There's nothing in the Dealer Bulletin nor the certificate that indicates this is an issue. Maybe the best thing to do is not ask and just show up for delivery with the certificate, and demand to see the dealer bulletin if they won't let you. You should not even have to do that as the certificate clearly lists in great detail what the restrictions are, and this is not mentioned. In my case we have been preapproved for the 2.9% financing, and I wrote on the Sales Order that we can cancel and get our deposit back if for some reason the financing becomes unavailable.

 

TDTD at Mini of Hawaii was fun. In the showroom they set up a padded area where some local MMA fighters were doing demonstrations or something. Free food outside, wife got signed up for the coupon and they gave her a little diecast mini. I saw a bunch of people going for solo test drives.

 

OK!
I followed up on my "reservation" for TDTD this afternoon at MINI of Stevens Creek. They had one sign outside, a Nissan Juke and a VW Beetle parked in front, and a decorated TDTD MINI inside. I looked for the sign-in table usually prominently arranged from previous outings, but none such. I was handed off by a greeter to one of the MAs, who filled in an on-line form suspiciously like the one I entered to make a "reservation". There was no list of expected attendees or time slots.
After discussing my interests - possible Clubman to replace a Prius - the form was filled completed and I was headed out - I should expect a certificate via email in a couple days to a couple of weeks. I suggested it might be a good idea if I looked at a Clubman, and, by the way, were they giving out any swag today; e.g., t-shirts. The MA checked into it with an event t-shirt clad worker and reported that they were only giving t-shirts to those who purchased a car today.
I think one of the someone may have taken out the Beetle while I was there, but it couldn't have been more low-key. On the way out I saw the GM of the dealership and said I'd dropped by to check out the big event. He said they'd be having some musical entertainment later. I don't know how anyone would have known...

 

Yes, I am fairly certain you can as long as you don't go past the 90 day lock period. Read the fine print someone posted earlier it makes no mention of any restriction to the contrary.

 

The only other possible reason that comes to my mind is that they would view it as a waste of their time to spend time on someone who they've already successfully made a sale to. Someone said that MINI sends representatives to run the events, so I'm sure they also supply the t-shirts and other prizes, correct? There must be some involvement by the dealer sales people, I would think. I'm sure they'd rather take their time to try to lure a potential new customer than to 'waste' it on an existing customer.

 

Ask your dealer to show you the Sales Bulletin for this. It goes into detailed restrictions, but there is no mention of any problem combining it with the finance program. While it does say that "this offer is not meant for previous customer sold orders", the next paragraph says that if a customer orders a car before the event, the customer is still eligible if he registers and attends the event and the retail date is on or after the event. And given that the certificates themselves mention nothing about this issue, it's clear that while Mini would prefer that customers with cars already on order don't use the certificates, if they do, they will honor them. In fact the same bulletin describes how the dealer can deliver the car the same day of the event and give the customer the $750 off the price of the car.

 

My dealer finally agreed to allow the TDTD to apply. They initially quoted the 1st part of the bulletin then when I pointed out the second part you indicated my dealer finally said they would take care of it.

 

My guess is they probably are not happy that you were able to quote the Dealer Bulletin. It's probably a document that was not intended to be seen by the customers. But glad you were able to use it to your advantage. Then again, I'm still not clear why the dealer would care as the dealer apparently does not contribute to the $750...sounds like Mini fully reimburses them so long as the customer present s a valid certificate.

 

Sounds familiar...

 

The last time I posted a few days ago our dealer agreed to discounting our car $375 since we aren't eligible for the test drive coupon (per them, as I posted earlier).

But after some more emails back and forth they have agreed to discount the car $750 (from our originally agreed on price) to match the test drive coupon.

 

Nicely done, Greg.

 

Greg, are you taking delivery after the test drive event or did they just give you an equivalent discount as if you were?

 

They are giving us the equivalent. The car should be here mid May. We aren't doing the test drive event now because my MA said even if we do it and bring in the email coupon, MINI will revoke it when it's submitted since we already ordered the car last month.

Who knows if that's true or not, a lot of people on here say that is incorrect information, and it may very well be... but they agreed to match the coupon deal to keep our business so whether they're correct, incorrect (or deceiving) it doesn't make a lot of difference since we're getting the discount in the end. The car with our options came to $30,550 and we settled on $30k even when we ordered, so now we're at $29,250 which sounds fair to me.

 

I find their attitude about it soooo odd. If they're giving you the discount anyway why not TRY the certificate?? So strange to me...

 

It does seem strange how the manner the discount is being applied varies by the dealers; to me it only makes sense that MINI USA offers should be universally applied and in this case the only requirement seems to be that the MINI is delivered before the offer expires. I mentioned to my MA that I intend to participate in the event and I am leaving the issue be until I show up to take delivery of my CM, and then I'll make a stink if any issues pop up. Not only that, I am sure that as ships come in and ordered MINIs are delivered we'll get even more feedback on how the Test Drive Take Down is being handled by the various dealers.

 

My dealer had the drive event 4/17 and today 4/19, my MA called me and said they have the certificate numbers and I could take delivery. I still have not seen the email with my certificate. My car was sitting in the back for a week before the event, but I was told discount will still apply. I will still get the special financing through BMW that I locked in when I ordered in Feb as well. The rebate and special financing are not tied together...do not let your MA fool you....please refer to my transparency remark.
The GM of the dealership bent over backwards to make me happy. We had a heart to heart and he says this happens every time there is an event like this. MINI paid for 3 teams to travel the country and had to puchase competitor cars for comparison. Wake up MINI...just offer a rebate, save the money on travel and buying competitors cars. The way they do this is not fair and equitible. I will give my dealer a good score, but will write to MINI USA and voice my displeasure with this whole game they have crated in the name of someone justifying their marketing existance. MINI needs to learn that flair is square. Be honest, up front and transparent! Get out of the way of your coolness MINI and sell some cars without making us jump through hoops.

 

Johnny, that's a good point. I really didn't think about it that way, but I see your point. It's essentially a manufacturer rebate, so why not just treat it as such and give it to anyone buying a car during that time period? You might get me worked up now that I probably won't the extra discount simply because the dealer events in my part of the country are a little bit later.

 

Maybe I'm paranoid or jaded, but, this tells me that it is totally possible for a dealer to sign up for a certificate under the name of someone who has already purchased a car and use the certificate without the customer knowing squat. They could easily make up some of the difference of money lost from negotiated prices this way.

 

I would think few dealers would take the risk of getting caught. One would think that one of the sanctions could be loss of the dealership.

 

I didn't say they weren't allowed to do just that by Mini...I'm pretty sure all dealerships do the exact same thing with rebates.

 

The wording of the rebate coupon just says take delivery by a certain date. I just got lucky on the timing. The information the GM read to me said it was not "intended" for cars already ordered...but not allowed. If your dealer does not at least try, then call another dealer and let them see you come in for service. You have leverage when you are spending 30k and hold a survey that determines how many cars they get preferenced. I can pay sticker or a little less anywhere. If I am going to spend that kind of money...then the dealer can work a little for me. Luckily, my dealer did and I will give them good marks...but boo on MINI.

 

Because it is called a rebate it has to be on the contract as a rebate for the dealer to get the money paid back to them. So they couldnt exactly sign you up and use the money without you knowing to make more, unless you took delivery after the event. But you would still see it on your contract under the rebate line.

 

Thy ordered mine at the event and applied the 750 there.

Michael

 

I will say that this whole experience at the end of the buying cycle for my MINI has been the worse car buying experience of my life. I am going to hammer my dealer and MA on the survey. All I have heard is that we cannot do that...I took deleivery Monday and went back in yesterday and re-signed a contract for 1k less because of how unprofessional this dealer has been. The Sales Manager has been grea, but the rest of his staff should be replaced.

 

Has anyone been able to pick up their car before the dealer event and still get the
$750 discount? My dealer is going to let me take delivery the day of the event but the event isn't until May 26th ( my car should be at dealer any day now) and I sure would rather NOT wait until then but for 750 bucks what's another 3 weeks in the grand scheme of things. I just think its pretty crappy that they make you play games instead of just saying "look, since you already had your order in the pipeline we will just apply the credit" that way everybody is happy and they get the deal done sooner and we all motor on!
Because I will wait it out but it sucks but that's what surveys are for I guess.
I'm still holding out hope I can get it sooner. we'll see