I haven't seen any posts since 2008... Anyone have recent experience of how long it's taking from placing an order to getting their new mini? I ordered mine on August 8, 2009. Shinnysmini

 

I too would like to know the answer to this question. My friend ordered her's on August 7, and Ask Mini still can't give her a production start date.

If her car doesn't start production next week (Production week 34(8/17 - 8/23)) her car won't make the Southampton departure date for the Porgy (8/28) due to arrive at Port Hueneme on (9/18). If her car misses the Porgy, the car won't leave port until (9/11) aboard the Morning Caroline.

I believe by knowing the departure date for the ship going to your area, you can estimate when your car will be built. I don't believe they will put a car into production weeks in advance of departure just to have it sit in the yard taking up valuable space.

From the "how to track your mini" thread, here are the links to ship schedule.

WW Shipping Schedules: http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSche...=gener atePDF
K-Line Shipping Schedules:
http://www.kline.com/KAMCarCarrier/S...g_Schedule.pdf

 

I ordered on June 10th, the car arrived at my dealer on July 16th. Just over 5 weeks from order to dealer.

 

Because I live in NY State, it's more confusing as to which ship might bring my MINI to me. How did you find out that MINI ships with these transatlantic companies? I don't know anything about the shipping business- perhaps all cars come via these vessels? I was told that my car would take 6 to 8 weeks to get to me. On the MINI usa site, I see that total production time usually takes 9 days. I've also read that one can't count on the online owner's lounge to keep us up to date. I guess I'm waiting for the Wave, the Faust or the Compass (all coming to NY NY) but praying for the Undine (the quickest one to get to me)! Thanks- Shinny waiting for her Mini

 

In what part of the US do you live? Did you wear out the button on your "Where's My Mini?" site? I see this is not your first MINI- I am so excited to get my first...I may need to quit my job and drive for a few years. VRRRRROOOM

 

I am in Maryland, my MINI came through the port of NY (where yours will come in.) I did wear out the "Where's My MINI?" button and I got very used to talking to the automated system guy at 1-888-ASK-MINI to get to a service rep. This is my 1st ordered MINI, my 1st one was adopted from a used cars lot. So there was something extra special about ordering and waiting for this one.

 

I got the shipping information from this thread.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d-updated.html

 

I called the Ask Mini helper yesterday to see if my MINI had a production date/week scheduled yet. He said that the factory has been "on holiday". He couldn't tell me when they would be returning to work. Has anyone else heard this? I asked if "on holiday" meant the same as "on strike", but he said that wasn't the case.

 

Well, it looks like it is a two week production shutdown (week 32 and 33)

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/new...tells_workers/

"The motoring giant will close the factory for one week during February and two weeks in August. "

 

I guess we have to look at the bright side and hope that all the workers are well rested and so happy to get back to work that they will be doing an extra excellent job at building our MINIs. I am guessing that this is the last week of the "holiday" from my counts of the weeks. Although I may say that I am looking at the bright side, I'm disappointed as heck and like a kid waiting for dessert, thinks it's not fair to have to wait... having a mini-mental-breakdown in NY

 

My friend called Ask Mini today, and they said her car is in production.

You are not the only one waiting for a car. There are two other forum members from California who are waiting for their car as well.

 

I'm so happy for you.... I just called, but they can't give me a production start date yet. My order was placed with the factory on the 8th, although I ordered it on the 7th. Maybe tomorrow?? CONGRATS!

 

Actually, the car is not mine, but I do get to ride in it.

Keep us posted on your status.

 

My Mini went into production this morning at 6:24 am!

 

Congratulations, I considered starting production to be the same as the plant going into labor

 

Hey everyone - I ordered my mini on August 6th and was told on August 18th that it went into production that morning. I am so excited - this is my first new car that I gotten to choose colors and everything. It's fun following it's progress. I'm in NJ so at least once it hits our port it shouldn't take too long to make it's way to my dealer (Princeton).

 

Hey there Maui- I am looking at the shipping schedules and I am hoping that our minis leave southampton on Sept 1st and arrive on the 10th. If not then, they'd probably leave on the 8th and arrive on the 17th. Or they may get here totally unrelated to my understanding of the shipping schedules that were kindly posted here by UAL Kingpin. It's like adopting a baby from overseas- come to mama!

 

Hey Blouise - it's very exciting waiting for my baby to arrive. Looks like we'll be going through "mini" labor together.

I honestly have never really been into cars that much - it just had to get me from point A to point B. But I do believe that I've caught the mini fever. LOL I see that you already have by your sig. This will be my first.

Thanks for the possible shipping info. I'd love for it to get here early but I'm actually going on vacation starting the 18th so I won't even be back and able to look at until Sept. 28th. Kinda bums me out that I have to wait but then I think it'll just give me something to look forward to upon my return.

 

I ordered my Nightfire Red (with a Black top) MINI on August 1st. Nobody at the dealer, the MINI Lounge, or 1-866-ASK-MINI said anything about the two-week factory shutdown, but that certainly explains why it took so long to start production. Interestingly, the MINI Lounge still shows my MINI is "on order" - but as has been stated before, the MINI Lounge info is always way behind.

According to 1-866-ASK-MINI (and my sales manager), my MINI went into production on August 19th, and is estimated to be completed by August 27th. Since the next ship to Los Angeles (Porgy) departs on August 28th, I am being a good boy and saying my prayers in the hope it gets built in time to make it onto that ship. Otherwise, it will sit at the dock in Southampton until September 11th.

I had been hoping to get my MINI in time to qualify for the $4,500 Cash For Clunkers program, but from the news reports today, it sounds like the program may end (at least temporarily) this weekend. Bummer!!!

 

That's the information I'm looking for tonight. Do you have to buy a car on the lot, or have the production start before the end of the program? I've been waiting on paying off my credit card to pull the trigger on my Cooper, (just need to sell one more car and a couple PC's) but this program is making things very tempting. And now with it ending Monday, I'll have only that day or possibly Sunday at this point to make the deal....

Has this been covered on the forums before as to the details in ordering a new Cooper?

Thanks

 

They are probably "on holiday" to try to keep the backlog of unsold MINIs sitting at the dealerships from getting any bigger.

Don't know about other dealers, but it appears the Texas dealers have over 100 unsold MINIs each.

 

Nization - I was told by my MINI dealer that they have to have the new car in their possession before they can do a Cash For Clunkers deal. Even though they can get the new car VIN once the car is in production (or even if it was on the boat or in the port at Los Angeles), that is not enough - the Cash For Clunkers program requires papers showing they actually have the car being sold. So, if the program ends for good on Monday evening, I will not qualify. But, if the program is only being halted temporarily until they know how many cars have actually been sold, it may be started again in a couple weeks and I might yet qualify.

In your case, you should look for a MINI that is close to what you want and decide if the $4,500 is worth the things you have to give up (or buy that you really don't want).

Good Luck.

 

Does anyone know if the Mini's are back to 7-days-a-week production now? This article says they were going back the 7 day schedule for a few months.

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/search/4...red_jobs_back/

 

[NOTE: the following post is not correct - it was based on information from 2008 - see correction below]

The Mini plant in Oxford, England, is currently running three shifts, seven days a week.

On July 22, 2008, Jim McDowell, vice president of BMW's Mini division, told reporters that the United States' 82 dealers are out of cars and will be selling mostly preordered units for the rest of the year because demand has outstripped supply.

"For the last three months, we were selling from inventory. There's no way [July] can be as good," McDowell said. He said dealers have a one-day supply of cars and that 81 percent of the cars delivered this month have been those that consumers have configured and ordered.

In June, Mini sold 5,211 units, up 24.8 percent from the same month last year. That followed sales increases of 52.8 percent in May and 39.4 percent in April.

 

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