if i were to build my own mini does ne 1 know a ball park figure on when i would actually be able to recieve it? i live in the USA by pittsburgh

 

8 to 10 weeks for a Cooper and 12 to 14 weeks for an S

 

Not trying to be a pain, but you really need to ask your dealer about this as the actual time is linked to the degree to which each dealer has filled their allocation of orders.

See, each dealer is "allocated" a certain number of orders that they can submit during a model year, and then they procede to submit those orders monthly. Some dealers use up their allocations early. Therefore, it's possible that a dealer might have nearly (or entirely) used their 2003 allocation by this month. If that's the case, then the "soonest" you could get a car from them would be early NEXT model year...which would be late September. That's 16 - 20weeks

On the other hand, many dealers allocate their orders rather evenly throughout the year, assuming that this roughly parallels customer demand. If that's the case, and you get an order placed toward the end of the month when the dealer sends their orders to the factory, then you may be looking at between 6 to 8 weeks. My understanding is that best case scenario is about 6 weeks from the time an order is received BY THE FACTORY to when you might see the car here at your US dealer. Bear in mind that your placing the order with the dealer is not at all equivalent to when the factory receives the order. Often, the "waiting list" at dealers is a waiting list to get to the point where orders are sent from the dealer to the factory.

Bottom line is that you need to ask YOUR dealer for THIS MONTH's timing on orders. Make sure that they report the anticipated wait for orders submitted NOW and not just the average wait over the year. Then, if you don't like what they've said...either in terms of length of wait or price (assuming they've given you straight info and not BS just to entice you to buy or to buy at an inflated price), go ask another dealer...assuming you have another that you'd consider buying from. Also, don't overlook the possibility of buying from stock at one of the increasing number of dealers that have stock at MSRP. You may find something close enought to what you're looking for with no wait. At least one of these dealers is an MCO sponsor.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

 

You may have to sit on a waiting list until it's your turn to put in your order.

sjun is correct, call and ask your dealer if they have a wait list and what the deposit is to have your name on it and how long they estimate it will be.

For me, I want delivery between the middle of Dec and middle of Jan because of a lease I'm in. I called and found out that If I put my deposit down in July I should be able to have a firm order by Oct and have delivery in Jan.

Good luck, have fun choosing your options and colors!!

 

i already got it all picked out and im already buying crap for it for when i get it =)

 

This has been an interesting thread since it finally gave me a better understanding of allocation.

When I went to see my salesman last weekend, he told me I was looking at being allocated at the end of the month (May).

That sounded great but a day later or so I realized that I didn't really understand what allocation meant what all the other dates being mentioned.

From this thread I gather that allocation means my order is submitted to MINI.

From that point, how far are you, generally, away from a build date?

Tom

 

Tom, re. your question, I can only answer from my personal experience (ordered last July, delivered in mid-September). Once your order is actually placed with MINI, you can expect a wait of around 6 weeks to get your car built. The projected "build date" is generally assigned within a week or two after your order shows up on the system.

Then, after your car is built, you start another waiting game of trying to figure out when your car will actually make it from the factory, to South Hampton (the port of exit) to Newark, NJ (if you're on the east coast US) and from there to your dealer. Shipping is somewhat of a more variable process than manufacture. In my experience at the end of the 2002 model year, cars got stacked up at the US east coast distribution center (Newark) and were taking a couple of weeks to clear out of there. But in general, it should only take a few days to get out of Newark.

In short, from the point of order submission to showing up at your dealer SHOULD take 6 - 8 weeks...assuming nothing goes wrong.

At this point, there's not much for you to do but to watch the online Owners Lounge info carefully...you'll see your car order progress through the system. And eventually you'll get sick of that and start bugging the folks at MINIUSA. That's all part of the fun.

 

Took about 4 weeks from order placing to dealer arrival for my S in Feb.

 

If you need the cooper fast then check around all dealers near your area for anything in stock that meets your needs. If you find one it is likely they will sell it to you at MSRP then there is no wait. If you must get one ordered then you are placed into a queue of buyers for that dealership.

So lets say this month in May I place my order for an MCS with HK audio upgrade and nothing more. Well my dealership my already have left over from before May and long 20 person waitlist of people interested in ordering MCS. So those people will have their orders placed sometime in the future months using this dealership's allocation of MCS to order. The number will vary but it is rationed out by the factory. The dealer may receive extra coopers beyond the standard allocation. Those they can sell off the lot. The dealers have no say on what options are ordered for those extra units. With the backlog- why does the factory even build extra units other than to use up parts that are in excess? Doesn't really make sense. I guess if dealers can sell 100% of everything given to them ordered or not and the profits are MSRP then it doesn't really matter at all which coopers make it to the US. All are eventually sold.

If you go to a dealer that has NO wait on taking orders then it is very fast like 6 to 8 weeks. Because there is no wait to get the order placed. In my area the wait is about 3 to 4 months wait to place an order depending on which model is ordered. Longer wait for MCS. Then another 2 months to build.

AND then more wait to unload the cars at our dock. Sometimes there are delays of up to a month with the cars waiting around to be unloaded and delivered to the dealer- they can do nothing but stand by and check on status. the dock workers are busy doing unloading but cannot get around to it. The perishables are the priority and they are working long hours to unload everything already. I live in Hawaii so everything that is bulky or heavy comes through by container ship. The very perishables and light stuff comes by air.

I bought an MCS that was in stock. 1 day wait- so I could sleep on it and not make an impulse buy.

 

>>Took about 4 weeks from order placing to dealer arrival for my S in Feb.

That's great news. Even the 6 week estimate is good news. I was conservatively estimating 8 weeks. Taking delivery before the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix would be fantastic (July 19-20). I guess it's possible.

I am looking forward to getting my magic number so I can make the owners' lounge my home page. I keep telling myself I wanted to go through this process.

I am definitely coming in through Jersey, but I have a good feeling about my chances there.

As for ordering in Pittsburgh, someone told me that Rod Woodson owns a piece of the Mini dealership downtown and drives a Cooper S. I thought that was too cool. I wonder if he has a tough time finding it among all of the SUVs that must dot the players lot.

Tom

 

The dealers only place orders every few weeks. Call around and ask different dealers when they'll be placing your order. My wait was short because I called the dealer on the very day the order was being placed. 16 days later my car was on the boat.

 

see i dont see ANY minis around... i dont think they are that big around here yet... so mabye ill b in luck... but the only dealer around is pittsburgh and they dont have an all black mini s with the premium and sport package with the Nav system in it but mabye they will get 1 in?

 

If you are in a hurry then concider giving up some of the options and you may be able to find the color combo you are wanting sitting on someone's lot!

I'm not getting the sunroof because of how much it weighs and I want a Union Jack. I am not getting the Nav system or the computer because I can read a map and figure miles per gallon with a pencil! I'm not getting the 17" wheels because they weigh too much.

so my point is... not everything in the packages are for everyone. Call around to the dealers and find the color combo - Black / Black - that you are looking for. Find out what it comes with. It may be a fantastic car!

 

Mini of Richmond was about 2-3 months off when I was looking in the spring but I wanted to stay local. Richmond is about 5.5-6 hrs from Pittsburgh and probably quicker on the trip home if you get my drift.

Mini of Sterling is just over 4 hrs from Pittsburgh in Northern Virginia but they have a pretty long waiting list. I ordered on March 1st and I'm probably looking at late July or August.

Mini of Hamptons (Long Island) is always on here with alot of MCS's ready for sale. Most have all 3 packages and some have the nav system.

Tom

 

hmm thanx u guys rule! actually replying to my posts! mad props