For those of you looking to get one of the last 2006 convertibles, you might have to wait a little bit longer. According to internal sources, MINI mistakenly gave many of the current run convertibles 2007 VINs. By the time it was discovered (about 10 days ago) these “2007’s” were scattered throughout the pipeline. Some were in production, some produced, some on boats, some at the US ports. Our guess is that they started giving US cars ’07 VINs when they did the other markets.
They have now frozen these cars in the status which they stand. Their first thought was to recall all of the cars and distribute them to other markets. Reason being, they did not meet ’07 specs for US cars and MINI knew of no easy way to legally re-VIN a car. Even the cars at
the US ports would be sent back. The dealers would the need to re-order new MINIs for their customers.
Now, it seems, MINI has found a way to assign the cars ’06 VINs. They estimate the process to do so will delay the cars an additional 2 weeks.
Little car, big Oops! 🙂
DOH! Anyone got any white-out? 🙂
Re-VIN? Hmmm, sounds fishy. I wonder what they would have done otherwise for those who had ordered Lapis Blue leather or Hyper Blue paint, which now cannot be re-ordere.
COOL & Prestigious! A Limited Edition MINI in which the VIN #’s have been “filed off”! 🙂
(I had commented on this last week) It’s been tough seeing people find out about this the hard way in the the forum delivery tracking threads. Many saw their status appear then dissappear, and some were actually told by ask-mini that they don’t know where their car is! Then the vin issue was finally discovered and it is amazing to see how many people it is affecting. What hasn’t been clear is if people will need to wait for a whole new ordering process, or their cars will be remanufactured ASAP, and if MINI will reward them in any way.
What really scares me is that 175 perfectly good minis could go to the crusher! I hope they find a way to at least reuse most of their pieces.
As a possibly related side note … My ordered MCS hardtop has been “en-route” according to the owner’s lounge … for 16 days, while the dealer is assuring me the ship hit Charleston days ago. With all the jumping through the VIN hoops … updating the owner’s lounge is probably down the list of to-do items. I don’t know how long it takes to cross the Atlantic on a cargo ship in huricane season … but it seemed a bit too long for my liking. 🙂
This does not affect hardtops. The Owners Lounge is about 48 hours behind our dealer system. We have more current info than the customer does.
any chance to get a 2007 vin for my 2004 for resell value!!
<blockquote>Re-VIN? Hmmm, sounds fishy. I wonder what they would have done otherwise for those who had ordered Lapis Blue leather or Hyper Blue paint, which now cannot be re-ordere.</blockquote>
Umm, this issue is about Convertibles. The Lapis Blue leather has never been available on the convertible, so is not applicable to this situation. Also, AFAIK the Hyper Blue paint is still available for the reaminder of the 2006 MY. Please try not to spread FUD until ALL the facts are known. Please?
By the way everyone only a total of 147 convertibles vehicles were affected. I had two customers affected by this and I handled it quickly and quietly and everyone is happy!
I want a convertible with a scratched out Vin#, Illegal fake 07’s convertible ….do I hear a marketing ring…priceless
Some one call the Counter Counterfeit Commission!
I’m sorry, but isn’t the VIN etched into the engine block?
147 MINI’s x 25k = $3,675,000
Fun
The VIN is on alot of parts of the car. From the passenger side motor mount to stickers under alot of the panels. Thats a costly mistake.
Hey Mark,
Just wondering … what “loss” did your customers suffer and how did you smooth things over?
Time is what they lost. I smoothed things over by being honest and getting info to them right as soon as it was available. That’s how you keep good customer relations. One of them ended up buying a Pre-Loved MINI Cooper S convertible instead because he couldn’t wait any longer/ He was very happy that I contacted him and was very undertsnading of the situation. In life “Things Happen.”
My dealer tells me that my Cooper S hardtop is stuck in the port because of the VIN mix-up on the convertibles. They were sure I’d be driving it by the end of last week so I got the bank check and insurance… Now the shipping company currently has it as still in the port. Must be stuck behind the Cabrios!
Round em up, move em out…rawhide
DB,
This sounds like a big FUBAR by MINI, and a costly one at that. Keep us upto date on how they resolve this one.
I have one of the affected convertibles on order as well. It made it to the docks in Southampton on Sept 8th, but the VIN mistake was discovered before it got on a boat. Right now, I have no idea where the car is. The Owner’s Lounge tracking information hasn’t been updated since it arrived at the docks for the first time on the 8th.
I guess it will show up when it shows up.
You might want to try giving either MINIUSA or your Motoring Advisor a call. They might be able to give you an ETA.
We are still waiting to hear more…
Oh believe me, my MA is probably tired of hearing from me by now, and MINIUSA isn’t talking either – at least no one I’ve reached via ASK-MINI has any idea of ETA, or whether or not the cars will have to be re-built or if they can in fact be re-VIN’d.
My MA even brought up the possibility that my car could very well have already been re-built or re-VIN’d, and already be on a boat on its way. In fact, that would just about jibe with MINI’s “two-week delay” statement. Since my car was at the docks the first time on the 8th, a two-week delay would have it back at the docks today. It’s just that since no one can give me a new production number or a new VIN, I don’t have anything to track.
Scott
my hardtop is supposed to arrive on 10-1 so I hope there are no delays. with the other cars.
Sorry Jack,
My hardtop was due 9-14… and nothing yet.
<blockquote>Reason being, they did not meet ‘07 specs for US cars</blockquote>
I wonder what is different in the US ’07 specs, and what changes will be made for the ’07 convertibles?
Well, my hardtop was due the first week of October and it will be at my dealership on Monday, Sept 26! I’ll pick it up on Thursday after they’ve added my deal-mods. Can’t wait to drive it home!!!
Does this affect the West Coast too? I forwarded my dealer this article… at first he’d never heard of this problem…2 days ago. Now he just called and said my MCSC is at the U.S. distribution center but doesn’t have a ship (to the dealership) date unlike all the other cars at the center… he’s now concerned that mine is part of this problem.