So at the 4 month mark I'm so tired and frustrated with the waiting that I'm surfing the inventories of the 2 local dealers thinking if I see something close to what I want I'll just go in and buy it off the lot. Then I notice my VIN in my dealer's inventory! Does this mean it has actually arrived and no one has called me, or that the data of soon-to-be-delivered MINIs has been pre-loaded into their system, or some other explanation. I've read others say their pre-sold cars were also listed in their dealer's inventory but I don't know what to make of it. Could I actually be driving this week, was it all just a dream, does MINI really want to sell me a car?!

 

Same dealer, and my car is now listed as hitting the VDC with an at-dealership estimate given (of 10/26). Congrats on getting very very close!

 

My dealer listed mine in their inventory as soon as it was on a truck, so maybe (hopefully) yours is on a truck.

 

The dealer sites are really a templated Mini sites customized by the dealers.

My VIN showed on the dealers web site for weeks before it arrived.

I suspect the dealer has an option to show on order cars, and when they select this, it probably shows all orders (i.e. priority one [customer orders] and dealer orders).

 

Mine is supposed to be in today or tomorrow but doesn't show on their site. They said they got 2 customer cars Tuesday as well. Maybe you are with me...

 

Seems to me it's the dealer's car until you've paid for it.
You still have the option to not buy it when it has arrived.
.'. It is for sale?
Just an advertising ploy.

 

Mrdi, can't pay for it until there is an "it." Personally, I think it's sloppy web management or software design. But then I'm a born critic.

 

[QUOTE=vegbiker;4004583]Mrdi, can't pay for it until there is an "it." Personally, I think it's sloppy web management "

Not sloppy at all.
INTENTIONAL
The larger inventory they have/show the more appealing they are
to those on the hunt.
The advertised, are of course, subject to previous sale.

 

Thanks to all for the feedback. It provides more clues to fill in the picture. The Owner's Lounge now shows my MC as arrived. Still no calls though. Maybe I'm too laid back; the squeaky wheel and all that. When they do make contact, I'll ask them just how long it's been there. As a 4-monther, I'd like to think I would be near the front of the line for delivery. At this point in the process, I'd say they were guilty of benign indifference.

 

Trust me...they want to sell you your car just as badly as you want it (maybe even more-so!).

They will call you the second it arrives to come take it off their hands. FWIW though...the Owners Lounge and even the BMW/MINI DSC pipeline has been quite inaccurate in regards to the cars held at port. It may say its arrived, when in fact its still waiting to be put on a truck.

 

Last spring I was interested in an F56 so I had the Tempe dealer look for cars that matched what I wanted via email. They were able to find cars destined for CA dealers that were unsold and still on the ships that could be hijacked if you put down a deposit. I was gonna do that but I don't live in Phx so by the time I could go there the car I selected was not available.

 

Thanks Thumper for the additional info. I'm learning how inaccurate the tracking is. Over 2 weeks ago I was told my car had been released to the trucking company, and now the OL shows it's arrived. But where is it? I know they WANT to sell me the car and get it off the lot, but after dealing with these folks for 5 months I'm starting to perceive them as Keystone Kops. They just can't seem to get their act together. They don't return phone calls, they drag their feet on paperwork, they don't keep me informed, they ask me if I knew about their special financing AFTER I secured my own financing, they get the details wrong of who I am and what I ordered every time I call, etc. To say the least their performance thus far has been underwhelming and given me no reason to do business with them in the future. When I started down this path, as a first time MINI buyer, I was hoping to build a long-term, mutually advantageous, pleasant, relationship with them. Maybe they can still pull a rabbit out of the bonnet.

 

MINI has been just as bad at communicating with the dealers as to status of cars, so they most likely didn't have any answers for you either. However a lot of the other stuff you've mentioned...yes they sound like they need to get it together!

 

So no sooner did I post my last comment I get a call from my salesman (I just can't bring myself to call him a "MA") saying my car was in and ready, except for installing the car bra, which they'll give me compensation towards. What car bra?, I say. Oh you know the clear coat on the hood. No, I never asked for that. Oh, then it's ready and they'll give you money instead. How much? $500. (Like I said, Keystone Kops.)

So right to the end they can't get the details straight or are confusing me with another customer. I found it interesting in this and other conversations, he uses "they" and "them" to refer to management and other decision-makers. It's an insight to the internal disfunctional mechanics and mood of this dealership that this guy doesn't see himself as part of an united "we." He psychologically removes himself in what's going on, has no ownership. He acts like he's merely a clerk processing papers.

But the long trek is over and tomorrow I'll be joining the mostly happy ranks of MINI enthusiasts. Now I have to figure out how to get re-excited after this draining slog.

 

hmmmm......I was getting a clear bra from them. DON'T PICK UP MY CAR!!!

 

I'd offer to suggest some fun routes to drive on, but all you have to do is head west from Boulder.

 

mk, ha that's pretty funny. I kinda remembered you mentioning the bra. So they got us confused and here we found each other on the net and are trash-talking them. They're so befuddled I'm gonna bring my wife and see if we can get a 2-fer-1. Sorry!

 

Conrad, right you are! Just have to hope no unexpected snow drops this time of year. I've been long fantasizing how a MINI would handle in the Rockies. BTW, as an official geezer having reached Medicare age, this new toy supplants my beemer sitting in the garage. Boys need toys, even old ones.

 

My experience has led me to conclude pretty much the same thing. I gave them a shot. I'll be going back to the big boys to the south next time around.

 

Ha, I posted this take-delivery route in my First Gear thread.

 

So for those interested in how delivery and compensation played out for me in picking up my first Mini (VO manual HT), it went way better that expected! Partly in fact due to one more of their screw-ups! It seems though I told them the day before I never ordered a clear bra, it was too late and it went on anyway. First thing I noticed when I looked at her was the line across the hood. So on the bill was a $699 extra charge. After going round and around about what to do - like taking it off - they ended up giving me a whopping $850 compensation credit AND left the bra on! They had told me they would give me $500 for the delay, then the finance person said she would throw in another $250, and THEN, at the last minute, she said she would throw in another $100. You see, she couldn't take off the $699 on the bill (it had to be accounted for) so this was her solution. She also hinted that my original salesman - who was fired - had handwritten some note on the order causing the confusion. Not sure I believe that because we never discussed it - I didn't know they even offered that option. I found it interesting that the finance person was the one wheeling and dealing - not the salesman.

So all's well that ends well. Unfortunately it took almost 3 hours to get out of there - a lot of time spent on explaining dash electronics. So at dusk I pulled out and then shortly had to pull over because I already forgot how to turn on the headlights! I was thinking the car is so smart it should know it's dark!

The Meal, I would have LOVED to take that ride home. Just not in the dark.

 

did you see a black S there by chance??? :(

 

So you actually saved $151

 

Miniac, it's confusing. You made me go back and look at the figures again. They reduced the selling price by $600, then added the bra back in for $699, so I got it for a $99. THEN they're sending me a check for the difference of $600 plus.

So in the end I got the car for over $600 less than originally agreed upon and a bra for a $100.

Now I'm not really sure I like the bra but appreciate its value and function. Anyone know how long they last? Seems like the sun would deteriorate it, but how long would that take?

 

Sounds like a good deal to me

I had a clear bra put on my MCS over 12 years ago and it hasn't yellowed at all. I can't even imagine how many paint chips I'd have on the front end if it wasn't there.