Do not purchase a Mini from Niello BMW of Sacramento, CA. They dumped their waiting list the day the car was released, they do not allow customers to spec cars for purchase, and they will force you to buy crappy dealers add-ons like fabric protection, paint protection, floor mats for $1000. When I asked why they were charging so much for unnecessary stuff, the Mini "Advisor" told me that they know are not getting $1000 worth of product, but that's the price the management has set for this fabulous package. The general manager never returns e-mails for phone calls and neither does the owner. Go to East Bay BMW in Pleasanton, CA where you can order a Mini the way yo want it and only pay like $250 for vin number ethcing in your windshield. Niello SUCKS! :evil:

 

Anyone else seeing a pattern here

 

BMW is NOT a non-profit. The theory of supply and demand has been around for some time...I had to buy a 6 disc CD player for $800 and matts for $95. but I drove the car home that day. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy a Mini...Yes if you wait supply should catch up w/ demand.....but also the price might go up for 2003...

 

The first thing I asked when I stopped at Hank Aaron MINI was were they selling the cars over sticker. Had the answer been yes, we would have waited for the hype to die down or just bought the 3 series BMW we were considering. I have never paid over MSRP for anything because there is nothing I want that bad, but that is a personal choice. As long as people are willing to plunk down thousands over sticker for something, dealers with no class will charge it. The hype will die down and the price will too. We bought a MINI and love it, partly because of the car, and partly because Hank Aaron MINI had enough forsight to realize peoples memories will last longer than the MINI hype!

Joe

 

Niello's policy is absurd in my opinion. They had an interested persons list long before they even opened and yet it is first come-first serve. So what's the point of the list? They claim it determines the order in which people receive information regarding inventory, yet what they send out via email is essentially just a mail merge. So again, this does not make sense to me. It seems their approach is a result of knowing they can easily sell all of their MINIs to whomever, and so implement a policy that requires the least amount of effort and/or organization. No customer orders. Just take it or leave it. You'd think they were selling loaves of bread.

I can't stress enough that East Bay MINI is as good as you'll get in the Bay Area. Last I heard, the VIN etch is not required. You just have to make sure to let them know ahead of time that you don't want it, as they etch all of their cars by default unless told otherwise.

 

I know how yuo feel - Hank Aaron is not selling over MSRP. They took a lot of heat for not doing this from their counterparts, but have tripled their list over similar lists in the southeast.

_________________
1995 Supercharged Miata
2002 Mini Jet Black with Tartan Red
2002 VW Passat
and a 1/2 pinty of Guinness

 

According to Consumer Reports, VIN etching is just another way to gouge the consumer. EVen if VIN etchings WERE required by law, the dealer doesn't have to do it. You could get it done for about 1/5 to 1/10 what the dealers charge.