GBMINI#3

I spent half the day at MINI Peabody, waiting for GBMINI#3 to arrive. The truck driver had been told someone was waiting, so changed his route to deliver to MINI Peabody first, arriving around 12:30pm – and there is GBMINI#3, waiting patiently behind two convertibles, ready to be driven off …

Unfortunately the truck decides to spray hydraulic oil from the rear door lift mechanism, and all the cars are forced to wait while a clear-up operation occurs … the driver calls for a repair, and finally it is time for GBMINI#3 to come off the truck:

And finally GBMINI#3 is with it’s (im)patient owner! The red/red interior does not disappoint, and I think I like the chrome mirrors:

 

 

After giving a list of modifications to Gary, I had to leave GBMINI#3 and return to work … I don’t think I will be able to pick it up until at least Monday next week …

Today the MINI USA owners lounge updated to confirm that GBMINI#3 is at the Vehicle Distribution Center:

In fact, the owners lounge is wrong – because today GBMINI#3 left VDC on a carrier to be delivered to MINI Peabody!

In email discussion with Joel today, I received the following news:
“Ian. It’s been released to a carrier today, so it should be here tomorrow … but I don’t believe we’ll have the Certificate of Origin until Monday”

Then:
“I called the port and they said it should arrive between 2-3 tomorrow!
How’s that for an ETA. Have fun tomorrow and I’ll see you soon.”

But:
“If [GBMINI#3] does come tomorrow and the
CO comes in Saturday, we won’t be able to communicate with your
insurance agent until Monday. They need a copy of the CO in order to
register your new MINI… Looks like next week [for pickup]

I was hoping to be able to drive GBMINI#3 this weekend, but this annoying Certificate of Origin will prevent that – Massachusetts requires the CO to process the new car, and MINI USA is slow at releasing COs because they think that they aren’t necessary to release the car!
Hopefully the CO will follow close behind GBMINI#3s delivery tomorrow.

Separately, Scott at MINI Peabody has come up with a great scheme to make GBMINI#3 even more fun – thanks Scott 🙂

So I will probably be hanging out at MINI Peabody tomorrow 😉