What NAM needs is a "thumbs up button." Oh wait:

 

My MA said it is schedule to arrive at the dealership on August 15th. Not sure why they are telling this to customers.. Also got off the phone with MINIUSA and was told it would be about 5 days once it reaches port.

 

Guess s/he didn't get the memo.

 

Well regardless, it will get to me when it gets here - just allows me to save up more for the down payment. I'm sure MINI USA is going to do everything to make it go as fast as possible.

 

Or he has a 2014 model, not 2015.

 

I hear ya about the baking in the sun. MSRP sitting out for 2 months with the plastic cover baking on. And so they are released on Oct 1, how long after that to deliver? There is quite a backlog, I imagine. I thought about canceling and reordering in a month or so, but decided that would delay it who knows how much longer due to the backlog. It is what it is. But it sure is pretty unbelievable that any car company could let this happen. And it kind of happened twice in a row if you count folks that ordered 2014 right at the start and later found out they couldn't take delivery until the US official launch day, so their cars were just sitting at dealers for weeks.

People to write to. Here is what I was able to find: David Duncan-VP; Patrick McKenna-Dept Head Mini Product Management; Sadir Haji-Dept Head Mini Sales and Aftersales; Thomas Salkowsky-Dept Head Mini Brand Communication: MINI USA at BMW of North America, LLC, 300 Chestnut Ridge Rd, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677

Yes, it will be interesting to see how MINI handles this. Customers with cars just sitting in parking lots. Dealers stuck with only what is on their lots now - and whatever few remaining 14s they might still have in the pipeline. What a PR and financial nightmare for their flagship model.

 

"Some" personal good news. After sitting for 24 days I am finally on a ship. Tristan set to dock on 8/23. I know that doesn't mean much with the hold but it does mean that I won't have to wait the shipping time AFTER Oct 1st like some have suggested. When I saw the suggestion that those not on ships would be held overseas I got a little worried that it would be mid November before I got my car.

 

I sent emails to the four names above and Patrick McKenna and Sadir Haji I got back automatic replies that they are at Mini Takes the States Road Rally. I also posted on the delay on some different Mini pages on Facebook.
On Patrick email automatic reply he gave a phone number and also another name Chris Potgieter but he is product manager for South Africa.


Me need to keep the pressure on MINIUSA

 

I just got back an email reply back from Mr. Haji and that he would like to discuss option with me to keep me happy and loyal Mini Motorer and when is a good time to call me.

 

I went old school and wrote hard copy letters. I hope they still read letters v email.

 

I wrote my MA yesterday and am waiting for him to get back to me. I know this isn't at a dealer level but I figured I'd work my way up the chain.

 

I just got response from Mr.Salkowsky

"Thank you for the mail and your order for the all new Hardtop.


Sadir, Patrick, David and I are all together this morning motoring from New Mexico to Texas on MTTS. I understand that Sadir has connected with you and will call you this evening to discuss and provide answers."

 

Thanks to this I'll be out of a car in about 3 weeks and my mini dealer doesn't give out loaners. Anyone know if the dealer will refund my down payment/deposit on my '15 MCS?

 

Best just to call your dealer. Under the circumstances, I can't imagine they wouldn't refund you.

 

Wtwien,

What are their email addresses as I would like to email them as well? I had a buyer on the line to buy my pervious car but now I had to tell him no.

 

Email address are
TheirFirstName.TheirLastname@miniusa.com

I just got an email back from Mr. Duncan

"I understand you have already heard from Tom Salkowsky and Sadir Haji, and that Sadir will talk to you later this evening. I trust that Sadir will help and I will stay in touch with him to monitor the situation.

Sincerely,
David"

 

So, this is all well and good, but I think they need to be reaching out to all of us and doing whatever they might do equally for us. DO they really want ALL of us to be emailing them?

I did send an email to my dealer asking "what's up..." -- no reply yet.

 

Thanks. I will send an email out to them as well and see what happens. Don't want to be too annoying though.

 

I also sent an email to Sadir Haji expressing my disappointment regarding this issue.
Hopefully I'll hear from him.

 

So, did the Mini guys you folks wrote to email back with more information?

 

Mr. Sadir Haji (Dept Head MINI Sales and Aftersales) called me. Summation: EPA has added some new tests that were not conducted on 2014, therefore 2014 cert has no bearing on 2015 despite everything being the same. They had to send 3 cars to the EPA. EPA cert is projected to be complete by end of August. After that, MINI engineers have to do something (I don't recall what) that normally takes 4-6 weeks, but they are doing everything they can to expedite that process, hence the October 1 date. A formal public statement will be made soon.

I do not have any answers as to why MINI didn't know about this before cars were built and shipped. I didn't ask.

 

You're probably talking to the folks who wrote the higher-ups but I did hear from my MA. The story he tells is the same as we heard here though he says this happens occasionally(!) and he expects it to be resolved sooner rather than later though he did acknowledge it could take until October.

I explained in my last note that I was unhappy about this but haven't heard back yet.

 

My Mini was literally just built today and is awaiting a ship to California. It probably won't make it here before September 1st anyhow, but I m praying something is worked out so it's not sitting around a dock for a month broiling in the Cali sun.

Someone really dropped the ball.

 

Thanks for the update by the way.

 

Just got off the phone with Sadir - and unfortunately we all are going to have to wait till October 1st. Pre EPA testing will be done on August 25th with a 5-6 Week EPA Approval and Final Tests.. This really sucks, but they insured me that the 2015 cars will be protected and customer purchased cars will be the first out once they get the clear from the EPA.