Two months? I custom ordered my MC on 6/12 and it's already at the distribution center four weeks later. It should get to my dealer some time this week. I know they say 6-8 week delivery time but my experience has been a little different...for the better.

But then if you order in August while everyone is on vacation, it's conceivable that they may have a slowdown in production. You'll be getting a great car regardless of what you decide to do. Happy motoring!

 

Hmm. I was told at the dealership today that the Mini factory is shut down in August. ::shrug:: Maybe JCW is special.

 

Very interesting.

Can anyone else confirm or refute factory shutdown in August ????

 

The sales manager at my dealer gave me a production number for Week 32 off status report he gets from MINI NA. I've registered it for tracking at the MINI Owners Lounge. It confirms the order, but is not yet scheduled for production.

 

it's common practice for them to shut down 2-3 weeks at the new model year to retool and give the masses a break. They did this in June 2004 just before 2005 MY production started.

 

check my sig. I'm soured on my R53, but I aint soured on the brand!

 

I don't see a break in the Week XX Support Groups. There's one for 30, 31, and 32. Those are late July - early August.

 

that's because there are orders to be built. If I wouldve ordered one of the last 2008 R56s at the end of June I was told it'd be a week 32 production. they dont really "shut" the factory down, it's just operating at a drastically reduced level to fill these orders and build JCW, while setting up the 09 line. A lot of maintenence is done during this time as well.

Go to MINI2 a lot of those guys work at Oxford and they are better at explaining what retooling and model year breaks are all about, esp when there's a new model about to be mass-produced (cabrio).

My last week 32 build turned out to have mild-to-moderate lemonitis, with sketchy body integrity... so that's why I waited

(And for you noobs who think 2 months is too long to wait: well, I waited 10 for my 1st MINI, and I know many that waited nearly 30 months in some remote markets-- yes we stood in one line to get in another line. Dude, 2 months is *nothing*.)

 

Ok.. either you have lots of patience or I have none I have no patience... i admit.

Regarding the August order, My M3 was ordered in Late July in 2004... same talk about "maintenance and slowing the production for the next year" type of talk on m3forum... well my car was good and gave me no problem. Hope my MCS gives me the same result. Maybe they have more time to rest and build the same quality.. heheh

 

I've known others that had body integrity issues with week 32 builds. I call it the "cursed" week. Since it is the last 2008 prod week, hopefully yrs will be OK. At delivery, check out things like how the bonnet, boot, and doors line up with the body (sit in both seats and adjust the mirrors, if the door and body dont seem to line up as you look back, as in my R53 drivers side, you may have a creaky car), look for HUGE gaps between the body and all doors, and see if the back seats are perfectly in line across the top when up.

Also, slam either door pretty hard, and have someone watch the boot hatch as U do so. If the hatch door moves, then there will be problems down the road with it (rattles, air leaks, etc.)

Just speaking from experience here.

 

^^^ Hmmm..... interesting.

Are you worried about having one of the first 09's? Because i have heard a couple horror stories of people getting the first minis that were released of that year, and missing some preety important things.

 

Our first was built in June 04, it really was a very late 04.

 

As of right now DSC is showing as standard on the miniusa configurator for a 2009.

 

oooh premium and comfort packages both cost 1250 now.

 

They added something called DTC :p

 

OH NOOOOOOO!!!!!! The Mellow Yellow interior is not an option anymore!!!

Why would they take out that only color?? They still have the blue and the red.....

 

That "something" also includes an Electronic Differential Lock Control which could be a better solution for the torque steer issue. Unfortunately the DTC option isn't available until 12/08 and price is TBD.

 

I can't decide whether everyone associated with MINI sales -- from Corporate down to the smallest dealer -- is duplicitous, deliberately giving incomplete and/or incorrect information to potential buyers and thereby keeping them off-balance; or, whether communication within the corporation (at least the U.S. branch) is simply the worst I've ever seen or experienced anywhere, anytime in respect to any retail product. Ask a question of the corporate office and you're likely to get, "Uh, I dunno . . . better ask your MA." So, I ask my MA and get one answer as to when things are going to happen or when things will be available. You ask your MA the same question(s) and get a different answer. I'm told 2008 Cooper/Cooper S will be available until January, when the 09s appear. You're told that 09s will be available in September and indeed the configurator now allows only 2009 builds. Read through a few recent threads in the general forum and it only reinforces the thought that no two people in the organization can agree on anything or know which end's up. Never seen anything like it.

 

Hmm . . .

I was just noodling around with the online configurator and as others have noted, there are some new-for-2009 features and options. As of now (and I stress, I'm not suggesting I have any sort of actual knowledge of future changes), the configurator suggests that the Sport Package includes DTC, xenons, white turn signals, bonnet stripes, and Crown or Webspoke wheels. The Sport Suspension is not included (it is still listed as a $500 standalone option), and there is no pricing for the package. Rather, the configurator simply states, "Available as of December 2008."

The Premium Package seems to include the sunroof, auto climate control, and a leather or wood multifunction steering wheel, but no Hi-Fi audio. The standalone DTC option suggests that it's a great choice for "aggressive driving" (I can imagine MINIUSA's lawyers re-wording this particular description) and that it includes Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC). The standalone DTC option does not seem to disappear after one selects the automatic transmission (the "actual" LSD option still seems limited to the manual gearbox, though).

I noticed a number of changes to the Clubman's interior options, including an option for Hot Chocolate Lounge Leather and a cloth/leather seat combination called Ray Cream. It looks like black cloth with cream pinstripes and cream leather side bolsters and associated trim. Again, these upholstery options currently appear only in the Clubman S area of the configurator. Oh, and there's an option for the factory-installed (not JCW) aero kit in the Clubman configurator, as well. Finally, there is a $250 option for roof rails under Step 3, "Handling" in the Clubman configurator. Call me a kook, but I don't really associate roof rails with handling. Maybe the rails will migrate to another area of the configurator.

Interestingly, Astro Black is still listed as an option. This leads me to suspect that the new-for-2009 options as currently listed at the miniusa website are hardly set in stone. Motoringfile suggested that Astro Black would be replaced with another metallic black next year, and I can't think of any reason to doubt the accuracy of Gabe's information. Then again, maybe there will be a running change during the 2009 model year.

I posted all of this in case the website reverts to the regular 2008 setting, but I encourage everyone to take a look.

 

I am in the planning stage of my mini purchase. So when I started to configure my laser blue Mini on their web site it only let's me put together an '09; a few days ago I was able to build an '08. I guess I may not have a choice on the model year. That's what I get for procrastinating.

 

I'd like to expect an official press release, in order to understand the correct date of production. It's strange there is no one yet, even if car config ha s been updated...

 

What about the $10,000 Sport Package...must be a typo!

 

apple who was picked up this week would have been 750 more glad i got her now

 

.

 

Anyone order a 09 MCS and actually get a production number? I was told September build for delivery around November, but my MA indicated they don't have their allocation until end of month and can't place the order till then. Is that the same story everyone is getting?