so, the new toy was completed 7/17
shipped 7/24
arrived NY/NJ on the good ship Liberty 7/31
dealer says "probably friday, 8/4"
nope.
saturday 8/5? no show
sunday - closed
Monday - nothing
Tuesday - nothing
hmmmph. urrrrrrgh.
Sales guy says "it was due to us on 8/6 - we don't know"
866-ASK-MINI says "once it's off the boat, we're done"

the dealer is only 27 miles from the port.

what would you do? no suggestion too crazy!
and humor is the best anesthetic...

 

I'd make a cardboard sign saying:

MINI-LESS -- Will work for Motoring -- God Bless

Call in sick until your MINI arrives so you can stand outside the dealership with your sign.

 

Wow I hope you get your car soon

 

I'd get after your MA to track it down. Have they even figured out if it is still at the VDC or has it been released to the trucking company? If it is going to Princeton, the new cars come into a separate facility located a few miles from the dealership - it may be there. Good luck and start harassing your MA.

 

Oh man - here's hoping that you get some clues pretty soon! Try not to go too nuts :-(

 

That's awful! Yes, definitely get after your MA. There should be a paper trail from the VDC, the trucking company that picked up your MINI, etc. Your MA should be able to track it down. And if they can't, then your MA should have a very good answer about what they're going to do about it.

 

Same day the Monterey GPs arrived in NY ... maybe it got mixed up with them and transported to California!


[joke]


Seriously - this happens sometimes. The VDC is a black hole from when the car goes in to it, till its put on a truck. Your dealership won't know anything till the computer reports "on the truck for delivery" :(

 

Ian, sorry to be contrary, but my car was accidentally left off the truck it was supposed to be on, and got bumped to a truck the following week. My MA knew all the details within a day or two of it not making the expected truck. So there's got to be _some_ way to track things...

And at the very least, your MA should know whether your car has been released to the trucking company yet (which can apparently happen days before it actually gets on a truck according to my experience). This will help narrow down whether it's stuck at the VDC or closer to you.

 

this joint is great.
I mean, ah, the FORUM is great.


Why would I not be surprised if the car did go to California <?>

It's kind of shocking that the enthusiasts know more about the logistics of shipping $25K assets around the world than the people who get paid for it.

I like the "sign in front of the dealer" idea.

I will compose Haiku poems to maintain a zen-like peace for now...

 

(insert sound of babbling brook, view of white crane, maybe a bonsai or two...)

Pure Silver ride
you are lost for now
stupid truck

 

Actually being shipped to California would be better than it's having major repair work done in the VDC due to something falling on it during transport. If it shows up out here, we''ll take care of it for you. Short test drive up the coast to make sure everything is broken in nice and properly before delivery.

 

thanks G. very generous <grin>.
Acutally, it would be a good excuse to fly out and DRIVE IT BACK.

Google maps took about 15 secs to calc the route. LA to NJ is about 2780 miles, they say. I guess break-in would be finished somewhere in Nebraska.
Hmmm. figure about $250 worth of gas, a big bunch of sick days, tell 'em I'm in the "nervous hospital" --they'd believe that one...

 

Since it did arrive in "Joisey" you didn't happen to see these guys hanging around the delivery truck did ya??

 

thomasdmini - is your MINI going to Morristown?

i am expecting mine at Morristown anyday as well... our MINI arrived in Bayonne on 8/1... my MA originally said 8/10 and i haven't received another update...

it is a little frustrating, in that MINI and the shipping companies do such a great job of letting us track our MINI up until they get off the boat... then it is a "cold turkey" wait until we get the call...

i have a message in with my MA at Morristown to see if he knows our MINI's status...

hopefully our cars arrive soon!!

 

Good idea--a Haiku for you:

MINI, once en route,
Now lost in Jersey ether.
We cry Zaino tears.

 

The car is a financial asset to MINI/BMW. The credibility of their financial statements is directly related to their ability to reach out and touch what they are selling - their cars. Whether the car got damaged on the way to the VDC, or put on the wrong truck, or whatever, someone knows more than they are telling you. You might threaten to contact the authorities if they can't give you an honest answer. If you put down a deposit on the car, you have got some leverage. If no deposit, then you are SOL until the car shows up (or doesn't as the case may be).

I had a situation in another lifetime where a Volvo that I had ordered (and put a deposit on) was "mis-appropriated".... (As best that anyone wanted to own up to short of depositions, someone at Volvo in Irvine (the U.S. distributor) wanted my car more than I did....). The Cliff-Notes version was that I had my attorney contact Volvo in Irvine and they worked out a settlement (Volvo in Irvine extended the lease on my present car at the time (and paid the monthly payments) until a replacement car arrived at the dealership. I got some freebies (vehicle accessories) thrown in as well.

If your car does in fact show up, go over it with a very fine-toothed comb before you sign on the dotted line to make sure it wasn't damaged in transit. I don't know about you, but I would have a very hard time paying retail for damaged goods.

 

Yikes - Hope your car shows up - I suspect it's tied up at the VDC - you should go over it with a fine tooth comb just in case they repaired serious damage.

 

Five syllables short!

 

now 3:00 NY time.

what I've learned and not learned:

1. learned: my haiku isn't very good, but I'll make more.

2. learned: if nothing else, this is a great support group
3. learned: the sopranos have done irreparable damage to NJ's reputation

4. learned: these guys are car dealers, not car aficianadoes

5. learned: no "i" in irrepairable
6. have not learned: where the heck my MINI is...

blue baby: much better. I will try again.
sbpwjm: yes, Morristown. good luck. I DEFINITELY want to hear if you take delivery tomorrow (thanks in advance!)
caminifan: you constantly provide solid posts. thanks from all of us.
foomanchu: that's me 2nd to left. you godda problum wid dat? <grin>

 

My Mini arrived at the port in California on 6/30 & the dealer didn't get it 'till 7/29!!!
I still haven't picked up my car because of the aerokit, etc.. install

 

thomasdmini - i'll be sure to let you know if i hear about delivery...

my father was up near morristown yesterday and said he saw, not 1 but 2, MINI of Morristown trucks headed in the direction of the dealership... now even though i was told the MINIs are transported in enclosed trucks, Dad said one was enclosed and the other wasn't...

maybe both our cars are/were on one of those trucks?

let me know a little more about the MINI you ordered and i'll keep my eyes peeled if/when we get to go....

sbp

 

Similar thing happened when I ordered mine. Ended up getting it a month later than planned due to a foul up at the VDC - they ran out of oil for the cars, had a big back-up, and mine was at the back of the pile.

 

They said they ran out of oil? What happened to the oil they put in at the factory?

 

You know, I was wondering that same thing myself....

 

xenon in the dark
young mini seeks true driver
guess who just rang phone



yep. it's in. report tomorrow.
-tdm