Anyone know why they aren't shipping any MINIs to the USA??

Okay, that may be a bit of an overstatement, but our new MCSC was finished on the 12th and it's STILL sitting on the dock of the bay. . .

Our MA says that due to the retooling of the factory, there aren't any more MINIs being delivered for shipping, and we're probably gonna have to sit there until there are enough cars to fill the ship. What kind of hooey is THAT?? I thought Sully would be halfway across the pond by now.

Anyone else in a similar situation? Ten days at the dock seems a bit extreme to me. . .who else has a week 32/33 build that's awaiting transport? And does anyone know if there's an easy way to track movements to the Left Coast? I've checked K-Line and NYK, and so far, I can't find anything as nice as the Wallenius site for cargo tracking - and does WW ship to Cali too?

Jeez - just when I thought the wait was coming to an end. . .

 

Mine sat there for 14 days. Then took forever to cross the pond. Total transit time took a month. All is well now that I have it, though. :smile::smile::smile:

Steve

 

Sheesh. . .

And then we STILL have to wait another week or two to truck to Colorado. . .

 

I'm in the same boat... errr I mean I'm NOT on a boat too. I've been "awaiting transport" for 2 weeks as well. It's funny you should post this as I emailed the dealer this morning to see what the deal was....

 

Patience is a virtue. I hope you have some. :smile:

Steve

 

No, it's not, really - and we don't!

 

Tahoe,

When were you completed? We were the 12th. Just sitting.

My MA told me that since the factory is geared down for 2-3 weeks for '06 MY retooling that there are precious few MINIs heading to the docks, and the shippers have to wait for full ships. . .or some such nonsense. As if the wait ain't long enough as it is. . .shoulda held out for an '06. . .but then again, I probably wouldn't see THAT one 'til springtime!!

 

According to ASK-MINI, my car was completed on the 13th and is currently "in transit" so i think that means it's on a ship??? I was hoping so anyway!!!

It doesn't show up on the WW site, so i was guessing it was on a K-line ship. Guess I need to email my MA!

 

Yeah, I don't know my way around the K-Line or NYK sites well enough to find out what's going where and when - it's amazing how much you learn about maritime tracking and cargo vessels when you're waiting for your car!!

 

UUnetBill,

My car was completed on 8/4 and has been awaiting transport since 8/5. I spoke to the folks at ASK-MINI yesterday and they seemed baffled asto why it's taking so long to get on a boat. He seemed to think that perhaps suddenly the system would show the car was en route for a week.

Will try to reach my sales rep today.

 

I've been sitting on the docks since 8/8.. I'm guessing that us left coast delivery people might have to suffer a bit until the factory starts producing 06's if August was an abbreviated month. If you figure roughly 2500 MINI's a month are shipped to the US, and probably 2/3 of those go through the east coast that leaves the west coast with a small number to work with especially in an abbreviated production month.

Of course all of the above doesn't help the longing and painful waiting for our MINIs. At least I have the wife's Cooper to play with to keep me somewhat calmer.

I have this secret hope that my MCS is on a ship somewhere and will surprisingly arrive around the 1st week of September and I will be pleasantly surprised.

 

Even though the mini site says awaiting transport, I finally got word from the dealer that my car is at sea. Yay. It's on the NYK BUJIN. Due in on 9/13 or thereabouts. Unfortunately, NYK web site requires login for ship tracking. Anyone have any other sites where I can track her progress?

 

I'm sure you can track the ship once you have the name - you'll need to cross it to call sign or some such nonsense. . .

I applied for an account with NYK, they called and left a voicemail on my cell that they "needed more information" before they could process my account. I haven't called back yet - I don't think they'll understand Mini Mania. . :impatient

 

Tahoe - do you have any idea when the BUJIN put to sea? Maybe you and me and Final are all shipping together?

 

 

Well I can certainly understand, but expect some wait times to stay long. I had production date 7/21, ship 7/22 arrived in Port in LA 8/19 Expected delivery 8/25. ORDER DATE: 4/5/05

There is supposedly a big back up at the Cali port and my MA said it could mean a 1-2 week delayy after the car gets to the port. So I'm still hoping the OL date will be good.

BTW there is no good way top track your mini unless you are on the WW line ships. Kline just doesn't understand the "mini" guy/gal attitude and obsession!!

Good luck and just remember it only gives you more time to pick out your mods, and call your MA to change the dealer added options that you have learned aren't work the charges!!

Joel

 

Well it looks as if I have caught up to you guys. Remember me? I was the one who ordered 7/18 and was sitting "scheduled for production" for close to 5 weeks. Well found out from ASKMINI that my MINI was completed 7/20 and was on the docks on 7/21. I don't think it is simply that the boats wait until they are full to leave or have a quota of MINIs. They still seem to be loading others MINIs and they all leave ontime since they are on a schedule. The MIGNON was at the dock loading other owners MINIs while mine sit on the dock. The MIGNON sailed yesterday with my car still on the dock so not really sure how that gets worked out. Obviously other MINIs were loaded as stated by others on NAM but not mine so either the ship was completely full which would blow the "fewer cars being produced" theory or there really is no logic to it. Anyway, I'm an East Coaster and still waiting at the dock. I do wonder however, if the dealer has any say so as to how many times you can be bumped. I basically ordered mine via phone/email and the dealer has no real connection with me so they could probably care less when I get my MINI. So far Nashville MINI and my MA has been much less than helpful. They appear to be bothered by my inquiries even though I have only contacted them 3 ties during the build. Each time they gave me less info than askmini and once I had to email the GM of the BMW dealership to get a response.

Anyway, hang in there folks! Your ship will come in.

 

Oh, we know they'll come in - it's just the constant 'rollercoaster' of emotion waiting. . .you know, week 31, no week 33, no week 32. . .you're on a boat, you're not on a boat, you're on a boat. . .

Sheesh :impatient

 

Sad thing is - I've got family up and down the East Coast - I should have ordered from a dealer there and just flown out to get it. . .I'd probably be motoring already!!

 

Are you saying it took them 30 days from the time they left port to arrive in CA? or is that including the 14days waiting time???

 

The way I read it, it was a month in addition to the 14 day wait. Most of the ships I've looked into that come into LA take 25-28 days to cross, depending on ports of call enroute.

In other words, it's gonna be a while. . .

 

I have not talk to my MA yet, but my status has been changed to "En Route" at the owners lounge last night. My car has been sitting at the dock since 8/10, I guess it finally boarded the same NYK Bujin boat last week. Yay!

 

Mine's been updated, too - now we just need to find out how to track the BUJIN. . .

Excellent!!!

 

Updated too!!!

Hurray~!

 

I talked to my MA - Debbie from Mini of Murray, my LY/B MCSa has set sailed and will arrive CA on 9/14. It will take abt 2 week before it arrive the dealership. We'll fly out there end of September/early October to pick it up. Yeah!