MINI Shutting Down Production for December

I’m glad I got my mcs conv. when I did. Don’t know why they don’t continue production and send it to U>S> dealers.

Ryan, read the piece again. MINI sales are down 40% in the UK. The UK is still the biggest MINI market in the world followed by the US and Germany. MINI sales are generally down accross Europe as well.

I am sure US customers with vehicles on order will get their cars in time prior to the plant shutdown.

I just ordered a new MCS last week Friday. I haven’t gotten a production no. yet from the dealer, but when I ordered they gave me an anticipated delivery date of 12/20. I wonder if I’ll still get the car in December or if it will be delayed until January or something… should I call the dealer? How long does it take to get a production number?

PS – Of interesting note: I had requested the color to be “Midnight Black” as that is the Black on miniusa.com when you configure the car. However, the dealer says that it will be Astro Black instead of Midnight Blalck. The dealer didn’t have a swatch of the Midnight Black even at the showroom. They said I’d have to wait until after January if I wanted the Midnight Black…so I went with the Astro. What’s the difference anyhow?

Perhaps the slow down in production will allow the Anthracite Headliners to catch up with the Production weeks 36,37,38,39,40…….. R-55 cars. Not complaining – just hopeing. :)

It’s a bit sensational to title this “Shutting Down Production for December”. It is only a two week extension to the annual two week holiday shutdown. Obviously BMW anticipates a slowdown in sales, and this is probably the least disruptive way to cut production. This article says workers pay is not affected: BBC: Mini production stops for a month

They said I’d have to wait until after January if I wanted the Midnight Black…so I went with the Astro. What’s the difference anyhow?

Midnight Black is a metallic true black. Astro is a very dark metallic blue/purple. Personally, I’d wait for the new color.

Even though MINI has reported increased sales in the US for October, they must be seeing a downward trend to take such action. Perhaps there has been a drop in dealer traffic and orders over the past few weeks in the US. I have been skeptical of the sales numbers reported in the US as everything seems to be slowing down. I’m sure that the September and October sales were still orders from 2-4 months ago being delivered.

How many cars a week from that plant? Recent sales are down, lots of cars outside the factory waiting for buyers. Makes so much more sense to shut down for two weeks more than to run the factory halfway for 4 weeks.

To all of you who want production high to meet, or even exceed demand, buy a GM, Ford, or Chrysler product. Mindless production does wonderful things for resale value (not to mention image). Kudos to BMW for using their heads over their hearts.

BMW has begun to shutter a variety of plants. Leipzig was the first to go for a week; Munich, Regensburg, Dingolfing and even the Landshut foundry will be closed this month for a week. The Spartanburg Plant in the US will see layoffs and closure for a period this and next month.

Rumors are that all BMW plants will have extended holidays.

In Germany employees bank “overtime”/ “Shift differential hours. They do not receive additional pay in their regular check for this time but will be paid during times of closure and can cash it in after a certain period. This is only valid for full-time employees of the company. Temporary workers do not usually qualify for these terms. BMW employs temporary workers as a percentage of the workforce in case their are downturns in demand and they have to slow production or let people go…. easier to let non-union employees go.

I feel for these people and their families, not really the time to complain about a car not getting a particular part or the fact it may be produced early so you have less time to change the order….. real people build these cars and some will no longer be employed. The global markets are in big trouble and BMW while still in good shape is being proactive in making decisions like this; they are also setting up methods of protecting the independent interest of the company through investment conglomerates so that the likes of Porsche etc. do not gobble them up in a hostile take over.

BMW/MINI will weather this storm by making adjustments in advance. They are shutting things up so that if things get worse they do not have a stockpile of cars. Better to do enough to keep your head above water (small profit) and ride it out than to go for the shore (shoot for all the profit) and realize the tide has changed and you over did it and are going to drown (built too many cars and can’t move them.)

Just my personal opinion…

just think of all the little plant problems management and bmw can fix with an extra 2 weeks shutdown. as pay is not affected by shutdown, this will probably help worker morale. i wish my job offered a month off in december with pay as fulltime employee. as a previous non full time employee, many plants in u.s go through shutdowns and refurb every year.