Boston,

Replied to your PM. It is on the Platinum Ray scheduled to dock NYC on the 29th and so far on schedule. North Atlantic forecast is good so it should be on time. Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

 

thanks again cobra...keep in touch and happy holidays to you too!

 

Boston,

My bad. The PR isn't making the normal Europe to NA run. There isn't a stop in Halifax. Next port is NYC then Baltimore on the 30th. Really no difference to you except your car had Italian shipmates during the voyage.

 

A little post-Christmas letdown for me. The dealer was wrong. My car is also still sitting at the port in Brunswick, not on a truck on its way to me.

I am getting frustrated with my dealer. Once I signed the order, the dealer-initiated communication came to a complete halt. Every bit of information I've gotten has been after I've either called or personally shown up at the dealership. When I call, the receptionist unfailingly puts me through to the service department a couple of times, even after I either tell her that I've ordered a car or ask for the "Mini sales department." Not only did my salesperson move on to greener pastures shortly after my order, but today I found out that the sales manager has left too. Supposedly they've given my file to one of the remaining salespeople, but I can't imagine that they'll be paying him much of a commission on this sale. At this rate, I'll be lucky if they remember to call me when and if they get my car, which will evidently be sometime in 2012.

 

I'm Kinda in the same situation, my MA quit also. I have been getting a little more infor now though. My car should have been there in the 22nd but it's still MIA. I just hope it's ready by the 31st.

 

contact the Sales Manager...if no response...contact the Dealership owner...also, there is a site dealerrater.com in which you can give positive and negative feedback...tell them you don't like to give negative reviews on the web...however...if things dont change quickly that you may have no alternative. anyway, whether you have lots or little money...you are making a big purchase...you deserve to be treated with dignity and respect...don't settle for less.

 

The California Highway was estimated to be in Brunswick on the 28th, but I see by K-line it has moved to Dec. 30th. Rats

 

Same here Katie. My car has been at Brunswick for over a week now while other folk's cars off the same ship have already been delivered. Does anyone know how that process works? Is it the dealership's call to initiate the pick up of their cars? Can anyone think of a reason why a dealership would let "sold" cars sit at port versus delivering? Makes absolutely no sense to me.

 

Just talked to my MA and he swears they have zero control over getting the cars from port to the dealership. Can anyone confirm or deny?
Thanks!

 

Hey, SoonerMack--I actually asked my MA about this for you. I told him I was surprised my car got to Houston before yours got to you, and he said that typically the VDC waits to send out a truck to a dealership until they can fill the truck (6 cars). My dealership apparently had a TON of Minis on the Florida Highway, so they filled a truck (actually a couple of trucks, apparently) immediately.

He thought that maybe your dealership didn't have 6 cars, and they were waiting to fill the truck. I don't know if there's another dealership in your general area, but it sounded like if they can't fill a truck with cars for 1 dealership in a semi-reasonable time, they'll try to get cars going to 2-3 dealerships in the same general area and fill it that way.

Anyway, just speculation from my MA on your situation, but I thought it might be helpful! I sure hope your baby arrives soon!

EDIT: And yeah--it sounds like the dealership itself doesn't have any control--it's down to the VDC/shipping company filling trucks.

 

Thanks Ann! That makes sense since the dealership in Memphis doesn't have any competition within 180 miles. If they didn't fill the truck, it would take time logistically to ride along with a nearby dealership since there are none. Unfortunately, my dealership acts like they're the only game in town it too. I'm finding that a combination of Ambient and beer helps my angst. :-) jk

 

I'm getting a really bad feeling that they're going to wait until the ship gets to Brunswick on the 30th, let the cars sit there all holiday weekend, take a few extra days to work on the cars that arrived on the 30th, and then and only then load up a truck to head out I-40 to Knoxville, Memphis, and last and least, me in Oklahoma.

I got so excited when the ship got to Brunswick on the 17th. This is definitely taking some of the fun out of the process. If I ever do this again, someone please remind me to buy the car in Dallas, land of three Mini dealers.

 

Katie, It's the home stretch, the hardest part of the process. It's worth it in the end to order exactly what you wanted. I'm a repeat offender and I hope to be able to do it again.

 

My fingers are crossed for both you and me. If it doesn't get here quickly, I'm going to run out of room in my office with all the 'goodies' I've already bought. I probably have a week's worth of mods I'm chompin' at the bit to get to. BTW ... I'm a misplaced born and raised Okie. I can't wait to drive in my new CMS from Memphis to OKC to visit family. I bet that drive won't be half as bad in a Countryman!

 

Katie,

Waiting is always the hardest part. I was so wrapped up in tracking our CM that I was a tad bit difficult to live with. Just relax, I know you want it yesterday. But I can guaranty that it will be worth the wait. I look forward to driving Betty. Today we stopped at a light in Connecticut traffic was stopped on the other side as well. I honked and waived at another CM and person waived back and had a big Jello smile on her face. It is so worth it. Relax and when it arrives you too will have a big smile on your face when other Mini Owners waive.

 

You all are right; this too shall pass and it'll have been well worth the wait. I wrote the new sales manager, the new salesperson, and the finance manager to provide them a copy of the email with their agreement to honor the Motor-Tober discount if we went past 1/3. And now I am going to put away all the car goodies I got for Christmas and try to quit thinking about it until I get the call.

Not surprised to hear you are from Oklahoma, SoonerMack! I'm a Stillwater native and OSU grad, but except on Bedlam day, some of my best friends are Sooners.

 

Picking mine up at 3:30 today. Any words of advice?

 

Drive it like you stole it! But make sure that your MA goes through all the Connected/Nav stuff and settings with you if you ordered it--there's a bit of a learning curve.

 

A BIG +1

 

This is where your MA can become a Hero or a zero. Make him earn his keep. Make sure he goes over the littledetails with you such as how to set the auto locking and how to change the lane change feature from 1 to three (if you want) Make sure he/she sets up your Sirius XM radio (registration process) also listen to everything that they tell you I found it to be easier if someone shows me and then I read it. Have fun and enjoy!!!!!!!!

 

Sooner,

Basically your MA was correct; they load trucks with all the cars they can to a specific dealer. Here on LI there are only 3 dealers and 2 are within 20 miles of each other so they get their cars consistently. My dealer told me they usually get multiple truck loads at a time from the VDC. On the other hand the Southampton dealer is more than 75 miles further east and is a low volume dealer. I understand they wait longer for their VDC deliveries.

 

update from my SM/MA...he forwarded to me something that miniusa just sent to him explaining why dealers are seeing ETAs being pushed back. the inbound vessels were delayed in part to a storm, with the holiday, union could not unload the vessels, but the VDC in NJ is going to unload as soon as possible...basically the gist of the email. so here i wait longer and longer...hopefully the popcorn doesnt run out

 

According to my MA, my car left Port Hueneme on the 24th and it's still not at the dealership as of this morning. Even with a holiday in between I can't figure out why it would take 5 days to drive from LA to Reno . Must really be taking the scenic route.

I was good about not contacting my MA too much during the last 89 days but I have become a total nag as of yesterday with 2 emails and 1 phone call within 36 hours. He probably regrets telling me it left PH on the 24th and that it should be in on the 26th...

 

Update. My car came in late this morning. It's getting prepped this afternoon and I can pick it up this evening.

 

Congrats Fredo!!! I hope everything goes smoothly!

Now I know how Rachel felt on Friends when she had her baby.