Hi Everyone:
I ordered my Lightning Blue/Silver/Silver Clubman S from Otto's Mini in West Chester, PA on 2/16. Delivery isn't expected til mid-April, so I'll be suffering for the next few weeks!

A couple things I noticed about the MINI buying process, which was a bit of a shock from my other cary-buying experiences (mainly BMW and Toyota).

First was the total absence of negotiating on price. I have noticed on here that few people have been able to get much of a discount from their dealer, and I didn't get (nor did I really expect) any discount on my special order car. They did throw in "free" floormats and mudflaps, though! Woot!

Second, it was pretty clear they did not want my trade (a late model BMW 5 series). The MA did prep me for a low trade-in value, but I was kind of amazed that it was literally the Blue Book value for my car - considering I was paying sticker-price for the Clubman.

These two things lead me to believe MINI is trying to keep their pricing as close to MSRP as possible , which bodes well for resale value of their cars long-term.

But honestly, I don't really care about all that! I just fell in love with this car - the advanced technology (thank you, BMW), the styling and the handling sold me and my wife on the Clubman S.

Can't wait to take delivery. In the meantime I'll enjoy all the great info here in the forums!

 

Congratulations!

 

Wow! Free floormats AND mudflaps? All I'll get is a can of diet coke. You're very lucky.

 

Indeed, you're lucky to get those floormats and mudflaps - way to go. With a new car in high demand like the Clubman we should be happy that the dealers aren't jacking up the prices on them above MSRP (although I think a few are). When I ordered mine, my MA explained to me that the dealership sold everything at a fixed price (MSRP), so what I configured online is what I'd pay. I'm not sure if that's just how they always work, but for something like the MINI they don't have to offer incentives, etc. Also, he told me that because they're selling at a flat, fixed price with no gimmicks (like holdbacks), they just offer another flat price for a trade-in. When you're buying a car from a Toyota dealer, they can wiggle on the trade-in price, but you're probably just going to pay a bit more for the car. They don't care where they say the money comes from, so they'll try to make you feel good about the part where they're "giving you money." Here, my MA said that they take a few numbers, like Blue Book and local auction results, to come up with the trade-in. He'll give me that number in plenty of time before I get the Clubman so that I can go and try to sell it locally for more than they offer. The good thing is that if I do find another buyer, it doesn't affect the deal that we've worked out for the MINI. I don't think you could pull that off at most other dealerships.

 

Hi Driveblind:

I didn't think I was so lucky to get the floormats and mudflaps, but after reading NAM over the last few weeks I realize I am!

I agree with your assessment of the trade-in situation. I immediately posted my car for (private) sale, and was able to sell it to a co-worker today for considerably more than what my dealer offered.

So I'm ready to go, now I just need my Clubman! A few weeks more - waiting really is the hardest part...