Delivery Spreadsheet - Let's Track These Inbound SEs

You’re right, and none that are as fun to drive. I was just venting due to the frustration caused by their poor customer relations.


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A lot of people (journalists especially) seem to equate "lower range" with "years behind on technology". It is a fallacy built on a decade of "range wars". But even in the past decade, the range was kind of a red herring. There are lots of trade-offs besides range.

That said, MINI does use Samsung's 94Ah battery instead of their newer 120Ah battery. So in that sense, they are working with an older generation of their own supplier's battery tech. I haven't seen a good explanation of why.

I particularly "enjoy" (tongue-in-cheek) this interview with the MINI engineering and product team:
https://www.bmwblog.com/2020/01/18/mini-cooper-se-technical-details-and-specifications/

Interviewer:
"According to the press release, the MINI SE uses the last-gen i3 battery tech (94 Ah – 32.6 kWh) rather than the 120 Ah battery used in the 2019 i3. If this is true, why was this done?"

Response:
"A modified version of the 94Ah battery package is used and it repackaged to fit into the T-Pack used in the Cooper SE. Therefore, the MINI Cooper SE has battery pack of 32.6 kWh and 28.9 kWh net."

 

I used the 7-day free trial on marinetraffic.com. It was going to expire a few hours before it was scheduled to arrive, but it looks like the ship might make it in time.



EDIT: Just over 221 nm (254 mi) to go as of now.

 

Yes, I must be the other order they referenced when they spoke with you. The good news is that I got a production number last Thursday, and entered production today! Skeptical that "entered production" meant anything, I called ASK-MINI and was told they have the car scheduled to be completed 9/28.

This experience has been quite frustrating, but my experience at Global Imports MINI was much, much worse. The Global Imports salesman low-balled and repeatedly insulted my trade-in, tried to upsell me $4k of protection packages, and then would only work with me if I would buy the Iconic they had on the lot at the time. When I tried to talk about ordering a cheaper Sig+ model, he just said, "That's only going to save you a few thousand dollars," and made no attempt to work with me on an order. I left, and he didn't try to stop me.

The order process with Kennesaw has had me pulling my hair out, but at least Kennesaw didn't insult me or my trade-in. (That said, if they significantly reduce the value on my trade-in when I go to accept delivery of the SE, I'm going to be ticked.)

Hopefully yours is close behind me, @Skimster. I spotted a BRG SE at Kennesaw a week or two ago and had to drive by slowly to gawk.

In other news, I recently spoke with a dealership that was preparing to sell their Iconic SE that they had been using for test drives (250 miles on the car). They told me they were marking it up $5,000 as a "market adjustment."

 

This "market adjustment" for a used car is disappointing. That Iconic test car must have turned many of the tire-kickers who took it for a drive into expectant customers, suggesting to that rapacious dealership what level of "adjustment" the market will bear.

 

I'm about 160 mi between Nashville and Atlanta, and sounds like I lucked out with contacting Mini of Nashville/Brentwood first. No markup, no issues placing an order for a new build. About as smooth as I could expect it to be so far beyond the need for extreme patience in the process.

My MA said they have a total of two Minis on the lot right now, and one of them's used. The market's crazy right now, which is why some dealers think they can get away with what's essentially price-gouging. I've heard similar stories regarding insane markup with other brands as well... The Mustang Mach-E for instance.

 

Nice. One thing I noticed while tracking my first arrival. The ships get super slow at the very end. Brunswick does not look like a very busy port but I know at Port of Houston (where the Taycan finally departed) it took nearly 18 hours to be finally "moored".

 

I was wondering about that. Like a slow-motion aircraft holding pattern until there's space available. The whole process is all pretty fun to see happening in nearly real time.

 

Hey everyone. Long time lurker and finally posting about my order in Pittsburgh, PA. I placed an order for a Signature Plus in black, with white roof and mirrors, along with white bonnet stripes on the front, 16" victory spoke black on the wheels and black pearl cloth seats. I placed the order on August 10th, received my build number on the 20th and now I'm in scheduling limbo. I'm not used to waiting months for something, so this is bothersome! Glad to be apart of the crew and I enjoy reading the updates from everyone. I posted my info on the spreadsheet if you care. Good luck all!

 

Lol. They move like 15 knots near the ports which is 17 mph. You'd think they are running in Green+ trying to save battery.

Brunswick is not a big port at all, check out the photos on the page:

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ports/1326

 

That satellite view shows room for maybe three total ships at a time.

EDIT: Here's a photo of the port from the processing company's website.

 

Right! I thought it was a bluff, so I told them that I already had a car on order and that dealer had given me $1k off (part promotion and part employer-offered BMW Group discount), so I would be willing to cancel my current order and purchase the *lightly used* Iconic if they could offer a similar deal.

They replied (and this is the direct quote):

"I appreciate you reaching out and sharing your thoughts. Your custom order you have already placed seems like the best way to go.

Thanks,

[John Doe], Motoring Advisor"​

Guess it wasn't a bluff.

 

I ordered mine 8/31 and got a text from the dealership that it went into production the next day, 9/1. The dealer (Scottsdale, AZ) told me they were taking about two weeks to build, and today it’s at the port! Mine is also headed to California; hoping there’s a boat headed there soon! My Mother’s new BMW 540 just left Germany for California. It’s a race!

 

Apollon Highway docked as of 4:20 AM EST (nice), which is about 11 hours earlier than expected.

It's hard to tell the timeline from here based on the delivery spreadsheet, but we're at least on American soil now.

 

Dang, that's fast, I'm super jealous. I ordered 6/28 and it's still sitting in Scheduled for Production Status. Last time I called ASK-MINI, they said it's supposed to be done by 9/18, but that's seeming unlikely at this point. I'll give them a call next week and see if they have any updated info.

 

The Apollon Highway departed Brunswick at 16:24 EDT.

En-route to Galveston currently ETA - Sep 20, 08:00 CDT

 

New member. Ordered my SE Aug 4. No production date, yet. Was hoping to get it in Nov.

Wife just got the Model 3 last week. We ordered it beginning of July (took about 2 months). More excited about the SE, though.

 

June! That’s such a long time. Do we have any idea why there is so much delay on some but not others? Like, did they have the faux leather and green paint out so they sent mine into production right away? (Mine is base model, I only added heads up display and roof rails.) The salesman told me December or January when I ordered on 8/31, but then said October or November when it went into production so soon. I’m preparing myself for a long wait at the dock.

 

Spotted: someone's Iconic BRG with black roof/mirrors and black tentacle spokes was northbound on I-75 just north of Atlanta at approximately 1:20 PM today!

 

Don't give me any ideas. By the time mine gets manufactured and shipped, I'll be in Brunswick, GA staking out the port entrance with a pair of binoculars, just trying to get a glimpse of a green 2-door hardtop SE on the back of a passing car carrier. The wait is getting brutal.