Hello:

My car finished production and, according to ASKMINI, has been at the port of Exit since March 30th. I keep checking the W&W Site and my car does not appear to be booked on any of their ships. I called my MA and she told me that the same thing as ASKMINI, and commented that it was odd, that it was the 3rd of April and they had no updates. I can't remember from last time if this is common, and things will start rolling so to speak in a few days, or if my MINI is languishing at the port, just waiting.... Is there any way to get more information, or should I just give it a few more days and check back at that point?

-- Joshua

 

JoshuaKane
My car was finished on the 12th of March and sat at the port of exit until the 17th. So maybe yours will be leaving anyday. It didn't show up on the WW site until the day it left. My car was coming into Brunswick Ga going to an Atlanta dealership and I'm still waiting for that call. Hope the info was useful.

 

Sorry Josh, my car was finished on the 11th at the port of exit on the 12th and finally left on the 17th.

 

Mine got to the port on April 1st and I'm still waiting to hear any information about a ship. You're right, the W&W tracking site does seem to be a black hole.

The ship is already at the dock, it seems like they would have at least booked it or something.

 

Furg and Thyodin:

This may be a matter of W&W not updating their database. I can't see anything that is listed as being loaded past the first of April. If you do a search on your vin and backup say 5 digits and put in a % it is used as a wild card. I don't see any MINI's (Convertibles at least) listed as loaded on any vessel past the first of April. Maybe there will be an update tonight or in the morning. I called my MA and she promised an update by 5:00 Eastern Tonight.

-- Joshua

 

So here what I was able to find out.

My S Convertible started the build process on Feb 24th, and completed on March 4th. It wasn't loaded on the ship until the 13th, and then it appeared on the WW site on the 15th.

Now here's the interesting part. Only after the WW site was updated with my VIN on the 15th of March, did I discover that Mini had booked my vehicle on the vessel on Feb 20th, four days before the build process began. It was received at the terminal on the March 6th, two days after the build process was completed, but it wasn't loaded until the March 13th, so it sat with all the other Minis to be loaded on the vessel.

Summary:
Feb 20th - Booked on the Topeka Vessel.
Feb 24th - Build process started.
March 4th - Build process completed.
March 6th - Arrived at the terminal/port.
March 13th - Loaded on the Topeka.
March 14th - Departed South Hampton for NY City.
March 15th - WW site updated to show all the above information by entering my VIN as the Cargo ID.
March 23rd - Arrived in NY City, and then Departed for Panama.
March 28th - Arrived in Panama, and then Departed for Port Hueneme.
April 8th - Will arrive at Port Hueneme (Hopefully) and then to the VPC in Southern California.

 

Ah, so it's roughly in league with the USPS Tracking. Where they finally give you tracking information the day after it shows up at your house :-)

 

Thanks for that tip about the wildcard search, Joshua.

I think I'm in the same boat (ha!) as you guys. My Lisa showed up at the port a couple of days ago.

Now, I'm in Los Angeles, so I looked at the WW schedule for boats that will be stopping in Port Hueneme. The next such ship leaving Southampton is the Tomar on the 11th, arriving here on May 3.

The Mignon leaves on the April 7, and the Oberon also on the 11th, but neither appear to be headed through the canal to the west coast.

I deduced this based on pdf's from this page: http://schedule.2wglobal.com/AppSche...RouteSearch.do

 

Come to think of it, you're absolutely right. I normally receive a package via USPS before their web site has any information on it.

It's a shame that Mini's Owner's Lounge doesn't have this type of detail.

 

I wonder if mine will make it on the Mignon on the 7th. My VIN doesnt show on the cargo id / manifest. :(

It finished production on the 1st.

If it can't make the Mignon, there wont be another ship going to NYC until the 14th!

 

I wish I had as much info as you guys.
I ordered my R57 through the military sales here in Germany. It's a US spec MINI but I don't get any details on the process unless I go to the dealer and get my stats via their computer. I have a production number, no VIN. OL site won't show it and ASKMINI says the two systems don't talk to each other(Military overseas orders and MINI USA orders).

You'd expect that once the car has a build slot, the data would reflect on the main database and thus be visible in th ownerslounge for expectant ownes to pine over. I've waited this long, what else can I do.

I want to complain to MINIUSA, though. This needs to be improved. What MINI hopeful owner doesn't want to see their car making it through the steps of the build process?

Plus, if you were to drive around on Ramstein AB, it would seem like every 3rd car is a MINI. We even have the original tiny models rolling around here! So the popularity of the car continues to generate new orders for military sales. Did you know that last year, overseas americans ordered 212 MINIs in this part of Germany! All those owners were lost in the dark on the build process like I am now. k, rants over...

 

Well poking around some more (insomnia has some good points) I was able to see that there are some cars listed as loaded on the Integrity, but mine is not among them, I hope that my MINI makes it on the 7th, or perhaps got picked up by the K Line.

Derepente, Sorry that you are in the dark during your whole process, guess we should be greatful for the information we have.

-- Joshua

 

Thanks JoshuaKane, hope you get some rest.

I've decided to see what it takes to get the two systems to merge. It may not even be systems. But what would it take for the process to be more user friendly for us overseas folks ordering US MINIs... If I ever find out, I'll post it!

 

I just looked at the Port Hueneme April schedule found here http://www.portofhueneme.org/documen...0403155829.pdf and I noticed that the vessle carrying my Mini S Convertible will be dropping of 814 vehicles on the 8th of April. Of the 814 vehicles, here is the breakdown:

- 121 HH Vehicles (I can't figure out MFG HH refers to)
- 371 BMWs
- 300 MINIs
- 4 RR (which I assume are Range Rovers)

That's an impressive number of vehicles being dropped off.

 

Whoo! I am booked on the Mignon. Is it set to arrive at Southampton on April 7th, and will arrive in Brunswick, GA on April 20th. I hope to take delivery by May 1st. Also does anyone know if BMW/MINI moved their operations out from North Carolina? The last MINI I ordered came into the VPC There.

Here are some Vessel specifics for anyone who may be sharing the cruise with me.

Name: Mignon
Information: http://www.vesseltracker.com/en/Ship...n-9189251.html


Looks like it does not have any current tracking information, the last received was from 2007, maybe that will be updated soon.

-- Joshua

 

I'll be on the Mignon too! I was worried it wouldn't make it since it didn't show until today! Mine will be dropped off in NY (actually NJ) on the 17th.

Maybe they will become friends during the LOOONG journey.

 

Mine isnt booked on the Mignon yet and I should be coming into the Charleston port. I noticed the 2 VINs before and a few after mine are booked on it. Hopefully mine is too.

 

I think us Charleston bound Minis have been left out in the cold. None of the ones I see on the Mignon (I just searched for WMW%) are headed to Charleston and the Integrity ditched us completely.

The next ship I see bound for Charleston is a K-Line hitting Southampton on 4/11, which is going to make it tough to make sure I take delivery in April.

 

Woo! Lisa is now listed on the WW website as booked on the Tomar! Any other west-coasters on the boat?

 

I always wanted to know what really happens at the VPD/VDC. I search and found this link which is pretty cool if you ask me.

http://www.bmwblog.com/2006/12/22/di...m-the-factory/

 

That is very interesting. And a bit scary seeing that Mini with the crushed roof!!

 

Well then. It's a good thing we're getting convertibles!

Thanks for that article! Very interesting.

 

I like the statement that purchased vehicles can go through the entire VPC/VDC within 2 days, but since 300 Minis were off-loaded with my Mini in Southern California, I'm guessing it will take a few more days for mine to get processed and sent to Easy Bay Mini in the SF Bay Area...

Another interesting link.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=34.1445849...17&l=0&m=a&v=2

The building in the center of your screen is the California BMW/Mini VPC/VDC. I'm guessing those vehicles on the right side of the picture with white roofs are the Minis, and on the left are the BMWs and Royal Royce's.

And if you look carefully at the link below you'll see the Wagonneers trucks waiting for Minis to be loaded to be sent to the dealerships.

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=34.1447092...19&l=0&m=a&v=2

This image is a few years old, but you can picutre your mini sitting waiting to be sent to the dealerships.

 

The Tomar has sailed with my MINI and 10 others aboard. Any other west-coasters on board?

 

Whooo! Looks like my MINI has cleared customs and has been discharged from the liner. I hope that he will sail through the VDC and make it to the dealer by this weekend. We are just 4 hours from the port, and I really want to get out of the Mustang I am borrowing until the MINI shows up!!