Hey all! Ordered my first Mini this past Tuesday (2012 Cooper Hardtop), and to my delight/surprise, it's already in production! I'm amazed! I cannot wait for it to arrive and start enjoying it like everyone else does!

Rich

 

Welcome to the Club!!! Keep us posted on your build!

 

Also, we need the details of what you ordered! Do tell!!

 

Would love to hear what you are getting.
EXCITING!

 

Welcome can't wait to see what have.

 

Whazup! I just love to see new members climb in. Great
fun for all.

 

Thanks for the welcome everyone!

I ordered a 2012 Cooper Hardtop. Icy Blue exterior with black mirrors/roof, Polar Beige Gravity leather interior. Cold Weather, Tech w/ nav, and Premium packages. Panoramic sunroof, auto dimming side mirrors, sport seats, fluid silver dash trim, mini yours black/polar beige stitched dash, front and rear fog lamps. Pretty much fully decked out

One thing I am confused about. My status switched from On Order to Scheduled For Production online today, which is awesome considering the order was just put in three days ago. I called up MINI today to get some more information, and they said it went into a status they called 'Scheduled For Production/In Production' and was put in that status on Wednesday, only a day after the order was placed. He couldn't tell me if it's actually in production or not, and I can't seem to figure it out from the online system either. Anyone have insight into what everything means? Thank you!!

 

Raska, that sounds like one AWESOME mini!! Love the ice blue!

 

DITTO! I'm a little bias... Very happy with my MC IB/B so far. I'm sure you will find THIS soon enough. Be sure to post up some pics of that beauty when it arrives.

WLECOME!

 

The wait is borderline maddening. So far it's been "In Production" for almost a week and hasn't even went to the body shop yet!

 

Congrats!

 

I think I might, having just lived through my first month being on order. My Ice Blue MINI was ordered on 2/4, then went to "scheduled for production" soon after. I made that same call, and the friendly guy said pretty much what you heard: it was "scheduled for production" but they didn't actually have a production date.

For me, that wasn't until 2/27 (official production date; it was finished on that day), so it took a while. Probably 2/20 or so AskMINI was able to tell me that I was *really* scheduled for production and in the next few days, etc. I figured it was "real" once they'd assigned a VIN.

So that's what I experienced. Look up posts from me if you'd like, I was/am pretty excited about getting my MINI (isn't everyone?) and I tended to post some overly-excited news anytime I learned something. Just saying that by reading them, you'll get a feel for what someone recently experienced in the build process and the timing of everything. And of course soak up that "How to Track Your MINI" thread if you haven't, it's very informative.

I learned today that my MINI is scheduled for a boat ride tomorrow 3/7 to bring it here (to Baltimore, I live in STL), obviously exciting news! I've got another day of pins/needles since several noted that it can happen that your MINI can be "bumped" and not make the scheduled ship passage after all. I'm seeing that they're having 3-4 ships leave Southampton each week, so hopefully this will keep a steady stream coming.

Nice MINI headed your way! I chose Polar Beige everything as well, and that dash...I've actually not seen one in person, just photos. My dealer had a JCW leather dash that I sampled, very luxe. We'd just come from the STL auto show the weekend before I ordered mine, several cars (Buick? Lexus? I think) had that stitched leather dash and I thought it really looked great. So I ordered it with mine also.

Anyhow...that's what I've experienced in the ordering process so far, I'm a long-time auto enthusiast but strictly a noob here, trying to learn.

 

That's a really insightful post, thank you! Did your car end up leaving yesterday?

I just called up MINI's automated system, and I was shocked to learn its in the paint shop!! With an estimated completion date of tomorrow! If I'm lucky, it can get on the ship leaving the 14th and arrive the 23rd (I have the luxury of living half an hour away from the port in Jersey City, NJ) so with any luck I'll have it by the end of the month, about a 4 week total process!

I'll definitely post up a whole bunch of pictures of the inside and outside once I get it. I can't wait to see the leather dash in person!

 

Congrats on the new car!

 

You're welcome, I'm a noob here and it felt good to actually have information to share for a change!

*Yes*, it did go. I got that "loaded on vessel" message later in the afternoon, then watched like a hawk for the ship to sail. It's on one of the WW ships, as many have said that's a plus since they offer a check-cargo-by-VIN number query and you can see if it's loaded or not (or marked "returned to shipper", sadly, in the event they had to take it back off for some reason...bummer). I was using this www.shipais.com site, it showed the Tirranna in harbor, docked, all day. Then they moved a harbor tug next to it about 1.5 hours before leaving, it finally took off about 11:15 GMT / 5:15pm CST. According to the site, it's now past that last pointy part of the UK proper ("Land's End"), and well into the Atlantic. ETA is now 9pm on 3/15 in Baltimore.

My MA called today with shipping news...the same I'd learned yesterday, but I appreciated it anyhow. He thinks he has a PB MY dash-equipped car now in inventory, I'd still like to ogle one just for the heck of it. I'd take photos, but there's already a nice set posted by another forum member "Charlie Victor" here:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post3444141

That particular car in those photos has the MY Soda Lounge seats and some other things, but that's the dash alright. It does seem to be the case that no two of these cars are *exactly* alike...esp. after their owners have had them for a while!

 

Awesome! Glad its on the way! Are you on the East or West Coast?

Yeah I've seen those before, looks pretty darn good to me! If you're going to check out the car your MA just got in stock, snap some pics and let me know what you think of it!

 

Will be glad to take a shot or two, no problem.

He had a Laguna Green hardtop in stock with Polar Beige everything *and* the English Oak dash that I'd ordered, so it was close enough to sit in and decide. But it didn't have the way-cool dash.

I'm on the west coast...of the Mississippi. St. Louis MO area :-)

Unload my MINI in Baltimore, then a 880-mile truck ride to STL. Or train? Something. I'm hoping to have it by 3/24 weekend, the checkerboard top is a dealer install, they have "a guy" come in to do all the large graphics, so there should be plenty of time.

 

Congrats! On my second MINI and I can't imagine what would keep me from buying a third.

 

Since you're having the checkerboard top I'm assuming no sunroof. What options did you get besides the leather dash? When is your ship supposed to dock in Baltimore?

Thanks! That's a ton of miles on the car in only 2.5 years! Any issues that have arisen in that time?

 

Right, no sunroof (although...they make a checkerboard graphic for use with sunroofs, just covers the glass part, maybe inside, that perforated stuff?).

Others: PB Gravity seats, PB color line, PB door panels, comfort access, climate control, adaptive xenons + white turn signals, sport suspension, H/K sound, rear fog, heated mirrors, rain sensing wipers + headlight washers, Cooper stripes, Chromeline in/out, anthracite headliner, DTC, heated seats. My MA said I was the "king of a la carte", seemed like each package had something I didn't want/need, nice that MINI lets you spec out (most) individual items. I spent [too much] time with the configurator working out the plus/minus $$ of the packages vs. individual options.

Before I ordered, I did a second test drive to decide pro/con on the sport suspension; I took out a MCS with sport suspension and 17's and didn't find it objectionable at all, and it'll be a bit smoother still with the 16's mine will have. I want a set of 17's / non-run-flat summer tires eventually, Breytons maybe, and I'll use the MINI 16's for a set of winter tires.

My MINI is due in Baltimore 9pm on 3/15, it's churned enough away now to be beyond the reach of the coastal tracking site I was using. I ordered a bunch of accessory stuff yesterday so I'll have it when it gets here. Should be in my driveway before 3/24 at this rate, that'd be about a week earlier than I'd planned and just fine, of course!

 

Haha King of a la Carte that's a good one. I have a good number of individual options too but I do also have 3 of the 4 packages available too.

My car was built this morning, and is waiting to be sent to the docks. I'm REALLY hoping it can ship out on the 14th. If not, the next ship is the 18th, then the 27th. So I'm REALLY hoping it can make it aboard either the 14th or 18th.

 

I got a chance to stop by MINI of STL on the way home from the office last night, we wound our way to their parking garage lower level, and they had a Laguna Green / White / Polar Beige *with* the leather dash:





Not great photos, just my iPhone and had to use its flash inside the garage. Still: yes, it looks great in person! The leather has a nice feel, and the stitching looks so up-level. I'm gonna be very pleased with mine for sure.

Side note: we took the stairs back upstairs, and their mostly empty covered upper level had an Black/Chili Red JCW hardtop ready for customer delivery...and GP0416, also awaiting its new owner!

 

Congrates! Cant wait to see that Icey Blue

 

That does look really nice! I can't wait to see it in person!

Thanks! I can't wait to post some pics up!

 

As of yesterday, my MINI is sitting at the port waiting to be loaded onto a ship. It would be really great if it could get on the ship leaving tomorrow (Wednesday).