Like minmor719, I ordered through Ralph Schomp in Littleton, CO. My order date, however, was 10/27 (last Saturday). I had some second thoughts about my interior (anyone know how garish the checkerboard dash is? Photos would be fantastic...) so I contacted my MA (V. Q.) about making a change, but he told me that it'd delay my order by 3 weeks (I declined) as that's when their next allocation would begin. So I called the 866-ASK-MINI number and went through the automated system and it tells me that the estimated date for completion of my MCS is 3 November (I've called a few times and it gives this date each time).

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Based on what I've seen, the production date to departure is about 8 calendar days, the freightor trip to the LA VDC is about 3-weeks, the delivery to Ralph Schomp is about 8 more days, and the turn around making it ready for me is a day or two. Does that sound about right?

Thanks!

 

I just confirmed with the 866-ASK-MINI automated system that the November 3rd date that I was given is the estimated completion date. It sounds like it may be here earlier than I previously thought.

 

I would count on the Nov 3 or even the Nov 2 date. Don't know if the plant is open on a Saturday.

 

Called and my build started today....holloween car...not sure what that is going to mean

 

That's awesome! I hope that mine is a halloween car too. It's always more fun when there is a story there.

Happy Halloween everyone!

<- I am using this as BOO!

 

The Meal: All your estimates seem correct- what could hold your car up is anything that is dealer installed that has to be done at VDC or at Schomp.

To make certain I don't go crazy waiting again I have added 7-14 days to my delivery estimate which brings me out to 1st or second week in Dec.

The sales manager Ray, is awesome should you need/want anything call or e-mail him!
Ray really took charge when it was found my car was at the dock for 4 weeks. He said my build would be elevated to get done quicker and he came through.

 

Whoa. That's pretty exciting. I've somehow convinced myself that the math equals 17 December. If she shows up any sooner, me = very happy!

Vince. I set up a test drive via the online link from the R-S MINI website and it went to Rene. Rene was unable to come in that day, so he referred Vince. My wife and showd up at the allotted time and shook his hand and he was exceedingly kind to us. He was very straightforward, and before too long we were scooted out the door for the test drive. "Try to have it back within an hour," he said and my wife and I arched our eyebrows towards each other. 59 minutes later, we reluctantly returned with the car.

He was working with another customer, but we had such a warm feeling from before, that we waited him out. At one point one of the other MA's came by and asked if he could set us up, and we declined. Vince stopped by a few minutes later and explained that it'd be okay if we used the other gentleman, but again we said it was okay and waited for Vince to finish up with his current customer. (In the mean time we looked at the other MINIs on site, including jmdor's MY named "Molly.") Eventually we got to sit down with Vince and we had a very nice relationship as we worked our way through the options. When my wonderful wife expressed to me (fairly emphatically) how much she liked Molly's Tuscan Beige leather interior, I felt bad that I had to explain that I spent my interior "fun money" on the sound upgrade. Vince, to his credit, didn't do a thing to try and leverage me with the (seemingly obvious) upsale. He also didn't push any of the protection packages, and went through all of our questions in very thorough detail.

The one negative is that he said that he prefers contact via telephone. I'm a email kind of guy. Fortunately our communication has been relatively straight-forward, and he's responded to my short email queries very quickly.

That's wonderful news (about Ray, not about your original order). Did they do anything extra for you because of the damage found at the VDC? (Expediting your follow-up order doesn't sound like an extra to me.) I can easily envision me taking advantage of emailing Ray, as I'm not able to pick up the phone from work to make these sort of calls. I've generated a list of nine items that I want to discuss either prior to or during delivery. I guarantee you that list will double between now and then...

Any suggestions as to where I should pose my question regarding the checkerboard interior?

Good luck surviving November!

~Neal

 

Well between you and me I intend to try to get some "freebies" out of them on delivery. I did change my dash to wood from plano black on the new order-they tried to tell me that was the "positives" of re-ordering.

When we arrived to test drive Neil was busy so one of the other MA placed our order. What cracked me up was that I placed the order/signed the order, but Neil called thanking MY HUSBAND for placing the order.

As far as questions-Ray is awesome and he gets back to you fast! Actually so does Neil although I don't think Neil has connections to get some answers like Ray.
As far as asking about changing the interior w/o a delay in ordering it ask Ray-if you are looking for a pic-search coup2007 blog for checkerboard interior.

I am way over luck with this order..still checking the cargo site every day to see if my VIN shows up there.

 

Now i'm upset. I called the automated line and it said production would end Nov 2. Then I called again and spoke to a woman who said my car was in the Body Shop and that it would be completed on Saturday...Nov 3.

But this is the kicker...she said it would be in quality assurance or control(cant remember which one she said) for 4 weeks!!!!!!.
WHAT!!!!!! What does that mean??? I said, "The car would be sitting there for 4 weeks" She said, yes.

Have anyone heard of this before??

 

Call your MA....insisit they find out what is going on. If you get no where with your MA ask for the sales manager!!!

 

sancochojoe-you had me worried called ask MINI- in the paint shop due to be complete tomorrow!!!
Now to get it to the dock and on the next boat ASAP

 

Heh. That's really lame. Hopefully you can do some nice leveraging on the accessories.

Ouch. Vince was smart enough to not step in as my wife and I discussed our upholstery options. He also understood for whom the car was being built and was very diplomatic when she and I had questions for which the other already had researched the answer. I really got a warm feeling from him. (The fact that he still owns two Minis also speaks in his favor!)

I've been misspeaking all along! What I was curious about was the "checkered interior surface," and once I put those words into the NAM search, I ended up with this thread. WHEW!

Well if we're really 3 Novembers, and if 'joe is correct, maybe it isn't going to matter. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you if you promise to do the same for me!

~Neal

 

Well I expect the completion of the car to be on Saturday...its this quality control stuff I don't understand. Maybe the lady on the phone is new and is reading from a script.

 

I just buzzed the ASK-MINI line and went through to the Customer Relations line and got Aaron who told me my car went into production on 10/28, should be done on 11/4, and he hasn't heard anything about any delays. He suggested I call back later this week to verify that everything is going as planned.

~Neal

 

let me call again...

 

What is interesting is how some of the people who pick up the phone are more informed with the details than others. In this case, this guy was not all that informative. He did say the cars go through a quality control but the 4 weeks was a bit much. He said maybe a week after production before it got to the port, but all the cars go through some quality check...yet he could not tell me what level of production my car was in like the woman I talked to before. i.e. Body Shop.

Right now, I'm not going to assume the worst.

 

From a post in the W43 thread, our [West side, represent!] shipping options appear to hinge on 12 November or 19 November:

It appears that in the general case it takes about 8 days to go from production complete to being put on a ship, so the difference between a born-on date of 3 Nov (you) and 4 Nov (me) may be huge.

~Neal

 

Thanks for the link for the east coast

 

Certainly. And just to share with my W45 homies (as this would seem to be the family to which I belong)...

~Neal

 

I'm actually jealous...I ordered on 10/19 and some of you guys ordered a week later yet we are in production at the same time...

 

Yeah, I very much caught the tail end of my dealership's allotment. I had buyer's remorse for the leatherette upholstery and wanted to upgrade to leather, but by the time I got ahold of my MA the next day, I was already in production. He told me that submitting a new order would push back my delivery another 3-weeks. So I decided to save the $1.7k and get my car 21 days earlier. :D

~Neal

 

that would be great! r u any where New Milford ct?

 

Just curious , what info did you use arrive at the 8 day average ?

 

I'm just under an hour north, but my employer is based in New Milford so I am down there quite a bit.

 

The line is 24/7 for production, the paint shop only runs two shifts, five days a week. If back logged the will run a shift on Saturdays. This info is from the web and is a few months old.