Does anyone have guesses when the demand for the MCS will slow ? Here in sunny California, there is a common dealer markup of $2500 or a nice long wait just to buy at MSRP.

Yes, we all are here because we love the MINI, but giving an extra $2500 to the dealer just doesn't seem right.

When will the craziness end ? Folks that have watched this from day 1, is the supply starting to meet demand better ? Or will the MCS always have a markup ?

 

>>Does anyone have guesses when the demand for the MCS will slow ? Here in sunny California, there is a common dealer markup of $2500 or a nice long wait just to buy at MSRP.
>>
>>Yes, we all are here because we love the MINI, but giving an extra $2500 to the dealer just doesn't seem right.
>>
>>When will the craziness end ? Folks that have watched this from day 1, is the supply starting to meet demand better ? Or will the MCS always have a markup ?


Long Beach doesnt mark up, while Nick Alexander and Universal mark up about 3000-6000 depending on specs and colors, Assael marked up 10 grand on one cooper i have seen....

go to long beach, they dont mark up and r great!

 

Sure it'll end. All hot cars slow down to "normal" after a while. The S2000 held out at over MSRP for a long time but also had a VERY small number imported while the MINI is being made as fast as the plant can produce them. I'd guess that a year from now the wait lines for MCS will be gone and they'll be available for a bit under MSRP. Keep in mind that on the East Coast it's a very different story. It's mainly in California that you find the large markups over MSRP.

BTW, you can get them to come down off of the markup if you start negotiating. Probably not to MSRP but at least something. At least one dealer I went to was willing to change from +$2000 to +$500. That was on a MC though, not a MCS. I managed to hook up a MCS that was already incoming from an MSRP dealer. It'll be here in 5-10 days. Yippee!

 

I paid MSRP, no haggling, at Motor City MINI.
They now have a 6 month plus waiting period for the Cooper S (but only 10 weeks for a Cooper!)

You will find that different areas of the country have different levels of demand for the MINI, and subsequently, the pricing and quickness of delivery.

Cheers, and good luck,
Ryan

 

You think the demand is high now....wait til "the Italian Job" comes out. It'll probably spike the demand even higher. It may be only a temporary spike, but it's gonna happen...you watch.

 

No kidding. After that movie, everyone might actually know what this car we're driving is, see it in motion, doing the tricks, and want one for themselves. Noticed there are more and more commercials and ads for them now. Think the demand will increase some more before it dies down.
Cheers,

 

MCS is more popular with the guys and thus there will be a demand for awhile. BMW has said that they are not going to imcrease the number of models imported to the U.S. That is how BMW works. If I remember correctly the Pleasanton MINI dealership is also selling at MSRP. I bought mine in Concord but was willing to pay the extra cash to have been driving mine for almost a year now. If you can get one there take a Southwest flight to oakland hhok up on BART to Pleasantan and enjoy the ride down Highway 1 back to SoCal in your MINI!

 

All I can say is: Brian Harris Mini in Baton Rouge LA. 0 mark-up no waiting list.
Ordered 18 March, pick up 30 May. It's at the processing center now. A hundred dollar ticket to pick it up is cheaper than the $2500+ mark up here in Cali. You can also have it shipped to your door for under $800.00.

 

>>You think the demand is high now....wait til "the Italian Job" comes out. It'll probably spike the demand even higher. It may be only a temporary spike, but it's gonna happen...you watch.


well thats the idea...

 

>>well thats the idea...

Really???? Whoda thunk it?

 

i waited nine months and paid MSRP and got a free set of mats at Morristown MINI here in New Jersey. Be patient and go to the right dealer and you'll get what you want.

 

I was patient for over a month and a half for a used 2002 MCS and the deal didn't work out, so I opted to call several MINI dealers here in Northen CALI. I called Pleasanton (1 year waiting list), Sacramento, San Francisco, Mountain View all had MCS in the lot but fully loaded at around $27k not to mention the $2499 mark up. I couldn't afford the fully loaded+mark up deals from these dealers. So I settled for MINI of Concord for a jet black 2003 MCS with 3 options (DSC, 17 inch wheels, and sunroof) MSRP+$2499 mark up. I'm happy with my decision as Pooky Jr. will arrive approx. May 28th.

 

From what I can tell - demand will continue to be high as long as MINI limits the number of models made & shipped. :smile: :smile:


Chow!


Donna

 

We seem to get MC and MCS in Chicago area weekly. They sell very quickly (that weekend) but they come in new all the time. I bought mine just walking off the street a month ago.

 

I got lucky. I decided on the specs I wanted (DS/B MCS, Package 1 & 3 and cloth) and then started calling dealers. Found just that car on spec order at Roadshow MINI in Memphis. I then took over their spec order and within a week the car arrived at the dealer. It was then trucked out to me in OR for like $850. Since I paid MSRP, I'd say I did pretty darn well for late Aug 2002! The Cali dealers wouldn't sell to Oregon residents, or not without a HUGE markup.

R

 

>>Sterling MINI as of last week - had a 6 month wait - still selling at MSRP which they have done since they opened the door. :smile: :smile: <<

Donna,
I was thinking of trading up to an S, and when I approached the sterling guys, they startled me with the 6 month wait. Even worse, Mini of Towson is selling two used MCS's for around 26K! (and one has 8K miles on it!). And they said their wait was 6 months.

I guess the politicians greed is rubbing off on our local mini dealers

cheers,
=Danny=

 

>>I guess the politicians greed is rubbing off on our local mini dealers :smile: The problem they are having now is because they provide good service, they are completely overwhelmed with MINI's from other dealerships - to the point they may have to turn people away!!!

That's where all the negative posts are coming from lately - they only have a couple of technicians and people that didn't buy their cars there, want good service. Their phones never stop - both in sales and service. Overwhelming for them at this point I guess.

 

Arizona....immediate delivery on MC with some models below MSRP...MCS is MSRP with not that long a wait unless you want custom color like black/black, etc....values should stay high as long as BMW keeps minis as a niche market and keeps production at under 25K...the values went south on the bug and cruiser when production went to 80 to 100K a year....bimmer hopes production stays at least where it is.....Tbird fell to 16K and is now history...but that was a poorly thought out retro from the start.......I could have seen a smaller Tbird like the original 55, priced 20 to 25K, 4 cyl with otional turbo, or 6 cyl, etc.....I can see that car really selling as I loved the original Tbird like the original mini....but after seeing the Tbird redo and close to 40K....forgetaboutit....Ford blew it.....

 

Mini of Hawaii has lots of cars and sells all at MSRP. They really don't like to ship to the Mainland, but heck, they'll do it. $800 to the West Coast, and you get a Hawaiian vacation. Same owners as Long Beach Mini, so it's a good solution for SoCal Mini wannabes (wannahaves??).

>>Tbird fell to 16K and is now history...but that was a poorly thought out retro from the start.......I could have seen a smaller Tbird like the original 55, priced 20 to 25K, 4 cyl with otional turbo, or 6 cyl, etc.....I can see that car really selling as I loved the original Tbird like the original mini....but after seeing the Tbird redo and close to 40K....forgetaboutit....Ford blew it.....<<

They still don't seem to know what happened. Was in a dealer last week and they proudly announced they were reissuing the 1965 Mustang and this one would be an exact replica. Hmmm. I had one. Very uncomfortable car. Valve and ring job at 17,000 miles. Plain wrap interior. If they'd issued a replica of the 57 T-Bird, I would have gotten one. But not the Mustang.

 

>>MCS is more popular with the guys and thus there will be a demand for awhile. BMW has said that they are not going to imcrease the number of models imported to the U.S. That is how BMW works. If I remember correctly the Pleasanton MINI dealership is also selling at MSRP. I bought mine in Concord but was willing to pay the extra cash to have been driving mine for almost a year now. If you can get one there take a Southwest flight to oakland hhok up on BART to Pleasantan and enjoy the ride down Highway 1 back to SoCal in your MINI!

Yes, Pleasanton MINI is selling at MSRP, and they're an excellent dealership. *BUT* you might want to call before traveling up to NCal. I just picked up my MCS from service today and was talking to a sales rep. I know. He mentioned that the wait list is up over a year now for the MCS!

 

Welcome to supply and demand. You can wait for up to year for your MCS(at least in Calif. ((What the heck is Cali?))) or pay the markup. I payed the the markup and only waited 6 weeks. The smile on my face everyday since the car arrived was money well spent. I didn't have time for the hassle of going out of state. If you don't want to pay the mark up, wait and don't complain. This is capitalism at work.

 

>>Does anyone have guesses when the demand for the MCS will slow ? ...

Take a trip to Palm Harbor, FL and visit Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay. They have several sitting on the lot with no markup. It would be a nice excuse to drive across the US and I'm sure you could make the trip for less than $2500 including one-way air fare.
No, I don't work there.