First World Problem:

I ordered my custom $40,000 premium car from Oxford England but it is stuck in a US port awaiting approval from the EPA making me wait another 2 months!!!


When you really put it in that perspective, is it that bad?

 

I'm not thrilled with the whole situation, but I am happy with how Mini is trying to help. For me, my MCS is just a new toy to replace my '12 Golf TDI that has a mere 33k miles. For my wife, however, it will be replacing her 100k+ mile Focus that is a piece of crap. She travels around all day for her job and needs reliable transportation. She's a teacher and wasn't working much during the summer, but has now started back and I was very worried when I heard we won't see cars until October.

I emailed Sadir Haji regarding this and also explained my concerns to our MA last night. I received a phone call from Mini a little bit ago and they said they should be able to give her a loaner car until hers gets here. I just want to be rid of that POS focus and not have to worry about her getting around for work.

So I'm still sad that I'm not driving my cool new Mini Cooper, but I am happy with how they're treating me thus far.

 

I am a federal employee. Here's my advice to you all: Don't sell your car yet, and your Mini will make a lovely Christmas present!

 

Big - I got one of those LOL's out of that. You're funny!

 

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Mini is taking steps to make this right. Giving them the opportunity to do so...

 

I agree! When I ordered my '07 MINI, it was both a new model year AND a total redesign. I ordered it December 13, 2006, and had the keys February 21, 2007. That includes production, the trip across the Pond, processing through the VDC, transportation to the dealer, make-ready, AND a few days hold until the U.S. release.

This situation is ridiculous in comparison. Order in late June, delivery in mid October (maybe)?

I emailed the names given above, asking what MINI USA is planning to do. This isn't the dealers' fault, it's corporate MINI/BMW's fault.

Incidentally, why is only the 2015 hardtop affected? Did someone forget to check that box when they ordered tests for MINI models?

 

So it turns out i'll be driving a Chevy Spark for the next 2 months. I complained to my dealer as they know my situation with my lease transfer. They told me to go rent a car and that they will pay whatever i'm charged for my rental fees.

 

Boy you're REALLY gonna be ready for that MINI after that!

 

This issue only affects the F56 MINI with the B38/B48 engines. It is not a mistake, but rather an issue with the new engines and their certification. There is definitely more to the story - my own suspicion is that the new engines did not perform to the 2014 figures OR this issue with the B38 reflash/fuel situation which needed to be corrected on the 2015 engine has changed the EPA figures altogether, requiring the engines to be re-certified. We may never know the answer. In the end, I couldn't agree more that this delay is a huge inconvenience to those that have ordered vehicles which are physically on the ground in the US waiting for this to be cleared up.

I will say that those affected should make your SALES MANAGERS (not MAs) aware that you are displeased. MINI will step up, but my experience has shown that it will reach out only to those who have made noise - not necessarily "automatically". Dealers have the ability to "help" inconvenienced mototers with rental vehicles (like the Chevy Spark mentioned above), loaner vehicles, lease extensions, swag, vehicle payments, accessories, etc. For this reason, helping every affected motorer equally will not likely occur.

Just be the squeaky wheel!!!

 

I think this is clearly a screw up on behalf of Mini/BMW. A major manufacturer like this has to have regular contact with EPA if not a liaison office in EPA HQ.

I have no idea how Mini is going to protect a car sitting in the GA Sun for 2 months. The facility there has no covered space as far as I can see (Google Map). The heat could damage the internal materials. Our Mini was getting tint and a cushy life in a garage.

Here is how I think Mini should compensate those who have purchased cars now sitting in the port.... for each day they sit there, Mini should reimburse the owners a day of their financing. If that is a day of a loan payment or a lease payment... 60 days stuck in port.... 2 months of car payment. That would make us happy and motive them to get this problem fixed.

Edit... This looks like the BMW/Mini processing center there. There is a large building where I assume the process the vehicles but I doubt there is much storage in that building. You can see Mini's parked in the massive outdoor parking area if you zoom in. They are pretty distinctive in size and the roof shape. BMW/Mini VDC

 

Well, crediting those who have car payments is an idea...but it will have to be something else for those of us who will pay cash.

 

Message deleted.

Mini is trying to make this right, and I will give them the opportunity to do so.

 

Anyone know if MINI is stopping the factory?
Since we have to wait til october and my current mini status is "still waiting on carrier" I'm thinking of going to the dealer and ordering a new one since i wanna add some features.

 

They have an annual shutdown in August.

 

I agree.

 

Here is a similar facility in Halifax, NS, Canada.
I don't see any MINIs. I do see the trains.
I don't see any buildings.

http://goo.gl/maps/p2t6e

There seems to be 3 batches of what may be MINIs here.
http://goo.gl/maps/yrf6G


Just out of curiosity, here's one in Vancouver, there shouldn't be any MINIs there.
http://goo.gl/maps/2UKcO

Except I can't imagine what else this little grey car would be.
http://goo.gl/maps/UKMlX

Here's a second Vancouver facility.
http://goo.gl/maps/BrEQY

 

As a proud owner of a 2014 F56, I'm hesitant to chime in here, but I think the explanation to all this is quite obvious. It's a conspiracy between the EPA and GM to help deflect attention from GM's massive recall notices over the past several weeks and months. If you make a foreign manufacturer look stupid, people may think twice about buying their product and opt for a local alternative. Didn't the same thing happen to Toyota a few years back? Weren't they "forced" to recall a number of vehicles after a GM scandal? And with Toyota, wasn't the main culprit floor mats? Floor Mats? Come on, with all the complex mechanical and electronic components in a car, the best they could come up with was floor mats???

Oh crap, a black helicopter just landed on my lawn.... NO, DON"T TAKE ME... I'LL DELETE THE POST...

 

Uh oh....

 

I like your thinking; however I don't think Mini will have any affect on GM. I don't want the mass of GM owners to become Mini owners.
The EPA does a random picking of cars and yes I think someone from Mini USA dropped the ball on it. The same thing happen to Hyundai a few years ago. I don't have a lot of details but basically they could not sell cars because of the EPA and Hyundai had to do testing before they could sell their cars. Mini USA are reaching out to future owners that have been delayed on receiving their cars.

 

is this for the whole entire month or just a 2 week period?

 

When I bought my car in June I was told by the dealer it was for 2 weeks, but because of what is happening with EPA, they may shut down longer. Not fact

 

I just check out in Google Map at the BMW VDC in Brunswick GA and I did realized but they do have a dock so the ships can unload right into VDC.
https://www.google.com/maps/@31.1292.../data=!3m1!1e3

 

Are people receiving phone calls from Mini USA at this point? I've had one conversation with my MA but that was just to receive the news of an Oct expected delivery. I was planning to head over and have a conversation with him and the sales manager this weekend but if people are actually hearing from Mini USA directly I can wait a few more days.

 

I sent emails to them and they response back to me. Go back though the this thread and you can get names etc. A few a days ago the dealers had very little information and no direction from MINI USA and now the dealers have a lot more information so you may want to reach out to the dealer first. Your call

 

I don't know. My MA told me it shuts down in August, but if you go to Plant Oxford website and look at booking a tour, there don't seem to be any shutdown size gaps in available dates. So perhaps it's not shutdown. Other forums give conflicting info too on whether or not it will be/is/was.