It's not your dealer's fault. Mini established this rule because the offer "was not meant for customers who already ordered cars". You can go to another dealer that's having the event earlier if there's one within a viable distance.

 

I picked up a 2012 Clubman today that I ordered back on March 17th. I had originally told the dealer that I didn't want to pick up the car until they had the Test Drive Take Down on May 15th so I received the $750 incentive. They said that was fine. Then they called back and told me they would take another $750 off if I came and took delivery of the car before the end of the month. I am loving it. Good luck.

 

Congrats! How much did you pay versus MSRP after the $750?

 

yes, you could do that but it would be of no use...because you cannot use the certificate until after the event that the dealer you ordered from has occurred. So if you wait until then you can pick it up same day of event. (I have it confirmed that you can pick up day of event if your car is there)

 

No, the certificate is valid as soon has you have the code and can be used at any dealer.

 

Sorry but unless the service manager is lying to me you are wrong about that. I've checked into this twice already. Have you known anyone who has actually done what you are saying?

 

I mean sales manager not service.

 

Just look at the restrictions on the certificate and the Dealer Bulletin. The Dealer Bulletin goes into all the specific detail regarding the restrictions, and there's absolutely no mention of any restriction anything like what you are being told. Some dealers seem to be spreading a lot of misinformation about the program. Just refer him/her to the Dealer Bulletin and politely tell him/her you know better.

 

If they continue to challenge you, just ask them to email you a copy of the Dealer Bulletin. Once they realize how well informed you are, I doubt you will have any further problem. Please let us know what happens.

 

I've seen the restrictions on the certificate but haven't seen the dealer bulletin. Do you have a copy of that?

 

Shark, I'm looking at one of your previous posts which you go into some detail about the bulletin. Here's your quote:
"Ask your dealer to show you the Sales Bulletin for this. 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.
"


See what this means is... you can be eligible for the offer BUT you cannot "take delivery" of your ordered car until ON or AFTER the dealer event that you ordered (and will ultimately purchase your car from i.e. your dealer). That is why I will have to wait until May 26, the day of my dealer's event. Even, if I went and obtained a certificate earlier I still could not redeem it until May 26.
So unless, you can tell me for sure that people have indeed picked up their car early I believe you are misinterpreting the bulletin.
Trust me, I've spoken to the sales manager about this and he did some research and very politely got back in touch with me after he spoke to his Mini USA rep about the issue and was pretty clear that this is how it works. I really have no reason to not believe him, he was pretty clear about it but it'd sure be cool to find out that somehow you could get it sooner but hey, whatever, no worries it can sit and wait for me in their garage if it has too.
I've waited this long!
Keep on motorin'

 

No, on or after the date of the event you attended to procure the certificate that you are using in conjunction with your purchase. The timing requirement is very clearly related to the date you attended the event, and not related to the date of the event at the dealer where you decide to purchase the car. Again, there's absolutely no requirement that you purchase the car from the dealer where you attended the event. If you remain unconvinced, just call ASKMINI Monday morning, tell them you have a TDTD certificate, and ask if you are allowed to use it at a dealer that has not had their TDTD event yet.

 

Maybe your dealer does not want you to visit another dealer...

 

Shark 715

I negotiated a total of $1,500 off list on the Clubman (including the $750 discussed above). My wife ordered a Countryman S on the same day and negotiated $1,300 off list. We will take delivery of the Countyman S on the day of the Test Drive Take Down and get another $750 off. Thus we will have received a total of $2,050 off list. Not too bad in MHO.

 

hmmm, I'll check into it and keep ya posted...

 

Bandit, did you order these or take delivery from in stock?
That's a great deal, good for you!
Cheers

 

Good stuff! Congrats on that!

 

Attached is a TDTD certificate and Dealer Bulletin. Hope this helps combat the misinformation some dealers seem to be trying to spread.

 

That doesn't seem like a clear answer either way on whether you can use it on previously ordered cars...

 

Thanks for posting the dealer bulletin. Very interesting!!

 

Sounds like the MotoTober event all over again. Total mayhem

 

The answer is the program was not meant to, nor do they want to give you the $750 if you already ordered the car (it's not difficult to understand why), but despite that, if you have a valid certificate when you go to take delivery they will accept it. Note the lack of that restriction on the certificate, and remember that the Dealer Bulletin was not meant for us to see. When you show up at the dealer with the certificate to take delivery of the car, you have accepted their offer, and they can't add new restrictions at that point which were not part of Mini's offer to you. If their intent was to exclude customers that ordered cars before attending an event, they would have stated that on the certificate...but they are smart enough to know that would have created a lot of angry customers cancelling orders.

 

My rule #1 is to never rely on what a car dealer is telling you. They have their own agenda. It's just based on 40 years of experience. It never hurts to verify the facts when you have the ability to do so. Just look at what other people have posted here regarding what their dealers told them about this program. Now you see what the actual rules of the program are.

 

Schin - We ordered both the Clubman and Countryman S on the same day - March 17th, before MINI had announced the TDTD. It has taken the dealer longer to receive the Countryman S. Austria vs. England - I suppose. When I picked up the Clubman yesterday we asked if the Countryman S came in early we would happy to pick up the car before the TDTD if the gave us the $750 like they did for the Clubman. (The Countryman S is currently in transit and the dealer expects to receive it in the next week or so.) They stated that we would have to wait for the TDTD for the $750 incentive.

 

Shark, turns out you were right. It appears that I was purposely misinformed by the sales manager and my MA. I did call Mini USA on this and they checked with marketing while putting me on hold for quite awhile and she did confirm that you can use a valid certificate at any dealer even if it is before their event. Like you said the dealers have their own interests in mind and I'll bet they get some kind of incentive for each person who comes to their event or at the very least they don't want to give you any reason to go looking at another dealer. Even the nice woman at 800 Ask MINI said you should always call them first regarding questions on things like this because the dealers will tell you all kinds of different things... Sort of reading between the lines.. Like she's heard this before...
Anyhow... Since they've sucessfully made me miss the two other events closest to me that i probably couldve attended it looks like I'll have to wait til 5/26 to pick up my car, but like I've said before what's another 3 weeks I can wait on it... Would rather not do it but I will for $750