There's an easy answer... Pay extra and get a car NOW, or save a few grand and wait 2 months for your car... If you have the cash, need the car now, and want the car now... you'll pay the extra bucks...

Plus, think about how few dealers outside of MINI are truely willing to let you order a car...

 

Not true at a dealer like Crevier...they are happy to take your custom order, but they still apply at $3,995 markup! So it truly doesn't make any sense.

 

In our area Los Angeles CA paying MSRP is getting a hell of a GOOD deal. With Universal, Assael , Bob Smith , Nick Alexander and Crevier ALL getting a few thousand over sticker on a routine basis.

 

You forgot that the markup at Crevier is for an additional yr warranty and lifetime car washes as well as some BS interior cleaner and a supposed wax on the exterior. The misses found it hard to bite her tongue when the sales man told us all that info. We were like "OH Well Thanks, going to order it from South BAy for MSRP"

 

Nah, I didn't forget...but the fact that I consider it complete BS is why I didn't mention it...the value of one whole extra year warranty and lifetime carwashes? (Oh, and don't forget to mention the "We'll watch your car if you go out of town, instead of having to use airport parking") First of all, no one washes my car but me, so that basically means an extra 4K for another year of warranty? Something big had better go down mechanically in that fourth year of ownership for me not to feel like a schmuck. God, I hate that dealership. Long live LB MINI.

 

:smile: :smile:

I have bought two MINIs from Long Beach MINI and I really like that dealership. They're working on the service side....:smile:


Clover

 

Many. I've special ordered a Mustang, two porsches and a BMW, at one time or the other, ordered exactly the options I wanted, and waited my four months like everyone else (could have picked up the Porsches in Germany but I was too young and stupid to not do that).

Even CarMax, the supermarket of car dealers will special order your car for you. Just click on their "new car special order button" Take a service like United Buyer Service (UBS) where you can see the book with invoice and list prices for every option and you can order from a UBS dealer right from the factory (of course, they want you to buy off the lot ... immediate money) but they are not going to turn you away either. Also just look at most any manufacturers website, click and build the car of your dreams. Suprisingly, Toyota is the one brand I can think of that might give you grief.

I do know that if I want a new car, I'm perfectly happy to sit and wait until its built and then get exactly what I want. Done that since being a wee lad.

 

Actually most of those websites will let you build and configure a car, but when you actually talk to a dealer they will do everything in their power to NOT order a car from you.

In the last 3 years I've dealt with VW, Subaru, GM and Chysler dealers (besides MINI dealers). They will do everything to find something in stock elsewhere, but tell them you want to order to get what YOU want, and they'll do everything they can to convince you otherwise... if they'll do it.

VW seemed to be the most willing, but Subaru, GM and Chrysler... forget it. I actually had a sales guy curse me off on the lot when I showed him the print out of the car I wanted and told him that I didn't want any of the cars on his lot... I don't like that dealership very much...

 

I agree that most car companies are jumping on the Internet wagon because they have to ... All I can say is my personal experience. I have used United Buying Service (UBS) went through their Ford dealer and ordered a Mustang from the factory. Some years later I ordered a Porsche exactly they way I wanted it. I know Carmax will special order for you to.

As for car dealers ... Every day a car sits on the lot, they lose money. There is a reason for the "cooling off period", I think its 3 days where you can take a car back. They will get you to drive one home without financing approval because they dont care, they just got to sell. No sell, they dont make money.

Take a look at some of the posts from, perhaps, younger more enthusiastic buyers here. They are literally, drooling at the car dealer and the salesmen KNOW that. Those cars a sold before the buyer arrives. The MOST powerful position you can be in is to NOT need a car when you go buy one. Be in a position that you can wait months.

They will take your money because they dont want to lose the business. A car dealers worst enemy is a knowledgeable buyer. Walk in with the actual invoice price (and places like UBS will show you the Invoice price for all options). Negotiate a fair profit on the last three days of the month. When they do their little game about having the "manager" approve it, just sit. When they say "no", Leave.

I've done that and two days later they are calling me to come take the car at what I considered a fair profit.

Although, nowadays, I kind of like the carmax attitude of no negotiation, this is the price. Take it or walk.

Never, ever "drool" at a car dealer