[imeddy]

Guys, my dealer sent me this official letter MINI Corporate. There are some official word from MINI USA on the EPA hold concerning the new hardtops.

The letter is as below and pdf version is attached. FYI


Dear Motorer,

I am writing to you today to personally apologize for the delay of your 2015

MINI Hardtop. We are doing everything we can to get this vehicle to you,

and to ensure that it delivers on everything you have come to expect from

MINI.

The situation is this; the availability of the 2015 model year MINI Hardtop has

been pushed back to October as we await EPA certification

results. Engineers are working diligently with the EPA to complete testing

and to arrive at a certified MPG rating as soon as possible.

We know that you have invested in us, and we want to make sure you know

we are invested in you. Motorer Relations is standing by to assist further,

and we have empowered our dealers to assist you one-on-one to help

during this time period. We are also working to put protocols in place to do

our best to avoid a situation like this in the future, and to make your MINI

experience the best it can be.

Customer deliveries are expected to start as soon as October 1, 2014. I,

along with my team, am taking every possible step to address this delay. We

will communicate any and all changes as we move forward.

David Duncan,

V.P., MINI of the Americas

 

[smoley58]

Great . . . That feels better. . .

 

[jeremybingham]

Sorry what does epa stand for?

 

[imeddy]

Sorry what does epa stand for?

US Environmental Protection Agency

 

[deadhead mark]

Am i the only one that noticed " start as soon as October 1, 2014"? This does not say deliveries will begin on that day, sounds to me like a trap door that will allow further delays if the evil EPA is not happy with the results. My previous understanding was that 10/1 was somehow a drop dead date for the EPA and MINI to conclude this fiasco!

 

[Leslie Hammond]

Evil indeed! Don't get me started.

I do feel the love from my dealer and MINI though, having a long term loaner until waiting is filled.

 

[smoley58]

Not evil EPA . . Stupid internal Mini mistake.

Either Mini did not plan / schedule the certification prior to the ship date or published the ship dates without knowing what was needed to import into the US. The old "left hand knowing what the right hand is doing" issue.

They have followed this EPA requirement for 10 + years / nothing new. While they are paying the price of free rentals / discounts etc etc, I would rather spend the 2 months of driving / paying for what I ordered . . not using ia car that I have no pleasure in driving,

I hope they remembered to tighten the lug nuts on my car sitting in port since August 1 . . .

 

[imeddy]

Am i the only one that noticed " start as soon as October 1, 2014"? This does not say deliveries will begin on that day, sounds to me like a trap door that will allow further delays if the evil EPA is not happy with the results. My previous understanding was that 10/1 was somehow a drop dead date for the EPA and MINI to conclude this fiasco!

You are not the only one. Trap door indeed.

 

[droffilc]

What are the differences between the 2014 and 2015 that
need new EPA certification?
Does the 2015 have useful driver upgrades over a 2014?
Or is it all just bureaucratic procedure?

 

[nicnoc123]

I have the same curious questions as droffilc... Waiting for answers, as well.

 

[irmark88]

They are trying to validate the information for MPG. Adjust it if needed. They need to do the testing to make sure the information they are advertising will be valid. The testing will take place in September and be wrapped up ASAP.

There is no trap door in that statement. Corporations take time. Lots of time. Oct. 1st is a deadline they would like to reach and will do anything they can to get there. Everyone needs to remember MINI doesn't want to not sell cars just as badly as drivers don't want to not drive them and take delivery.

Let's all stay patient and remember that we are on the same team as MINI. There are a lot of moving parts in this situation and the last thing MINI would try to do is pull the wool over our eyes.

 

[nicnoc123]

Thanks. Are there any differences/updates/changes between a 2014 F56 to a 2015 F56 besides?

 

[irmark88]

There will be an extra wheel option and you will be able to get the color Electric Blue.

They will also change the Premium Package contents now that all their parts are available (Harmon Kardon shortage for example)

I believe the U.S. model will now be able to have the active cruise control feature on it

Other that that, exact same car. Physically it will not be changing.

 

[nicnoc123]

Thanks for the clarification, irmark88.

 

[irmark88]

No problem

 

[droffilc]

I read in the L.A. Times this morning that BMW/MINI have been
sanctioned by the EPA for understating fuel economy by 1 mpg !
Hopefully this will free up deliveries of 2015s.
Apparently they are not the only manufacturers with a similar problems.
http://www.latimes.com/search/dispatcher.front?Query=bmw mini &target=all