OK, so I have decided to take the plunge and order a 2005 MCS. The dealer says that the final list of prices and available options should be out 7/1. If I order then, the car will be built in August and I should have an ETA of about the third week in September. Does this sound realistic?

 

I am going to guess it won't be built in August...and here's my reasoning. I have a 2003 MCS, and it was built in August 2003. From that line of thought, and assuming MINI is consistent, August 2004 built MINIs will still be '04 model years.


But this is only a guess.

Miniature

 

The 2005 Spec sheet that was on MotoringFile.com in PDF form says that the new specs will take effect with "July Production." I assume this means that 2005's will start production in July sometime, so the August production date could be real. I'm just asking if only 2 1/2 months from ordering to getting the car is realistic. I hear about people waiting 6 months!

 

05 production starts in June. I have a week 28 05 build on order. Just dont know the $$$ but dealer has all the info.

 

Yes, it's realistic. The wait time depends more on the dealer than on the manufacturer. People who are waiting 3, 4, 5 or even 12 months for their car are going through a dealer that is running a long wait list because they are selling more cars than they are allocated each month. Some dealers have large allocations and little to no waits, others have insanely long wait lists. It also depends on whether you're ordering a Cooper, S, or Convertible. Typically the wait for a Cooper is shorter than that for an S.... And who knows what's going to happen with the Convertible... But if the dealer is not running a wait list, figure 6 to 8 weeks from order to delivery depending on where you are in the country. Add an extra week or two for West Coast or Hawaii delivery.

Also since the announcement from MINI stated that the refresh is as of July 1, 2004 I think it's a safe bet that anything after July will be a 2005 MY and not a 2004. I also wouldn't be surprised if the plant is actually shut down for part of July for the changeover to the new model year...