I live in Sarasota, FL south of the Bay Area aka Tampa/St. Petersburg.

There is one MINI dealer in this area. Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay. Taking liberties with that definition the dealership is located in Palm Harbor (north of Clearwater). The access to this part of Pinellas County is on Rt. 19 for several miles of near death experiences and traffic lights. If they sought out the least accessible area of the area, they found it.

Apart from this dealership, your options are to drive to West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale or Orlando.

Over a million people live south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge that connects Southwest Florida with the Bay Area over I-275. Residents of cities such as Sarasota, Ft. Myers, Bradenton, and Naples are either forced to make this slog up to Pinellas or across Alligator Alley to the South Florida dealers.

Tragically, Sarasota's Southpointe BMW was an original petitioner of BMW for a MINI dealership, but not selected. This was a disappointing error on MINIUSA's part. Sarasota is not only a reasonably affluent area. It's also culturally sophisticated and environmentally progressive. The streets here a teeming with Priuses and other hybrids and it is also home to a Smart franchise and I have seen several on the road.

There are many Minis on the road here as well despite the lack of attention to this region.

In short, Sarasota is a tailor made MINI country but I can't help but thinking that then number sold is being driven down by the lack of a dealership and the unfortunate souls like myself with a MINI here are abandoned.

I'm sure Southpointe could make some room for Minis in the Land Rover dealership they own next door to their BMW shop.

 

Grape vine says that Fort Myers BMW is moving to new building on route 41. They have applied for MINI dealership in old building along route 41. Agreement between both parties has not been finalized. Was told if it happens won't be final until 2009.

 

Thanks. That would be welcome news. The distance is about the same but the decrease in aggravation getting there is considerable. It's either 5 miles off a major interstate or a series of lightly travelled back roads.

It's also more central for SW Florida so I can see the logic. Obviously I'm partial to the Bimmer shop 2 miles up the road.