Hello all, I am looking to get a Mini Cooper S, possibly when the new revision comes out. I currently onw a 03 Honda Element with 115k and it still runs like a brand new car and I still love the thing, looking to keep it as the second AWD vehicle for the snow. I actually wanted to get a mini back in 02 when they first came out, but I was a bit skeptacle because I had a 01 VW Jetta VR6 at the time which was a POS, and I know the Mini's are also German BMW's. Now after reading this board for the past month, I realize that the quality is much better than VW, so I think I will take the plung with the extended warrenty of course.

A few questions though,

Does Mini offer any incentives ex.. low interest rates, cash back

Can haggling be effective for such a popular vehicle?

Is maintanance alot more than Honda, for example oil changes?

 

I just bought an 06 MCS. Did a lot of research on the 'net prior.
MSRP seems to be the going rate. We have only one dealer here
in Arizona, so it's take it or leave it. There was really no haggling.
They've got a product that moves.

I was ok with that. The MINI's really "hold" their value, (if you can
say that about any car).

The Finance Manager tried to load me up with all the typical warranties,
paint sealant's, clear bra, etc. Which I declined....

So I walked out paying MSRP, taxes, doc fees, and tags.

Now in other markets, folks are reporting dealers are giving a slight
break off MSRP. So that they can move the 06's off, and maintain
their 07 allotments.

 

Mantanance costs zilch for 3 and 36,000, everything is free except tires. After that you will pay BMW service rates

 

Welcome to NAM. Glad to hear you're going for the Mini. You'll love it. Drives better than any other car I've owned...period. More Fun too.

 

Welcome to NAM!

 

My guess is that the dealerships will be willing to make a deal to get the '06 models off the lot when the '07's start arriving in a couple months.

 

Hi Shanes, I also just got an 06 MCS. I was able to get $500 off of sticker for taking one off of the lot. As for financing, at least with my dealer, their rates were not at all competitive though and I ended up using my local credit union (over 2% points difference for 60 months!).

Take what I say about reliability with a grain of salt (I'm still a huge VW fan, though our GTI has been mysteriously parked since we picked up our MINI last week), but from the research I have done, the 02-06 models seem to have come up dramatically in reliability from initial reports (to the point where even Consumer Reports is recommending them). So, if you can find one with options that suit you - an 06 may be the way to go.

By the same token, the new model seems like if anything it is raising the bar in terms of build quality, etc, so I don't think you could go wrong either way.

 

Thanks all for your input. Sounds like everybody loves their MINI which is something I am looking foward to. This board is alot like the Element Owners Club board I am currently a member of, you all seem to be very friendly people. Looking foward to the whole MINI experience with the meets and all.