Well, its down the the last lap.... not quite the final stretch, but the last lap... Ive got under a month left til my MINI gets here, and I think I am just about going insane. I ordered my MCS on Febuary 22nd and was given an arrival time of mid-may. HOWEVER, my dealer claims that I missed their number of MINIs allotted for that month, by ONE. I was then pushed back to an early June delivery. So, its almost time.... how did all of you cope with this final lap?? Im sure the last week is the hardest part of all!

One question: the WW site says that the Heijin will take 31 days to get from Southampton to Port Hueneme. However, my dealer claims that this is a 22 day boat ride, regardless of what the WW site says. Is he just trying to get my hopes up, or should I really expect my car to get into the port on the 1st? He was right the first time when I told him that I had been booked for a boat to leave on the 16th.... he told me that it was a load of crap and that I was probably already on a boat and that I just hadnt been "scanned" yet. Im hoping hes right again!

I think I know what I need..... RANDY WEBB TO GIVE ME A CALL SO I CAN ORDER MY MAGNAFLOW !!!!

 

My car was on the Hei-jin as well, just month ago! It arrived at Port Hueneme about a week before its scheduled arrival date. The date on the shipping website is really just a estimated arrival date, so if all goes well, it will arrive early, or if it hits bad weather, engine problems, who kown what else, it could arrive late. Its a long way from Emgland to California! Just hope all goes well on the voyage. Good luck!

 

JCampos,

Hang in there. Do something else. Go on vacation. Rent 20 DVDs.
Watch the Italian Job. Take a Nap. Through a birthday party.
Ask us some questions.
Go for a ride in a friend's MINI.

 

I AM going on vacation... thats part of the problem.. I leave on June 7th and come back June 10th. Me and my girlfriend are going to Disneyland/Universal Studios/Medieval Times, and I thought this would be a great time to break in the MINI as it is a 300+ mile trip one way. So if my car gets into the port on the 1st, I COULD get it before we go!

 

JCampos, not to rain on your parade, but really may have to take the vacation AWAY from the MINI. Of course, you won't be thinking about anything else during your vacation, but don't get your hopes up (the disappointment will be greater!). When my MINI arrived at port, it stayed at the VPC for almost a month before heading to the dealer for prep! While that's not the norm, it happens. I was on the edge of my seat since I had to buy plane tickets to go pick up my car.

Of course, if you really want to have a fun vacation, rent a MINI for a day while you vacation. It's a blast! =)

It might help keep you sane until your own car arrives. There are several MINI Rental places here in Los Angeles. Budget in Marina Del Rey rents them (I think they still do), as that's where I rented mine for a week!


>>I AM going on vacation... thats part of the problem.. I leave on June 7th and come back June 10th. Me and my girlfriend are going to Disneyland/Universal Studios/Medieval Times, and I thought this would be a great time to break in the MINI as it is a 300+ mile trip one way. So if my car gets into the port on the 1st, I COULD get it before we go!

 

My hopes arent up... Im not really expecting it to come.... but it sure would be nice! I am told to expect 2-4 days at the VPC, and that seems to be about the norm right now.

 

Hey JCampos,

My mini is also on the Heijin. It really is a mystery when it will arrive because they changed the journey time from 24 to 31 days at the same time they moved the departure date up a week. I figured they just didn't bother to change the arrival date and it would arrive after 24 days on June 3. I'm not sure anymore, because WW lists all the cars as loaded on the Heijin on 5-14 when it supposedly sailed on 5-10. Of course, none of it makes any sense. The heijin is not reporting weather conditions so we can't find it by checking those sites either. Am I obsessed? Damn right, I'm obsessed. Those of us posting on the May Build thread are like some sort of therapy group. If we get any other info, we should post it there.

I took a ride in a friend's mini this weekend so like some junkie I was able to get a little fix. Also like a junkie, now I need more. Have a fun vacation. It might take your mind off the wait for a while.

Cheers,

_________________
Pete Flores

 

It is al l about the weather. Which route best avoids forecasted nasties, saves time and fuel. There is nothing worse than a boat load of sea sick Minis, battered and bruised from encounters with bad weather.

 

Yea, this should be interesting to see when the Heijin actually does dock at hueneme. I would take a ride in a friends MINI, but I dont know anyone who owns one.... I would rent one, but Im not old enough to rent in CA.... I think my head is going to explode, I really do.

 

This reminds me that a month ago our Mini was almost here and one of my thoughts was on how bad the "break-in period" would be IN CONTRAST TO the "waiting period." Well, imho, it's not even close.

I have a few miles left until I pass the 1,250 mark and can begin stretching the speed and revs up... but it's been a great 1,250 miles! Your wait will soon be a distant memory - more than worth the current mental pain.

 

Hang tight and find another hobby in the meanwhile During my wait, I did research on everything I could find on the Mini. I also started collecting models of every size of the Mini. Practice Photoshop and create the ideal image of your modded Mini and then print lots of images to pin up everywhere...don't forget to put one on your current vehicle's dash

_________________

 

Ohh No!!

My Mini is to to finish production on June 24. From what I read here, it could take a while for me to take delivery. My current car lease is up on July 8. If it takes the car 22 days to cross the ocean (I am in NYC) and then who knows to make it to the dealer, I could end up renting a car for over a month!! I am not a rich man.

Does anone know what I can realistically expect? Ask-Mini said it may take a week for me to take delivery after production. I am very worried.

Thanks,
Nando

 

I hope it doesn't sit for 12 weeks at the VPC like mine did. That was even more torture.

 

Nando - It only takes 9 days to sail from England to NYC. The shipping times for the west coast are much monger because the ships have to go through the Panama Canal.

I picked up my car 8 weeks after the day I ordered it here in MA.

That is 4 weeks less than dgszweda1's car was at the VPC

 

Nando, it takes 22 days to get to CA by boat, not NY. I think it only takes like 8 days to cross the Atlantic. Add in time to get loaded onto the boat, and time at the VPC and dealer, and you are probably looking at around 15-20 days after your prouction is finished til its at your door. Us west coast folks have a significantly longer wait time.

 

Well, if you guys are gonna be pessimistic...then consider that your Mini might get pulled off the boat for whatever reason...or some porter will drive it into a steel beam...it might not get tied down properly and it goes rolling into 10 other Minis...or the transporter truck gets into a pile up 2 miles from your dealer...or the boat could sink before it gets here

Relax

 

easy for you to say "relax"... you can go hop into your MINI at any damn second you please !!

 

jcampos, :smile: hang in there, we'll meet soon.

 

>> easy for you to say "relax"... you can go hop into your MINI at any damn second you please !!

Not really....I'm stuck at work

_________________

 

good point sfjames. I think the wait is worse for me for one main reason... I dont have a car right now. I LOVE to drive, and I got rid of my piece of crap Ford Focus for this MCS. I havent driven in 3 months... instead my gf drives us everywhere and I cant STAND her driving . I know that I will get my MINI soon, but those first 3 months FLEW by... this last months SUCKS!!

 

>>good point sfjames. I think the wait is worse for me for one main reason... I dont have a car right now. I LOVE to drive, and I got rid of my piece of crap Ford Focus for this MCS. I havent driven in 3 months... instead my gf drives us everywhere and I cant STAND her driving

 

 

I am going crazy waiting as well. I should get mine in July if all goes as planned.

 

winechic... thats a very NorCal name. Are you from the Bay Area?

 

Yep, and you?