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After much debate and the future availablility of an LSD, I want an '05 MCS!
My question is about dealers in the SE US. I live in Atlanta and have two dealers to choose from (Global Imports and Hank Arron). Any experiences with the two dealers I mentioned? Am I better off going out of town (or state) to get a better deal? I'd go as far as Charleston, SC if it meant not getting screwed.
There used to be a dealer rating section on here, before the new software. I'd try to find it (perhaps with some help) if you can.
I boutght from Tom Bush in Jacksonville, and had a good experience there. That might be a bit out of your way. There are plenty of Atlanta people on here, and I think at least one of those places you mentioned has a good rep. You should get some useful responses here.
After much debate and the future availablility of an LSD, I want an '05 MCS!
My question is about dealers in the SE US. I live in Atlanta and have two dealers to choose from (Global Imports and Hank Arron). Any experiences with the two dealers I mentioned? Am I better off going out of town (or state) to get a better deal? I'd go as far as Charleston, SC if it meant not getting screwed.
Thanks,
Erik
Having recently bought a MINI right here in Atlanta I can offer a bit of advice....
Global WILL try to charge you $599 for "dealer prep". Apprently this includes ******** they couldn't account for, and a $100 set of floor mats. Hank Aaron does NOT charge this.
Having said that, I'd still go to Global in a hearbeat for one reason. Laurie Coggins (my MA there) was absolutely outstanding. Check the dealer ratings and you'll see I'm not the only one who has this opinion.
You can do like I did, and bargain with them; a well-timed "well, HA MINI doesn't charge a "dealer prep" fee, so I'll be buying it there unless you drop it...." is all it took to get rid of that nonsense. Expect to pay $399 for "documentation", but this is pre-printed on their invoice and supposedly non-negotiable (Hank Aaron charges the same fee, in the same manner).
In my case (I live inside the perimeter, Decatur to be exact) Global was MUCH closer, so I really wanted to do business there. Still, Laurie is by far the best MA I've met at either dealership, and you'd do quite well to buy a car from her.
As a side note, make sure to check out the AtlantaMINIs group. Really active bunch... I have, unfortunately, been indisposed on the date of EVERY meeting they've had since I got my MINI in February, but hopefully I'll be making it to the August fall drive.... hope to see you there!
For my opinion, I was very pleased with my experience with Mini of Charleston. David Templeton was my sales rep and was very helpful during the process of purchasing our '04. No pressure and very little markup over msrp
I live very close to Global (I'm in Dunwoody) so I'd like to buy from them. I'll use the "Hank Arron doesn't charge this fee" line when the time comes.
I am waiting for the availability of the LSD in Jan '05.....I'll be ordering one as soon as they allow it
Got mine from Global as well (2003 MCS), and am very pleased with the service. They are pricy, though, I was charged much more than standard for my JCW kit and didn't realize it until much later (found out about NAM only a short while ago). Thomas Freeman is an awesome cust rep.
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Twisties ahead! DSC off! Downshifting in progress! Time to have fun.
I have had very lackluster service from Global. I took my MINI to them for its first oil change and they were incompetent to properly install the oil filter canister, causing an oil leak that took me several months and a trip to an independent BMW shop to fix. They overtightened the canister and broke the O-ring.
And speaking of over-tightening, make sure to tell them to reinstall your wheels using a torque wrench set to the proper setting instead of an air wrench. When they did some brake work for me under warranty, I had a heck of a time removing my wheels afterwards.
However, they are nice and are the closest dealer I have access to since I live in Birmingham, but I have gotten the impression that their service people tend to cut corners wherever possible.
My service advisor, Eric, was great the last time I went there and I think that I will just let him know that I am picky about things like torque settings for wheel lugs and I am sure her will accommodate me.
__________________ Disclaimer: No claim is made that the quality of the MINI-related advice offered by Yucca Patrol
is greater than the quality of MINI-related advice offered by other NAM members.
I'm extremely frustrated with Hank Aaron MINI right now. I have been talking to them since March about getting my MCS. We decided to wait for the 2005 MY, so I contacted them to ask a) when the first MY 2005 MCS production slot would be available (they said I could order in July), and b) when it would arrive (September). I even emailed them in early June to confirm that July was the earliest I could get a production slot and asked them to contact me when I could place my order.
So this week, wanting to make sure I still got the first slot, I called and tried to reach a MA to get more details. Voicemail on Monday, out of the office on Tuesday, finally got someone today - only find out they have already sold all the September slots and are looking at sometime in October. I am so freaking irritated with them, that I'm calling Global now about buying through them despite all the time I've spent with HA MINI up to this point.
I purchased my new MINI from Hank Aaron, taking delivery on the 12th of June. Our experience with them was ok--not horrible, but by no means fantastic.
They were helpful when we first went to look. I found the Nashville dealership to be more attentive, and probably would have gone with them except they wanted to charge $400 to install the auxillary jack. We compared prices, and decided to go with HA based on the fact that they didn't charge the $599 dealer prep fee that Global did.
They basically did the minimum competent job. Got the car (a couple of weeks later than we had initially though), it was beautiful, of course. They were very nice on the day that we ordered and the day that we took delivery. In between, they were pretty indifferent.
All in all, I'd definitely consider going elsewhere if I were doing it again.
But, I still love the car .
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Pigwidgeon, 2004 IB/W MCS with Alien Navigator
Well, sounds like someone quoted you aux guages not input! The auxilery input is around $140 installed. Just so you guys know if anyone wants to do business here, we have a $299.50 processing fee and that's it. FYI, if anyone wants to contact me "John Monk" for an order, I will buy floor mats for anyone who contacts me from this forum. jmonk@miniofnashville.com
I bought mine in 02' from MINI of Nashville. They were swamped, and it took 8 hours to cement the deal. I can't say much for their communication, as I as deceived into thinking they would charge MSRP. I got that story the night before I made the trip there. The next day, it was "TRUE MARKET VALUE". That meant an additional $2,000.
I ended up haggling and buying the only MINI on the lot that did not get have the markup attached to it. It was an Indi Blue that had been there a bit.
Service wise, they have been "okay". The time waiting is LONG!!! (Take a good book and be ready to finish most or all of it for a simple oil change)
Good luck and Go BRAVES!
__________________ Still looking back after I get out....
Cooperman
I ended up ordering mine from Global who was able to get me a week 30 production slot (screw you, Hank Aaron MINI!). Laurie Coggins and Diana Whitlock have both been great, and although they both claim no one has bought from Global without paying the "dealer prep fee", Laurie did cut it in half ($300) which I can live with rather than waiting for an October delivery.
__________________ OUT: 2005 MINI Cooper S, British Racing Green / Black
Alta 15% pulley, Pilo CAI, Alta SSK, IK-22, Kingsborne wires, H-Sport springs / sway-bar / rear lower control arms, Konig Imagine 18" x 7.5" wheels, PIAA driving lights, scoop grill, WSM http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6...edgr002fy7.jpg IN:
I bought mine in 02' from MINI of Nashville. They were swamped, and it took 8 hours to cement the deal. I can't say much for their communication, as I as deceived into thinking they would charge MSRP. I got that story the night before I made the trip there. The next day, it was "TRUE MARKET VALUE". That meant an additional $2,000.
!
That is how it was in 02. With the help of a couple new Managers, that is no longer the case. MSRP all the way now. I'm glad that I wasn't here then.
I ordered from Hank Aaron in July '03 and took delivery that September. (I am still 1,000 miles short of my first service visit, so can't comment on that yet). I was very happy with Hank Aaron start to finish...the best dealer experience I have ever had buying a new car. I got exactly what I ordered, got it when I expected it, and never had to haggle about pricing...everything was at MSRP, with no weird dealer prep fees and no unreasonable labor charges on accessories. Sure, I got voicemail once in a while and they could have been more responsive in answering my voicemail messages on occasion, but this was nothing out of the ordinary IMO. I would definitely buy my next car there. :smile:
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'03 MC CVT, H-sport springs and competition rear swaybar, Rspeed exhaust and intake, ICE-Link for iPod, Roadrunner horn
Got my MC40 from Global Imports in ATL. Diana Whitlock is the best!.
Started at 10:00 AM, done at 1:00PM, no extra fees. Just MSRP :smile:...
They look very professional, we will see how good are they when service time comes up...
Quote:
Originally Posted by gravedgr
I ended up ordering mine from Global who was able to get me a week 30 production slot (screw you, Hank Aaron MINI!). Laurie Coggins and Diana Whitlock have both been great, and although they both claim no one has bought from Global without paying the "dealer prep fee", Laurie did cut it in half ($300) which I can live with rather than waiting for an October delivery.
I live outside of Augusta GA and bought my MCS from Laurie Coggins at Global. Ordered in 8/02, delivered in 4/03. They were only dealership within 300 miles that I found without a "non-refundable deposit". She was very helpful in getting stuffed bulldogs placed in the car for my 2 little girls when we picked it up. Went back to get the Cruise control fixed (recall item - installed in-line diode) and service dept was very punctual meeting my need for a 11:00 drop off and getting back on the road by 1:00.
The auxilery input is around $140 installed. Just so you guys know if anyone wants to do business here, we have a $299.50 processing fee and that's it. FYI, if anyone wants to contact me "John Monk" for an order, I will buy floor mats for anyone who contacts me from this forum. 
Laurie Coggins and Diana Whitlock have both been great, and although they both claim no one has bought from Global without paying the "dealer prep fee", Laurie did cut it in half ($300) which I can live with rather than waiting for an October delivery.
