I just map blasted the Brunswick, GA to my dealer... it's about 4½ hours away.. so I am just hopeful that the VDC releases the car quickly, which is very possible.. (but I have read other week threads where it seem to take the VDC forever!) I also really wonder HOW LONG the DEALER will take because of the lights and mudflaps installation. Not that it's a big job for them, but I guess it really depends on their whole work load. I think I will call tomorrow and get an update on things. I WANT MY MINI!!!

 

Seems like a lot of us are hearing from MA's today!

I was thrilled to get "the" call re delivery this AM. Even though I'm getting the driving lights at the VDC, my MA still says that the car is scheduled for release and he expects it to arrive at the dealership FRIDAY!! I'm scheduled to pick up on Sat!

Now for the dilemma..... since it is Labor Day weekend, the tint shop that the dealership uses (and all others) is closed Sat til Tuesday. I can take delivery and drive for the long weekend and then bring the Clubbie in on Tues for the clearbra shield where they want to keep it overnight to double check on the dry results Or wait til Tuesday to pick it up from the dealership, go to the tint shop and be driving on Wed??

Well I can't stand it and have decided that I'll just hope that the gravel repelling angels are on my side for the 4 day interim!!

I felt so funny as I already knew my Mini was at the VDC and my MA expected me to be surprised!! Heck, thanks to Sikamini's tracking skills, I probably could have told him what slip the boat docked at!!

'08 Laser Blue/Silver Clubman S etc, etc Western Highway passenger, currently at Charleston VDC

 

gbsim, CONGRATS!! I really would have done the exact same thing!! Actually - I kinda am!! I am not having the dealer do the clear bra or tint, I'll find a place (better start looking NOW) and have it done within the first week. hopefully closer to home since the dealer is 78 miles away.

I can't wait to get word that my car is on its way to the dealer.. and crossing my fingers I can get this on or before Sept 1. !! I hope to have some update tomorrow - as I am calling my MA, as I can't stand waiting for his call!

I don't know how sikamini tracks these ships either - all I know is that Fidelio has left Charleston and is underway to BRUNSWICK, GA!! Should arrive and be unloaded tomorrow!

 

Fidelio has left the port of Charleston. Next up is the Caribbean Highway, still scheduled to dock and unload its vehicles on Wednesday. My MINI is on that ship. I hope it gets to the VDC quickly and then out of the VDC quickly. I'm hoping to be driving by Sept 5 or 6!

 

Maersk Wind approx. 300 miles from Galveston

 

I'm on CH too, but my JCW has to get lights at the VDC and clear bra, tint, and sport stripes at the dealer before I take delivery. Can't wait!

 

looks like it's on schedule to arrive 8/26... interesting that it is supposed to leave Galveston the same day.

 

Fidelio should be near Brunswick this morning or at port.
Caribbean Highway has finally docked at 5:12 AM at Baltimore now unload and head for Charleston! Some MINIs must have escaped and it took a while to round them up.
Maersk Wind is near Galveston!

 

Galveston terminal has quick access to the gulf, once she unloads, she can leave port fairly quickly!

 

Well, ASK-MINI just changed from "In-Transit" to "At The Port-Awaiting Shipment". It arrived in Charleston last Thursday on the Western Highway. OL still says "En Route". Have read others with similar, highly inaccurate info when calling ASK-MINI.

 

Yeah, that's what mine did. Best bet is to just keep bugging your MA, unfortunately.

 

ASKMINI and OL are as slow as molasses!!! I know from what our MA said that our MINI should have left for the VDC on 08/21, but both the automessage and OL still have not updated! This is stressing. I am trying to keep my mind of it, but can't. Who has info on how quickly yours updated or did you get confirmation from your MA?

 

Mine arrived at VDC last Monday. On Thursday, OL said "En Route" and ASKMINI said "At the port, awaiting a shipping vessel". On Friday, OL changed to "At VDC, Estimated Delivery Date: Sunday" and ASKMINI to "In Transit". On Saturday, OL changed the EDD to 8/22, the day before. On Sunday, OL changed to "At your MINI dealer" and ASKMINI is still at "In Transit".

Confused yet? Me too.

 

My OL is also saying En Route. We know that it is most likely on it's way to Omaha though (right?). I sure hope so! the OL has been so slow during this entire process that I don't even know why they have it. It's more annoying than anything else, at least for me. I wrote my MA yesterday to see if I could get an update, but no reply yet. I think he's off on Tuesdays.

 

I guess I should break down and call my MA....it's really hard not knowing where it is....OL still showing en route but I know its off the ship. I wonder how much I would have paid to have a GPS tracker on the car with web access? hmmmm.

 

I just emailed the dealership and they said my MINI was still at the VDC but was released to a shipping carrier and should be at the dealership any day.

I had a little confusion as to who my MA was...when I test drove the car I had one guy and I emailed him to see when I should come in to place the order. Even though he sent me the times he would be working, I showed up during one of those times and he had left for the day. Since the dealership is an hour away, I asked to place the order anyway with someone else. The new MA used the old MA's computer and my order sheet had the old MA's name. So I had no idea which MA I was supposed to go through. When I sent the new MA the question re: delivery date, he told me I should go through the old MA. confusing!

 

I think the message from ASKMINI saying "at the port awaiting a shipping vessel" means that it is off the ship and is waiting to be picked up from the VDC. Because remember when it was still in Southampton, the message said something to the effect of "at port of exit awaiting shipment". Then, when ASK MINI changed to "In transit" again, I think that means the MINI is on a truck being shipped to the dealership.

By the way, my MINI is definitely at the dealership, but the OL still says, "at Distribution Center" and ASKMINI says "In Transit".

The system is silly!

 

I just got off the phone with my MA.. who was very helpful. First - there is a backlog of cars at the Brunswick VDC due to the hurricane/tropical storm last week. They are behind 2 days The ship is there, but he of course has no idea where it is loaded, and once they unload, they are checked and then loaded onto a train and checked again, and then they get to the VDC and checked again, and finally go through everything and loaded onto the trucks. He said if everything is running smooth - this takes 3-5 days before they reach the dealer. He said the lights and mudflaps would be quick and not hold up anything... told me to call everyday if I want.. but gee, I don't want to reveal what a real fruitcake I am!! so - I'll call again Friday!! LOL

I don't think I will get her by the end of the month - that would be really pushing things... but I should realistically have her is 6-8 days I would think!

 

Yeah, you'd think the closer it was to it's final destination the better the info!

 

Call!!! Call every day, they already know how nuts we are!!

 

I wonder if we're dealing with ideals here. Ideally the tracking system was meant to be helpful, but at the same time, they don't want us to know whether or to what extent our cars were damaged when they come off the ship. The longer they stay at the VDC, the more repairs they get. Here's a virtual tour of the VDC on the west coast: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=21112, it's pretty interesting.... And then what computer system does't have glitches?

Okay, I'm trying not to stress wondering how much damage my Mini may have received! BTW, my Mini is on the same ship! Guess we're in the same boat waiting for our week 32 Minis.

 

One thing my MA told me was that they would hold MINIs at the VDC until they had enough to fill a truck, so depending upon your dealer's location and number of vehicles they receive your MINIs wait could be longer. Who knows Chugiakgirl, ours might still arrive in Omaha at the same time - Mine's currently on CH and due in port tomorrow. I hope for your sake you are not waiting another week. Me - I guess I'm hoping I'll be driving sometime next week.
All this buildup is killing me and my bank account - everytime I get too excited about the MINI I find myself looking at mods and accessories. Just purchased a short antenna and MINI wing tire valve covers!!!

 

yes.. that is true! So.. hopefully that 2 day backlog will help me and mine will be put onto a truck in order to fill it!! I imagine that other auto's are also being trucked out as well.. like any BMW's.

Sikamini.. okay.. okay I think I WILL call again tomorrow!! LOL

 

oh... I just put my VIN# in on WWs site and my car was DISCHARGED at 8:52 AM!!

If it was one of the first off.. than it will be one of the last to get to the VDC as they load the trains in reverse order...

 

My MA said that depending on when the car gets in (which is still hasn't.. strange since it just needed to travel from the NYC port to the CT/NY border), I will have it tomorrow or Thursday!