So, okay, today we drove the F56, and went over our proposed build with our soon-to-be-open dealership. Didn't pull the trigger yet, and I'd like your thoughts.

The reason we didn't put down a deposit today was that Hubby is thinking of waiting to order until mid-July to get a 2015. Sounds great--wait 6 weeks and you get a year newer car, eh? Trouble is, we've heard there will be a fairly sizeable price increase (rumored to be between $400 to $700). In addition, trade-in value will drop on our '07, partly because the '07 will be another model year older, and partly because the deal would be done at a less favorable time of year. (We're not 100% if we'll trade or sell outright--solid reasons for either choice in our case.)

One possible good thing that might come out of this would be the ability to order Chili Red, which I much prefer to the Blazing Red, IF it should become available. Also, potential option changes, and maybe some dealer or MINI USA incentives.

Right now we only know of a $250 repeat MINI customer incentive.

Any comments? Anyone know of option or color changes, price changes, or any more incentives likely to show up? Any reason to wait OR to rush? We now know what we want, with the possible change in color if available, and yes, we will be ordering, not buying off the lot.

 

I ordered a 2014 F56 MC yesterday. I thought about waiting to get a 2015 but decided the 2015s will not be significantly different from the 2014s. Reading your comments, there are way too many what-ifs. I'd order the car now and get 6 more weeks of nice weather enjoyment out of the car. If you keep the car long enough the 2015 vs. 2014 goes away.

 

You are the second one to say something about mid July order date for 2015. I've tried to confirm that with two different dealers (i.e. when's the first date I can order a 2015, I ask, and they both claimed to say a) they don't know, and b) it won't be in July).

When I ordered my 2009, I pushed the order back a month to get the new model year, so I'd be very interested in doing that if it was truly July.

I placed my order for an MC (converting from my current MCS) on Sunday after a test drive on Saturday that "hooked me". Of course, it helped pulling the plug when with only a little bit of effort, I got $1000 off MSRP (a well equipped MSRP, putting the S money into options).

I always negotiate the vehicle price as a straight up purchase, I'll sell it myself. But after the Saturday test drive, they appraised my car and made a crummy offer. I easily said no, and left. Went to CarMax (a couple of miles away) where they offered $1200 more. Still a pretty low price.

So, went home, did lots of searching on trade in estimates and private party asking prices (pretty high). Decided I wanted to order if the price was right, and then sell the car myself. When we agreed on the $1000 off MSRP, I told them about CarMax offer to see if they would match -- the way it works on the trade in (I was sold) is we agree on a trade in price, I drive the car while waiting for the order, and as long as there's no accidents, that's the price they pay X weeks later -- and I was free to sell the car myself in the interim. They didn't even want to match CarMax price -- basically, they didn't want the car. I still went ahead and ordered on Sunday.

On Monday morning, I decided to put the car on Craigslist. Decided rather than have a lot of uncertainty waiting to sell because I was trying to get top dollar, decided to price it 'fair to seller and to buyer". Bottom line, sold it more or less at the asking price (there was the original rims and tires I had pulled when I went aftermarket at about 9K miles) and had been sitting in my garage for 4 years -- I was asking extra for these, but through them in (car's due for front brakes in about 800 miles per computer, but think they can go a couple of thousand miles because it's going to be rotors and pads, so what's the diff if it's a little bit past the computer time) -- so factor in needing to do brakes if I wait to sell, and the risk of something expensive going wrong with the soon to six year old engine, a key factor in initially thinking about a new car. Plus having a truck that's only driven when needed, I have a vehicle to drive while waiting for the new MC to be built. In the end, I sold for probably 1 to 2K less than I could have gotten, but 3K more than the CarMax price and $4200 more than the dealer wanted to give on trade.

I worked it out that over the 5 2/3 years I will have had the car, I lost less than $2800 a year in depreciation, which worked out to less than $230 a month for 68 months of fun. I'm a happy camper, I can be happy about this little depreciation. And my car has been very reliable, only service required after 3 yrs / 36K miles and 4 yr / 50K warranty has been oil changes, and rear brakes which I did at an excellent non dealer brake shop (bought pads and rotors at Amazon for about $130 total, brake shop labor which included flushing the system was about $140.

So, long answer, but I'd say a) get a better price than $250 off, b) order now unless you can find that it's really July for 2015 production, and c) sell your car yourself.

 

My dealer actually indicated that mid-June orders will be the 2015 MY. While I've given him my order, we agreed to hold off on submission until June so that I'll receive a 2015. Hopefully he is correct on the timing because as you can see, it sounds like several different stories/rumors are out in regards to the timing.

 

Can you reconfirm that with your dealer? My order's not actually being put in the system until June 2nd, and if that's really the case (mid June), I surely want to hold off on my order.

 

what's this $250 repeat customer incentive? I specifically asked any incentives like that and was told there weren't any :(

 

I believe his to be a dealer thing, not an official corporate thing.

 

No, it is a corporate thing. It's on the MINI website.

We were told July 15, plus or minus a few days. I'd love to know if it's June. A dealer in a different city said it was for post-June deliveries, which would be easy to do if you're ordering the car now.

aafflyer--what city are you in?

 

I'm in North San Diego county.

I'm going to ping my salesperson about what he knows about MY2015 order date -- thus far I had asked other dealers I was getting exchanging email with.

 

From what my dealer told me, the MY 2015's base price will increase by $500. Basically the cost of the storage package (rear tray, 12v socket) and the comfort system. Sure you get a backup camera, but you still have to get the Connected or Connected XL screen.

The $250 loyalty is only if you've owned a mini in the past 12 months. I was going to get that, but they changed the rules from owning a mini to "owning a mini in the past 12 months."

 

ah, well boo on that. We're on our 6th damn MINI now (plus a classic), 3rd from that dealership.

 

I find it strange that we are almost into June and if they are indeed starting production on 2015 models, why wouldn't Mini put any info out on the changes, even if its only to announce a price increase?

 

Wait, so the $500 increase includes the back-up camera standard on 2015's? I also heard 2015's have auto climate and LED fogs standard, but not sure. If so, would definitely be better to wait.

 

I haven't had a chance to re-confirm with my MA, but last time we talked he was not expecting any significant changes to the standard config in the new model. Who knows?!?!?!?!?

 

My MA said that Mini doesn't change to the next model year until around the end of the year, so I find it weird that June orders would be for a 2015.

 

FYI 2015 pricing was just released overnight on Motoring File.