I am interested in buying a Mini S and plan to order it in a few weeks. I love the Mini website and have "made" my car and saved it. I am ordering a custom car, not one on the lot. My question is, I guess, do I automatically pay full price as seen on the website or is it negotiable? What are your experiences?? Thanks!:smile:

No negotiating on the price of the car. Depending on where you are and your dealer, you should be happy to only have to pay MSRP.

There is some wiggle room on prices for dealer installed bits, but nothing else.

i bought a used 2k5 mini cooper last month. the sticker price was 22600. i talked him down to 22000.

as far as a new one, i dont think there is much wiggle room, but for used ones there are. but my used mini was still a new one!

You probably won't have much luck, but ask anyway. Used prices are starting to soften just a bit so at some point new cars should come off list. Don't know if we're there yet but it will happen.

Ripley.

If MINI prices start to soften that much, expect MINI to cut production. They've been managing production levels specifically to keep supply of new cars below demand. As long as they manage that, you won't get a new MINI for less than list if you order it.

My MA informed me right off the bat that the price on the bottom of my printout is the price I pay. After looking around the rest of the country, I found out that NOT paying over that was a good deal.

There was a $500 incentive if you bought off the lot, but other than that I dont know of anyone getting a new mini for less than MSRP.

depends on what they think the market will bare and the kind of volume they are satisfied with, they won't cut production to keep price up if they see a potential in significant volume loss... they have the corner on the market so to speak, I think the bug did for a while too... we shall see...

There is plenty of wiggle room on a new one, but MINI dealers don't wiggle

There is about $2000-$2500 markup on the car, plus I am sure there are dealer incentives just like any other manufacturer, including BMW.

Steve

Thanks! That's what I expected but had to ask!

Actually, the dealerships don't make that much on each MINI. Where they make the dough is in accessories, installing them, and selling goodies from parts and service.

You get a lot for that MSRP price...I've sure been pleased with my two MINIs!

Clover

i still dont like paying 5k over sticker. Thats why i didn't get one a couple months ago... BoB smith BMW wanted to screw me on the trade in and then on the mini overcharge itself. I would have been paying 10k extra. Id rather just drive my Land Rover around for a couple more months.

By late '99, VW had overcapacity of New Beetles and these were stockpiling in VW dealerships. The "Buzz" of the New beetle only lasted for a year or so.

The Beetle had teething quality problems for a while and VW was sluggish and uninterested in keeping it "fresh", like MINI has done in the past 3 years. VW introduced the Beetle Cabrio in 2003, 6 years after the introduction of the first new Beetle in April 1998.

BMW has learned the lessons afforded by the mistakes made by VW and Daimler Chrysler (PT Cruiser) and it has worked for them. 3 years after the first MINIs landed in the US, there are still waiting lists, strong demand for the product, a cult following, a product that continues to evolve by leaps and bounds and the strongest appeal and resales values in the industry.

Once you flood the market with a specific car and let it become stale, watch the metal move from dealer's lots with heavy incentives and rebates.

When was the last time you were offered a "fire sale" rebate on a new MINI? Or MINI dealers bursting at their seams with unsold product?

Dealers make around $1300-$1500 on every new MINI sold. Unlike many other cars, there is no "Back Money" or other manufacturer-to-dealer sponsored perks.

The situation with California MINI dealers charging thousands over sticker is deplorable and while everyone has the right to make the "buck", it is unethical and inmoral to make 500%+ profit on every MINI sold. As long as that situation continues, most California MINI buyers will continue to patronize MINI dealers (Mostly in the east coast) that charge no more than MSRP.

I've actually seen this, a dealer who routinely buys up inventory from other MINI dealers who aren't seeing that high a volume. The dealers selling off the cars want to keep their allocations high, the dealer buying the cars want to meet high demand.

The dealer that bought up the inventory from the other dealers was in fact bursting at the seams with well in excess of 60 unsold cars now sitting on their lot.... And had every one of those cars sold off in 45 days.

Every other dealer in the region rarely has more than 5 unsold cars on the lot at a time...

For us in Southern Colorado, it wasn't much of a choice - the used ones in Colorado Springs are pretty overpriced, IMO. One dealer in particular had an '03 MCS with 42K on it for just $75 less than a comparably equipped brand new '05! Needless to say, we passed. Most I've seen seem to have anywhere from 10-45K miles on 'em, and they're close to MSRP or just $500-700 below. For that kind of money, I'll wait for a new '05.

"Paying MSRP for new, and happy to do it!"

As long as people are "happy" to pay MSRP that's what they will continue to sell at.

True enough. . .and when I'm ready to get discounted, I'll go buy a Pontiac or a Buick - there are ALWAYS discounts on those!!

What's the wiggle room on dealer installed options/goodies? I know you can probably get free mats and a tank of gas. Would they throw in bonnet stripes? Chrome stuff?

$5k over ??? You could fly first class one way anywhere east of you and pay msrp and still save 4gs !!! Let him choke on his inventory!

hugh
stanhope nj
finewine@ptd.net

I've seen 10% off accessories advertised on a brand new purchase. Of course, it's Spring, and the dealers are not hungry. Since I orderd my MCS on March 12, I've been hanging around the dealership like a mutt at the butcher shop, and I've yet to see the place without at least one customer or tire-kicker. And on Saturdays...fuhgetaboutit!!!
hugh
stanhope nj

My dealership, Long Beach MINI, in SoCal sells strictly at MSRP. Their sales department is excellent! I've been very happy buying from them. Their service department has been a bit more hit and miss, but my MA told me less than 2 weeks ago that the dealership is working hard to improve the service experience. I am very hopeful that things will get better there!:smile:

The dealerships that routinely charge $3,000 - $6,000 dealer mark-ups are hoping to snag the "uninitiated" MINI buyers, not the well-informed enthusiasts like we have here on NAM. My blood boils when I see those mark-ups!


Clover

If it's not a dealer add on (chrome isn't and bonnet stripes on an S might not be) you won't get anything.

Dealer add ons like lojack, clear bra, mats, bluetooth kit, driving lights, aux, etc... you should be able to negotiate some kind of discount. Not sure about a Canadian dealer, but in the US you should get at least 10%.

Tips for negotiating prices for dealer add ons:

1. Find out if the local MINI club gets a discount and how much. If they get a discount JOIN IMMEDIATELY!
2. Find out what Classic MINI wants for those parts. (NAM Sponsor, offers good discounts).
3. Find out if any other MINI local dealers offer discounts on parts and know what they are.

The more you know the more leverage you will have.

I bought my Cadillac SRX (incredibly awesome car!) for about 8k under sticker, it was on the lot a long time and I got a good deal. My bet is that most people who haggle and wiggle with dealers probably are paying about as much as we are paying (in dealer profit dollars) for our MINIs. They always make money when they sell a new car or they just won't sell it. They have to!

As for the dealer installed options, well, some are good deals and some are not. If it is dealer installed you get the vehicle's warranty extended to the add on part. So for electronics and performance items it is probably a reasonable deal.

My dealer was totally pushing for me to buy a sunroof wind deflector for around 240$ installed. How ridiculous is that? Who cares about the warranty for a 40$ piece of plastic that basically installs itself. Now that is a ripoff!

I talked to a lady down the street from me, and she bought her black 02 MINI on Valintines day this year (05) from a dealer in Northern California for the 02 sticker price and payed the premium on top of that. I almost busted at the seems from laughter , because I had just got home from buying an 05 in LA at MSRP. I cant help but laugh every time I see her

I got a $350 discount and free floor mats when I ordered my Cooper in August of 03. The "discount" took care of the "preparation fee" of $249 and the city tax of $51. Left the actual price at $50 off MSRP plus free floor mats.


Made me feel a lot better than no discount.:smile: