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Discussion in 'Cooper SE' started by insightman, Feb 27, 2020.

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  1. Aug 6, 2020 #141
    LazyPanda

    LazyPanda Member

    I test drove one back in February and wanted to wait for some real world range numbers before I placed the order. My original order was iconic moonwalk grey with black roof and mirror caps. But later I want full metallic in the paint for more durability and thicker coating. Then changed to enigmatic black with black roof and mirror caps. I think the white roof and mirror caps will be also stunning...
     

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  2. Aug 6, 2020 #142
    LazyPanda

    LazyPanda Member

    I am located in Southern California. After I placed my order, I went on autotrade to check if there were any available SE around me and in the US. I found there were about 7-8 available within 75 miles arrange. Maybe you can try that route. I hope you will get your SE soon.
     
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  3. Aug 6, 2020 #143
    Puppethead

    Puppethead Well-Known Member

    Twin Cities, MN
    Latest update, my SE is still waiting to go on a truck but MINI says they've given it over to the trucking company so it's out of their hands at this point. My advisor says he's got a number of cars waiting for a ride, so I'm not alone.

    So frustrating that my SE has sat in Baltimore longer than it took to get from Plant Oxford to Baltimore...
     
  4. Aug 6, 2020 #144
    insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Ann Arbor
    I've been checking MINI's My Garage website for 6 weeks without any changes since my car arrived a the port in Southampton, UK, but just this minute my car moved! The tracking graph shifted to check-mark 14! So after a 2-week voyage, a few weeks in Baltimore, and a 529-mile transporter ride to Michigan, I'll finally have proof that my car really exists. Thanks to all the forum members here who have put up with all my whining.

    upload_2020-8-6_16-2-53.png
     
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  5. Aug 7, 2020 #145
    F14Scott

    F14Scott Well-Known Member

    Navin: The new phone book’s here! The new phone book’s here!
    Harry: Well I wish I could get so excited about nothing.
    Navin: Nothing? Are you kidding?! Page 73, Johnson, Navin, R.! I’m somebody now! Millions of people look at this book every day! This is the kind of spontaneous publicity, your name in print, that makes people. I’m in print! Things are going to start happening to me now. ~The Jerk

     
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  6. Aug 7, 2020 #146
    insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Ann Arbor
    Wait, my name is Johnson. Things are going to start happening to me now! Probably a speeding ticket.
     
    Last edited: Aug 7, 2020
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  7. Aug 7, 2020 #147
    MichaelC

    MichaelC Well-Known Member

    Kansas City area
    Okay, I think the vessel transporting your SE is - get this - GRAND HERO, and has an ETA at Baltimore on 13 August.
     
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  8. Aug 7, 2020 #148
    F14Scott

    F14Scott Well-Known Member

    Screenshot_20200807-221758_VesselFinder.jpg
     
  9. Aug 8, 2020 #149
    insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Ann Arbor
    Yes, what an aptly named vessel to bring my long-awaited MINI Cooper SE to these shores! I've been refreshing my vessel tracking screen often (thanks @F14Scott), but the data is not real-time. The GRAND HERO is slicing through the waves at 15.5 knots (I can ride my bicycle that fast), and scheduled to arrive August 13th (was originally the 15th).

    Knowing that @Puppethead's MINI has been sitting in Baltimore for more than 3 weeks, I have to wonder how my MINI could take only 11 days to get through QC and be transported 530 miles to Ann Arbor before MINI of Ann Arbor closes August 24th. How weird is it that MINI of Ann Arbor is closing on a Monday and not at the end of the month?

    Finally, how can I persuade MINI of Ann Arbor to swap the hood of my MINI Cooper SE with one of the two hood-scoopless base Moonwalk Grey MINI Coopers sitting on their lot? I'll pay real money but I don't know who can authorize it. What could MINI do to them in retaliation after the dealership surrenders that "enhanced" car when it goes out of business?
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2020
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  10. Aug 9, 2020 #150
    Puppethead

    Puppethead Well-Known Member

    Twin Cities, MN
    Finally! SE moved to "in transit" from port of discharge today. Should be at the dealer within a couple of days.
     
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  11. Aug 10, 2020 #151
    KeninFL

    KeninFL Member

    My car departed Southampton either early today (Aug 10) or last yesterday. According to the tracker it was in Southampton only a few days.
     
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  12. Aug 10, 2020 #152
    insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Ann Arbor
    Perhaps the reduced stream of MINIs arriving in Southampton due to Plant Oxford's scheduled summer shut-down enabled the coronavirus-hampered shipping company to clear out the giant parking lot where some cars languished for more than 6 weeks.

    I found an interesting 2012 article in the New York Times that describes the transportation of cars across the oceans on enormous 5,500-car (and larger) car-carrying ships. The cars are packed onto up to 13 floors within the ship. They get a foot of clearance between the bumpers but only inches between the doors. A loose car could cause millions of dollars of damage, so they're strapped well in place.

    After the ship arrives at its destination port, the first team in removes the straps and hooks holding each car in place. Then a well-coordinated, high-speed unloading process begins with vans ferrying stevedores into the ship. The stevedores drive the cars out to assigned parking spaces. The vans then collect the stevedores and take them back into the ship to get the next batch of cars. Meanwhile, the car company reps have to quickly inspect each car for external damage. The unloading has to be quick because the dock fees in 2012 were $3,000/day.

    Here's and informative documentary about the process.
     
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2020
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  13. Aug 10, 2020 #153
    MichaelC

    MichaelC Well-Known Member

    Kansas City area
    I speculate the vessel carrying your SE is the K Line ORION HIGHWAY, currently enroute to Halifax (17 August), then Baltimore (20/21 August), then arriving in Brunswick 26 August. (Full K Line schedule here.)
     
  14. Aug 10, 2020 #154
    KeninFL

    KeninFL Member

    MichaelC, thanks for this info. My salesperson will be sending me ship's name, etc shortly, but this sounds right.
     
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  15. Aug 10, 2020 #155
    KeninFL

    KeninFL Member

    Insightman, I don't know enough to have an idea of how the clearing out of cars in Southampton is taking place. My Mini tracker told me my car was in Southampton on Aug 8. I was surprised to learn this AM that it has been loaded onto a ship and on its way here.
    BTW I did see a similar documentary about int'l shipping of cars. The one I remember was about Japanese cars shipped to North America. The tight and hopefully secure packing of cars was similar. I remember thinking when I was watching"what is the insurance bill for each transport? Whatever it is, it's in the $850.00 destination charge I'm sure.
     
  16. Aug 10, 2020 #156
    insightman

    insightman Well-Known Member Subscriber

    Ann Arbor
    FYI: I gave up on vesselfinder.com after it stopped updating the position of my car's carrier 4 days ago. However, marinetraffic.com is able to show the Grand Hero's current position. So if you know the name of your ship, you can probably use marinetraffic.com to follow it's progress.
     
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  17. Aug 10, 2020 #157
    LazyPanda

    LazyPanda Member

    I called MINI customer service line today to check my order product schedule again. I asked about the plant summer shut down. The customer service representative told me that they don’t have summer shut down this year. My order production schedule is still on week 36. Snail pace...
     
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  18. Aug 10, 2020 #158
    KeninFL

    KeninFL Member

    Thanks. Will do.
     
  19. Aug 10, 2020 #159
    KeninFL

    KeninFL Member

    MichaelC, just got confirmation from my salesperson that my car is indeed on the Orion Highway. ETA at Brunswick, GA is on/about Aug 27.
     
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  20. Aug 10, 2020 #160
    MichaelC

    MichaelC Well-Known Member

    Kansas City area
    Thank you for confirming! I'm trying to hone my skills for when it's my SE's turn to take the boat ride. I was hoping it would go out on the Figaro today, but status still shows it at the port. <sigh>
     
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