The inconsistency is what eats at me.

It could be related to the status of the order. But rather, I suspect that some dealerships are paying for the rebate out of their own pocket rather than going through the normal channels at MINI USA. Alternatively, some dealerships may be "cooking the books" to make it appear that a given order was not a preorder. This is, of course, conjecture based on MINI USA's stated position that preorders are ineligible.

 

I just called the COSTCO auto program and there are 3 MINI dealers in Calif that participate. South Bay Mini in Torrance, Mini of San Diego and one up in northern Ca.

I am waiting on a call from South Bay Mini now.

Going to the MotoTober event next Saturday at Mini Of Ontario to get my $750 coupon. Since I am in the middle of nowhere, I have to drive at least 120 miles to any Mini dealer, so if the Costco discount is decent I will drive the extra 50 miles to Torrance.

 

I just called the COSTCO auto program and there are 3 MINI dealers in Calif that participate. South Bay Mini in Torrance, Mini of San Diego and one up in northern Ca.

I am waiting on a call from South Bay Mini now.

Going to the MotoTober event next Saturday at Mini Of Ontario to get my $750 coupon. Since I am in the middle of nowhere, I have to drive at least 120 miles to any Mini dealer, so if the Costco discount is decent I will drive the extra 50 miles to Torrance.

 

I was actually called by my MA to make sure i would attend yesterday's event.
Vista will honor de $750 certificate on top of negotiated deal,on an ordered CM.
I already printed it!

 

The Motor-Tober event seemed to bring in a lot of potential buyers where I live. Sales told me they would honor the Motor-Tober if I ordered by Tuesday. I also rec'd the email coupon from Mini this AM. This afternoon I went to another dealer to check out inventory (trying to nail down the color combo since nothing beats seeing the the actual car color combo in person). Anyway, dealer #2 tells me very little wiggle room to negotiate price on automatics with navigation system (production is up to 50% on automatics). I was told if I ordered the car this week, I would have it before year end. They would honor coupon...but no-go if delivered after 1/3/12. From what I'm reading on the forum, a 6-8 week turnaround time sounds very optimistic. As it is, I'm not a little leery about paying near MSRP so keeping the motor-tober discount is important to me.

Anyone else given a 6-8 ETA on an auto countryman all4 with navigation?

 

Why should the inconsistency eat at you?

How is this any different than any other aspect of car buying?

Some people are able to negotiate $500 off, $1000 off, more....

Others end up paying MSRP.

It is what it is.

 

Being inconsistent is pretty consistent for car dealers.

My MA told me the rebate is from Mini and they would have to be dishonest about the pre-order for me to get the rebate, and from what I'm reading here this is what other MA's are doing to make this work. I totally understand and don't want them to lie for me to get $750.00. I always feel this works against me in the end, bad CARma if you will (misspelled on purpose ;-)

 

As I think I said in an earlier posting, they're not "honoring" the $750 Motor-tober deal, thy're just giving the customer an additional $750 off the negotiated price. If they negotiated a very good deal the first time, they have the room to give another $750 if they want to. I suspect the ones that are being turned down are people who got a deal deal off the MSRP to begin with and the dealer can't afford to tack on another $750. Also if it's an ordered car and they have a $1,000 deposit from the customer, they don't have a lot of incentive to give the $750 because the customer is locked in.

 

I should have put that in the past tense -- the uncertainty of the situation bugged me, until I finally talked to MINI USA and got the straight scoop.

I'm perfectly OK with the situation now that I know.


Exactly how I look at it -- if my dealership was willing to cheat MINI to save me some money, I'd always wonder about their honesty with me when it comes to service and repairs.

 

I said I was staying out of the debate but I can't. The $750 is over and above what I negociated below MSRP. Between both I am below invoice (my source of invoice price being edmunds.com) so I doubt the dealer is eating it. I still think some dealers are just being difficult but since I am not affiliated with any dealers or MINI USA, I guess I will never know for sure....
Regardless, I'm happy with what I am getting and loving my dealer right now.
Cheers All!

 

did my motortober event yesterday...checked email this morning 6 am and no certificate...hopefully soon. (i think they should have distributed these certificates at the dealership on the day of the event.)

 

I am confused. Do you have to take a test drive first and then go to the event in order to get the certificate? I was emailed from Mini about taking a test drive after I had pre-registered for the event.

 

My certificate doesn't mention any restrictions on pre-ordered vehicles.
It is for ANY new MINI,2011 or 2012.

 

Go to the event. Pre-registration doesn't count for anything.
Register.
You get your certificate via email in a few days.

The test drive is optional and not required to get the certificate - but, of course, the test drive could be fun.

 

i went to the motor-tober event and registered yesterday (sun,24 at 11:00am) and still no certificate (mon, 25 at 1:30pm). for those who got the certificate, could you tell me when you went to the moto-tober event and when you got the certificate? (i hope my email was input correctly)

 

Is this something Mini does every year???

 

Test drove Saturday the 22nd at noon,received emailed certificate the 23rd at night.

 

Signed up in person at the event Saturday AM and rec'd the certificate via email Sunday afternoon.

 

it's 6pm and still no certificate...i did however get another invite to the drive the mini, my ma said people are getting those because of re-registration the same day of the event. if i don't get mine tomorrow afternoon, then i will be concerned, until then it's just like watching paint dry...

 

well lets see how this works, i already had a 1000 off from the msrp, e-mailed my salesperson telling him that i knew that i could still get the 750 rebate, he told me to go in saturday and register, which i did and i guess i;ll get the 750 off from the price since i'm paying cash for the car which i hope to get by late nov, anyways had it not been for this board i would of never know about the 750 rebate, thanks guys.

 

You should check on it. It comes the next day by email. I went yesterday and for my certificate this afternoon.

 

Here's the fine print on the certificate. It clearly says 2011 or 2012, but you're right, it doesn't say anything about pre-ordered vehicles! It just says that delivery has to be between the date of the motor-tober event and 1/3/12. So, if you have a car on order and it's delivered before 1/3, your certificate should be good. I don't get the 1/3 deadline though. I ordered a car yesterday at the event. At this point the delivery date is completely out of my control so why should I be held to that deadline? BTW, my MA told me they'd make good on it if it didn't get here by the deadline.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1] $750 Off the Purchase or Lease of a New 2011 or 2012 MINI Model
Restrictions apply. Offer valid for one purchase or lease to customers having met all of the following criteria: 1) customers must attend one MINI MOTOR-TOBER Best Test Drive Event at a participating MINI dealer (list of dealer events can be found on MINIUSA.COM), 2) customers must register at the event upon arrival (registration at the event is required; online pre-registration does not qualify), and 3) customer must purchase or lease a new 2011 or 2012 MINI model and must take vehicle delivery between the date of the MINI MOTOR-TOBER Best Test Drive Event attended and January 3, 2012. Offer valid to the recipient whose name is on the email/letter/ certificate or any family member residing within the same household only and may not be transferred. Proof of identification/residency is required. Pre-owned and MINI NEXT vehicles do not qualify. Options may be limited due to product availability at time of sale. Cannot be used for tax, title, registration, destination or other dealership processing fees. Offer valid on final negotiated price and may be combined with any other MINI offer (with the exception of another email/letter/certificate offer) that is available at time of purchase.
[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

8am, day 2, still no certificate. hopefully today will be the day. in fairness to my dealership, they said up to 4 days, however, with everyone getting their emailed certificate next day...my expectations are sooner rather than later. anybody else still waiting for their certificate?? thanks

 

It took 3 days to get mine--I went to the event on Saturday, got my certificate on Tuesday morning (of course, I suppose Sunday doesn't really count). If you don't get it today or tomorrow, I'd shoot an email to your MA just checking up on it. There's always the possibility they got your email wrong!

 

thanks Ann for your info - with a name like AnnArrogance...you sure are nice