It was the best of times... It was the worst of times...

Found out that my MCSC (PS/B) is finally off the docks and now "In Transit", sometime in the last few days. Joy! According to the nice folks at Ralph Schomp (CO), they are expecting arrival at Port Hueneme CA on 9/15.

But now it seems I enter a vacuum of information. Neither the dealer nor ASK-MINI could get me any info about shipping, like what line it might be on, shipping bill of lading#, etc. The Wallenius site's tracking doesn't know about my VIN. Nor does it look like there's a decent way to check on the NYK line unless you know someone 'in the business' that has a login.

But I was able to check shipping schedules on Wallenius, NYK, and K-Line's site. Neither of the latter 2 had any ships going from Southampton to Port H. in August or September that I could see. Wallenius schedule, however, shows a boat that works out to my exact dates -- the TITUS departed Southampton on 19-Aug, scheduled to arrive in Port H. on 12-Sep which seems about right to me.

Should I just assume my car is on that boat and track it for my own psychological comfort, even though my VIN isn't trackable?

Tap...Tap...Tap... Maybe I need to schedule another test drive to kill time while waiting....

-=- D. J.

 

Well, if you're on TITUS, I'm not with you - ASK-MINI told me that I just got to Southampton on the 23rd, - 11 days after production. I thing Graham and Ian took our convertible out for fish and chips or something, forgot to come home. . .

Here's a good tracking site for some ships - but not NYK, I'm afraid. . .

http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shiplocations.phtml



The wait WOULD be a bit easier if I could find out some info. . .c'mon, throw me a bone here. . .

 

there is at least one other shipping company that is used to Port Hueneme from SouthHampton.

I could not track my car based on the tracking documents on mini2.com. They were way out of date when my car came over in October of 2004.

The reason you cant locate the vin on their system is there is another shipping company. I found that much out in my situation. Unfortunately the other shipping company did NOT have a web portal and offer VIN tracking / ship movement updates... Totally took the fun out of watching the ship cross the oceans....

Good luck to you and enjoy the car !!!

 

Well, the companies may not have shipping or tracking info, but you can try and dig up some stuff on other ships. . .the NYK BUJIN's call sign is 3FPW3 - I can find some info online, but nothing firm. I think the tracking of ships at sea is a voluntary thing that NYK doesn't play. . .th' hosers. . .

 

I forgot if you can get the ship tracking number you can at least pick it up when it is being followed by the Coast Guard. I dont know if that will work for the whole journey (which I doubt) or just when it is close to US waters.

 

My VIN # was not trackable either, but my car arrived a few days earlier than the time my motoring advisor had told me it would be. I found also out that the tracking of the boats was not really updated. So just relax and before to long you'll have your car.
Cheers,
H

 

Relax, relax, relax - not hardly!!!

Man, I'm gettin' frustrated, too! Ordered on July 1st and STILL no firm info. ASK-MINI doesn't have any info past leaving the factory, and the dealer just shows it "In Transit." No ship info, and they're guessing at a 13 September arrival at the VDC. Then about a week there, then a week to 10 days to Colorado. I'll be lucky to be motoring by the 1st of October. That's three months from order to delivery, and that doesn't count the months on the waiting list.

Yeah, the anticipation is nice, but enough's enough. Just get my durn car here, would ya??