I've got a meeting with the dealer tomorrow evening to possibly order a Mini that I've built on line. It is basically a maxed out Mini S. The cost is $35,549, $29,900 MSRP and $5,649 in accessories. They will only come down $1000. Is that normal for Mini dealers? With all my other vehicles they have come down thousands.

Also can anyone tell me how important it might be to have Limited Slip Differential? They charge $500 for it, and of course I'm looking to cut costs.

And does anyone have an opinion as to whether the Hyper Package or the JCW Aero kit looks better or has advantages?

My wife wants to know if anyone has had experience with the red leather seats. Do they fade? Were you happy with the (orangeish) color after purchasing? This car is actually for her.

 

My two cents.

Coming down $1k is a great deal for a MINI...Most pay MSRP, some pay MSRP + and a very few get some $ off.

Get LSD, it's a different car without it. With the high torque on these R56's you'll really appreciate it when you mash in the gas on a curve.

To be honest, I'd get rid of the leather all together, that'll save you $$$. Cloth or leatherette is still a great seat and you can get the Wet Okele seats for much cheaper if you want to colorize.

 

$ 1k off is a great deal. Are there any "hidden fees", such as Document prep fees, paint protection, etc?

 

You're getting a great deal if they come down $1000! Remember, the MINI holds its value better than most cars because they are not heavily discounted!

Definately get the limited slip, without question!

JCW aero kit looks MUCH better than Hyper kit, IMHO. Hyper kit is a bit ricey.

Don't waste money on the leather. Get the cloth or leatherette (preferably cloth).

 

Welcome to NAM, Davey! Like the others said, $1K off is a very good deal. Due to the high demand for MINIs and the limited production, we've been happy to pay MSRP! So good for you!

If you possibly can, test-drive some MINIs with and without the LSD. It's a great option if you will be hitting lots of twisties and are more performance-oriented. The newer leather option looks great. It hasn't been out there long enough to weigh in on how well it will hold up, though.

 

I agree with the above posts with respesct to the 1,000 off.I have the JCW Aero kit on my car which is red,and am happy with how it looks.LSD to me depends how you are going to drive your car,however DSC was essential because i see it as a safety feature that i wanted.Q

 

The Aero Kit in the Hyper Sport Package looks "unfinished" unless you get the wheel arches color coded ...



The JCW Aero Kit looks better ...

 

Hey Davey, welcome to NAM!

Like others have said, the JCW Aero kits is heads and tails above the Hyper kit. I just picked up my '07 MC yesterday, and it came with leatherette, and to be quite frank, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference, except when it comes to cleaning. Leatherette = soft, damp cloth. Leather....well.....

$1K off is phenomenal. Unless they're going to make the money up somewhere else with bogus fees, that's one heckuva deal. Run with it!

I've never owned an MCS, but from previous experience with musclecars, you want LSD more than 90% of the other "extras" you've added on. If I were buying an MCS tomorrow, the only two options I would have to get would be LSD, Cold Weather and MF steering wheel.

Good luck, looking forward to hearing how it goes. Your wife is one lucky lady. Maybe I should have you talk to my wife next time I decide to buy a Mini.

 

Many thanks to everyone who gave their slant on my questions. LSD is definitely in the package now. I'm afraid the red leather is a must according to my wife. We even had to pick the pure silver to go along with the upholstery. (I'm going to look up the Wet Okele?) It also looks like the Aero kit is in.

We're ordering 18" R105 wheels, and since we got 17" Crown-spoke performance wheels with one of the packages.... I've asked the dealer to let me keep the 17" wheels with run flats. I'll have those for sale for a good price if they agree... in case anyone is interested.

I'll post pictures of the Mini when it's delivered in a couple months.

Great advice and very quick. Thanks again.

 

Are you talking about the "Lounge Leather Redwood Red"? It's a must for my wife as well...She'd love to order a new "S" just for the leather and English Oak wood dash and trim.

 

It's wet okole... http://www.wetokole.com/ and they look great while they save your seats. Just a warning, they're not the easiest to install. I had mine put on at their Huntington Beach location. It took 2 guys 10 minutes but it would have taken me a long time.