Hi all!
Over the weekend the Mini bug suddenly struck. I've been driving around a 2005 Toyota Matrix for the last year. It's a great car, tons of room, and incredible gas mileage (35-37mpg regularly). But I really didn't need that much space, and wanted something a little more exciting.

So Monday I started trying to find my Mini. I live in northern California, so I figured it would be easy to find one with 8 Mini dealers in a 200 mile radius. Silly me. :impatient I quickly learned that the dealers in CA fall into one of two categories:

1. "We Stock Nothing, But We Sell at MSRP" -Several dealers fall into this category. They are all very nice, but the bug hit, I don't want to wait 6 months for a Mini. I felt bad enough that I was actually considering paying MSRP for anything.

2. "We Stock A Few Fully Loaded, And Some Are on the Way" - One dealer had a couple, but they had bizarre option packages, with nothing else coming around until December. They would take an order, but again the wait would be about 3 months.

3. "We Have Your Mini. Only $2500 over MSRP" - I found this humorous. Several of the dealers are still demanding over MSRP prices. I've owned 6 new cars in the last 5 years, and I've never paid over MSRP. Usually less.

Then I started reading the forums, knowing there had to be a better way. After contacting every CA dealer, there was basically no way for me to get a Cooper S with premium and sport anytime this year. Placing and order and waiting was the only thing to do.

But I'm impatient. :impatient

My interest was peaked when I learned I could buy one out of state and bring it into CA as long as it has 50 state emissions. Cool. That's perfect.

Poking aroud the forums again I quickly learned that LOTS of people on several different forums had good luck with Classic Mini in OH. Several even posted specifically to work with Julie. Cool. So I called up Julie at Classic Mini yesterday (Tuesday). After about a 45 minute phone call she had the exact Mini I was looking for, right down to the color (I had three choices that would work) and the options. Within about 2 hrs she had BETTER financing options that what local dealers were saying they had available, and delivery in about 3 weeks since the Mini I bought was already built and was on its way.

Fortunately for me, I have family in the midwest, so I'm combining my Mini pickup trip with a quick stop to visit family in the midwest. Then I'll take a few days and do a little "see America" trip in my Mini, driving carefuly for the first 1000 miles or so.

Last night I found airline tickets too! Stars were in my favor since my one way flight is only $129.

So yeah, it's crazy, but it's kinda fun. Looking in CA I was only going to get a regular Cooper, since the costs here were so high. But buying from Julie I went ahead and got an S, since it's only a real difference from my buying perspective of about $1800...

In spring the tough decision hits....which car should I sell? Once I get the Mini I'll have:

2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, loaded, lifted, 33" mud tires

2005 Toyota Matrix XR, fun, efficient, tons of carrying space

2006 Mini Cooper S, cherished fun toy

I think the Jeep may be in trouble...

 

Welcome Hoopi


I bought mine over the phone from Julie. Had it shipped 300 miles to my house in Michigan. Same deal...they had the exact car I wanted sitting on the showroom floor. Have a blast on your trip!

 

Hoppi,

Welcome to NAM What color and options did you get? What part of N. CA are you in?

You bought from Julie at Classic after looking at her picture on their web site

Earl

 

That is cool. Buy a MINI, Drive it home and do break in at the same time.

Post Pix when you can please!

 

Hi hoopi....welcome to the weird world of dealing w/ a MINI addiction!! Sounds like you found a route to ownership that fits your needs....it's still strange the lengths most of us go to in order to get our hands on one of these fine little cars!

 

congrats! this MINI thing is like a sickness... personally I'd dump the matrix. you'll get fine gas mileage in the MINI and the last thing you'd want to do would be drive the matrix when you could be in your S.

Another thing if you're picking it up for a trip straight from classic... either have them install the clear bra or buy one of the good ones and take it with... your fresh new paint will thank you!

 

I forgot to post the details....here's the info on my Mini. My niece is REALLY excited that I'll be dropping in to visit with my Mini. Funny that I'll be in CA with the cold weather package. In an average winter I might get frost maybe 4 or 5 times. It almost never gets below 30 where I'm at. Yet I've had lots of people tell me that the heated seats are really nice.

Last night I went through the options packs much more carefully and realized that the S packages do give you some extra goodies that you just can't get the regular Cooper.

0611 Cooper S

ColorA49 Space Blue Metallic

UpholsteryS4PN Space Gray/Panther Black ClothN/C

Options
ZCW cold weather package
314 heated mirrors and washer jetsN/C
494 heated front seatsN/C

ZPP premium package
249 multi-function steering wheelN/C
403 glass moonroofN/C
534 automatic air conditioningN/C
550 on-board computerN/C

ZSP sport package
210 (DCS) Dynamic Stability ControlN/C
520 foglightsN/C
522 xenon headlightsN/C
586 17" alloy wheels w/all-season run-flat ...N/C

381 roof in body colorN/C

3AB door mirror caps in body colorN/C

427 interior surface silverN/C

 

great spec! I can't wait to see a space blue in person. hopefully the dealer will have one on the lot next weekend!
just an observation, but you may want to call and have the rear fog added if there is still time... that way for a very small amount you won't have the blank on the switch panel or the hole in the bumper.

 

Hoopi-
Welcome! And congrats on a MINI in NorCal! (One of the BEST places to own!)
You will LOVE your heated seats- believe me! I used mine all the time when I was there... you dont think you will, but you appreciate em when you can. Check into GoldCountryMINI, they are a smallish local group and do some AMAZING drives up into the mountains and around... LOTS of fun and some great people. and if you get stuck going to Niello for service... watch out... Just a word of warning. All the people are nice, but the mechanics are kinda ummm unprofessional. Tip- bribe them. they like donuts, cinnamon rolls and cookies. (oh and check your car @ pickup- they have been known to pull e-brake turns in customer cars and other things like that.) oh one more thing- where in NorCal are you? (I am a Rocklin/Roseville girl myself :smile
Congrats on the car and NOT paying the Niello mark-up (I did)! Enjoy and have many, many happy miles of motoring!

 

On the most recent WhiteRoofRadio podcast, I think that DB mentioned that he likes the cold weather package in Southern California... the heated side mirrors keep clear in the fog.

 

Heated seats are awesome to have, once you get them you'll never go back

I hope you can avoid Niello, their service is not good in my experience (with a bimmer however) and from what I read around I am far from alone..

 

Hoopi, congrats on your new Mini!

Does California levy a special tax or charge if you buy a new car out of state and then register it in California? I thought I read something on the DMV website last year to that effect.

 

I'm in Sonoma County (near the coast about an hour north of San Francisco). The Mini will be a slightly different driving experience for me. In my Jeep I would drive INTO the mountains. For example, there is a dirt trail near Truckee, CA that goes up Signal Peak (around 7,000 feet) that is awesome. The Mini will keep me on the road and looking at stuff more carefully rather than just zipping past to get to the dirt.

Service is a tough one. HOPEFULLY I don't run into any problems, since regardless of WHERE I go, it's at least an hour drive to get anywhere from my location. From what I've read here, East Bay Mini sounds like one of the better places to go. I guess I'll get my AAA+ membership renewed. It would be nice if the BMW dealer serviced them. There is one of those across the street. But that's just one of things I deal with living in the country. Heck, it wasn't until just last year I could finally get high speed internet and digital cable.

Here's a sat map via Google. My place is about in the middle of this screen. There are lots of roads around this section of the coast that I'm sure will be fun for driving the Mini.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=monte+...1870&t=h&hl=en

I'm trying to plan my cross country trip carefully. Hopefully I don't hit snow. A few years ago I drove across Wyoming in my Jeep during a blizzard. It took 10 hrs to cross Wyoming. I was running mud/snow tires at 12 lbs of air so that I could keep traction. There was no road, just snow and ice. I'm planning a backup route for when I bring the Mini across the mountains - something via the south...just in case!!!

I'm glad I thought about combining the Mini pickup with a family visit. That makes me seem a little less crazy. But apparently I'm not alone, I still see posts from people in CA buying them out of state just to get what they want.

I sold some stock today, so the down payment is all covered. Except that Uncle Sam will want a small chunk, but I don't have to worry about that until April 06.

 

Buying from the middle of the country and then road tripping home to CA is totally the way to go!

 

It's on the ship, and the ship sailed today!


Status Port LOADED ON VESSEL SOUTHAMPTON 06/10/2005 14:01 RECEIVED AT TERMINAL SOUTHAMPTON 26/09/2005 17:20 BOOKED SOUTHAMPTON 26/09/2005 16:24

 

Very exciting......take deep breaths!!! Now is a good time to start collecting your MINI-appropriate detailing supplies. You'll be glad you did.

 

Detailing supplies?

I did order the AUX input today, and I picked up a wireless RF remote for my IPOD. As soon as I pickup my Mini and drive to my sister's house I'm going to hookup the IPOD before the cross country tour.....I can't go 2000 miles without tunes!

 

Congrats on your purchase, Julie at Classic is the way to go fo rout of state Minis. I went that route a couple years ago and have no regrets. I did mine in feb and hit snow at Denver. Had to reroute my trip via NM and CA. I'd suggest a similar southern route if you think you might hit snow.

I'd sell the Matrix, the Mini has more room that you might think.

Why don't you get the ipod adapter for your ipod?

 

I probably will get an IPOD adapter later. But I won't have a lot of time to mess around with it, so the AUX solution seemed like the easiest solution. Heck, I can probaby install the AUX adapter at a rest stop! I already have all the Belkin stuff too in the Matrix, and the Jeep, so I'll just move that kit over to the Mini. Down the road, I'll do something better. I would have wanted the wireless remote anyway, as I really hate reaching down to mess with stereo buttons on the dash.

Yeah, I've had a few friends mention a southern route might be useful to have as a backup. I had planned 5 days for the trip, but I think I'm going to see if I can take off some more time from work and maybe take a slower trip, that way if I do have to go south it's not a big ordeal. The northern route (I70/I80) is about 800 miles shorter than cutting south though.

I think my biggest problem is going to be to remember to pickup the Matrix at the airport when I get back!

 

Isn't Julie at Classic great? I'll be seeing her tomorrow when we pick up our second MINI!

Glad you beat the California mark-up system!

 

Yeah, Julie is awesome! If you get this in time tell her Rob from NorCal said "Hi". I still can't beleive that in 1 45 minutes phone call to Julie I completed everything to get my Mini.

 

Oh, and I posted some gallery pics of the Jeep, and what the Mini website says my Mini should look like. The "Space Blue" keeps reminding me of a Cisco router. When I was at work today, I looked at some of our routers for our Internet link, and the color looks almost the same. Maybe it's just my monitor, or my eyes...

 

Good plan. I had like 4 days total and the Red Bull/No Doze cocktails I took to stay awake for the 23ish hours of straight driving from NM to WA so I could get to work on time were not pleasant.

 

You're right, that is creepy. Ciscos might be a little more green, but it's very close.

 

I've gotten the okay to take off two more days....So I know have 7 full days to drive my Mini back. I could even do the route 66 thing if I wanted.