So, my lease is up in July on my Cooper and I'm not digging the 2014. I want to get a 2013 Cooper with manual transmission and Premium, Technology (or just connected) and Cold Weather packages - that's it. Not super picky. However, apparently there are none in the area that have that configuration (connected appears to be the issue). I've looked online at other dealers and they have some close to what I want, but apparently the dealers can't ship their cars to each other!

This seems retarded to me as they are trying to get rid of 2013's for the new model AND I'm willing to buy. Why are they being asses!

Anyone else having this problem?!

 

That sounds pretty common. Most owners only own one dealership.

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Mini is a very different car company from the others I have dealt with in the past (mostly Honda and Toyota). In my experience, they are not down with getting cars from other dealers at all. They have a very different business model.

Like you, I wanted an MCS after driving a loaner and also like you, the 2014 does not impress me in the least. I had to fly one-way to Chicago and drive my MCS JCW home...

 

A new Mini and a vacation.............not a bad plan at all. I live near you and could care less if I ever do business with either of those two dealerships. I assume this would be your third Mini from them. Get a great deal and make a nice trip out of it. They could take a lesson or two from the Lexus dealer in Lynnwood.

 

I find this strange.. My MINI dealership always told me if they didn't have it they could always check other dealers and get it for me.

 

I think the 2013 are still sought after and the dealers do not want to give them up to one another. That is until someone comes in wanting what that dealer does not have and then they make a trade.

 

It may be because the dealerships now own those 2013s and have been reported as sold so it makes it harder to move them from dealer to dealer. Its all a numbers game to show total national sales #s.

 

Just fly and drive.

Go to where the Mini is and drive it home.

 

And for the record, let's find a better word than "retarded" to describe a situation where someone can't have their way. As a teacher of special needs students, it's offensive.

 

FYI, retarded replaced the "non PC" term of Idiot/Mongoloid when describing a special needs person.

It's still used in the automotive industry to describe later events such as timing. "Retarded timing". (Versus advanced).

 

Ha ha, didn't think about that. Might be a possibility. It sounds like they can trade only a certain area? At first she said she would search the west coast and couldn't find one. Then when I found some in Colorado, she said they can't trade.

Yes, third MINI, but would be first from them. I moved from TX two years ago so others were from MINI of Woodlands. Not really impresses with dealers here either :(

Sorry, didn't mean to offend with the 'retarded' comment - just frustrated. And it's not about getting my way, was in reference to their flawed business practice. Maybe I should call the dealers that have the car in stock and see what they say. It's really annoying :(

 

There's three GP2's at my dealer in California, but you can forget about cruise control and anything fancy.

 

The term by the poster was not used in reference to the timing of a vehicle. It is offensive.

 

I went through exactly the same thing and literally tried dealerships across the country. It was a nightmare of an experience at first. The one who took up the challenge was Bill at Seattle MINI - he helped me find my MINI. If he still has it, he had a GEORGEOUS British racing green convertable manual S with Sport and Premium packages ((2013). We didn't want a convertible, but it was beautiful. Give Bill a call. Tell him Anthony referred you to him. If he's still got it, he can probably figure out a way to ship it to you. Their service is absolutely next to none! Cheers!

 

He apologized 20 minutes before your post. let it go.

Back to the OP.
Call the dealers that have what you want and see which one will give you the best deal if you come and pick it up. Play them against each other and I'll bet you end up with a good deal. Another upside of this is your new car will be broken in by the time you get home.

 

How ironic, as I live in Seattle and Seattle MINI is who I was dealing with LOL! Anyway, this is what they told me:

"The reason that we cannot get a 2013 from another dealership is because all dealerships have "punched" these cars which means that they have marked them as sold so that they could get more inventory brought to them. All dealerships have done this with their 2013 inventory. Only that dealership can sell it because it is already considered "sold." I hope that makes sense."

No less irritating, but guess it makes sense in a way. I guess I will try to shop around and see what happens...

 

Well, being that inter-dealer car trading is not done with mini(according to your post).

Why not try and reconsider the 2014? I had an initial slight distaste for the new f56. As time went by, I viewed more photos and saw a couple in person - I have changed my mind. I am kinda diggn' the new f56 now.

 

I hate the new F56, it's bloated body and the way the nose of the car overhangs is ugly!

 

This is 100% the reason of why they can't trade the '13's. It's not that they don't want to accomodate you....its simply because they cannot trade car's marked as sold or those that have been punched as "Demos". Almost every dealer did this on every remaining 13 Hardtop at the beginning of the year.

 

There are many ways to deal with this that do not involve the local dealership.

First, you're after a brand new 2013, so presumably you don't need to do an "inspection"; it's a new car. You can shop any dealership remotely online and find the car you want. Each will be more than happy to sell you the car via a long distance sales transaction. It's done all the time. You negotiate a price and fax in the appropriately signed documents. Money can be done via wire transfer or bank draft via FedEx. Since it is a new car dealership; your chance of fraud in this area is relatively low.

You do not have to fly down to get the vehicle if you don't want. Transporters run constantly between cities and the most you'll incur is about $1,000 for a coast to coast run. Best to try local areas which are closer, transporter costs can be as low as $350.

If you have a trade-in and do not wish to sell it yourself, all major cities have CarMax franchises. They will inspect your vehicle and offer you a price for selling your vehicle to them. It is obviously less than selling it yourself, but it saves you the inconvenience of having to do it personally.

There is nothing tying you to the local dealership when it comes to buying a new vehicle.

 

Thanks, I am trying to explore online inventory. It is tiresome though ha, but hopefully I will find something. One dealer I talked to in Denver said they would ship to Seattle (I probably have to pay for it, but hey at least they said it could be done). Unfortunately, I didn't see the car I want there. Slowly working from coast to coast. Knowing my luck, I won't find one or it'll be in Boston or something!

If I don't find one, I'll probably just buy my current leased car and just see what new models come out. No need to rush into an F56 anyway as by next year, they will start having deals on those too!

 

You might like the 2014 JCW version, it's the only Mini Cooper I would consider. I told my SA that these should be more reliable (F56), he said lets wait and see with a smile on his face. It's Mini's last chance for a reliable car not counting the non-S models!

 

His response wasn't directed at the OP. It was directed at another user who appears to be trying to justify use of the word.

 

My response you refer to was directed, not to the OP, but to the person who tried to rationalize it.

 

I know we are beating a dead horse, but just find the car you want and go get it. If you can't get away for whatever reason, they can ship it to you. This is the 21st century, dealers just don't play nice with one another.