Well, my car came off the Independence on Sunday along with about six others that belong to people I've met on this site.

On Monday, each car went through VPC, and on Tuesday, they were all released from VPC...EXCEPT MINE.

Mine is still showing not released to carrier status by the MA (who is great by the way). She doesn't believe that there has been any damage, because they haven't received the damage report that gets faxed.

These other cars went to big dealerships, just like mine (Mine's the reknowned Classic MINI in Mentor, OH). It's not geographical, either - my new MINI friend in Columbus had his car reach the dealer yesterday.

My stomach is turning thinking something is wrong. 3 days. It's been 3 days since the others were released. So, do you think it's damage, or do you think it's a shipping issue? Or something else? Please help - I am an absolute wreck. If maybe one or two others were still at VPC, I wouldn't think anything of it...

 

...it could be for repairs of transport damage...nicks, dings, etc. :???: Or it could be just paperwork shuffling.

 

Dents, scratches.. etc.

My dad's old 95 911 was stuck for about 3 or 4 weeks at the processing center courtesy of some nasty shipping damage.

 

See, that's the thing - I don't WANT a car that has been ding'd or damaged and then "fixed" that's not fair to a new car buyer. And then to not even adjust the price or anything????? That's just wrong. I am beyond words and full of tears over this.

 

>>See, that's the thing - I don't WANT a car that has been ding'd or damaged and then "fixed" that's not fair to a new car buyer. And then to not even adjust the price or anything????? That's just wrong. I am beyond words and full of tears over this.

You might PM moderator DiD about this since Dave visited the VPC and wrote a nice writeup about it.
There can be many reasons for being delayed at the VPC. Anything that is not up to quality specs about your MINI will keep it there. This may include anything that doesn't look normal or doesn't work normal that might require ordering a part. While a nick or scratch is possible so is any defect in a replaceable body panel (grill, wheel arch, side skirt, tail light) or an electronic malfunction like a headlight or dash light. Could be anything.

If you can get the VPC to document what was done then that would be the best thing. Hopefully it isn't something that needs painting but even if it does at least you will not take delivery of it in that condition.

 

Read all about my trip to the VPC here:

MINI Talk :: Inside The Port Hueneme Vehicle Distribution Center (many pics)

 

oh, Dave, I've read that great thread about three times. :smile: That's what has me concerned about why my car has been there for three extra days (so far). How can I find out what the delay is? How can I find out what they have done or are doing to my car?

I would appreciate any advice. At this point, I do not believe it's a shipping issue.

 

It could be anything really.

For instance there may have been delays in moving your car from the port to the VPC (as I recall about a 3 mile trip).

The BMWs and the MINIs are all processed together, so there could be delays to your MINI caused by a large shipment of presold BMWs (all presold cars are given priority 1). It's not that the VPC puts priority on BMWs over MINIs, just that with so many presold cars they may have more of a back log.

Another thing that can slow the line is if there are a large number of cars that have active campaigns against them. For instance, given the timing most of the MINIs may need to get the new v.38 software uploaded (i.e. your MINI may have been shipped at v. 37). That new version may need to be uploaded to a lot of BMWs too.

There are a lot of benign things that could delay your MINI.

Also remember that the owners lounge takes some time to update. Your MINI may already be in transit.

 

Dave, I appreciate your advice - see responses and please tell me what you think (I'm not yelling, simply distinguishing my responses from your points):

>>It could be anything really.
>>
>>For instance there may have been delays in moving your car from the port to the VPC (as I recall about a 3 mile trip).

COULD THIS STILL BE POSSIBLE WITH CARS COMING OFF THE SAME SHIP? THERE WERE ABOUT 80 MINIS, AND LIKE I SAID BEFORE, 6 FROM THE SAME SHIP GOT THROUGH VPC JUST FINE. TWO DAY TURNAROUND FOR THEM.

>>The BMWs and the MINIs are all processed together, so there could be delays to your MINI caused by a large shipment of presold BMWs (all presold cars are given priority 1). It's not that the VPC puts priority on BMWs over MINIs, just that with so many presold cars they may have more of a back log.
>>
SAME POINT AS ABOVE - THAT MINE SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY ONE OF SEVEN TO BE HUNG UP OFF THE SAME SHIP.

>>Another thing that can slow the line is if there are a large number of cars that have active campaigns against them. For instance, given the timing most of the MINIs may need to get the new v.38 software uploaded (i.e. your MINI may have been shipped at v. 37). That new version may need to be uploaded to a lot of BMWs too.
>>
WOULDN'T THE OTHER 6 HAVE THE SAME ISSUE?

>>There are a lot of benign things that could delay your MINI.
>>
>>Also remember that the owners lounge takes some time to update. Your MINI may already be in transit.
UNFORTUNATELY, I WASN'T GOING BY OL, BUT RATHER BY MY MA WHO HAS THE SHIPPING DETAIL, AND KNOWS THE CAR HASN'T BEEN RELEASED.

Thank you so much for your input!!

 

The thing to remember is that there are really three different parking areas your car has to move through before it even enters the VPC building.
1) the port - to move from the port to the VPC a subcontractor has to shuttle drivers back and forth from the VPC to the Port. They can only move cars from port if there is space at the VPC receiving lot.
2) VPC receiving lot - your MINI comes here first, then gets the shipping protection removed. Then it gets washed.
3) After the car is washed it sits in a third parking area (this one is covered parking). If it sits there for more than a day, your car has to be washed again before entering the building.

Given that there are three steps right there, it's easy for cars brought in on the same ship to get separated.


Most likely they just didn't get pulled from the port at the same time as the others. Maybe they pulled more BMWs in the interim. Don't get to worried.


Yeah probably they would, but again, my working theory here is that your car was separated from the other cars during the trip from the port into the VPC.


It's really hard to say what's causing the delay. It could be parts. Maybe a wheel had the paint chipped during shipping. Maybe they found a flaw in an interior pastic panel and want to replace it. The BMW parts warehouse is over 100 miles away, so it could just depend on when a part shows up.

Be sure to ask your MA if there were any declarations of damage on your car from the VPC, but I had the impression while I was at the VPC that most delays are for relatively minor stuff.

Keep us posted.

 

David - thank you so very very much. I greatly appreciate your responses!

 

I wouldn't panic. Mine was held up for THREE WEEKS! I made many phone calls, and nobody could even tell me if the car was even on U.S. soil. They wouldn't give many any info. I have a feeling that it was being repaired, but who knows. I just hope I don't find any band-aids.

 

i wouldn't worry either. My MC was stuck at the VPC for almost a month. Nothing was wrong, just somehow they kept screwing up the paperwork. Once I knew the ship was in, it was sad to find that all the MINI's on that ship were delivered to the dealers before me. I was literally the last MINI off the same ship to be delivered to my dealer. Weekly calls didn't help. Finally, I complained very loudly after 3 weeks and the dealer was like, oh for some reason they kept bumping my position at the VPC, and finally it arrived the next week.

 

Thank you for the reassuring messages. Should I be more concerned with this new info or more at ease - my dealer (Classic Mini - very good) is actually missing FOUR cars, including mine. She is right on it though - she has contacted BMW to find out what the deal is - waiting for an answer back from them.

Is it sounding more like paperwork now?