeks, that would be my MA. So you have to wonder if it was just a sales technique. I suppose if it went into production THIS week I would still make the six to eight weeks... barely... if the 28 days from production start to delivery is true.

In the meantime I'm having a grand time driving my husband nuts. And I have to admit, I have found some really good advice that I've used with my other car on here.... who would have thought I could get re-obsessed with a '97 Altima? :lol: Actually I have a ulterior motive... to make that Altima look SO good my 19 yr. old daughter won't hesitate at buying it from me. Ornery aren't I. :lol:

My comment was not a lecture, pottermom. It was posted to give you some background information on others' ordering experiences. It's fine to post such a thread. I agree that because of the partial closure of the plant in England, it is probably slowing down production of the last of the 06s. And you really will forget this waiting period once you are motoring! :nod:

lecture was too harsh a word....
probably should have been aimed at the "irritant" in the next room, not put here online... lol I think it's just one of those days... no, it's been one of those weeks.

Time for a cup of tea or something stronger! :wink: :)

:wink: We'll call it tea.

Let me introduce you to my good friend Jack! http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies.../happy0167.gif

Seriously though, at this point of your young saga, the "ask mini" people have the freshest info on where your mini is in the process. It doesn't sound as if you've yet read the tracking sticky. It will go a long way towards helping you through this anxious process.

oh no, I've read it.
The frustration isn't with MINI actually, it's totally internal... it's the whole issue of why someone can order a mini and get it in production a week later and others have to wait a month to get into production. See... there is NOTHING that can be done about that.. it's all the dealer production etc etc. I understand that... like I said, it's just internal issues... the "hey this stinks" issues that happen that you can't really change but want to gripe about anyway. But as I said in my first post... I choose not to let it totally ruin my day.... and in a later post, it's probably other issues that have me irritated today... and in a different thread.... Wanna buy a ranch? I have one for sale.... lol

Thanks for the reminder to reread the tracking thread though.....

Gonna go drink some tea and study my Russian. Sounds like a logical thing to do to me.

See edit on first post for newest frustration, but hey folks, I'm in a better mood today... still have a ranch for sale though.....

Who did you finally order through? I got mine through MINI of the Woodlands, and they have been great. They also told me 6-8 weeks from PRODUCTION TO DELIVERY, and it is working out that way so far... I ordered mine way back in June, and deliberately had the production delayed to the end of July/beginning of August since I wanted it early to mid-September. It started production July 24th, has an estimated completion date of August 15th, hopefully will get on the Courage leaving August 18th and will arrive in Charleston Sept. 2nd. So it will prob get delivered a week or so after that... That's about right on schedule :nod:

I went through Momentum. It's closer to me and I head down that way more often than I head to the Woodlands, service and all that stuff. Actually Momentum has been good with me, it's just that I was getting several different answers from different sources. Now all the sources appear to be on the same page... although nothing is set in stone. One person I had talked to actually had pulled up a different order that had been put on hold so that was part of the problem. My MA has been good, patient with me and all that. *IF* everything goes as they say it should now I should be in production before the end of the month. When I ordered I was told 6 - 8 weeks from the day I ordered. That obviously was wrong but it could be the factor retooling too. Yah, I was a whiner this weekend... incredibly horrid weekend... but all is good, I'm okay, the MINI will be here when it gets here, I will survive... I'm a big girl (um.... let's not talk about physical size... lol I'm a grandma! I'm allowed a little poundage!). My frustrations were with the differing stories, the lack of communication and "other stuff"....

I debated going with the Woodlands but just like Momentum they didn't have anything in stock so I figured if I was going to order, why not order from the nice guy who I test drove with. He really did an outstanding job and treated me well (unlike a Nissan guy who actually expressed doubt that I could drive a stick... EXCUSE ME?). lol

So I have taken a patience pill. It won't wear off until I see another post that says... "hey I ordered yesterday and got my production week today, it's in production next week..." lol

Totally understand where your first thoughts were coming from. No frustration from dealer here.. I knew I'd have a long wait when I ordered. But frustrated none the less and, infact, I need a long wait as I have $$ coming in October that I want to use on the purchase so having a Nov/Dec delivery is fine.... BUT............ It is soooooo hard to wait (albeit my self-imposed wait/choice) and hear how this and that is coming in..

I know I'll feel better when I get a number instead of a promise.. its scary not having any number at all. I have to wait for my dealer's next allocation to get a production number.

I just read about someone who ordered on 7/31 and already has a production week! How can someone already have a date if he/she ordered when the factory had already shut down for retooling? :confused: It makes me feel so unloved :cry:. I can't even join a support group yet because I don't know which group I'm in...

And seeing two lovely MINI's on the way to work this morning just fuels the longing!!! Not to mention my current car's check engine light came on this morning... :impatient

Oh well, I know all this waiting silliness will be a distant memory once I can finally start motoring...

I know I shouldn't be discouraged
 

After all, it's not like I'm going to be stuck here without a car in a week when my daughter goes off to school or anything. I should look at it as a time to really appreciate transportation when the car finally comes. I did call ASK MINI and talked to a customer service rep. They say that it isn't assigned a week yet but from the looks of it it will likely be *maybe* week 37, which puts it right around Sept. 11th. He was quick to say that it might be bumped back from there. Let's see... the MA told me 8 weeks to delivery from ordering.... that would mean I should have a car this week.... but alas, I wait. And watch others get theirs into production within weeks. :mad: