Just wondering if recent/prospective buyers of Minis are still seeing dealers adding the "dealer markup" to their inventory. I recall that this was common practice when the Minis were first introduced (in CA at least).

I live in the SF/Bay Area (5 dealers) and came across one dealer that tacked on a $1995 mark up on all MCSs.

Wanted to know if this is happening across the country, and if so, what the "real" reasoning behind this is.

 

Greed !!!!

 

There's no markup in San Antonio. In fact, I got a $2,000 discount plus the 1.9% financing.

 

I received a $1,000 discount from Niello by asking the sales manager. The MA started with the markup nonsense.

I'm pretty sure the reasoning is maximization of profit by charging the most an individual will pay.

 

The sales rep assured me that he would be able to negotiate the mark-up; at which point, I just made up my mind to simply not buy from them.

 

Markup?? I want a markdown!!

 

dealers will charge what ever the local market lets them get away with. Back in the mid 80's I lived in Miami .... peak of the cocaine cowboy days. I was trying to buy a somewhat scarce Audi - the GT Coupe. Dealers laughed at me when I asked what the price was - if you could find one it was marked up significantly and they were usually dealing cash no questions asked and I also had the audacity to want a particular color. One dealer shouted me out of the showroom for wasting his time ... I'd asked if he had a blue one.

I drove a hundred miles up the coast and ended up at a dealer that used the computer to find the exact car I wanted (newer concept at that time) and then we agreed on a price below sticker...... Dealer had the car shipped to him and I picked it up in about a week.

Sometimes it pays to change venue. Around the same time a friend saved several thousand buying a BMW by driving from Miami to Ft Meyers on the left coast of FL. Same reasons.....

 

In Canada there is little mark up... a lot of competition between dealers and people buying from the States.

 

Thats why I never go to dealers....

Buy from owners

All the best buddy.