and just remember........It's not the cars fault!

 

This all sounds a little fishy to me. If it is a matter of the wrong wheel rims, wouldn't they just give you the option of accepting the car as is, with maybe a credit against the price if they are cheaper wheels?? You have to figure that there has got to be "storage costs" for keeping the cars "warehoused" and going through the hassle of shipping out replacement wheels and then having to install them....etc etc. I feel bad for you. I had to bring my car in for a "simple" repair and expected it back by the end of the day. They still have the car and I'm going through withdrawals after only 2 days. Hang tough. Maybe you can use this as a bargaining chip to get a freebie to make up for your inconvenience.

 

It does sound fishy since I have not seen one other person post about this situation. I posted on the OL asking if anyone else had heard this - no responses. I've seen other people post they got their convertible recently without the tire issue.

Maybe a tire issue on a few, but how could it be isolated to all the convertibles on one boat and not others?

 

It makes sense to me, they had a small run of cars that all got the wrong wheels or there was something wrong with the wheels they got, either way they put them on the same boat because it was all one production run. It also makes it easier to fix later because all the cars are in one place, they ship the right wheels in, mount them and release those cars as they get them done. In the meantime, the next run of cars has the new or correct wheels, get built, shipped on a different boat and released to the dealers. Meanwhile, the earlier run of cars sits in the port waiting for their wheels.

It is frustrating, no doubt, but a little bit of patience and as others have said, you 'll have your car exactly as you ordered it. Then just go and enjoy it, and be glad you're not in Denver this weekend with your convertible, where they're expecting 2 feet of snow!

 

Thanks for the perspectives. It does seem limited to just 1 batch of convertibles, and you'd think in the ensuing 2 weeks they would have resolved this issue. Even if they had to ship over 600 wheels, they all could have come over on the 1 or 2 ships that came in the past 2 weeks.

 

Of course, you could go out and get a Chrysler off the lot, the upside is that they will pay you to take the car off their hands. The downside is that you'd be driving a Chrysler.

Me, I'll stick with my MINI order, at least until Mid-May. If they haven't figured out how to change the wheels by then, it'll be time to move on.

 

OH, it's a CONVERTIBLE. Those aren't REAL Minis! Those in the know will tell you that "Mini" convertibles are just converted old VW Rabbits that girls traded in.

 

Well, maybe the old version was...

 

Don't feel bad my '09 Cab has been 'scheduled for production' for two weeks.

I've custom ordered BMWs and once did a euro delivery and always was able to track progress. Not so with the MINI, but I think it will be worth the wait.

 

Working in the port industry, the weeks around Easter are popular vacation times around work here, and new guys pick up the slack. Could just be that. Try not to have your car reach port around July 4th either, that's another big vacation time. I don't work at a VDC and this is just a WAG. Hang in there.

 

STUPID wheels are wrong and now THEY'VE rained on YOUR parade??!! I'm sorry I realize that you've waited quite awhile for your MINI, but I wouldn't feel the way you feel if it were ONLY the wheels.

I waited 8 weeks last year at this time...there are others that have waited longer.

Look at it this way, if you want to WALK then WALK, if you still want YOUR MINI, then be happy that it's only the wheels that were wrong and not rough seas damaging your Brand New Car!!

 

My convertible got in Charleston on 4/6..I finally got told by the ma they didn't know why it was still at the vdm. Then it was to be at the dealer 4/17 for pick up 4/18. Now I get an e-mail that it will be at the dealer 0n 4/21 and ready for pick up 4/22. I left two phone messages on the sales managers phone with no return call..
Felt like bailing out of the deal and requesting my deposit back.. Even if the sale manager didn't no anything , I feel a courtesy call would have been nice..Don't think he wanted to face the music.. And , I think he knew exactly what was causing the delays..

 

This is my first MINI experience so I don't know if this counts, but don't lose hope. You're so close to getting your Mini, and while I can sorta of understand your frustration, I can tell you that, once you do get your Convertible, you'll be so happy you hung around and waited.

I've now had my mine for a little over a day, and let me tell you it's the most pleasure I've received from any vehicle I've purchased. You get this rush as you drive it off the lot at the dealership, and you begin to enjoy what a Mini is all about.

Ultimately the decision is yours to make, but don't make it with anger otherwise it's possible that you might regret it in the future. A few more weeks may seem like a long time, but once you have it in your hands, you'll be so happy you waited.

The 09 Convertible is a piece of well refined, tuned to perfection magic. From the simple yet sophisticated ambient lighting, down to the unique turn signals, and the famous secret box, you're not going to be able to find something so enjoyable out there (in my opinion). There's only one Mini, and yours is at the port, almost in your hands. A few more weeks and you'll be happy you waited...

 

Zanary,

Thanks for your advice.. I guess I'm just having a pity party.. My wife and I read your post about receiving your Mini. If that's the case, I hope we are as excited as your post sounded..What do you like best so far about your mini..? And , My wife wanted you to know she grew up in Millbrae... She saw that you had the rear fog lights..We didn't order them.I said with the fog rolling in you'll need them... She didn't realize you were in the SF area. My sister lives in Carmel.. So we get out there once in awhile.
Enjoy the motoring..Looking forward to some picture of your Mini.. Congrats!! And , thanks for the words..

 

gonepostal, did you order the Cooper Base Convertible? Could it be the same wheel issue?

Also, rumor has it that the wheel issue and the delivery block was lifted on Friday. I'm really hoping this coming week is the week. If so, I'll be ecstatic. I was thinking a May delivery was more realistic.

I'll also second the pity party. "Lizzie's" picture is back up on my desktop!

 

I'm pretty sure you will be as excited. I think the most exciting event so far was going to one of the East Bay roads where there weren't any homes or business, pulling the car over to the side of the road, and letting the top down. This was around 10:30pm Thursday evening, and it was in the 50s, and very very clear. As the top went down, all we saw was the stars above us, and the sounds of nature from the sides of the road. What an awesome experience. When the top is down as are the windows, you almost get this feeling that there is nothing inbetween you, your Mini and nature. You hear everything, smell and feel everything. It's such an expierence that it's so difficult to articulate. During the day, I'd say it's the sound of the engine as you switch from gear to gear, and press the accelerator and feel like you're about to just take off from a runway. The fact that you can actually hear your radio, CD or music from the USB memory stick while the top and windows are down going up the freeway at 75mph. The fact that I was able to take a call over the bluetooth on the same freeway in the afternoon sun when the top and windows were also down.

It just makes you appreciate that fact that a Mini is this well engineered, and that you made the absolute right choice in picking the Mini as your vehicle. It's not just a vehicle to get you from Point A to Point B, but it's do that plus make you grin while you drive, becuase it's your Mini, built the way you wanted with all the options that make it more than just a people mover.

It's almost day 3 so far, and it still making me grin every time I look at it and wanting to drive it.

As for the rear foglight, I went with it primarly becuase I don't like the feeling of missing an option. Personally, I might use it once in a while when the fog does roll in (I'm at around 1000 ft above sea level in the East Bay Hills, so I do get the think morning fog once in a while).

Ohh yeah, I will be posting picture this afternoon/evening in my other thread. Been enjoy the car so much, I haven't had a chance to take many of them. But they wil be there today.

 

Well now I'm glad I sprang for the HIFI system. I was hoping I'd be able to hear it w/ the top down. Other convertibles I've owned had the stock stereo which disappeared at high speeds.

 

So the only time when this is not true is when you're beneath an overpass on the freeway, as the sound from everyone's exhaust echos and very loudly. Also if you're beside two big rigs (one of each side), or when there's a group of bikers near you, again not a place where you'll hear your tunes playing or a bluetooth call, but those are the exceptions.

I discovered both last night on my way home on the freeway. I should also add that I got almost 6 tumbs up from other Mini owners on i880 Northbound in the SF Bay Area last night on my way home. What a welcome to the SF Bay Area Mini Community.

 

Well I've got to say that you do have an attention-grabbing colour scheme.

 

Hi,
It's a S.. When I saw your post I wondered if that was part of the delay problem.
She is Sparkling Silver with Chocolate top. Tuscan Beige leather, English Oak and interior color Tuscan Beige ,Cold Weather Package,Preium Package .

I just don't know why they can't be up front with the customer about a situation. It makes you lose trust in them about this or any other problem that may arise..

Good luck..Show us some photos when you can..

 

Full pictures posted on the other thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...59-post13.html

 

I know exactly the feeling. We are going from a Gold Wing Trike to a Mini convertible and can hardly wait. Only with the Mini, we won't be wearing helmets.

 

Once you get the car this minor delay will seem like nothing. When I bought my car back on 2002 people were on waiting lists that lasted more than a year.

Wrong wheels are easily corrected - they'll get the right wheels shipped over and you'll be driving before you know it. Based on some things I've read over the past 7 years - in terms of what can go wrong - this is pretty minor...

 

Wow, nice Trike!

 

You're sure?





--Dan
Mach V