Now I'm getting different information than I did earlier in the week; Wednesday my wife called and our MINI had been released to a truck from the VDC that morning. I called my MA today and he said it was released to a truck from the VDC THIS morning (does that even happen on Saturdays?). So it might be much longer than I feared. :(

 

Hey Ahalibut,

Any news??

 

Last I heard was Thursday the 9th, which I just don't even know anymore. hmm Kinda soured on this experience, especially with so many good used MINIs out there.

 

Well, my MA is still saying arrival on Monday AM.

Based on your comments of earlier, it sounds to me that your MA is trying to put you off as long as possible. For some reason, these Baron folks seem to be reluctant to make a realistic delivery estimate and are really conservative. They must have been burned or had some sort of bad experience in the past.

Anyway, my MA has told me she will call me on Monday when the car arrives to discuss the sport stripe installation (no idea why the car needs to be present to discuss). I'll let you know after I've got confirmation that the car is on site. I don't know how far you are from the dealership but you might want to "drop" in.

 

I live about ten minutes away. I'm thinking about stopping by tonight, though if I understand correctly they have another location other than the dealership lot (a local warehouse or something) where a lot of their vehicles are actually located (the high dollar BMWs and such). Not sure, that's just something I heard once, long before I went to shop for my MINI.

 

Speaking of living ten minutes away; I just drove up to the dealership to scope everything out. No new MINIs, though I can't say for certain where they would even be unloaded when they get a truck in. Only BRG on the lot was a convertible non-S.

 

Well, thanks for checking.....bummer!!!

 

My wife has today off; I have tomorrow off. I don't think she'll be doing it but tomorrow I plan on staking the place out.

 

That was a GENUINE belly laugher !

 

Well, night one of the stakeout yielded some new MINIs but none of them BRG. On the lot as of today (versus yesterday) was a new astro black, a dark silver, a new laser blue, and several non-S models of various colors that I didn't notice before.

There is one area of the dealership where I'm not able to access; they have this... secret basement of sorts, around this odd corkscrew of a ramp that goes down deep into the earth. I drove my huge SUV down there to check it out and saw some BMWs inside a huge garage door but nothing else. Then, because of the tight space, had to back out.

 

This is getting nuts...I see where week 29ers are starting to get their cars!!!

No matter what, I can't get my car until next Monday (8/13). I'm flying in with my daughter (what did we do before Southwest?) and if the car is not there on Wednesday of this week, I am going to ask to speak to the owner. Probably won't get him but figure I'll get some attention. Anyway, my Mini will require at least several hours of stripe install time by an outside vendor. They still are saying that they will talk to me about the stripes once the car arrives. STILL don't know why.

I can't imagine how "un-glued" I would be if I were 10 minutes from the dealership and just had to wait for the carrier. I'd probably start getting ugly with them and demanding answers.

 

Just happened to check the OL and noticed that my at dealer date has been changed from 8/5 to 8/7.

 

Some other resources at Baron MINI are Ric Comstock, the MINI MA manager, and Kelly Hodges, the Baron Internet manager. He's over BMW, MINI, and VW.

My OL reads Estimated Delivery Date 8/6/2007 but Current Status: At Distribution Center.

 

ahalibut --- The Baron overflow lot is over just north of Johnson Drive and just east of Metcalf. Head east on Johnson Drive and when you go under Metcalf turn left at the first stop light. Go north through the stop sign and start looking on your left for the lot with VW, Mini and BMW's. That is where they drop off cars from the delivery trucks.

 

Sweet! Thanks, Jayhox.

 

LOL !!! LOL!!! A true gut-buster!

 

I'm supposed to pick mine up Friday... I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Stakeout Night # 2 yielded some definite results. I found my BRG MCS as well as T-Horn67's. T-Horn67's was still at the "overflow" lot; mine was at the dealership's lot with a "prep checklist" on the dashboard.

 

congrats ahalibut!!!
hopefully you will get to get yours tomorrow or friday!

 

man, it's worse waiting when I know the car is in the US and you can't get it.... these last few days are a beating

 

Yay! I just got a call from Samer, Baron's fantastic Accessories/Prep manager and he was able to shift a couple things so I can pick up my MINI today instead of Saturday!!!

Now I just have to wait to get off of work!! :impatient

 

don't you feel a little sick?

 

Two hours! What's REALLY horrible is he said, "it will be ready anytime after 3pm." So my car is ready to go this very second, yet here I am.

:impatient :impatient :impatient :impatient :impatient

 

congrats ahalibut!!!!

make sure to post some pictures

 

One word: Wow. It's been a FUN night of driving.

Many bugs died to bring us this post.

I picked up Basil as the sun set and damn, clicking on those xenons (that sudden "pop" of cold, calculating, light) is a great feeling.

I was too busy driving to snap photos, and they wouldn't have done the car justice, smeared with thousands of bugs as I raced through what I call "The Tunnel", a three mile stretch of twisty two-lane lined on both sides by thousands of huge oak trees, their canopy covering the ceiling in complete black. Fantastic.

This weekend he'll get his first polish, Turtle Wax Ice, the last I have of it, before I start the "Prima System" in a month or so. So by the setting sun tomorrow night I should have lots and lots of high-res pic goodness.