How to Buy a New Mini -- The Art of the Deal
 

Here are some tips and insights to help in consummating a satisfactory deal on your next new Mini.

FIRST CONSIDERATIONS

* A "satisfactory deal" doesn't always mean you've squeezed every last dollar out of the dealer (You probably can't anyway). A satisfactory deal is a deal you can live with; one where you've realized acceptable value and ended up with the Mini you want with terms of sale that seem fair, reasonable, and will enhance your pleasure and excitement about acquiring a new Mini.

* Get your duckies in a row BEFORE you engage with dealership personnel. Make sure you have the cash or the credit, or the rich uncle lined up before you even consider negotiating a new car deal. Know your credit score and understand what it means in terms of qualifying for loan/lease rates, waiving lease deposits, down payment size, etc.

* If you've got a trade, know its current wholesale and retail market value. Not what you THINK it should be worth, but what a willing buyer is likely to pay for your trade. Know the value of your time -- do you want to spend days advertising and showing your car to tire kickers with little cash and bad credit who are hoping to steal a deal (or, literally, steal your car, and your wallet and smart phone and leave you bleeding by the side of the road)? How many dealers do you want to visit while trying to sell your trade? How many times do you want to sit there while the used car "manager" spends half an hour or more walking around your car, peeking under the hood, checking every ding or curb rash and tisk-tisking as he/she softens you up for the bad news? UNDERSTAND that whatever a dealer pays you, he/she is thinking a minimum of one to two thousand dollars in reconditioning and sales costs, which must be added to whatever you are offered. Whatever your mindset about your precious trade, GET IT SORTED before you enter into serious negotiations with a Mini dealer.

* Know the margins.
There's less than an 8% spread between invoice and MSRP. The destination charge on the MSRP window sticker (currently $850) is a net cost to the dealer. For example, a Mini with an MSRP sticker price of $40,850, including destination charge, will be billed to the dealer at APPROXIMATELY $3,200 below MSRP, i.e. $40,850 - $850 = $40,000. ($40,000 x 92%) = $36,800 + $850 = dealer invoice of approximately $37,650 plus any training and service fees which are on the invoice to be paid by the dealer but are not passed through onto the MSRP window sticker.

The sales person who takes you for the test drive and spends time answering your questions makes most of his/her money by holding onto as much of the "gross" margin between the MSRP and the invoice as possible. Every dollar you chip away from the MSRP impacts the sales person's paycheck the hardest. This is not your problem but it's good to remember this and to show some sensitivity to the plight of the sales person. You might just get a friendlier deal if the salesperson knows that you understand that he/she is under pressure to "hold the gross" and make the sale. No need to pity the sales person. Just understand the dynamics that are in play at the dealership. If you get close to an invoice deal, the sales person gets credit for the sale, which might help earn them a bonus if they sell enough cars that month, but the dollars they will be guaranteed from an invoice-priced sale will actually be called a "mini." And it ain't much. Knowing this will help you understand what you are asking of the sales person when you grind hard on price. Your sensitive management of this reality might help you get a better deal.

* HOLDBACK
Okay, so there is no holdback on Minis. BUT THERE IS!!!
Dealers get about 2.5% on the back end, plus sometimes more. These manufacturer-to-dealer incentives are not guaranteed and require dealers to jump through all sorts of hoops, including hitting high CSI (Customer Satisfaction Index) numbers, having certified Mini Geniuses on staff at their dealerships, and a bunch of other requirements. All you need to know as a purchaser of a new Mini is that, if everything goes right for the dealer and you give him/her all 10's on your survey, the dealer is looking to recover maybe a thousand dollars gross on the back end of the sale of a fully loaded Mini with an MSRP of $40,000. The sales person rarely, if ever, sees any of this "back end" money.

* Check the MINI USA web site EVERY MONTH for the latest deals and read the fine print. If you're well schooled and have built yourself a spreadsheet you can easily calculate the money factor on the lease deals and you can see what the low financing rate monthly payment will be on whatever selling price you want to use. If you don't know how to do this, get on the web and start searching for car buying advice web sites that will educate you.

* Remember, Mini USA incentives are in addition to whatever selling price you negotiate. So let's say you work a deal for $500 over invoice on the Mini of your dreams which includes any dealer contribution. Then, you SUBTRACT from that negotiated price whatever rebates MINI USA is advertising on the web site, which might lower your final selling price by as much as $1,500 or $2,000 more. And, if you qualify for loyalty, or USAA, or any number of corporate special rates and deals, they usually are on top of everything else. DO YOUR RESEARCH -- KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S ON OFFER, and MAKE SURE EACH OFFER IS LOADED INTO YOUR DEAL CORRECTLY. Lot's of moving parts. DON'T LET THE DEAL MOVE FORWARD UNTIL YOU'VE GONE OVER EVERY DISCOUNT and MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE DISCOUNTS HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO YOUR DEAL.

* If you're leasing, study the leasing advice web sites and school yourself until you know all the moving parts in a lease. Understand how to calculate a money factor and residual. Learn about how multiple security deposits can lower your money factor below Mini's best advertised buy rate. You can also visit Bimmerfest.com, and study their excellent leasing tutorial located in their Ask a BMW Dealer section.

* BE NICE. The number one complaint dealers have about customers is the abuse dealers feel they get. Customers often express their anxiety and fear by being belligerent and accusatory or by being evasive. Customers wander into dealerships without an appointment on a Saturday and kick tires and go for test drives without giving any indication of their intentions to buy or lease. Don't do it!

DO THIS INSTEAD. Do your on-line research. Use Edmunds and TrueCar to school yourself. Build the car you want on either of those sites, then go to Mini USA and research the current offers, then build and save a car on the Mini USA web site, then figure out what deal you would say "yes" to, then email or call the dealer you want to use, tell them you've built a car and want to send them the build and make an appointment to discuss acquiring a new Mini. SHOW UP FOR THE APPOINTMENT or CALL/EMAIL if you need to or decide to cancel the appointment.

REMEMBER THIS: All transactions happen within the context of a relationship. Manage that relationship well and you will be rewarded. It doesn't matter if the dealer is a crook or tries the old sales tricks. You have the power to walk, knowing you've been polite, honest, and willing to make a fair deal. If the dealer can't figure out what to do with a decent customer, find another dealer who will respect you.

Okay, so what's a good deal? 2022 UPDATE: Due to supply chain issues and global conflicts/inflation/COVID, the usual guidance needs to be tempered by contemporary realities. Dealers are often adding charges and selling cars ABOVE MSRP. It is still wise to start all negotiations from factory invoice, regardless of what sort of add-on sticker is slapped on the windshield!! Shipping delays for custom builds are common, so be prepared to wait for a special order car. Used MINI values are unusually high and MINI USA is now requiring lease returns to be made to MINI/BMW dealers, or you can buy your leased MINI directly from MINI Financial Services, though in some states you have to do the lease buyout through a dealer (don't let them charge you any extra for this -- read your lease contract carefully). All the old rules apply regarding preparing for a deal and knowing how to identify and watch all the moving parts in any car deal. But be prepared to pay more than usual for the MINI of your dreams under the current circumstances.

Under normal circumstances, during normal times, around invoice MINUS any incentives plus maybe some floor mats or a sun shade and free weekly car washes would be a very good deal on a popular model. You might do even better than that if the Mini you love has been sitting on a dealer's lot for a couple of month's or, for whatever reason, isn't the model currently in high demand. Also, remember there are a lot of moving parts in a deal. If you have a trade and it's way past its use-by date and is wheezing and the dealer is willing to take it off your hands, give you something for it, and unload it at the wholesale auction, then the trade is not the place to focus too much energy when negotiating a deal. If your credit is a little shaky, then don't expect the best interest rate or money factor. But less-than-perfect credit doesn't give a dealer the right to fleece you on financing. AND YOU CAN GET A GREAT DEAL ON AN ORDERED CAR -- don't let a dealer tell you otherwise in order to sell you one off the lot that isn't a Mini you love. But you can often get a slightly better deal on a car off the lot.

DON'T GIVE BACK WHAT YOU'VE NEGOTIATED. Let's say you've done your homework and you've become a human slide rule and know your money factors and residuals and invoices and holdbacks and used car Black Book values and all the rest, and then you stumble into the finance office after three long hours with the sales person and they load you up with Tire 'n Wheel and fabric and paint protection and a bunch of other full price stuff for "only a few more dollars per month," or "the same payment as we agreed on that we can extend for another year to get you all this extra stuff without adding a dime more to your payment." Again, do your homework, know what you want/need to feel comfortable with the deal, and know what you're comfortable paying. So if you want/need the finance department add-ons, negotiate those as well.

Some people bring finance add-on items up with the sales person on the front end of the deal (a very good idea). The sales person invariably says, "I'm not the expert on that but the person who will process the paperwork can tell you all about it." To which you say, "Great. That's cool that you have an expert. Since we're talking about wheel insurance now, let's go talk to her and get her best numbers so we can see how it works into the deal before we finalize anything." If they balk, ask, politely, to see the sales manager. If you get a "no" or "he's not available at the moment," walk. Say, "call me when everybody we need to do this deal can be available and I'll be glad to come back and finish this up." Or take your business elsewhere. Be sensitive to the fact that the sales person might get in trouble for stepping on the F&I person's sacred and very profitable turf. Tell the sales manager that the sales person explained the process but you are much more comfortable doing it your way. BE NICE, BE NICE, BE NICE, but insist that they do it your way or you hit the highway.

*The "be back" bus.
The "be back" bus is what car sales people dread. It's the mythical vehicle that customers who say, "I'll be back" are all riding, and it never stops at dealerships. So your power to leave is all the power you'll ever need. Use it wisely, and only if you have to, and always, always, be polite, because you don't want to burn any bridges to the best deal you may get.

* A Few Words on Purchasing a Used Mini from a Mini Dealer.
Make sure you've researched all known issues with the year/model you are seeking. Make sure the dealer can certify that those issues have been properly addressed and corrected. Any dealer promises in this regard should be in writing -- in fact, anything a sales person promises is only as good as what's in writing. Remember, leases are generally NOT available on used Mini's, and special financing from MINI USA usually won't be as sweet as what is offered on new Minis. Expect to pay a premium for a clean used Mini from a dealer, but expect to get a used Mini from a dealer that is as close to flawless as used Minis can be. Low mileage lease returns are often your best bet. If the dealer has a Mini on the lot that is more than 3 or 4 model years old, it better be unusually clean. And, yes, extended warranties make much more sense on a used Mini than on a new one, but be careful to negotiate on the price of any extended warranty and make sure you understand what is, and what is not covered.

FINALLY, promising to give the dealer "all 10's" on the CSI survey adds value to the deal. 9's won't cut it for the dealer. Explain that you understand how important 10 ratings are -- DON'T USE IT AS A THREAT, but rather as a sincere offer, as in "When we complete a satisfactory deal, I will be delighted to give you all 10's on the survey if this all goes as smoothly as we both hope it will." Many dealers complain that, after they've bent over backwards to satisfy a demanding customer, they end up with 8's and 9's on the CSI survey. Crazy as it sounds, ANYTHING LESS THAN 10 is like zero for the dealer. So, go get a great deal, and reward the dealership with 10's. They will know and they will remember you, and many good things will come of it. But make them earn it... nicely.

And yes, it's true, end of the month, end of the quarter, and end of the calendar year are often the best times to finalize a deal. But it is possible to get a great deal on the first day of the month, if you are ready to motor and bring the right attitude to the deal.

More to come. Add your thoughts.

Let's Motor in new Minis!!

It's a great post. The entire car buying practice is crazy. Dealers should have real prices, less fluff, no MINI geniuses, they aren't really that or they would have better paying gigs. Lose the salespeople and just have product info specialist who really know cars.

Our dealership nearby has so many people wandering around doing nothing and makes me wonder why I have to pay for all that waste?

Or buy a used MINI and save the cash.

Thanks again, appreciate the info although I doubt I will buy new again.

Thanks for the positive feedback. Buying a new car is one of the least economical things to do. Unless one keeps it for a decade and it's a Toyota or some tank like that. I've liked leases because, if properly negotiated, you get more car and basically "rent" a depreciating asset. Still not very economical, but you always get to drive a new, fully-warrantied, and usually highly optioned car. But buying a clean, very low-mileage, late model used car and keeping it for several years is, without doubt, the less-expensive way to go.

Good post. I'd add that you should look carefully at "dealer installed option" that appear on the sticker. My car had stuff like: Lojack, a thing that police can use to locate your car if stolen, and a windscreen sun blocker ($300!!!), a stubby antenna ($200!!), tinted windows, Sirius XM radio for a year. That stuff is almost pure profit and they'll give it to you free if you say you don't want it (I did).

If coming by to look over cars or go for a test drive is rude then you are expecting to sell cars by what a glossy add, I stop by Mini once in a while to look over the new stuff and yes I test drive I will never buy any car other than a rusty project car without a long test drive several times. I do ask for a card and would always buy the car from the sales staff that helped me.... Also Service is almost more important than getting a bit better deal I do look around at the service set up......

Good point. I think tire kicking and test driving are great fun and dealers want you to do this, always hoping they can sell you a car. My point is that, when you're ready to do a serious deal that involves hard price negotiations and careful attention to the many moving parts of a deal, it is best for all concerned to do it on a quiet day, with a scheduled appointment that communicates to the dealer you are serious and ready to do a fair deal.

Having said that, there are many stories of people who walk in on a Saturday and nail a killer deal in a couple of hours. Usually such deals are made on specially priced cars or at end of month. As a general rule, I like to take my time and work with the dealership's sales team, including management, when I have their undivided attention. My experience has been that the deal is more satisfactory that way.

But I agree, it is not rude to tire kick. Just tell them that's what you've come in to do.

People who lease cars are essentially monthly payment buyers.
When leasing, the key variables that build the monthly lease payment are:
Depreciation
Rent
Tax

Depreciation is the difference between the agreed upon price of the car (Capital Cost) and the Residual Value of the car at lease end.

Rent is the interest charged.

Tax varies by state and locality.

The other key consideration when negotiating a lease is Drive Off Costs.

For a Mini USA lease, those drive off costs can include the mandatory lease fee (currently fixed by Mini USA Financial Services at $925), any government fees and/or taxes associated with registration and delivery of the vehicle, additional customer-paid capital reductions, the first month’s payment, and any other costs the customer wishes to pay up front rather than folding into the monthly lease payment.

Let’s look at a November 2016 special lease offer from the Mini USA web site to see how the various components work and see what we can learn about how those components can be applied to the lease of the Mini of your dreams.

Mini USA is offering a $249/month 36 month lease on a 2017 Clubman S All4. The offer requires $2,859 customer cash up front and includes a $750 discount from MSRP provided by the dealer and $2,000 lease cash provided through Mini USA. The MSRP on the sample lease special on the web site is $31,800 including the $850 destination charge. The customer can purchase the car at lease end for $20,670 (the residual value).

Breaking down the components of this offer reveals all the nuggets one requires to structure a great lease on a new Mini before you set foot in a dealer’s showroom. Let’s look at this deal and see what there is to learn.

1. Residual. The residual is calculated based on the MSRP. The residual on the sample deal is $20,670. To find the residual percentage, we divide the residual into the MSRP ($20,670 divided by $31,800 = .65, or 65%). We now know that for a 36 month/10,000 mile per year lease on a 2017 Mini Clubman S All4 the residual is 65%. (lease length and annual mileage impact residual percentage – less miles/less months = higher residual percentage. More miles/longer lease = lower residual percentage)
2. Capitalized Cost. The Capitalized Cost is the agreed value of the car, just as in a negotiated purchase. In this deal we see the Capitalized Cost is MSRP minus up front customer cash of $1,685 minus dealer contribution (dealer discount) of $750 minus Mini USA Lease Cash of $2,000 which equals a net Capitalized Cost of $27,365. This is the amount that will be used, along with the Residual amount, to determine the amount depreciated over the life of the lease.
3. Depreciation. In this deal we subtract 65% of the MSRP ($20,670) from the agreed net Capitalized Cost amount ($27,365) to get the Depreciation total which is $6,695 ($27,365-$20,670=$6,695). We divide this Depreciation total by the months in the lease (in this deal it’s a 36 month lease) and we find $6,695/36=$185.97. So we now know that, of the $249 per month lease payment, $185.97 covers the depreciation.
4. Rent. The rest of the base $249 monthly lease payment that isn’t depreciation is the interest charge, or Rent. $249-$185.97=$63.03.
5. Money Factor/Interest Rate. The Money Factor is a decimal number used to calculate the Rent (interest charge). The formula to arrive at the monthly Rent charge is Capitalized Cost + Residual x Money Factor. (Yes, interest is charged on the residual amount.) In the case of this deal, the Money Factor is .0013121. If we do the formula of .0013121 x (27,365+20,670)=63.03, we confirm that the Money Factor for this deal is, in fact .0013121. To convert this money factor into an interest rate we multiply the money factor by 2400 and then divide by 100. .0013121x2400/100=3.149% interest rate on this deal.

So, is this a good deal? Almost. Taking the information from the Original Post on this thread, we know that the invoice on Minis is about MSRP minus destination multiplied by .92 + destination added back in. For this deal we have MSRP of 31,800 minus destination of 850 = 30,950 multiplied by 8% = 2,476. So 31,800 – 2,476 = 29,324 invoice. Our target capitalized cost for a great deal would be $29,324 MINUS the $2,000 lease cash from Mini USA, or $27,324. To make this a good deal, we want the dealer to discount the car by $2,476 instead of $750.

It turns out, if you work the numbers on the deal as shown at the Mini USA web site it looks like this:

MSRP $31,800
Dealer Discount $ 750
Lease Cash $ 2,000
Customer Cash for Cap Cost Reduction $ 1,685
Net Capitalized Cost $27,365
Residual $20,670
Payment $ 249+tax

If we change it to this better deal it looks like this:

MSRP $31,800
Dealer Discount $ 2,476
Lease Cash $ 2,000
Customer Cash for Cap Cost Reduction $ -0-
Net Capitalized Cost $27,324
Residual $20,670
Payment $ 248+tax

In the above examples, the $2,000 lease cash from Mini USA never shows up on the lease paperwork. The $2,000 is added to the discount from MSRP, thus avoiding tax on $2,000 in Capital Cost Reduction.
Also, there is NO CUSTOMER CASH offered to reduce the capitalized cost in the better deal, saving the customer $1,685 plus saving any tax on that amount of Capital Cost Reduction. Plus the lease payment is a dollar less per month.

The way to work a deal like this is to build a car on the Mini website to get the MSRP for the Mini of your dreams. Then go to the web page that advertises the current specials and read the small print. Do the math as we have done here to determine residuals, money factors, and lease cash offered – all three of these variables differ among the various models.

Calculate the estimated invoice and use that, minus any money Mini is putting into the deal, to arrive at your capitalized cost. Then call your favorite dealer and tell them you would like to email them a build of the car you want and that you would like to make an appointment to come and work out a deal. Or, if you see a car you want on the dealer’s web site, get the MSRP information on that car, run the numbers to calculate invoice and all the rest, and go in and ask for the deal.

Armed with the Money Factor, the Residual, and the amounts of cash on the hood Mini USA is throwing into the deal, you are starting friendly, businesslike negotiations at a great advantage.

As a final word, the price of ANYTHING that is added to the deal, from floor mats to Tire ‘n Wheel insurance, needs to be negotiated and you need to PAY CLOSE ATTENTION as to where those costs are added to your deal. If you pay for those costs as up front drive offs, it will save you money. If you fold them into your monthly payment you will pay interest and it will increase your capitalized cost as well. And remember, items added to the MSRP AT THE PORT (like wheel locks) can be residualized. Most other dealer-installed options can’t be residualized. So, $130 Mini wheel locks added at the port will end up costing you about $50 on a 36 month lease because you are only paying for the depreciated portion of the cost, plus rent and tax. Whereas, if you buy the wheel locks from the dealer after he has the car, the wheel locks can’t be residualized. In this case, it would be reasonable to point out that, had the locks been installed at the port and added to the MSRP and residualized in the lease, your actual cost would be about $50 and ask the dealer if he can put the locks on your car for $50. You might be surprised how close he can get to what you want.

Don’t let the dealer tell you the advertised deal is only good on the $31,800 unicorn Clubman that doesn’t exist. The money factor and residual percentage and rebates are good on any car delivered during the promotional time frame. And Mini can lock the money factor if you order a car, guaranteeing you either the locked rate or a better rate if there is a better rate offered when your ordered car arrives. Rebates and residuals can’t be locked beyond the promotional period.

Find your dream Mini, take the time to do the math, contact the dealer after you have your numbers straightened out in your head, and watch the magic happen.

Comments welcome.

Let’s Motor!

yes thanks for the run through, I have two dealers by me and Ive seen both in action and Ill mention my preference for Keeler in albany Ive stopped for parts and am on the mailing list which is helpful to get the latest deals I still feel its important to choose a dealer they do differ and I consider service and warranty important. Ive also seen the sales year end stuff get good enough that I offered to get a Mini for my niece while picking up parts,,,, if she aced Calc sadly she didnt. I suppose you have less option though, also Ive done way better not waiting until the car was really needed which is part of the reason I make a point to see whats new. Ive also seen that sort of stressed out whos up and who needs to move a car on the sales staff, so kind of try and get a staff I think I connect with. I actually was ready to buy a car and the nice staff that had helped on two different occasions got pulled off and i really didnt like the attitude from the person that I was given when I was ready to close so I walked out I avoid that dealer now so will leave it at that.

At some dealerships the sales people work on an "up" basis. They take turns greeting the next customer through the door and are then unable to greet any other potential buyer until their turn comes up again. Thus, when our tire kicker comes in to kill a little time, the "up" salesman is stuck with him, making no money, and hoping the tire kicker will leave soon so he can get back in the rotation - and greet a live buyer. This is why tire kicking isn't greeted with much enthusiasm.

So very true Sailorlite! And now that the margins between MSRP and invoice are so thin, even the fattest deals can be pretty thin for floor sales people, so every up is precious. We should all respect the sales person's time and always remember that, while we might just be floating around the showroom enjoying looking at shiny metal, those folks are there to feed their families. As I have said in the OP, respect and understand the dynamics of the dealership.

I once heard a story about the top-selling salesman for Mercedes USA. His mantra was that every customer who walked into the showroom, no matter how they looked or acted, had, at some deep level, already made the decision to purchase a Mercedes and it was his job to get their order. Interesting perspective on how to succeed in a ruthless business.

thanks for participating in this thread.

Hmm its kind of the job of be around so people can buy a car from you. I worked sales in design and its crazy amount of up front work/tire-kicking to get a job.

One of the greatest hours of radio ever right here. After you listen, go back and check the photo gallery (Web Extra). But use your imagination the first time through.

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/rad...e/513/129-cars

Back on topic... I didn't realize there was so much wiggle room for MINIs. Thought it was all sticker price minus incentives. How much does this vary by region, or whether you're in a city (LA) with many places to choose from?

The more dealers you having withing driving distance the more likely it is to get a better deal. I emailed several dealers in the SF Bay area and got a few offering to knock some dollars off the price of an ordered car. Local Oregon dealer wouldn't budge and the Washington dealer was $1500 off plus incentives. I went used so moot for me.

That is a great This American Life broadcast and is on point for this thread.

I think pricing does vary greatly by region and is influenced by availability, or lack of, competition. The internet is a powerful shopping tool. It creates opportunities to initiate price competition. It will always be easier to get better pricing in a large urban area where there are multiple dealers selling the same brand who are compelled to compete for your business. However, all car dealers wait in hope for the unprepared, uninformed, credit-challenged customer. Even if you're living in a "one dealer town," entering into a serious business negotiation, armed with a solid and deep understanding of the dynamics of how car dealers operate and a knowledge of the pricing structure and the mechanics of all aspects of a car deal, you will do better. Mileage, and discounts, may vary:)

Wish I had happened upon this site and done my dd research prior to ordering a Mini. We only have one Mini Dealer here, was told the MSRP is the price and the deals were only on the 2016's last month. Opted to order to get options that we wanted vs. paying for ones that we felt unnecessary or missing the options that we or so to say I wanted. At this stage in my life I should know how it works but it's an overwhelming process to go thru. Guess I paid the Retail price for many reasons in which it came down to my anxiety and not wanting to sit down for a whole day going thru the motions in hearing the sales pitch in buying a 2016.

Nothing to beat yourself up about. If you got the car you want at a price that makes sense to you, and you valued your time and didn't want to spend your heartbeats negotiating with a car dealer, then you did, in fact, get a satisfactory deal.:thumbsup:

:thumbsup: Your right, beating myself about it doesn't change the deal and on the other hand we are happy as our Mini just came out of the birth canal awaiting for it's 1st trek on an ocean cruise. Have to enjoy the wait as it's a part of the process.

Just hope someone sees and learns from my mistake:cry: as this thread is very informative.

Don't forget, if your car arrives for delivery in November, you are eligible for any and all November incentives offered on your model. If you take delivery in December, be sure to check the Mini USA web site for December deals and make sure you get those. As they say, "meat ain't meat until it's in the pan." The car dealer doesn't have a sale until you take delivery. They will try to tell you otherwise, and use whatever deposit you have given them or whatever you have signed as a way to make you believe there is no more negotiation allowed. But until you accept delivery and drive your new Mini off the lot, you still have some leverage if it matters to you.

Our MA alluded to that that at the time of closing the sale if there are any promotions of sorts it will be applied. Good advice as I'll check here and the Mini site for any promotions when the time comes. :thumbsup: Have a Great Weekend

Use Buying Service if Possible
 

I am currently waiting on my 2017 ALL4 Clubman S in Digital Blue as it is being built. I went through the USAA buying service that is powered by Tru-Car. The car I built on the Mini website priced out at $36,450 including the destination fee. This same car priced out at $31,667 with incentives on the USAA site. I sent this pricing to three dealers in the Washington, DC metro area. Car could not be found as optioned east of Dallas. 2 of 3 offered to order and build it for that price. I went with the dealer that spent the most time trying to get me to buy the car from them. So far the experience has gone smoothly and easily. I would suggest to anyone that is looking for a car to do the research and if they belong to a bank or credit union that offers the use of Tru-Car through them to take advantage of this service. I believe the price I'm getting is exceptional, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Delivery is expected mid December......


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...524fd57608.jpg


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...4bd20414ad.jpg

That is a huge spread in price. MINI must be hurting on those cars if they are going to give that much up so easily. Congrats I think you have a great deal. Post up the actual build if you can.

Gearhead 60 wrote: "I am currently waiting on my 2017 ALL4 Clubman S in Digital Blue as it is being built. I went through the USAA buying service that is powered by Tru-Car. The car I built on the Mini website priced out at $36,450 including the destination fee. This same car priced out at $31,667 with incentives on the USAA site. I sent this pricing to three dealers in the Washington, DC metro area. Car could not be found as optioned east of Dallas. 2 of 3 offered to order and build it for that price. I went with the dealer that spent the most time trying to get me to buy the car from them. So far the experience has gone smoothly and easily. I would suggest to anyone that is looking for a car to do the research and if they belong to a bank or credit union that offers the use of Tru-Car through them to take advantage of this service. I believe the price I'm getting is exceptional, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Delivery is expected mid December......"


You got a perfect deal! And you built a very nice car. I drive a Clubman S All4. Great car, IMHO. And you did very well on price. Be sure to keep your eye on the December deals to make certain you snag the best current offer(s) at time of delivery. Have fun tracking your new Mini's journey from Oxford.

Here's my build....


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...5536b07e3b.jpg

**The Leverage of 10**

For those of you eagerly awaiting the arrival of your new Minis, remember, as noted on the OP of this thread, "10" ratings on the Mini USA Customer Satisfaction Survey have great value to dealers. If for any reason (new improved incentives, burning need for a sun shade or a Mini cap, or a little more chipped off the final price....) you need to encourage the dealer to revisit your deal BEFORE you take final delivery and drive off in your new ride, don't hesitate to find a way to gently mention that you are looking forward to giving "all 10's on the satisfaction survey" and you hope that the dealer can engender that warm fuzzy feeling you need to maintain by....whatever small, reasonable deal enhancement you might need to feel good about your purchase. Not talkin' blackmail here -- but if you now know more than you did before regarding what the right deal in the current market looks like, ain't no harm in asking for it. Just don't ask for the moon.

So true. I saved about $5000 on a "leftover" 2015 because I flew to Montreal to get it. 2 dealers on the island plus 1 in the burbs and 1 more an hour away.

Locally there's 1 dealer and the next one is 2.5 hours away.