Hi! First post!

Anyway, Ive been looking at MINIs, lurking this forum, and thinking. (and playing with the configurator)

And ive come to the conclusion that i want one.

But i didnt know if i would fit, being almost 6' tall.

Well, the Nissan dealership nearby happened to have an 05 MCS with the exact features i wanted. Same color too! (Lightning Blue with White Roof/Mirrors, and white Bonnet Stripes)

So i walk over to the car and lo and behold, its unlocked. So i take a peek, sit in the seat. (Feels pretty good, i had no problems fitting)

The Sales Rep comes over.

With no intention of Buying (No Income Yet), i ask the sales rep if i can test drive it.

He reluctantly says OK, since i had already told him i had no intention of buying.

Man that car is AWESOME. Sounds amazing, handles amazing.

i officially have my mind set on getting one.

i want a R56,
Lightning Blue with White Roof/Mirrors
white Bonnet Stripes
Premium Package
White 16" Bridgespoke Wheels
Xenon Lamps
and the Pacific Blue Cloth/leather

I plan on ordering one after Basic Training, then spending the wait at Tech School. Is it possible to order it at one dealership and pick it up at another?

Longpost is LOOOOOOOONG

 

Welcome to NAM, Curious George! Sure you don't want to get a yellow (like a banana) MINI? Once folks take the test drive, it's usually all over.

 

The most common approach is to go directly to the dealership you want to pick it up at and order it there. You can establish the relationship with the MA by phone/internet and place the deposit with a credit/debit card, check or money order.

I assume that you are fresh out of school, and likely don't have much of a credit history. I recommend that you take a look at Pentagon Federal Credit Union or Navy Federal Credit Union (yes, I know that you are enlisting in the Air Force). Both have a "understanding" of uniformed life.

Good luck.

 

Hey Thanks for your service and I love my mini too.

 

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but I'd like to ensure you dont have misperceptions about your blue color paint. An '05 MCS can't be Lightning Blue (which is a GREAT choice if you are ordering!) as Lightning Blue is new to the R56. An R53 '05 or '06 with metallic blue paint has Hyper Blue on it. Any R53 MINIs prior to '05 have Indi Blue. Hyper Blue is darker than Lightning which is darker than Indi.

With the exception of sport stripes instead of bonnet, my MINI highly agrees with your choice of options. Check out my gallery :p

 

Welcome George! Thanks for your service!

I just read about a gentleman in the military stationed in Europe in the Cabrio Talk thread, and he mentions several nice advantages of being in the military and car delivery and discounts. You might want to look into how Uncle Sam can assist you with deliveries to your next station.

The colors can be confusing - I can't keep track of the different colors from year to year....

 

Wow! Military pay must've greatly improved since my stint in the mid 70's. I could barely swing payments on the cheapest Datsun (B210) when I was an airman. Good luck and thanks for your dedication to our country. You're gonna have a great life ahead of you if you take advantage of the many opportunities the Air Force offers you. I'd give anything to be stationed in Europe today!

 

But i dont know where ill be stationed. So if i could order the MCS in Mississippi, where ill be for Tech School, and have it shipped to a different Dealer, then i could spend the production wait at Tech school. I have no need for a car there.

Then when i get assigned, i can pick the MCS up at whatever dealer is closest.

Because i could get assigned anywhere, and i dont wanna have to drive halfway across the country to pick up a car.

 

Perhaps the wise thing to do is to wait and order your mini after Tech school once you know where your new life will be taking you. If you are enlisted there could be restrictions for lower grade enlisted taking vehicles to Europe for instance. Just food for thought, also you can order a mini in Europe and have it delivered there with a bit of a discount. Here again, you may have to pay to ship it to the States depending on your grade.

 

From a financial point of view, i just realized i may not be able to afford a new MCS.

I had completely forgotten about Car Insurance.

What are the main differences between an R53 and an R56?

 

A used R53 MCS is less $Ching$ $Ching$