That certainly can work in your favor if you buy used. We bought our 2007 530xi Sportwagon (a relatively rare model) in 2010. We have the original sticker, just a smidge under $60,000. We bought it as a former CPO with 32,000 miles for about $28,000. We'd been looking for a wagon for some time, and were delighted to find it at an Infiniti dealer just 11 miles from my parents' home in Florida, while we were visiting. That dealer didn't want it on his lot; we did want it in our garage. It's been a great car, now with 97,000 miles on the clock.

 

Great, enjoy your GP with it's nasty issues, and we'll enjoy our cars.

For someone who hates the F56, you sure spend a lot of energy posting here.

 

I never said I hated the F56. I just said I had issues with the styling but recognized that it was a matter of personal preference. The issues that I had with it resulted in my looking at other cars, something I never thought would happen, and that makes me kind of sad. It was not an easy decision at all to leave the "MINI family".
It doesn't take a whole lot of energy to post here and when you're the OP you have a responsibility to respond to postings on the thread. I've always believed that if you're not going to be active in your own thread you shouldn't start one in the first place.

 

He was responding to user jrs66.

 

Yep, reply was to user jrs56 post.

I should just leave the troll bait alone, though he claims not to be a troll. But if you look at his posts, he's himself posted serious issues with his GP, and then about 80% of his posts since April have been here, including offering his comments that death of Mini will happen due to the F56. He's fully welcome to his opinion, but for someone without the vehicle, give it a rest and worry about his own GP.

You're cool.

I meant it when I said it, enjoy your 228. You're always welcome to come and visit here, and if we see you back here sometime down the road, then great. If not, that's ok too.

 

Good thing you're doing. I was looking at the 228 myself but decided on the 335 I'm picking up tomorrow afternoon.

 

Enjoy the 228. I considered it pretty heavily but finally decided that the price was ridiculous for a reasonably equipped model.

 

Not really, but I guess it depends on how you define "reasonably equipped". Based on the best quotes I got for both cars, you can get a 228i with Premium package, HK sound and metallic paint for just under $35,700 with discounts. The quote I got for an MCS, auto, with loaded package, sports package, JCW interior package, metallic paint, spoiler, cornering headlights, dimming mirrors, rear fog lights, Sirius and Alarm (MSRP 34,722) was $33,322. The difference is under $2,400 and for that you get more power, better suspension, 0-60 in a full second or more faster than the MCS, 8 way power adjustable seats, and much better leather. $2400 on a 36mo/15k lease adds $26 a month to the payment. The only thing is, it's not a MINI and that's a big "thing" that it took me two months of thinking about to get over. Value wise, though, it works. I'm also adding Sport Line and the Track Handing Package which drive the price up quite a bit but those things make it a whole different car than the MINI. My initial comparison is for fairly equally equipped cars. Despite all this, I still look at my MINI and get sad about the fact that I won't have it in a couple of months, but this decision works for me. As is often said around here, YMMV.

 

You could be in a 2014 JCW now like me, for about $38k.

 

Believe me, that was my first thought and best option but I wanted a hardtop and you can't get a JCW hardtop until the 2015 comes out.

 

You're right. I think you can get a 2014 JCW Clubman if you need 4 seats. Did you look at the BMW 128i? I wondered if that was more Mini like and similar in price.

 

Nah, if it's not a hardtop, I'm not interested, but thanks for the suggestion. I always thought that a JCW Clubman was kind of a silly concept. I really wish MINI had given me that option instead of having this "blackout period" during which there was no JCW hardtop available at all. There is no more 1 Series BMW. The 2 Series replaced it. I pulled the trigger last night and placed the order on a 2015 228i coupe, Valencia Orange with Premium Package, Track Handling package, Sport line, and HK sound. Configured that way it's quite a bit more than the MINI, but it gives me suspension, steering and braking stuff that even the JCW doesn't have.

 

CONGRATS! I loved my 1-series convertible and the upcoming 2-series convertible would be a possible contender for me against the F57 I am considering. I like them both a lot for different reasons. And for me, the refinement and increased "BMW-ness" of the F-series vehicles will possibly be what sways me back to MINI.

I realize that there has been a lot of discussion here about it already, but when it comes down to price (and more so, leasing), the MINI/BMW comparison becomes a challenge. After my 1-series lease, I got a BMW Z4 Sdrive28i M Sport Citrus Edition (try saying that 10 times fast). That amazing BMW cost me less to drive/month than a MINI John Cooper Works Roadster, even though the BMW had a significantly higher MSRP. The incentives, special money factors and residual values of the BMW made all that possible. It was a no-brainer for me (I realize that it is all subjective/personal) living in San Francisco at the time and benefiting from the hardtop convertible and lower insurance of the BMW.

The important part is that you are happy with your decision and enjoy your new vehicle, which I am sure you will! Join a local club or BMWCCA and you will find that there is a community there as well.

 

If you really want to have fun, get it on Euro Delivery! There are some cost benefits if you can swing the traveling part. We did that on one of our Bimmers, and it was a blast. We covered 4,000 miles in 23 days--best rental car ever!

 

I will wholeheartedly second that opinion!!! I did Euro delivery on my 2002 BMW 325xiT and it was one of the best experiences ever! The factory and museum tours are incredible and the delivery experience is priceless. There is something really amazing about knowing that you are driving your OWN car on the Autobahn! We drove all over and then down to Rome, Italy where it was shipped to my dealer in Boston. The worst part was waiting for the car to arrive back in the United States.

If you can swing it, I highly recommend it!

 

We did it for our 2001 325i Coupe. Went southwest from Munich, then north through Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Norway. Then on a 24 hour car ferry to England, north through Scotland, and back down to London for the shipping point.

Like you say, worst part is waiting for the car, BUT it's like a second birthday present!