I was just wondering...how many of you ordered your MINI without actually seeing it at the dealership ? Or without setting a foot into the dealership ?
And what was your first reaction when you finally saw your MINI in person?

 

>>I was just wondering...how many of you ordered your MINI without actually seeing it at the dealership ? Or without setting a foot into the dealership ?
>>And what was your first reaction when you finally saw your MINI in person?
>>
>>

I did, I bought my MINI by fax and the first time I sat in it was after the papers had been signed at the dealership. The first time I turned the key in the ignition was a moment of extreme joy.

X2

 

I never set foot in my dealership, it is 5 1/2 hrs. away. I bought it pretty much over the phone. I first saw an ad in Rolling Stone Mag. and knew that was the car I wanted. I ordered it 2 yrs after I saw the ad. I had an 8 month wait time for my MCS. Did a ton of research on the car and felt very comfortable with my decision until the night before picking up "Prickley Pete". I started to get cold feet. When I got to my dealer, we saw this DS/B MCS outside, couldn't believe it was mine. It just looked so beautiful. It is a great car. It does almost anything you tell it to. Needless to say, it is a real attention getter. Young and old alike.

 

I BEEN ALL OVER THE DEALERSHIP BUT WANTED TO ORDER MY RIG !! I HAD NOT SEEN THE COLOR COMBO OF INDI BLUE/BLACK EXCEPT ON THE COMPUTER. COULDN'T BE HAPPIER.

 

not sure exactly what you mean.
I sat in MY mini after I bought it since it had to be ordered. Obviously.
But i sat in OTHER minis before placing my order.

 

We bought ours from Julie at Classic Mini, which is 2500 miles away from where we live. It was paid for long before I had a chance to see it or sit in it.

This was by far the best car buying experience I've had.

 

I kind of hate to admit it.......but I ordered my MINI over the phone. Dealer is 4.5hrs away. I don't regret it but if I could have heard the HK stereo and/or sat in the sport seats I might have included them in my order. I had driven a base 02 MC about a year earlier at a local used car lot.

I really wish there were more dealers.

R.E.

 

I ordered mine based off of advertising pictures and building my own online.

My dealer was 5.5hrs away from my house and I was even out of town across the country when I ordered it via phone and fax.

I called the dealer and said this is what I want do you have it on the lot.
The answer - "no but give me 20 minutes and I'll call you back."

10 minutes later I got the call "You car is on a boat over here - do you want to put your name on it"

"Hell yeah - oh sorry - Yes that would be great"

So whoever out there wanted a MCS DS/DS loaded to the gills around Nov '03 - sorry I got it

Thats my story and I am sticking to it....

 

I had never seen a BRG/W MCS until I saw mine at delivery. I had taken a test drive and seen others though. . .

 

I purchased my MINI 'S' all the way from Iraq!!!!! I ordered it back in October, and my parent's picked it up in December. It's now the end of February, and to this date I've only seen my Cooper in Pictures. It drives me crazy, but the good news is that I'll be back home in late March to start motoring for the first time. I sure hope it as fun as you all say it is. Happy Motoring!!!!!

 

>but I ordered my MINI over the phone.

kinda like ordering a pizza.

I am lucky as the MINI dealership is literally 2min from my office.
Faster to just see it in person than waiting for the flash demo to
load.

 

We had been in the dealership, but not seen the color combo that we ordered, let alone with the aero kit. We got lucky and got to see it pre body kit (have pics) and post body kit.

Mini's Rock

 

Visited with several SoCal dealers and had a test drive or two. Then ordered from out of state since prices included exhorbitant premiums and/or wait times.
Zonian22: Stay safe.

 

>>We bought ours from Julie at Classic Mini, which is 2500 miles away from where we live. It was paid for long before I had a chance to see it or sit in it.
>>
>>This was by far the best car buying experience I've had.

I did pretty much the same. I did drive a IB/W MINI in May 03 and Ordered a EB/W MCS from Julie Aug 03 color sight unseen. Sure I had see the color on the Web, and I was scared, that I had gotten the wrong blue...but in person, she is simply beautiful. I saw my first other EB after I got my car. She was shipped from Cleveland to Santa Clara CA. Nov 10 th was our first meeting. and it has been sweetness ever since.
Oh and Julie, i still haven't seen her, but she is an awesome MA.

Kitlyn and Blossom!

 

I order mine from a dealship that was 600 miles from home via the Internet. Never set foot in a dealership, never test drove a car.

After the long wait, and after not having a car for 6.5 years, I was VERY happy when I saw Cousin MINI sitting in the showroom on delivery day.

 

I ordered mine over the phone too. They tried to talk me into a car similar to the one I wanted that they had on the lot, but once I told them I wnted to special order they were fine with it. The dealer's nearly three hours away, so the first time I went over there was to pick up the car.

I'd driven friends' MC and MCS, but I'd never seen my color combo (IB/W) in person. I hadn't seen any of my interior choices either (anthracite/cloth).

When I saw the car for the first time, I was very pleased with my choices. :smile: :smile: :smile: My IB/W was the sharpest looking Cooper on the lot.

Despite only going to the dealer that one time to get the car, the purchasing process was painless.

 

"site" unseen? You mean without ever seeing NAM/MCO or MINI2?

As for SIGHT, well, I had actually seen all of about 3 MINIs in person. 2 at a local dealer (one of which I test drove for about 5 miles/10 minutes) and one on the road. Then, I bought mine over the phone from a dealer 3 states away in June, 2002. But I did spend a fair bit of time reading magazines and lurking on websites before that.

 

I test drove an MCS several times at my local dealer but they had a six month wait for a new order. I bought mine over the phone from an out of state dealer who had the color combo I wanted and had it shipped to my office.

RaceCarDriver

 

Back in April of '02, when I ordered my IB/W MCS, there were no IB MCS cars available (it was scheduled to be an '03 model year color) so yes it was sight unseen. Initially I was going to order BRG/W, but while walking into the dealership I saw both a BRG and IB MC just arriving and getting unloaded from a transporter, and I changed my color on the spot. Cost me an extra three months wait to get the car because of the color (and other options like heated seats) I wanted. Still it was nice to get the first IB/W MCS at my dealership and in my city. I had "rock star" status for a week or two, or at least until the next shipment arrived with more IB cars.

 

>>"site" unseen? You mean without ever seeing NAM/MCO or MINI2?
>>
I knowwww, sorry for the miss spelling! Yes, I meant "sight unseen"

 

Did all mine off the miniusa site. Ordered it from Julie at Classic in Cleveland, about 3000 miles away. Never sat in one, saw one in person. Only from what I read and pic's. Everything went great.

When I first saw it, it was love at first site. Just a great car. Had my first service and no problems.

Just order it and drive it!

Motor on!

Exposed and the car.

 

I had never driven one. Found the previously loved MCS via the internet. Did my "Due diligence" researching it. Next day jumped on a flight accross the country(CA to FL). Fingers crossed that the MINI was going to be as promised. It was just as promised. Then I drove it! Wow, could not get the money out of my pocket fast enough!!! Bonus was I had to drive it back to California! :smile:

 

Sat in one in a dealership in England before my dealer had any in the U.S. I came home from vacation and went right to the dealer (which hadn't officially opened yet) and put down my deposit.

 

I got my MINI from MINI of Hawaii. At the time,I lived in California and there was a 10 month wait list for the S.

My good friend Minihune in Hawaii informed me of a 03 Chilli Red/White MCS that had all the options that I wanted and had just arrived at the dealership.

I sent them a check for payment in full without even seeing the car. They loaded the car on a Matson ship, and about six days later, I picked up my car at the port of Oakland.

The MINI arrived in perfect condition and I have been motorin ever since. Thanks again Minihune. :smile: :smile:

 

bought my MCS sight unseen from an out of state dealership..ordered it off the ol internet and had never even test drove a MINI. (sat in a MC once) No pics even existed at the time of a car like mine (blk/blk MCS w. beige leather and aero kit)..so I was very happy when the truck came to my house and dropped it off at my door. Havnt looked back since.