My MINI has dropped off the radar!

6826 Views 20 Replies 9 Participants Last post by goodbyegirl, Jan 15, 2016

goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · Dec 31, 2015

I have been stalking my MINI since I ordered it in mid-November. It was finally built on December 11, then arrived at the port on Dec. 14. Today Ask MINI told me that they have no idea where it is, and that it might warrant further investigation if it doesn't show up somewhere by Monday. He said something MIGHT have happened....

He couldn't tell me where it was built, or at which port it was parked, either. Has this happened to anyone else??? What could be going on here??

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jan 1, 2016

OK, here is an update, which I hope will help other obsessive compulsive mini stalkers

. As I have done multiple times, I decided to once again try tracking on the Wallenius Wilhemsen website, and . . . . my car info magically appeared just now--hooray!!! It will arrive in California aboard the Toscana on Jan 20.

Also, to help demystify the "where was my car built?" riddle, maybe the following might help. My mini (f55) was loaded in Southhampton , and the partial vin begins with "2D", so it was clearly built at the Oxford plant---double hooray.

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 1, 2016

Thanks! Now it seems more "real", plus I was getting way too obsessive about checking, ha!

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 1, 2016

dm33 said:
How do you check on status? We haven't ordered yet but plan to next week.
Is it a website? Phone? Nagging the dealer?

Once you have your production number, (which DID entail nagging the dealer!)--and as far as I can tell, this is only for US orders--sign up in the MINI Owners Lounge. You will get your VIN number after a week or so, maybe longer (as in my case.) Once you have your VIN, you can go to the BMW VIN decoder to check on your order, but only for accuracy. The Lounge will also update status periodically, but ASK MINI is more current. Once the car is at the port, you can obsessively plug in your VIN number to the shipping track and trace. Be prepared for nothing to show up for a while. Then one day,after about 101 attempts, your car will show up as cargo, with the vessel and shipping information. From that point, you can follow the ship's progress across the Atlantic!

Here are links to relevant pages. Happy Stalking!

:

http://www.miniusa.com/content/miniusa/en/contact-us.html

http://www.bimmer.work/

https://www.2wglobal.com/webapps?fr...cean.do?method=getDefaultOceanQuickSearchPage

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels?t=4

Here is a link to a page that shows detailed instructions

http://http://www.motoringalliance.com/forums/mini-stuff/4824-how-track-your-mini-factory-dealer.html

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 1, 2016

brandonbardsley said:
Oh wow I bet you were worried! I'm glad it's come through though, a little over two weeks wait.

Yes, I was quite worried---I thought maybe it had failed inspection, had a wreck at the port, or some other tragedy. Hopefully it will speed through the arrival process in Long Beach, and be at my dealer by late January!

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 1, 2016

Hurbert II said:
Do you have the name of the Vessel? You know you can track merchant ships voyages don't you using a system called AIS? hehehehehe

Yes, the Toscana. As far as I can tell, it is still docked in Southampton, and is scheduled to depart on Jan. 3.

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 2, 2016

You are right---

Angib said:
As of today, the Toscana is docked in Zeebrugge, Belgium, so presumably it is either unloading Oxford Minis on their way to continental Europe and/or loading Minis built in Born, Holland for export.

So don't panic, even if it has gone in the 'wrong' direction. There will be a happy ending.

Thank you for this very cool information! I just looked further into the vessel finder, and you are quite correct. The Toscana doesn't arrive in Southampton until the 3rd, so presumably my car is sitting on the dock awaiting loading.
For anyone else who is attempting to track through WW, here (hopefully) is what will pop up when your mini has been booked for shipment (I'm not sure if this loaded successfully, so it might be blank)

See less See more

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 2, 2016

Scampula said:
ALSO I just want to put it out there to goodbyegirl. My car was going to set sale on the 3rd,(did not leave till the 8th) , then it was going to hit NY on the 13th (did not dock till the 18th) so its a great tracker but you can not track after it leaves the port ( no track during the trip until the next dock) .. Have fun tracking your new baby.. its an interesting part of the purchase..

Thanks for the advice

It is easy to think we are in "control" just because we have this cool technology at our disposal, but in fact there are so many unforeseeable circumstances that can arise. The sea in winter, for one. You are right, it is a very fun part of the process, and my eyes have been opened to an unknown world---the shipping/maritime world.

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goodbyegirl

Discussion Starter · #21 · Jan 15, 2016

Skullee said:
I've been cyberstalking my mini since 24th November. From the factory at Oxford and being loaded onto the Oberon. Travelling via USA through the Panama Canal, last seen off the coast of South America heading for Brisbane Australia. Unfortunately when the cargo ship gets away from the coast, you can only see the last recorded position sent, not its actual position. Unless you want to spring for satellite tracking which is expensive. ?
I'm hoping for some updates if the ship gets near an island on its way through, otherwise I'll have to wait until it arrives here, hopefully on the 16th January. And even then it'll be another couple of weeks to get through Customs and get a compliance plate, and then dealer delivery.

I think it's safe to say I'm over the initial excitement and I just wish it would hurry up and get here. It's exhausting being excited for that long ?
So good luck with your stalking, try not to suffer excitement burnout.
Nearly forgot, here's the ship my baby is on......

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/photos/of/ships/shipid:327369/ship_name:OBERON#900834

You are right---my ship's position has not been updated for over 100 hours

but I am hoping it gets in range soon as it nears the Panama Canal.

On another note: I saw in your post elsewhere that your mini has docked--hooray for you!

I also ordered the 5-door with roulette wheels, so I am anxious to hear your report once you take delivery!

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