Welcome RaiderZA. Yep, you are definitely November Club material. If you look at page 33 of this thread you will see where Pebbles has posted two maps showing ship locations. Through the magic of the internet these are always up to date. If your ship has broadcast a weather report recently it will appear on the map.

 

Welcome Raider! The more the merrier!
We do track the ghost ships here! Then he'll get the day spa treatment, shave, haircut, some highlights in the front, skin toner facial, tanning mist and full body massage.... OMG, he'll look like a model in the GQ

When he's got his full Aero Kit, MINI Union Jack roof decal, Tinted Windows and Rear Fogs, I'll run my smiling face down there and pick him up!

I don't think I've ever been this happy to hand someone a cashiers check from my Money Market Account! Usually, I have money anxiety when I'm thinking of spending large amounts of money. But today I went and got the check and I'm really at ease with this!

 

Any other West Coasters (besides Jet) out there? Yes, The Phoenix Diamond is in and as of 3:00 this afternoon, off-loading was underway.

Jim

Electric Blue w/ White Top
Gray Cloth
White S-Lites
Sport Pkg
H/K

 

Pebbles - one week and a day! That is encouraging. :smile: I was starting to get December Club anxiety.

 

I'm naughty: I'm taking tomorrow off work to install my suspension stuff

 

wow! congrats, MNESIAC! blk/w is a beauty! looks like a tuxedo! :smile:

well, i barely stall anymore these days. only when i get confused with my 1st and 3rd gear! otherwise, i love the mini. although i do steer clear of inclines and hills. not sure i trust myself with them just yet. everyone have lots of fun this weekend and happy motoring!!!

 

lo_mini, sorry to hear about your "**** issues." There are aftermarket shift ***** out there; I hear the Whalen is a good one. The MCO (NAM) user called Trippy has one.

I just want everyone (especially Traveler) to know that the Tanabata appears to be sailing toward the North Pole. What the hell?

 

aw, lo_mini, I thought I was the only one who "accidentally" mixed up 1st and 3rd! My dad said it would "never" happen. I've actually revved up into the 4,000's (I know, big NO NO) because I thought I was shifting into 3rd but go into 1st instead. URGH, it's so frustrating. I'm motoring along all smooth and easy, then... GRRRR! Sona's engine get mad! Cant wait to show yall the pics!

 

As Jim pointed out, the Phoenix has risen. Or in this case...docked! I just checked the WW site and it has the Phoenix listed as "Vessel has Sailed" from Port Hueneme. That means our MINIs are finally on dry land!!! I'm surprised that the wait wasn't longer considering that we had to sail nearly twice as far as most of you guys here. Good luck to all of those just setting out to sea. Your MINIs will be here sooner than you think! I can't wait to get the call from the dealer... just counting the days now!

- Jet

 

Ryan, Have a great day off with your MINI! I've already asked for Tues, Wed and Thurs of next week! Friday I have a big meeting so I won't actually be sitting in the office that day either!

Lo-mini and Spoonleg - you both are doing so well driing your sticks! I believe everyone misses gears at times! and inclines with stop signs are terrible! Some neighborhoods that have hills are the worst places to drive.

countrym and traveler - your getting the northern lights cruise!

Jet and the Phoenix group - congrats on being unloaded! there's a few days of silence - that will nearly kill you - and then it really goes fast again.

Everyone have a fun Halloween!
I'm not wearing a costume to work, but I am using it as a reason to really dress down and wear old faded jeans.

 

>>countrym and traveler - your getting the northern lights cruise!

 

>>That's that darn phantom Tanabata that seems to meander around the north Atlantic. It's the ghost ship of lost MINIs.

It better not be lost, or MINI is gonna get an earful from me!

 

Ryephile,
How do your headlight washers work--once per start or three pulls?

 

Tomorrow....is the day the transporter leaves MINI of MENTOR for CalifornIA.
Happy OCTOBER 31st DAY November club! :smile:

 

>>I have not seen the real Tanabata since Thursday morning. I've also been looking for the Tosca which has yet to make an appearance.
>>
>>Happy Halloweeen everybody!

I'm on the Tosca, and I'm really starting to think that we won't see an update until it hits the port in NJ. There have been no updates since it sailed on the 26th. Oh well.

Tick.... Tick..... Tick......

 

Wow I take a couple of days off and it seems like this place is flush with new MINIs!

Congrats to all you lucky folks with your new wheels.

Still playing the waiting game

Chuck

 

>>
>>I'm on the Tosca, and I'm really starting to think that we won't see an update until it hits the port in NJ. There have been no updates since it sailed on the 26th. Oh well.
>>
>>Tick.... Tick..... Tick......

I'm on the Tosca as well; I feel your pain...

 

ARGH! I can't wait how long does it take from the drop off point to reach the dealer? I'm on East Coast, I can't imagine once my car's been processed that it would take less than a day to get to my dealer. Mini of Sterling. On the offical website, does the En Route thing change once its been unloaded, or once its been scanned into the distribution center?

 

>>ARGH! I can't wait how long does it take from the drop off point to reach the dealer? I'm on East Coast, I can't imagine once my car's been processed that it would take less than a day to get to my dealer. Mini of Sterling. On the offical website, does the En Route thing change once its been unloaded, or once its been scanned into the distribution center?
>>
>>

That Owners Lounge still has my MINI at the distribution center... but then again, it had my MINI still En Route for almost a week after I KNEW it was unloaded! The W&W site is very accurate! like to the minute!


welcome back cdconsor - every week the party changes! Every week more MINIs are built and loaded and shipped! It's amazing! It is something I never knew went on day after day for years and years at car manufacturers all over the world. To think that every car made overseas is produced and shipped like our MINIs. The shipping and trucking business end of this is quite impressive! and the fact that 99% of all cars arrive without a scratch!

 

My Estimated delivery date is 11-7-03. Can't wait. Thanks to everyone for all of the efforts to track mine and others MINIs. :smile:

 

>>ARGH! I can't wait how long does it take from the drop off point to reach the dealer? I'm on East Coast, I can't imagine once my car's been processed that it would take less than a day to get to my dealer. Mini of Sterling. On the offical website, does the En Route thing change once its been unloaded, or once its been scanned into the distribution center?
>>
>>

Ddraig,

I too, am waiting for Mini Sterling. I was on the Tai Shan and am supposed to be sent to the trucking company last Thurs. MA, now sales chief, Bill Cason said it can take 1 day to 5 days until arrival. Of course, the latter is mega padding. Mon or Tues pick up would be nice!

 

Tonights update is two-fold: First, my overall timeline from ordering to delivery!

July 28th, 2003 - place order for Mr.Motor2 at Motor City MINI (priority allocation due to repeat customer) :smile:
August 12th - order sent to Factory: Status 111
September 10th - Status 112: Scheduled for Production
September 24th - Status 150: Production Started
September 27th - Status 152: Paint Shop Started
September 30th - Status 155: Production Complete
October 2nd - Status 182: Booked on Jingu Maru
October 7th - Status 195: Jingu Maru sets sail
October 16th - Status 196: Jingu Maru unloads in NJ
October 24th - Mr.Motor2 arrives at Motor City MINI
October 28th - I take delivery of Mr.Motor2!

Part two: Installation of springs, swaybars, and rear lower control arms:
Everything went quite well. My buddy chad123 came over and helped me out, which was awesome and cut down install times and was an automatic double checker. There are a few noteworthy points to the installs; the front swaybar is easier than expected, except that reinstalling the steering shaft firewall grommet has ended up being a pain in the booty. H-Sport's directions say to unbolt the steering rack to avoid peeling out the grommet - and I wish I took the time to go buy the torx socket to do it The springs were easy as usual, the rear swaybar was easy, however the rear control arms were kind of a pain, because the inner bolts are quite awkward to access. In the end, after torque-wrenching everything to "guess the spec", we did a shakedown run, everything was great!
Driving impressions: WOW! The car handles perfect now. I initially set up my control arms to the same length as stock, so with the lowering springs I have a high -2.4 degrees of camber in back. I put the front bar on the stiff hole, and the rear bar on the soft hole. Keep in mind I used the H-Sport Competition bars, which use a VERY stiff rear bar - so even on the "soft" setting, it's still 244% stiffer than stock! The car drives perfectly neutral at moderate speeds and corner radii, pushes almost imperceptibly at low-speed tight corners, and will probley tend to oversteer with aggressive high speed manuvers (haven't checked this yet)
I am completly satisfied with how the car is transformed now. Body movement is drastically reduced, ride quality is better than those horribly "bouncy" stock MCS springs, and sheer lateral g-forces are simply amazing. Again, WOW.


Ryan

 

Ryan -
Thanks so much for the great write up!
and WOW, what photos!
Your Mr Motor2 is beautiful!

I just love it that the car drives perfectly for you!

It's the weekend! I know you will be out Motoring!
Have a good time !

 

Ryan - MM2 looks great. And thanks for the great write up. I have been toying with the idea of lowering spings but have not made up my mind yet. Houston roads are pretty beat. You would think that we were the one's with lousy winters. :smile: That will make it real tough to go out of town for Thanksgiving and leave the MINI behind.

 

Rye - Your set up looks tight. I wish I had your mod budget! I guess I'll just be so ecstatic to have the car, that I won't even think about mods for a while. :smile: It's all good.

Traveler - I have an EDD now too! It's 11/16. That's a little weird, since it's a Sunday. And I thought mine would be a bit earlier than yours, since you're in Houston and I'm taking delivery in Jacksonville. I'll cross my fingers to get it before that weekend. My wife has a mini vacation planned for the 15th. It would be awesome if it could be a MINI vacation!

Along the lines of Ryephile's timeline review, here's my abbreviated version:

10/1, placed order with dealer
10/13, status 155
10/23, left Southampton
11/7, landing in Charleston
11/16, EDD

That's only a bit over 6 weeks from order to delivery! That must be some kind of record! :smile:

I am happy. :smile: :smile: :smile: