It's a nice car. We had to get something and after trying a rear facing child seat in the MINI. The wife would not go for it. So instead she leased a Jetta for two years. She's eyeing some upcoming cars and felt two years was a good time frame.

Buying any other car besides the MINI is just that. Buying a car. You go in, test drive then sign some papers. You don't get to know the sales person like you do your MA. Not that you feel you would like to. Like that. Who calls their MA a sales person? I don't believe I ever have. Also the showrooms. Very boring with car brochures everywhere you step. They want to overcome you with that new car drug. Whereas MINI showrooms invite you into their home. The cars are there to look at with some waiting to go home. The MA's are sitting out with you where other dealers having cubicles to hide the sales person in.

Like mentioned on the latest whiteroofradio podcast. I can't see myself going to the VW dealer to hang around and talk. Yet this past weekend I was at my dealer for 4 hours getting service and it was fine. All the MA's talk to everyone that walks in the door. Other dealers. Only your sales person talks with you while the others sales people seem to be bummed they didn't get you.

I would just like to say MINI not only did a great job with the car. They somehow tapped into something that makes their showrooms very inviting.

Now to start reading up on the 2007 MINI's as my wife says this VW lease will put her in the timeframe of a 2008 MINI. The kid will be forward facing by then and maybe even more details will be available about the once called Traveler.

 

Great thread, Steve.

I love visiting my MINI dealership, Long Beach MINI. They were able to sell Maximusmini (Zak from Michigan) a new MCS after a salesguy at Bryan Harris MINI in Baton Rouge (I cannot bring myself to call him a Motoring Advisor) sold a MINI out from under Zak, who I had gotten there as part of my roadtrip home to Cali!

My MAs, Matt and Tony, were fantastic, and took care of Zak, getting him a gorgeous new Dark Silver/White MCS. We were at LB MINI for hours yesterday, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Being there is like a family reunion...and unlike any other car-buying experience I've ever had.

 

congrats on the new jetta lease.

that's how i feel too about these 'ordinary' cars. they're bascially just a commuting tool;
some are more comfy than others some more fuel efficient, etc. at the end of the day i
guess you start thinking like those ConsumerReports people.

MINI on the other hand is something quite different.