Hello! I'm new to this forum but have really enjoyed reading through various topics and learning things that have already helped me out.

I have a question, I am intending to buy a new 2013 JCW coupe in early November (when my daughter will turn 16 and have my current car). I have been talking with my local Mini dealership and they told me yesterday that the latest I could order a car to my own specifications would be the end of August. They said the 2014 will be out in March 2014 and that I would have to have a car 'located' if I ordered between those dates. Does this sound right to you? Obviously if they had one somewhere that had what I wanted (and not things that I don't want to pay for!) I wouldn't mind but I'm now having to reconsider when I order. Thanks for any advice!

 

Yes this sounds about right for the R56 but not the coupe. But I heard the last order for a 2013 R56 in less then 6 weeks. So that means the end of June.

 

The Coupe model is not changing for 2014 so I think your dealer might be mistaken. The Cooper hardtop is changing from the R56 to F56 model and will be a completely new platform (based on a BMW shared FWD platform) so the factory has to be refitted to handle that model.

 

I spoke to the internet salesman, maybe I should ask to speak to the manager? I'd hate to have to wait until March :-(

 

Unless they're closing the entire factory for the refit and will only sell cars made in Austria, I can't imagine that the Coupe, Roadster, Hardtop, Convertible and Clubman will be completely unavailable from August to March. That's a LOT of lost custom sales.

 

The F56 is to be unveiled next month at some European show I think. They will start delivering it in Europe this fall, the US next March. But they would have to keep building the other models in Oxford they aren't changing. I agree what he told you doesn't make any sense.

 

I can ask at the factory next Friday for you, if you don't have a definitive answer by then.

 

Thanks!

 

My local dealer has confirmed the latest time I can place an order for a 2013 is end of August, possibly very early September!

If you wouldn't mind asking at the factory when you are next there, thanks!

 

Hi Chimera, were you able to find out anything at te factory whilst you were there?

 

The tour guide wasn't 100% sure but it seemed clear that they were already prepping the assembly floor for the next-gen - for example, where the wheels were being attached they had 4-bolt guns but also brand new guns with the 5-bolt pattern ready for the new BMW standard pattern. There is also an entirely new body shop built specifically for the next-gen car at was off limits (where all of the welding is done) keeping the existing body shop for the 2nd gen models. Watching that factory, where a car is rolling off the line every 68 seconds I just can't see how they could stand to lose 4000 custom orders per week from August until March!

I still haven't seen a Coupe on the road here in England, saw one in a regular parking lot and the MINI factory workers lot had 6 or 7 Coupes! They must get a good discount.

 

I lived in England my whole life until fairly recently and never saw one on the road either! Other Mini's are everywhere though.

Thanks for checking it out for me. I have since been back to my local Mini dealership and this time to spoke to the manager and he had not heard of the August deadline for the coupe so who knows??

 

FWIW, my local dealership, one of the largest in the U.S., said today they have not received a date yet from MINI when they are to cut off R56 orders.

I've recently put myself in the boat with others here who are trying to decide whether to pull the trigger on a 13 or take the chance on a 14 without knowing everything about it yet and also risking first model year issues that may come along with the new platform.

 

Update: my dealership has called to say I have maybe a week left to place an order for a 2013 JCW Coupe before production starts on the 2014.

 

Since a 2014 Coupe isn't going to be much different from a '13 I would probably just not really worry about it. If you end up with a '14 in November that's probably not a bad thing, right? I got my '12 in December 2011 so it just felt like buying the future.

 

Yeah that wouldn't bother me at all. What the dealership originally told me was that they would stop taking orders on the '13 in August but the '14 wouldn't be available until March!! I just didn't want to have to wait until then to get one! But now I know that they are producing the '14 starting July 1st there is no need to worry!