Well I walked in fully planning to buy a Mini today... Well it didn't happen...

Checked online at both Mini dealerships in my area to see if they had any in stock... Been looking for a few weeks now...

Well one dealership in particular has had about 5 MCS/Auto listed for a few weeks...

Went in and they said they had most been sold for awhile now...

I'm like, WTF? That's pretty crappy way to get people to come in listing cars you don't have available to sell...

So that means I'd pretty much have to order one... Ugh...

 

Why would you not want to order one anyway ? Vast majority of MINIs are sold this way because there are so many configurations.

Order YOUR MINI instead of buying one a dealership optioned out the way they think you'd want it.

Chances of finding one exactly the way you'd spec it out... one in a thousand, I'd say.

 

Annoying, but I say go for it! Order one!

Most folks on here do anyway, and I get strange looks from MINI folk when I tell them that I bought off the lot. It's like I committed a crime against nature or something. I find it hilarious, but it is sorta weird and makes for an uncomfortable silence when meeting with other groups of MINI owners.

 

^ You bought of the LOT ??!!??

 

Agree, order one, the miniusa web site has a great cofigurator, it is part of the fun of buying the MINI.

 

Well I'm pretty simple... I had one eyed out that I was happy with they claimed they "had available", actually I had two I was looking at I would have been happy with...

Problem with ordering is trading my car in and not having another vehicle to drive to work... Well technically I do have a spare car to drive but then I'm also trying to sell...

I just don't want to run into any issues if I find a buyer and then I can't sell it because I won't have a car to drive....

 

If you think you won't have any difficulty selling your current car, wait until about six weeks before your MINI is due for delivery and then sell it. List in your ad that it is available on Month X and Day Y.

If it's one of those cars that won't draw much interest... start a little earlier and if it doesn't sell.... hello Carmax.

 

For those who buy off the lot, they can be proud they have adopted a MINI!
Otherwise think of the abandonded, depressed little guys. . .

 

I always figured the people buying MINIs off the lot are the same people who don't wave and think of a MINI as a car to get around in.

There are exceptions, of course.

 

I am one of the exceptions and I always try to wave and I bought off the dealer lot but in early April there were a lot of cars in stock too.

Today is a very different story of course as most know.

 

After going to Mini of Dallas and getting totally hooked with the test drive we found out they had nothing closed to the car I had built on the configurator. So we were thinking we would have to order. We then went to Moritz, gave Neil the built car and he said "oh, we have that car"! Brand new, just off the truck and still had the plastic on. It didn't have the LSD and the HD radio and did have some extras that weren't on our list (pretties like the English Oak and chrome package) but otherwise she was perfect!


Oh, we wave and we know Daphne is not just a car!!!

 

And I bet those "lot buyers" are the same ones who say they like the center armrest. Weirdos!
I say we should refer to them as "those lot buying armrest kissers".

(I love generalizations. They make life so much simpler.)

 

I bought off the lot because they were offering a discount on MSRP. (11/06 build and they were trying to clear inventory for the R56s.) They had exactly what I wanted, so why not?

 

That explains why i dont have an armrest and my coworker (one of those lot buying...) does.

 

you might be interested in this: http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...4/1023/CARNEWS

 

When I sit on a curb (or anywhere with a plain line of sight to my MINI) I sometimes think about her "Almost Owner". I'm pretty sure she has one...she's too specific to be dealer-stock. I'm glad I picked her up when I did though. I certainly am Proud!

Well...

 

You've heard of German Shepherd Rescue well I am the MINI equivalent.
When I drive by a used car lot and I spot a well taken care of MINI that is properly priced and is sitting amongst
Volkswagens, Kias, Nissans and the like I feel it is my duty to try and find a new home for this MINI and I then
advise those that are perspective owners looking for a MINI to give a good home to.

Nothing like the feeling of knowing you have found a good home to a MINI that has been put up for adoption.

 

Wow... I've never been quoted so much on one page.

Easy, folks... I did say there are exceptions. And let's face it, those lot-buying non-enthusiasts aren't here to speak up. But hell, I pass five MINIs every day on my commute and four of them refuse to wave, even after two years.

Yeah, there's lots of them out there.

 

I bought mine off the lot. Drove over an hour to a tiny lot in Gainsville, they had it and it was perfect. There was someone working there who was planning on buying it the very the next day (which they told me after I had signed the paperwork), so if I hadn't bought it then and there... no MINI for me!

At least not for another week or so, anyway.

 

Car one - decided to buy at noon while @ lunch fm work & at was home with one in the driveway in time for dinner. I got there as they were unloading a truckload.

Car two - I looked over the inventory for cars in Jax awaiting shipment on Thurdsay and took it home on Tuesday.

*****

dealers not keeping their online inventory up to date is hardly a MINI unique problem Just bought a Fit for the spousal unit and the dealers we visited even laughed about it. One dealer couldn't even find two cars his in the store inventory said he had! A few dealers are working the internet angle hard and spend a good bit of time making things right. But in my experience they are the exception.

 

You're absolutely right about that and if you think the internet ads are bad you should see how bad
the Autotrader ads are, I don't think they've had any of those cars on their lots for years.

 

i went to columbus last monday to have my cooper serviced.. took a buddy with me.. checked the web.. they had 13 listed on the site.. i was thinking of adding another to the stable..'


well.. got there.. checked the mini into service.. up stairs.. got a coffee.. headed to the sales dept.. several on the floor and outside..

nope..
none for sale. all demo's or sold cars.

damn

i can order one.
i am an on the spot kind of guy.. oh well..

checked the pittsburgh mini dealer.. over 20 on the site..
called..

but..
nope all sold.
if my business was only soooo good..
it would suck to have customers and no cars to sell.
but

its good to see our babies in demand.. helps our resale value !!

 

Oh, I didn't get offended or anything. I (at least for my part) just wanted to put myself on your list of exceptions.

 

I bought my 2005 MCS used. I did my research before and found the one I want with options already installed (sport suspension & premium package, chrome interior trim, cockpit chrono package...to name a few)

and yes I do wave
I actually passed 2 minis last night and waved but no response

 

Lot buyers.