Long story short: I didn't have a great expereince with Downtown Mini in Orlando. (We were ignored and basically had a lacluster customer service experience)

Are there any other FL dealerships that y'all could recommend? I have read some things about Lauderdale Mini, but that's the only one that I have found any info on.

I want to purchase a Chili Red Convertible -- I have some options in mind.

Any help, recs, or opinions would be GREAT!!

THANKS!! :smile:

 

Hi darbmark:

I highly recommend you taking a 200 mile drive south to Lauderdale MINI in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. They are the absolute best MINI dealership in the state of Florida! No BS, no gimmicks, straight MSRP pricing and the best bunch of MINI fanatics to deal with. I have purchased 2 brand new MINIs from them in the past couple of years. I HATE the Miami dealerships because they simply suck.

See Crystal Neagle at Lauderdale MINI for the absolute best sales experience! Call her at (954)335-MINI.

Best of luck!

 

I suggest going back to Downtown MINI and talking to Mike Priest. He's very friendly and an enthusiast of the MINI and classic Mini. Plus, you're going to want to have your car serviced by Sean, he's the best around.

James

 

I think you should do what James said and give them one more shot with Mike. But Lauderdale would be great to fall back on, that's where I got my MINI.

 

Well, I did speak with Mike P. -- he was by far the only thing that made Downtown Mini acceptable. (His knowledge is incredible) But, my twin sister and I were originally ignored and passed off and that impression lingers.

I was referred to Mike Torre and that's who I asked for, but he didn't and wouldn't come out and talk to us. (I over heard the conversation) Why he couldn't even say hello and then pass us off to a MA, I don't know? We basically had to jump up and down to get the staff's attention -- we are talking well over 10 minutes and not a soul said hello . . . there wasn't another customer insight.

We finally flagged someone down and I asked to speak with Mike T. Like I said, we were ignored by Mike Torre, by the guy we originally flagged down, and then finally FINALLY Mike P. talked with us. (Side note -- he was sitting at his desk in plain view the entire time.) My twin sister and I are PRIME targets -- does this dealership not want to sell? I know Minis sell themselves, but come on??!!

(I told you it was a long story!!)
I know it would be easier to buy the Mini in Orlando, but I also don't want to get screwed and/or take my business to a place that doesn't deserve it.

That all being said, should I give Downtown Mini another try? I have contacted Lauderdale Mini and I have already received a phone call and email from Dan. (He seemed very nice)

Any other specifics would be greatly appreciated.
THANKS!! :smile:

 

I recommend doing business strictly with Crystal at Lauderdale. Dan is a relatively new guy and while he seems to be nice, some people have complained about him in the past (He is not that passionate about MINIs if you know what I mean), so I think you will be much better off getting a hold of Crystal if you want the absolute best service and sales experience (She is the best!). Also keep in mind that if you choose to buy from Downtown MINI, they will force you to pay for "added" accessories in excess of $1,500 over MSRP (Sticker price) something that Lauderdale MINI will never do. While Downtown MINI has some "passionate" MINI sales people, the problem is that the Fields group still believes that in order to sell MINIs they have to impose rip-off sales policies on thier customers by forcing them to pay above MSRP.

I once walked into Downtown's fancy showroom in Orange Avenue to check out some cars and the place in general and I also was given a similar "Cold Shoulder" (I was in orlando back then on a business trip) treatment once I entered the showroom. It seems to me that if you don't fit certain "looks" criteria, you won't get the attention from the sales staff (Sorry I left my Armani suit at home guys). These people seem to think they are selling some kind of hot/exotic automobile and while the MINI is indeed a hot and sexy car, they should not treat their customers as if they are there shopping for a Lamborghini, Ferrari or even a Lotus.

At Lauderdale you will be treated warmly, professionally and with respect regardless of your looks or choice of clothes and they will attend to you right away. What a difference true customer service makes!

At Lauderdale, all you have to pay is $299 above MSRP for documentation fees and floor mats, but they will never make you purchase or order accessories you don't need/want.

As far as service is concerned, I have heard very positive reviews about Sean at Downtown MINI and even if you buy your new MINI from Lauderdale (Or elsewhere) you can always take it back to Sean for servicing. You are not obligated to buy from Downtown MINI to get your vehicle serviced there as well.

Best of luck. If I were in your shoes, I would make the 200 mile trip to Ft. Lauderdale and drive another 200 miles back and turn the whole purchase into an excuse for a nice weekend getaway!

 

I can't believe I'm saying this but you can also try Tom Bush in Jacksonville and ask for John. I just got my second MINI from them and the service on this sale, compared to the last one was a complete 180 degree turn. Great service and John was very helpful. They let my car set on the lot for two weeks while I waited on my house closing. No problems what so ever.


and speaking of chili red MCc

 

Edit: while I was writing this the other post was recorded too
If you want to drive north to Jacksonville, Tom Bush Mini is good. They have been very responsive and nice the sales person we bought from has left but there is a nice lady that has been there since day one and when I pop over she recognizes me and will come out to say hi and find my Mini to see what I have upgraded "this time" I had washed the car when it was hot and the soap had hit the hot engine, (through the hood scoop) and left soap spots on the black that didnt want to come off, without me asking her she rode back to the detailers with me and had him find out what would remove the stains. I cant remember her name at this time but if your inerested I will find out for you. :smile:

 

Hi fellow Jacksonville Mini owner, I have an 03 Cooper S with the works package. Nice vert The wife ordered an 05 vert S with the limmited slip from John :smile: will be here in February.

 

It is good to hear that Tom Bush MINI has made significant improvements. I think Tom Bush and Lauderdale MINI are roughly the same distance to Orlando in opposite directions. I still prefer Lauderdale for the sales experience, though.

 

i also got 2 coopers from lauderdale mini last jan.
crystal neagle was the rep. could not be happier.
doug

 

I flew into Lauderdale to pick up my MINI and it was Crystal that picked me up at the airport! The entire buying experience was a positive one. I like that the Lauderdale dealer has been doing MSRP (plus $299 for the mats and gas) from the get-go. I didn't want to pay the $3000 in mandatory options/extras, plus clear bra at Ferman. Orlando didn't want to sell to me at the time (5/02) because they said I was out of their local service area.

 

Crystal is very passionate about the MINI and that is why she is the best and only one to buy at Lauderdale.

 

darbmark,

Sounds like my experience buying, went to closest dealer 53 miles away -- "test drove" a MCS, I could have made the drive they had me do on a 1956 farm tractor, and they were "cold". Went to next closest dealer 92 miles away, stood inside the door and had one guy sitting at his desk doing nothing, one guy walked past me two times and another walked past one time and NO ONE said hi, have you been helped, kiss my a$$ or anything - not a word. I turned around and walked out and went to the next closest dealer 99 miles away.

When I walked in I was greeted and the MA that I started working with got a call so the Sales Manager took me for a "test drive" he said he would drive out and I could drive back. On the way out through the auto mall he was going a LOT faster than I would have and then when i thought he was going straight he made a sharp right and I was in love with the MCS. Went for a ride to a large parking lot and then I drove back, signed up for my MCS and the rest is history (or should I say the rest is MODS )

When ever I'm up that way I stop in to say hi and see what's new.

Earl

 

If you're not yet convinced, I too have to Recommend Lauderdale MINI and Crystal. I bought my car with her, so did a very good friend. We've referred a couple of others to Crystal that were attempting to work with another area dealer with poor results. She got done what the others could not.

Make the trip, you won't regret it.

 

hello, florida people! i haven't read all of the posts here... but i just wanted to say that when i first started shopping, crystal at Lauderdale didn't want to sell me the MINI i wanted! i did a lot of running around and ended up dealing with Bonnie and she was AWESOME. so much so that i even had to buy her an Xmas present to express my gratitude. i know a lot of people who have dealt with crystal and were very happy. but if anyone is unsure, just ask for bonnie. she's the best!

 

I just want to clarify that Bonnie is the Sales Manager at Lauderdale MINI. She is also a fantastic person to deal with. However, I recommend going with Crystal because she is the "official" Motoring Advisor and she is excellent.

Bunny, could you please expand on why Crystal did not want to sell you the car you wanted???

 

In the years I have dealt with Crystal, she has never said "no" to any of my requests in terms of ordering and purchasing a new MINI. When she says that something can't be done for one reason or another she is 99% of the times correct, so I trust her judgement.

You have to understand that Crystal has limited decision making power and when something goes beyond and above her boundaries in her current position as a Motoring Advisor, Bonnie, obviously, will have more leverage to accomodate a special request.

I think you should expand on your experience so people don't get the wrong impression about Crystal given a specific set of circumstances.

 

Thanks for all the help!! I think I will go with Lauderdale Mini. I am not sure how I am going to bypass Dan for Crystal, but I will try.
(When my husband bought a car, we had problems going from one sales person to another -- it was a serious pain!!)

Now I just need to make some final decisions on options. I want to keep the price kinda low . . . I know I should splurge on some things, but everything thing is adding up fast!

Here is what I am considering -- please feel free to give me any input. (I love input!!!)

Chili Red Convertible
CVT -- I know, I know! But I hate driving a stick!
Automatic Air
Multi Function Steering Wheel
Body Color Interior -- obviously this will be red
Sport Seats

I am still having a tough time with cloth/leather/leatherette. I would love leather, but it expensive. I'm in Florida and think that leatherette would be awful in this heat, but I could be wrong. I had Gray Cloth in my last convertible and I was fine with it. Any opinions?

I am still toying around with these options:
Arm Rest
Universal Garage Door Opener

Thanks again -- y'all have been very helpful!
:smile:

 

sorry for any negative feel to my comment there. i was actually referred to crystal by a friend, and i have found her to be very helpful and kind. i stop in and see them over there every now and then, i like crystal very much. the first time i went there, i was ready to take the PH MINI home with me. she didn't want to sell it to me until she got another one for the showroom. i can understand the reasoning, i just wanted the MINI right then and there, didn't want to have to wait. of course, i paid for it dearly later. i don't hold it against crystal, and i apologize if i made it seem as though i did.

i ended up buying my first MINI from miami, and that was a mistake. the MINI turned out to be a lemon, and the salesman in miami didn't seem to want to do much to help me. but then i took it into the service dept. at lauderdale MINI and those guys were fantastic. they did everything they could to fix my little sminge, and when they couldn't... i went over my window sticker line by line with bonnie, and she's the one i dealt with to order and track my replacement MINI. i just found her to be a wonderful person in general, in addition to taking very good care of me and saving me from having to go back to miami.

again, apologies.

happy motoring!

 

If you love leather, you'd probably be happy with the leatherette. Personally, I think cloth is the only way to go as it breathes the best. It also grips yer bum the best (if you like cornering hard).

 

I have Leatherette seats in both of my MINIs and it is the BEST upholstery material ever offered on a car. Leatherette is high quality Vinyl, the same exact material found in the $30K BMW 3 series. After 2 and a half years of continued use, the leatherette seats in my '02 Cooper CVT still look showroom fresh and best of all people think it is REAL leather!

I live in hot and humid MIAMI, and the leatherette seats have not been a problem in our blistering heat, in fact they are cooler and the interior cools down faster because of them. I highly recommend them.

Cloth is nasty! Yuck! and leather is expensive and low quality!

 

To the OP:

I recently purchased a 2005 MCS... There is a MINI dealer here in Tampa where I live, Ferman MINI... and I was about to purchase from them, but they added on a $500 dealer markup fee... I asked them to drop it for me but they refused.

I had a friend of mine who used to sell for Lexus call around for me (I'm pretty busy) and he contacted Orlando, Ft. Laud, JAX, and West Palm Beach. Ft. Laud and West Palm basically had the same deal... MSRP with free floor mats and "vehicle protection" whatever that is. I ended up using Bas at Braman Motors for our purchase, he was great and was very helpful. I am surprising my wife with the MCS thsi weekend, she turns 30, and Bas gave me a huge bow to put on top of the car to surprise her.

The transaction was nice and smooth and I basically did all teh paperwork through the mail... Bas Fedex'd it all to me, so all I had to do when I picked it up was fly down to West Palm Beach (they have flights from Tampa - WPB for $39 southwest)... Bas picked me up in an MCS and my car was in the middle of the showroom. Everyone was real nice and I got a discount on accessories that I purchased at the dealer.

I cannot recommend him enough.

Ft. lauderdale gave basically teh same deal Braman did but since West Palm was a little bit closer and had cheap flights, I went with them.

Orlando never called me back or my "liasion" who called for me.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Q

 

Service at Lauderdale Mini ROCKS!!!!......first class service, just like if I owned a 7 series BMW.....valet parking..... and attention to detail was awsome...and AMIR is the best service advisor, he told me my car will be ready in 20 Min. and 15 min. later I had my car ready and washed....3 THUMBS UP!!!!!!!

 

More of my little story . . .

Like most people, I researched and called/emailed different dealerships. Ferman Mini just called me today -- even though I emailed them over a week ago. I emailed one other dealership in North Florida and they never emailed me back either . . . the lack of customer service is just insane!!!

As far as service, I live in Orlando -- so I will have to go thru Dowtown Mini and just hope for the best. I have heard good things about their service department, but I am a little worried about a "payback" for not buying there. I don't mean they will do something to me car, I just don't know if they will give me the same treatment that they give to "their" owners.

Anyway, I am BEYOND happy that ordered form Lauderdale Mini and can't wait for my little car to get here!!
Thanks again for everything!! :smile: