After obsessing about this for months, I'm ready to pull the trigger. I've of course run into the same problem every other Cal. resident has -- all dealers here either have tremendous ($2-$3k) markup or tremendous wait lists (East Bay Mini, who were extremely nice btw, have no markup but a 12 month wait for MCS).

So, I'm looking out of state. I've been impressed with the feedback on Classic and MOTH and may very well go with one or the other, but it would be great if I could pick a dealer within 2-3 days driving distance (of San Francisco) and simply fly there to pick it up. Does anyone know of a dealer in the Western half of the U.S. that doesn't mark up and has a relatively short (<6 month) wait list?

Thanks all!

 

Did you try the dealer in Salt Lake? I'ver heard that they are good, but haven't dealt with them myself...

 

You might try Moritz MINI in Arlington, TX. I ordered my MCS in mid-Feb and it's due to be delivered in a week or so...it was about a 8-10 week wait. It shouldn't take more than a three days to drive from Dallas back home. PM me if you have any other quesitons. Here's the contact info of my MINI Advisor:

Jarrod Hopper
817-461-7070
817-436-5764
jarrod_hopper@moritzmini.com

 

You can make it to SF from just about anywhere in the midwest in 3 days. But it's not much fun (all Interstate driving, all the time).

Add a day or two and you can get off the Interstate where it's interesting, do some sight seeing along the way and actually enjoy the trip.

btw, have you tried the Scottsdale dealer?

 

>>btw, have you tried the Scottsdale dealer?
>>
>>

I called them (Mini North Scottsdale) back in February and was told about 10 months wait for a MCS. Then I called Jackie Cooper in OK City...was told about 9 weeks wait, and from the looks of it they are about right. My car will dock in Charleston this week.

 

from Mentor OH to San Francisco is 2527 miles you should be able to drive that in three days. ten hour days would be about 85 MPH.

Just a question, why do people - not just dlaugh - wait months, then order and want the car in two days? Why not order it "months" ago for delivery when you would be ready?

I put $1,000.00 down when i ordered (which was refundable).

Earl

 

Definitely try the Salt Lake dealer (Mini of Murray). They sell at MSRP and their wait is about 3-4 months. I dealt with Debbie Linge over there, and she's been extremely helpful; I'm picking up my MCS in just a few days now.

 

>>from Mentor OH to San Francisco is 2527 miles you should be able to drive that in three days. ten hour days would be about 85 MPH.

Mentor to SF in 3 days is very doable. I did Mentor to Portland, OR going south through NM and AZ in about 3 days.

>>Just a question, why do people - not just dlaugh - wait months, then order and want the car in two days? Why not order it "months" ago for delivery when you would be ready?

We started looking seriously last September. The local wait for an MCS was 9 months. If we had ordered in Sept, our car would have arrived in May, instead of Jan when we picked it up. I thikn we didn't order right away because I knew I couldn't handle the wait and would have bought used or something once we were ready to pull the trigger.

 

Well, for my part, I wasn't sure whether I was going to buy a car. I live in the city, take public transportation to work, and have one car in the family already that I can use to make weekend trips. After waivering for awhile, I decided I deserved the luxury, and that the luxury I deserved is an MCS!

Thanks to all for the fast responses -- keep 'em coming.

 

Long Beach MINI is the same as East Bay MINI - MSRP but a painfully loooooooong wait.
I did the same thing you are doing. Lots of research and phone calls developed a short list of dealers. Eventually went with MoTH because of no wait time, MSRP and tons of experience shipping to the West Coast. Had my MCS shipped via train because it cost less one way air fare plus the cost of the trip home. The wait for arrival was longer but my MINI arrived with 13 miles on the clock giving me plenty of opportunity to break her in just right. Total time from date of order to arrival in SoCal was Jan 7 to March 11 and that included a JCW and MINI alarm install. The longest and most dificult part for me was the 16 day train trip. Lots of bad weather contributed the long train ride.
I am quite happy, patience paid off quite well.

 

Classic is my local dealer (as we all know from my shameless plugs)... they got my first Mini in 9 weeks, the second in 7. They'll ship all over, though... call Julie @ 440-266-6700.

 

Got the same ***t from the dealer here in Las Vegas and ended up buying from Crown MINI in Virginia! My son lives in Indy and has recently check on a MCS for him. Their story is no markup (not much discount below MSRP either) but they seem to be willing to give a bit and have some cars in inventory. You can have the car transported to you or get some of the break in done on the drive home!

 

I went to Eastbay MINI because of two reasons, no markup and they are seem to care about what they are doing. (not just to make money) They are also pretty nice people too.

I paid my refundable deposit on May 29, 2002 and they called me to order on Feb. 7, 2003 alittle over 8 months. Not to bad in my opinion.

I ordered my 03 MCS on 2/10/03. It arrived on 3/24/03. The dealership did a couple of installs and mods for me and I took delivery on 4/01/04.

Am I happy? With out a doubt!

On the plus- only 45 miles from home

on the minus- 11 months wait

 

I went to Eastbay MINI because of two reasons, no markup and they are seem to care about what they are doing. (not just to make money) They are also pretty nice people too.

I paid my refundable deposit on May 29, 2002 and they called me to order on Feb. 7, 2003 alittle over 8 months. Not to bad in my opinion.

I ordered my 03 MCS on 2/10/03. It arrived on 3/24/03. The dealership did a couple of installs and mods for me and I took delivery on 4/01/04.

Am I happy? With out a doubt!

On the plus- only 45 miles from home

on the minus- 11 months wait

 

I went to Eastbay MINI because of two reasons, no markup and they are seem to care about what they are doing. (not just to make money) They are also pretty nice people too.

I paid my refundable deposit on May 29, 2002 and they called me to order on Feb. 7, 2003 alittle over 8 months. Not to bad in my opinion.

I ordered my 03 MCS on 2/10/03. It arrived on 3/24/03. The dealership did a couple of installs and mods for me and I took delivery on 4/01/04.

Am I happy? With out a doubt!

On the plus- only 45 miles from home

on the minus- 11 months wait

 

Roadshow Mini In Memphis TN. It's a long way but, there is no markup and no wait. I ordered mine March 8th and EDD is April 18th. Ask for Zach. My sales rep has been great.

-donut

 

BTW, I've done San Fran to Central New Jersey in 4 days. That includes getting a flat outside of Park City, and stopping to get it fixed in Wyoming (probably 3 /12 to 4 hours lost that day alone), plus two hours waiting for I-80 to re-open in Wyoming due to some construction blasting... And a side trip to the SAC museum at Offut AFB in NE (that was another 3 or four hours at least).

I averaged 80 MPH, and didn't drive more than 8 to 10 hours a day... So Classic or MoH should be a cinch...

 

If you don't mind the Midwest, give Patrick MINI in Schaumburg, IL a shot. $500 deposit, priced at MSRP, and from the day I ordered to the day I picked up was exactly two months (ordered 8-11-03, picked up 10-11-03). In fact, I'm headed there on Friday for my first oil change!

 

When I lived in Ca, I too did not want to wait months for my MINI so I ordered mine from MINI of Hawaii. Bought the car at MSRP, paid $908 for shipping to the port of Oakland and was driving the car two weeks after I paid for it :smile:

The car arrived in perfect condition and was equipped the way I had one ordered from East Bay but a 10 month wait list. I had placed a $1000 deposit also but just didn't want to wait.

Before I got my MINI, I too posted here on NAM about having to order and wait for just the right MINI. That's when Minihune informed me of a MINI in Hawaii that was just like the one I had on order. The MINI had just arrived at the dealership and had not been sold as of yet.

I bought the MINI, had it shipped, got back my deposit from East Bay, and have been motorin ever since.

 

I second Moritz in Arlington, TX. Ordered mine Sept 8 last and took delivery one week before T'giving. Sticker price. $1,000 deposit non-refundable if delivery not taken on arrival.

Long way from SF, however.

 

No love. :???:

For those curious:

Portland: No mark-up, ~12 month wait
Seattle: No mark-up, 16 month wait, not taking orders until list gets shorter
Las Vegas: $2500 mark-up, 4 month wait
Phoenix: No mark-up, 7-9 month wait
Salt Lake City: No mark-up, 8 month wait
Denver: No mark-up, 10-12 month wait

Several dealers did explain that their alotment is unpredictable and that they try to quote the longest likely wait period. (For example, Denver said that although they quote 10-12 months, their overall average wait this year has been 6-8 months.)

That pretty much covers the dealers I could comfortably drive back from without taking a day off work. Now I start thinking over whether to buy & ship or expand the area I'm willing to drive (i.e., add Texas, Memphis, etc.). Expanding the area starts to approach the cost of shipping the car, once you count airfare, gas, and the value of a vacation day. I think I'm leaning toward shipping from Classic or MOTH. MOTH appears to be running the better deal right now ($500 off MSRP). Per D.J.'s suggestion I may also put a call in to Mini Hawaii.

I'll post an update once I've made my decision. Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions.

 

I would recommend Faron Smith at the MINI Center in San Antonio, TX. That is, if you want to make the drive. He's a heads-up guy and actually bought an MCS for himself to drive. (Instead of driving the demo cars that most MA's do.) Don't know what their current wait time is, but my MC arrived in 6 weeks.

He has his own website:
http://www.allminitrackday.com

The dealership site is:
http://www.minicentersa.com/index.asp

Tell him Rob sent you.


-Rob

 

See post from OK MINI Have in stock MINIS and all at MSRP!

 

Have you talked to Niello in Sacramento? When I bought from them a couple months ago, they had no waiting list and they were charging $1k-1500 over. I was in the same boat as you - not wanting to wait forever (especially since I am in the Seattle area). When you factor in the costs of flying cross-country and driving home, or having the car shipped, the amount over MSRP didn't sound so bad.

I got lucky - they had the exact car I wanted on the way already (the only thing I wouldn't have specified was the HK stereo), so I ended up getting the car in a week.

 

It would seem that MINI needs more dealers in the Western US and less in the Eastern US. I picked up my MCS from Habberstad MINI in NY (MSRP, no wait to place an order, typical 7-8 week delivery time).