dlaugh - I don't mean to question you, but I have wondered about this ever since you posted it. I just checked with my MA (I'm week 30 if anyone is updating the info), and she was pretty certain that the MY2005 models are starting production the first week of July - thereby making it impossible for a MY2005 to be finished with construction on July 1.

Are you absolutely certain you have a MY2005 built already?

 

Well, I was certain until you posted, but you gave me a pause. I called MiniUSA to be sure, and they confirmed my car is a 2005 and that it has been built. That makes sense, because my order has various details (e.g., body color dash, interior chrome) that are only available on the 2005 model year. So I'm certain I'm getting a MY2005. MiniUSA is under the belief that it has been built, and I don't have any reason to question them. Of course, I'll be happiest when I have it my hands!

 

I am confused by these build dates and production numbers. I have a Production number of 74741XX. I naturally assume that the production number is the order in which the cars are built, but I see people with production numbers that are higher with earlier build dates. Are the production numbers merely the allotment numbers assigned to dealers, or do they reflect some sort of order that the cars are to be built?

I understand that there is probably some advantage to building a bunch of similar cars together, and the paint shop wants to paint all red cars one day, all yellow the next or whatever, but it almost seems random so far. One orderer has a number ending in 5XX with a build date of July 1, while people with numbers over a hundred lower are weeks later. What gives?

 

I agree with Joedentist..... it looks trivial as to how the cars are assigned a certain prod. no. and when it's actually produced..... did you say that we can call miniusa to check the status and they'll have more info than what shows on the owner's lounge? I guess it's more excitement than anything else..... I seem to be looking for MCS's on the road now.....

 

You're correct - the production #'s are merely a serial number assigned to the production slots each dealer is assigned, and aren't directly related to the order in which they are built. For instance, lets say Dealer X gets 7474101-7474105 and Dealer Y gets 7475201-7475205. Dealer Y sells his slots sooner and enters them into the computer for production. Despite having a higher number, his orders will processes first (using a JIT production model).

We'll keep our fingers crossed and hope that MiniUSA is correct and the dealers are wrong! It wouldn't be the first time MINI gave out conflicting info.

 

Well the trick is the production dates are completion dates, not starting dates.

 

That's not my understanding. When I bought my 2002 M3, I was told that the production number was totally unrelated to the start OR completion date of production.

 

Well, as of 16:50 CST, I was in the paint shop per Ask Mini!



Yay!





T.

 

I had a patient cancel this afternoon, so I had some time to kill. I went onto the Miniusa.com site to register at the owner's lounge.

The lounge asked me for some info and a VIN or Production number. I put in the number that my dealer gave me and it said:

"That is a Chili Red Mini Cooper S - if that is correct hit CONTINUE, or enter a different number." or something to that effect.

Since my car is Purple Haze, I thought, maybe I wrote this number down wrong, and started entering the number with digits switched and other permutations. Her's what I learned:

1. The production numbers are not Mini production numbers, they are BMW production numbers. I was getting Z3's, 528's, you name it. It seems that BMW uses one pool of production numbers for all its U.S. cars.

2. The numbers are "grouped" so that there will be a set of 20 Mini Cooper S's, or a group of ten Z3's. If the numbers were assigned as the cars were sold, there would be a greater mix of car types. No way they sold 20 Mini Cooper S's in a row with no plain Coopers in there.

3. The cars seem to have "default" values. That Chili Red designation on my car did not come from the dealer. It seems that cars are assigned random or controlled variations. I guess so dealers can just say "give me 10 Coopers for the lot" and get a sampling of what sells best. Sort of like field horses in the Kentucky Derby.

4. Production number and build date do not seem to be related. Since the production numbers are for cars being built in many different factories all over the world, there is no direct correlation between number and build date. I assume as dealers use up their allocations, they do it in numerical order, so within the same dealership, a lower number should be built first, but all bets are off when different dealerships are involved.

 

Ok it has been a little quiet around my office today. Here is a list of what everyone has ordered so far. These are all 2005 models:

FF2-EMTB MCS Purple Haze/White
TrixienSpeed MC Purple Haze/Black
dlaugh MCS Chili Red/Chili Red
winechic MCS Liquid Yellow/Black
bmovierat MCS Liquid Yellow/Black
Joe Dentist MCS Purple Haze/White
ninjamini MCS Chili Red/White
gravedgr MCS British Racing Green/Black
asaulo1 MCS Pepper White/Black
2005LY MC Liquid Yellow/Black
Shine MC British Racing Green/White

CSW (I don't have any information for you)

Does this sound right? Did I forget anyone?

Have a great 4th of July!

 

Can I ask, how did you find that out? Through the owner's lounge? or did you have to call Mini?

 

Yay! MA just called with my production # - 74526XX.

 

I called 866 ASK MINI and used the automated vehicle production info option. Thay now report my vehile is in the paint shop with the same estimated completion date, July 5.

 

Put me down for 74560XX, On Order.

Thanks for the effort.

Dana

 

OK, since people are obsessing, and rightfully so, about delivery, here's a question or two for the cognoscenti.

How many Minis are produced weekly? How many of these are going to the U.S.? Motoringfile.com says that about 17,800 Mini's are sold each year, but is that U.S. only or total production.

How many cars does the ship hold, and are they all Mini's? I.E. how many production days fit on each ship going to the U.S? Does a ship leave each day, week, two weeks?

Do all cars go to the same port, or do Western U.S. cars ship to California or some other western port? Southern cars to Texas? Or are they all trucked from an eastern port?
Sorry for all the questions, but inquiring minds want to know!

 

This has answers to several of your questions:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/faq.php?faq=faq_delivery

 

Happy 4th of July! It is on this day that my MCS has been born and is now awaiting transport to its new home, Iowa.

And here I thought today was going to suck..well it still sucks cuz I have to work, but at least this is a highlight!

Here is the shipping info according to WW website....MINI hits the coast on the 15th. Guess I better get serious about selling the WRX huh?
VESSEL: LIBERTY VOYAGE: EB417-LIB
Port Country Arrival Departure BREMERHAVEN GERMANY 28/06/2004 30/06/2004 ANTWERP BELGIUM 02/07/2004 02/07/2004 SOUTHAMPTON UNITED KINGDOM 04/07/2004 05/07/2004 BRUNSWICK, GA U.S.A. 14/07/2004 14/07/2004 CHARLESTON,SC U.S.A. 15/07/2004 16/07/2004

REVISION:

Looks like I didn't make the boat either :( According to the booking number I am waitlisted, along with 21 other MINIs.

I knew there was no way this was going to go THAT smooth!

T.




Now I guess I need to come up with a name. And I thought naming my kid was hard sheesh.

Travis

 

Well, it looks as though my Mini may be at sea. I'm booked and received at the terminal, scheduled for voyage EA424-AID on the Aida. That ship is at sea and it looks like I'm being dropped off at the VPC in New York, scheduled July 10.

Tough to say for sure, given the warning in the Mini2 FAQ that Minis are often booked on one voyage and end up on a later voyage. The Wallenius Wilhelmsen doesn't say "Loaded" yet, so perhaps I missed this boat and will be on another.

Edit: did some more checking. If I had to guess, I didn't make this voyage. I checked by "booking number" as the FAQ suggests and it looks at though the Minis that made it to the terminal by noon made it on the boat (of which there are 28) and the rest are in "waitlist status" (another 17).

I have to say the ability to do this level of checking is just damned awesome. Happy 4th, everyone -- back to the BBQ! :smile:

 

For those that are in production (dlaugh, GreyStreet, Shine, anyone else...)what week were you scheduled for?

 

anybody see any changes on the owner's lounge as far as their car's status? still saying "on order" for mine.... called ASKMINI and it says that it's still awaiting a production date...... I guess I'm just too anxious....

 

MINIUSA states "On Order" as well. Called ASK Mini and the recording states waiting for production date. When I talked to an actual "live" human last week at ASK MINI, I was told we are scheduled for Production, Week 29.

 

holly cow! OL says I'm scheduled for production Last time it said that I was already done! I was suposed to be week 30! This certianly is not week 30! I gotta call askmini asap.

 

After waiting 6 long months on the wait list I finally got to order!! (7/2/2004)

Here are the specs:

2005 Chili Red MCS
White Roof/Mirrors
White Bonnet Stripes
Packages 1, 2, and 3
Rain Sensing Wipers/Auto Dim Mirror
H/K
Silver Dash
Leatherette
Universial Garage Door Opener (UGDO)
17" S-Lites (Silver)

production # 74609XX
Current Status: On Order

 

just called MINI and was told that the order has been accepted to the factory and is awaiting a scheduled production date..... I did ask if it will be scheduled for a July build date and according to the mini rep, he definitely thinks it will be in July.... woohoo.... can't wait....:smile: :smile:

 

I just checked OL as well and it also states "Scheduled for Production" and we are scheduled for a week 29 build date. Yahoo