Still waiting here, as well. MINI has been at the dealer for a week now. I'll be flying home Friday to take delivery (and, maybe, to see the wife ).

B

 

I am! I got a fixed check from PenFed instead of the blank draft I was intending to request, so I'm waiting on a replacement check. It's been a week now, so they're getting a call tomorrow morning.

The dealer offered to let me take the car last Tuesday if I'd sign paper saying I'd have it paid for by Saturday. Glad I didn't!

 

So, I talked to my MA and I gotta tell you I am not so happy. He does not know the average timing for our MINIs to be processed at the VDC. 2/3 days or 2/3 weeks...

The window tint: $275 for regular window tint. Upgraded "Made in Germany" window tint will cost $475 and best quality tint will cost $675 . ARE WE KIDDING? 500 to 700 bucks for window tint? Is anybody out there spending this kind of money for window tint?

LoJack: $695 installed...maybe some other day!

Floor Mats: A set of 4 carpet mats $105 and I could not get the MA to say "I'll trow them in". I even told him MINI dealerships out there are giving them out for free...he says "...but some dealers sell those cars at MSRP + markup".

Am I the only one that paid straight MSRP?

 

MSRP + free mats, boot mat and extension mat, 2 key chains. Then after a few weeks I mentioned Costco and received an additional $769.00 discount, and I am still waiting delivery....so that is current info

 

What is required to get the Costco discount? Just a Costco membership, or does it require some other type of membership with Costco?

 

COSTCO?

 

Nice discounts and free mats

I'll print some of these posts and show my MA I am not lying...even if I don't get the free mats I have to make my point. I'll rather spend the money somewhere else if they don't want to please customers with a $100 gift.

As per the COSTCO thingy, yes...there is a COSTCO AUTO PROGRAM www.costcoauto.com and you need to check if your local MINI dealer participates in their program. Of course, I called Costco Auto and they told me MINI of SNoTTsdale does not participate. I think they have MINI Dealers from Hawaii, Illinois and either N. or S. Carolina (can't remember). Call them up.

 

Costco is like Sam's or any other warehouse club, there is a membership. I think it is $40/year for the basic, but they have all levels.

 

I'm scheduled for 6PM delivery tomorrow. Gonna be a long day at work.

 

Oh....you have no idea....

 

We're cheering for ya!

 

Got it, and had a blast driving home. I was worried the break-in would be boring, but there's a LOT of fun in this car under 4500 RPM.

Compliments to the staff at MINI of Towson, too, for a low pressure, friendly experience.

 

C'mon now, PICS!

 

Congratulations Now, how about pics and first impressions?

 

There you go! You can see my first bug kills. My first impressions are...

Positive:
- Total fun to drive. Acceleration is good, but the cornering is where the fun is on this car.
- Doesn't feel small at all.
- Conversation starter like you wouldn't believe
- Saw 3 MINIs on my way home, and 1 on my way back to work. Got 3 waves and a honk!
- The R56 is a solid car, with no rattles, and can take expansion joints with no clanging or rattles.
- Switchgear all feels well above its class.
- Road noise is very tolerable. No worse than my Lexus (which is noisy for a Lexus anyway.)

Negatives:
- There is some torque steer to deal with.
- I could use a little more engine noise. It sounds so good that I want more. I'm not a mod-friendly guy, though, so I'll live with it.
- It will take some getting to used to the control quirks.
- HiFi and Peter Gabriel's SledgeHammer don't get along.

To be honest, yesterday's day at work was pretty tolerable. It's today that I'm having trouble with. I want to get out of here and drive.

 

congrats! yeah, my new MINI seems to be a bug magnet, pretty soon I won't be able to see out of the wind screen

 

Congrats mslatter..that's looks gooooooooooooooooood

nice wheels, and nice review...no window tint yet?

SuperGreg and I should be picking ors up sometimes next week

 

Sharp, mslatter!

 

Do they come into CA or TX for an AZ delivery? The impatience becomes palpable once it's off the boat.

 

Finally made it back to the Great State of Texas and took delivery of Issie yesterday.

Overall, the delivery process went okay - our MA was great. The finance department -- not so much. Outside financing had been arranged since before the order was placed, so signing the registration papers and draft instrument should have been a 5-minute deal. We ended up waiting about an hour and a half to get to the finance person, who then wanted to tell us about all of the overpriced insurance options they offer.

The drive home was "interesting". I haven't driven a MT since 2001-ish, and that was while sitting on the wrong side of the car driving on the wrong side of the road - so it doesn't count. I haven't driven a MT in US rush hour traffic since the mid-90s. I had hoped to avoid a maiden voyage during rush hour, but due to the aforementioned delays, my hopes were somewhat dashed... I was pleased, no stalls, only a few jumpy starts where I put too much gas in to early while letting off the clutch.

Today, i took it on a drive through the twisties out near the house, and was grinning from ear to ear. Can't wait to rebuild my MT proficiency completely.




A mini diet coke for the MINI...


Grover the Land Rover looking a little unloved...

Motor on...
B

 

Congratulations, I love the Pepper White

 

They come in at Port Hueneme, CA for AZ delivery. Any day now...

 

Strikingly good looking car, congratulations

 

Thanks SuperGreg! You obviously have good taste

Hopefully you will be able to take delivery in the next few days..

B

 

Ha! Had the same experience. Haven't driven MT since maybe 94. Came right back to me, but I'm still not smooth. And I never learned to blip shift before, so I'm trying to train myself to now (and also not to keep the clutch in at stop lights.) I, too, made a special outing to try out the twisties locally, and I definitely figured out the need for heel-and-toeing as I approached a nice turn that I needed to slow down for, but wanted to barrel out of. I ran out of feet. So now I've got a new skill to work on.

Congrats and have fun with it! That's a great looking MINI!