I know this is more of an opinion thatn fact, but I wanted to see what everyone had to say about it. Which of the 3 local Chi-Town dealers is the best and why do you think so? I am going to be putting things in order financially very soon ( or kill myself trying) and want to go to the best dealer around. You can include any praise of salespeople, and extras they threw in.

Thanks

 

I don't have any experience with the Naperville facility, but I have found that both the Patrick and Knauz dealerships to be staffed with friendly, helpful folks. I do like the Knauz dealership slightly better because they have a larger selection of demo cars. While shopping for my future MINI, I got to play with various demo models of the MC, MCS and the Convertible. Being able to view firsthand the colors of the exteriors as well as how the interior options appear make it a whole lot easier to decide which options to get.

I was waffling between the Chili Red and the Hyper Blue for a while but when I was actually able to see it in person definitely like the Hyper Blue better.

As far as long term convenience goes, you can probably go with the dealership that's closest to you and start establishing your rapport with them. I don't think you'll see much of a price variation by shopping between the dealerships as these cars are so popular all the dealers are getting sticker on them.

There's probably a slim tax advantage purchasing from Knauz in Lake County that will save a couple hundred bucks...

 

I always tell people to buy from who they feel most comfortable with. Pricing is the same across the board. So when making such a huge expensive purchase, comfort and trust is huge.

And just so you know... There is only a tax benefit to buy in Lake county if you live in Lake county. In IL state, you always pay the higher tax of where you buy or where you live.

Christina @ Bill Jacobs MINI

 

I ordered my MINI from Bill Jacobs in Naperville. All the dealerships were at least 60 miles away from me. I chose Jacobs because they had more MINI's available to test drive then Patrick and the MA-Rachel was extremely helpful and patient. She's also kept me updated on my MINI's whereabouts. My MINI should be in by the end of the week, I have a feeling everything at pick up time will be just as pleasurable as the test drive and ordering............HAZZAH!

 

Hmmm, I thought tax rate was based on the county you lived in regardless of what county the dealer was located in

 

yep. I buy my cars in cook co but I live in dupage, so I only pay 7.25% or
watever the current rate is.

 

At the Naperville dealer, the sales department was the best. They always kept me informed of the progress of my car. However, thier service department is not that great. At the Lake Bluff dealer the service department was the best. They were able to find difficult pieces for my MINI. However, the sales department wasn't that great. As for Patrick MINI, I have been treated bad by both the sales department and the service department. When I went to buy my first MINI, they wouldn't let me test drive the car. The salesman told me that the vehical was all the way in the back and it was dirty. When I said I still wanted to drive it, he then told me the battery was dead in it. However, after that speech he asked if I was ready to put my $500 down. The next day I ordered the car from the Naperville facility. I hope this helps.

 

it's not county, but suburb/city location based. here's a link to the IL state tax tables PDF doc.

http://www.revenue.state.il.us/Publi...12005/st25.pdf

so yeah it's supposed to be USE based on where you live but for some reason the voodoo that they do on the estimates don't come out the same when using a hypothetical MSRP as a base. I guess you'd have to do some more digging based on the "*" and "**" in the PDF that states

* Add 1 percent Chicago Home Rule Use Tax if vehicle is purchased from a dealer at this location and registered in Chicago.
** Vehicle rate - purchasers may be billed for additional home rule use tax by their municipalities.

Listening to some explanation about how Cook County charges a higher tax rate because they have to contribute more to Chicago's RTA funding compared to the surrounding collar counties started to make my head throb so I signed the papers before my head exploded and I wouldn't be able to enjoy my forthcoming MINI

 

oh... then oops!

 

I have had the luck of buying two Minis’ from Patrick and I will definitely go back to them in the future. The service has always been top notch and the folks are real friendly. See Kevin Mc Connell, he is da man.

TBM

 

And if you live up north, don't forget International MINI in Milwaukee. Nice sales people and helpful service techs. Knauz does my regular servicing and they too have been great, especially Matt the parts guy. He knows how to get the latest stuff as soon as its off the boat.

 

I'll give a VERY BIG second to that!!

We'll see what Cook co tax is for a new vehicle some time in the next couple of weeks when I pick up my MINI.

Cook co. also has an additional tax of $15.00 per vehicle.
http://www.cookcountygov.com/Agencie...WMOTOR_ORD.pdf

All I can say wrt vehicle taxes and fees, is at least I don't live in the city of Chicago

 

I got a heafty kickback from my 2004 tax return for sales tax cause I bought a 04 G35C last year and leased a 04 Civic. so it's not all bad to have to pay
sales tax.. ?

 

Deal done... looking at the numbers, I was charged 7% tax. Purchased from Patrick, I live in Kane. Was also dinged the $15 Cook Co. (Crook Co.) tax.

Can anyone tell me if this is really Kane, or if it's the Cook co tax rate? I was told it was Kane, but I always though it was 6.5%.

 

"Sales Tax Rates - 2004
7.5% state tax*, 1% home rule tax, .5% food and beverage tax on sales to groups under 100. (*Qualifying goods, drugs, medical at 1.25%. Titled vehicles are taxed at 6.5%, add 1.0% Chicago Home Rule Tax if vehicle bought in St. Charles is registered in Chicago.)"Looks like they took you for an extra 1/2%, but then again, I could be wrong. Are you part of the 6 county RTA tax as well?

 

I called three numbers this afternoon. The first was the Sec of States office down in Springfield. The nice person on the other end gave me a rate of 6.5% because I live in Kane. She even told me what document she was reading from, it's the #25 document mentioned above. She also indicated that I'd probably have to request the tax refund from the Illinois revenue dept. No big deal.

While I was talking with the Sec of State office, I was on hold with the revenue number. There was a 60+ minute wait. Never got a hold of a human there.

The last number I called was to an office rep at Patrick. She told me that I had, in fact, been charged the correct rate of 7%. Her reason for the 7% tax is that it's the Illinois tax rate. If I lived in Cook, then I would have been charged the higher, Cook rate of 7.something. If I wanted the 6.5%, then I would have had to have purchased in Kane. She also said that's how it's been for as long as she can remember.

Now I'm not saying that Patrick is wrong, but I think I'll have to find the time to sit through 60 minutes of elevator music at the revenue dept

-paul

 

the more interesting question is whether Patrick is remitting the full 7% they charged you or just 6.5% as required.

 

I'm paying 8.75% on my MCS to be delivered to International Autos in Milwaukee next month. Actually, I've heard that it's going up to 9% on July 1st.

YAY!

 

If you want your Mini a little sooner Knaus gets more shipments in since they are a larger Mini dealership. So that means that your new baby comes in about 8 weeks instead of the 10 at the other dealers, and i actually got mine in 7 so it was even sooner than they told me.

 

i only have this to say... pls read my thread on my horrible after sales service horror story on bill jacobs entitled not happy motoring. thank u and may u not experience what my mini has experienced.

 

coopermaniac,
where is your post about Jacobs? I too had a problems with after the sale service in both parts dept and service dept at jacobs. I like Patrick better they just didnt have what i wanted when i bought my DS/B.

 

snappychip here it is: NOT HAPPY MOTORING . you can also advance search my nick. you can see a put a beware sign on the ones dealing with bill jacobs . u also made my day. im not the only one who xperience dealing with the worst mini dealer in the whole wide world. i plan to get bill jacobs out of being official mini dealer. they dont have the right to be. they don't care of your car after sales. now thats what i call 1st crap service.

 

Found your link. Sad to hear about MINI and feels your pain.

Try Knauz next time' I read a lot of praises of the Service Dept.
from this Forum.