Congratulations! When did your CM finish production and when did it get to the VDC.

Mine finished production Aug. 29th and is scheduled to hit the VDC on Oct. 4th.

 

After spending just about a week at the VDC, my cosmic blue got on another ship bound for Hawaii yesterday. Finally on its way to the islands!

 

It finished production on Aug 19th and was loaded on a ship Aug 27th. It arrived at the VDC in Port Hueneme CA on Sept. 21st.

 

The OL updated today and changed my estimated delivery date from 1 Oct to 28 Sep. I should hear from my MA in the morning as to whether it's actually here. Can't wait.

 

The OL is starting to taunt me now that its getting so close. Today the OL updated my estimated delivery date to......yesterday. Yup it updated that I was supposed to get my countryman yesterday 9/28. But I'm not expecting a call from my MA anytime soon.

Funny thing is the original estimated delivery date was 10/13 which is probably accurate.

 

CM51,

Having just been throught the same process. The estimated delivery date is to the dealer. Next step is that your dealer will contact you usually a day or two later.

 

Mine showed up at the dealer yesterday, and my MA called me today to talk about it. Their tint/stripe guy isn't available until Monday, so I can't pick it up until then.

I might stop by on Saturday and look at it though.

 

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3368399

I thought all of us new CM owners might enjoy one more very original customization courtesy of a fellow Mini owner. She is placing the order tomorrow.

 

i picked up my countryman-s 2 days ago. all the complains it been reading about appear bogus. the ride is smooth, the chome trim appears fine " for now", the adaptive headlights are awsome as is the harmon kardon system. the sunroon is quiet, and the mini connect works flawlwss. i wish i had the money to but two. this is my wifes car and im finding myself jealous even though i have a bad *** crx sir and twin turbo 93 rx7, and a awd civic wagon. the car is so advanced, my cars seem antique compared. i can find nothing that i have been reading about for months accurate, if anything they are minor nick picking opinions. i guess time will tell if these thoughts change, but im not seeing it. the car is just awsome! even my parents seem jealous!

 

Picked up our 2012 Crystal Silver All4 Countryman last night. Wow, it is fantastic. Just love it. Anyone know where there is a manual on the navigation system? Can't seem to find anything on MINIUSA about it or in the regular manual that comes with the car. Pictures to follow later.

 

There should be a separate supplemental manual for the Nav and Connected. You can download the old one in the owners lounge but you should have a 2012 hardcopy one as well.

 

I went to the dealership with the intention of picking up the car today, but the stripes guy said he needed more time. Blerg.

I did talk to finance and get all the paperwork out of the way, though. And bought the roof rack/mudflaps, so I should be ready to pick up the car as soon as it's done tomorrow. I just wish I didn't have to work.

I wanted to get a look at the lateral visor they added for the 2012s, but they didn't have any I could look in. I wanted to see if it's the same part in the rest of the MINIs, so I can order one for the passenger side. The parts guy said they didn't have the 2012 parts listing yet.

 

I did get the printed manual for MINI Connected with the car when we picked it up. But there wasn't a Nav manual. Checked the OL and there is no link for the Nav manual either. So, I contacted my MA and he is going to try and locate one for me.

I wanted to upload some pictures but everything I try on NAM asks for a URL to the pictures. I just have them on my desktop so not sure what the URL would be. Wish they made it easier to upload pictures to this site.

 

http://www.motoringfile.com/files/MI...ion_manual.pdf

 

Thanks for the info but that link appears to be for an older version of the MINI Navigation system. It doesn't look anything like what I have in my Countryman. I'll keep searching.

 

Finally "official" got my Production Number today...woohoo.

My original order changed quite a bit (guess that happens when you originally "order" in August and have to wait until October to get the order "in")

CM S

Surf Blue and Black, Carbon black interior, piano black console and trim, surf blue color line, black rims, stripes.

Gravity leather carbon black, Rear Bench seat, anthracite headliner, blacked out headlight housings, adaptive xenons, heated seats, panoramic sunroof, Auto A/C, Technology Package

 

I just got a call from my MA,our car was shipped on 10-3-11. It is due at the port on 10-24-11! These last few weeks are hard.
Ron

 

Called Ask MINI this morning, status has changed to In Transit. This is strange because as of Monday my dealer said the vehicle was still at the port waiting for a ship, and there have been no ships departing Bremerhaven bound for Brunswick since Friday. There is a WW ship departing today, but I didn't think that Ask MINI would update that quickly. My VIN isn't showing up on the WW tracking page, but I don't think that's too unusual either. Guess I'll be bugging my MA again to see what's going on.

Additional Info:

Finally found out that my vehicle is on the Georgia Highway scheduled to be in Brunswick on the 10th.

 

Here's a summary of my time-line. Allocations for 2011 ran out at my dealer at early June so I had to wait until the first week of July to order a 2012. The model year switchover includes the rumored 2-week Graz plant vacation hence the long times in between body and paint shop. I checked OL and called ASK MINI every weekday to get updates

Dealer - Mini of Mt Laurel in NJ (Go to Shawn F. he's awesome)
Order date - 7/9
Prod # assigned - 7/11
In Prod - 7/21
Body Shop - 7/30
Paint Shop - 8/16
In Assembly - 8/17
Completed build - 8/19
At port - 8/23
On boat - 8/24
Port of NY - 9/9
Awaiting carrier - 9/12
Dealer arrival - 9/15
Delivery - 9/17

Total days from order date to delivery - 70

 

What exactly do they do at the VDC? My Cosmic Blue is due in Brunswick on the 19th and I am just trying to figure out how long it will be between dock and dealer in Tampa. At least she's finally on a ship!

 

PS. Anyone else on the Florida Highway? How ironic that my Mini chooses that vessel to board to come to Florida. Getty punchy now. I want my car.

 

Great write up about the Port Hueneme VDC here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...on-center.html

It's for BMW, but applies to MINIs as well. Basically a check up after their long voyage and to perform any necessary repairs.

 

That was exactly the information I was looking for, thank you! And a photo tour to boot. I especially like the part about repairing body damage from shipping. That was interesting, along with the fact that they have a goal of a two day turn around for the pre-ordered vehicles. Awesome! Thank you so much for posting this link!

 

The VDC is also seeing more "optioning" work these days as many of the "dealer-installed" options can now be handled by the VDC. Examples of these options are stripes, driving lamps, brake ducts/mirror caps, and some other accessory-related add ons. IMHO, I'd much rather have the VDC add these things on as they install them every day and know how to do things right.

 

You say that now, but in late 2009 the VDC in Oxnard Ca keeped my car for over 2 1/2 weeks. It was to install JCW Sport gauges. The deales later told me it was about 1 1/2 hour labor. So it could be bad or good.
Ron