Sounds to me like you're making two cases - one for the Recaros not being as overpriced as I had originally thought, and another one for the leather option being out of line. I'd probably be like ID and stick with the cloth.
Sat in a JCW Roadster at the Philly autoshow yesterday. Felt great, and seat dropped down enough to make the cabin feel non-claustrophobic. I'd think that the semi-powered top would be overkill for anyone of reasonable size (I'm 5'10") - I could easily get my arm up and back to either open or close. Now I just hope that the Benz will have enough problems so that I can rationalize the upgrade. It would be great if there were plans for an optional or aftermarket hardtop, like on the S2K and Miata; that would make a bit more sense in the NE.

 

Put in my Roadster S order on Jan 13 (I posted my order details in post 24). Dealer expected a mid to late February build. It's been showing Scheduled for Production on owner's lounge for awhile now. I've not been tracking it that closely since I figured its build was a ways off.

Anyway, I just made my weekly call to ASK-MINI and Mr. Automated said, "Your vehicle is being transported to the port of exit"! Wow! I guess it does go faster when you're not obsessing over every step in the production process! This probably means that the transportation part of it will take twice as long, now that I will be obsessively tracking it.

 

Mine still shows "scheduled" and with no order details, but my MA assures me that it went into production Jan 26.

I had totally forgotten about "Ask MINI"! Thanks for the reminder!

I called that and mine is "In the body shop".

 

Lucky Dogs,

I am still waiting for a JCW allocation from my dealer. I guess the JCW Roadsters are going to be the last ones into production.

I guess the Recaros I ordered will delay my order until March anyway.

 

Oh, I don't know - what's luckier than being able to order a JCW?

I'm sure it will be worth the wait! Plus, you'll get to hear more details and be better informed about the options. There are certainly a could that we either got or didn't get that might have gone the other way if we'd had more real data.

 

I checked with my MA and he reported on Friday that my car's status was 155 Assembly Finish /Quality Check. So, I wondered if Robo-MINI might be a bit ahead of himself. I called today and Robo-MINI has backtracked a bit and now says, "Your vehicle production is complete and is waiting to be released to the carrier." Still way ahead of what I expected, so I'm happy!

 

Did anyone spec in the semi-automatic roof option?

I've been searching for more information on how it works - but little is available.

Does it require you to latch the soft top when its in the down position? I know for certain that when the soft top is moved to the up position, you'll have to latch it yourself. I'm just unsure if the down position requires you to do the same (its the toughest part of the manual roof operation for me)

 

Recaros were available last week for my coupe.

 

I know they are available for order but has your car gone into production yet. As I had heard that the recaro orders won't start production until March.

Also does anyone have a JCW Roadster allocation from a dealer yet?

I was hoping they might have them in February but so far my dealer says none are available yet.

 

Yes my car has been placed into production, vin assigned, build week 7.


My original request was for a JCW roadster my MA contacted me at the first of February saying that they had a spot. I informed them I had changed my choice to a JCW coupe, they said no problem. With that said it doesn't necessarily mean the production spots were the same it is very possible that the roadster was later build spot, I can ask next time I talk to my MA or GM. Either way they checked 3 times to make sure that the Recaro seats were available on my build, they assured me they were so went to launch mod.

 

minitiny watch how they put it down on the fly here?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOT9y7SQikk&feature=player_embedded#!

Best I could find.
"A word about that roof – a manual folding top is standard, though we highly recommend shelling out $750 for the semi-automatic power unit. The amount of weight that the power top adds is very, very minimal (about 10 pounds), and it makes for substantially easier operation. Twist the **** in the middle of the A-pillar to unlock the roof, hold a button, and the soft top is stowed behind the roll bars in a matter of seconds. But if frugality is your thing and you just can't swing that extra three quarters of a grand, the manual top isn't tough to operate. It's not as easy as the unlatch-and-toss soft top of a Mazda MX-5, but it's not even remotely close to the archaic get-in-get-out-swear-and-get-in-again obnoxiousness of the now-departed Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky twins."

 

Yep. I read this one. Just unsure if it needs to be pressed down and latched once its in the 'stowed' position.

 

There is no latch in the down position.

The motor mechanism closes and holds the top closed. If there was a latch then you would need to unlatch the top before raising it and clearly you don't have to do that.

The only reason it is semi-automatic is because you need to attach the front and latch it in place, or unlatch the top in the front and then press the stow toggle.

 

b&WCM, I see you got you# and seats today

 

This shows the top being lifted at 2:28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTKWa67fw3c

 

I have a pretty basic JCW on order in chili red, sport suspension, bi-xenon, with heated seats. Waiting on build date.

 

The WW website says our Roadster is off the ship in Baltimore! I'm guessing a week or so (if all goes smoothly) and our new MINI will be home in our garage!

 

Can someone post the phone numbers to track the build?

 

866-275-6464

Way more up to date than the MINI website tracking.

Don

 

For more go here https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d-updated.html

 

Here's my order list:

22 British Racing Green ll'metalllc
ATP9 John Cooper Works Black Checkered Cloth

zcw Cold Weather Package
313 Power folding mirrors
314 Heated mirrors and washer jets
494 Heated front seats

ZPP Premium Package
302 Anti-theft alarm system
322 Comfort Access keyless entry
345 Chrome line Interior
431 Auto-dimming rearvlew mirror
521 Rain sensor and auto headlights
534 Automatic climate control

ZTP Technology Package
473 Center armrest
507 Park Distance Control (rear only)
674 harrnan/kardon premium sound

7L7 Adaptive Xenon Headlights
524 Adaptive light control
1CA C02 relevant vehicles
226 Sport suspension
2RV Alloy wheels In black
387 Convertible wind deflector
398 Semi-automatic soft-top
3A8 Red Sport Stripes
3BF Door mirror caps In Chill Red
4BA Color Line Rooster Red
4CY Interior surface Chill Red
502 Retractable headlight washers
522 Xenon headlights
620 Voice-command
6FP MINIConnected
6NE Comfort Bluetooth and USBnPod adapter
6NF Smartphone Integration
6NM MINIConnected
6VC Combox controller
785 White turn-signal lights
8S4 Variable Light Decoding

 

ETA: March 20th
(got to start working on a new siggy)

 

Just in time, perhaps for the St. Pats Day drive. But, maybe not.

Can you get them to move it up a week.

Are we going to have a delivery party?

Don

 

Just signed a vehicle order agreement on a Midnight Black JCW Roadster. I believe my MA said it would be officially ordered on March 1. So hopefully I will take delivery sometime in April. This will be my 5th MINI, but I'll still be as anxious as I was with my 1st.

MsBrit

 

Cooper S Roadster
Midnight Black metallic
Silver Sport Stripes
Carbon Black Leatherette
Color Line Satellite Gray
Semi-automatic soft-top
Heated front seats
Automatic climate control
Rear fog lamp


Xenon headlights -Black headlight housings

Chrome-line interior
Chrome-line exterior trim


Sport Package
Technology Package
wind deflector