Hey there everyone. As you can see from my posts, I am rather new to the mini experience and am looking for advice.

Has anyone dealt with the dealers either in Kansas City, St. Louis, or Memphis. I am looking to buy/order a MINI around Oct, and the closest dealer will be in Oklahoma City but not until Jan 2003 at the earliest. The dealer wasn't even sure if that date is accurate. All of the other dealers are at least 8 hours away. Can anybody describe their experience with these dealers. Are they good to work with or should I wait until the OKC dealers opens.

Butch

PS-I checked the dealer ratings but their isn't much info about them.

 

Butch, I bought my Mini at Roadshow Mini here in Memphis. John Lloyd and Doria were very helpful in getting me motoring. There were no dealer upcharges that I noticed. They had many Coopers but there was a waiting list for the Cooper S of about 100. Doria told me that about half or even more of their sales were from out of the Memphis area and one guy from Texas even purchased one there. I originally wanted an S because of the bonnet stripe availability, but I found out that the stripes were available on the Cooper models so I went with that. The car looks exactly the way I designed it on Miniusa.com. Give them a try. Sometimes smaller markets are worth looking into because the volume isn't as great. I will say however, that you will have to do your own followups as they may still be settling into their new showroom.

Good luck. Motor on.

 

Baron in KC has a 9-12 month wait for MCSs, a 3-5 month wait for Regular Coopers. They don't usually have any pre-spec ones for sale. But they will let you test drive it all by yourself and are nice. They also add a manditory package for $913 of 6 disc CD Changer, Floormats, Chrome Tip, etc. Due to this I went to Chicago to get my S immeadiatly, so I have no purchase experience from them.

 

I also placed an order with Roadshow Mini. I should get my Mini around the middle of September. Dorian has been very helpful.

I live in St. Louis and had to go elsewhere, since the waiting list in St. Louis is almost a year (Aug 2003 delivery). I called KC, Indy, Nashville, and Memphis. Memphis and Indy both sold for MSRP, but my wife and I would rather drive to Memphis to pick the car up (get some good BBQ!)

Can't wait to get my Mini!

Dark Silver S with white roof/mirrors/bonnet stripes, 16" wheels, and premium package.

 

Price-wise, I've been happy with Roadshow MINI in Memphis. I put it in writing that I wouldn't pay anything other than the MSRP for the options I requested and wouldn't accept any dealer add-ons (I had to remind them of this, though - my first buyer's order came through with a $149 window etching charge on it).

Service-wise, my experience has had highs and lows. I know they've been extremely busy, but I was still quite frustrated by the amount of time and effort it took to get in contact with the sales and financing staff. I felt like I was dealing with the Wizard of Oz when I was trying to get leasing questions answered - I could never speak to Warren directly, all my questions got routed through Dorian. After I was approved for financing and sent in my specs, though, things got easier. Dorian has been very responsive and helpful ever since I put down my deposit (getting her correct email address helped a lot, too).

FYI, this is probably common practice, but just wanted to let you know that local buyers get waiting list priority at Roadshow.

_________________
Special Agent Dale Cooper: ETD 10/02

 

Thanks everyone, I will check into getting into a MINI ASAP

 

>>Thanks everyone, I will check into getting into a MINI ASAP

You might check out the dealer-rating system, too...a lot of people have put opinions in there...

 

I tried that already. I am only interested in the three closest to me, if you can call 8-9 hours away close. The reviews for St. Louis and Kansas City are sparse (four total) so I was hoping to receive more information by posting here. There is a dealership opening close to me (OKC), but that won't be until Jan '03 at the earliest, so I was looking at the alternatives. Thanks again everyone.

Butch

 

I live in Oklahoma, and went to Baron MINI in Merriam, KS. They've worked out real well for me thus far! They let you test drive the cars by yourself (like cdrober said), and they promptly return all of my calls and emails. They even worked diligently to ensure I got my excat specifications ordered correctly, which is no small feat considering I changed the color of my Cooper 3 times, the options on it 7 times, added two "extra" dealer options, and had them do research on getting me an extra keyless entry key. This all happened within 8 days!!! It is true that they apply $963 (or whatever the excat amount is) worth of mandatory add ons, but I would've wanted a lot of that anyway, not at double the cost, but I want my MINI now! For the price of gas/time off work to travel or an airplane ticket to fly somewhere else, the inflated price for the cd changer, floor mats, organizer thingy, etc, sucks, but is the price for convienence. Or I could go to some dealers here and be charged $33,000 for a Cooper, not even a freakin "S"!!!! (Not MINI Dealers, just opportunistic jerks).

I've had a good experience with Baron thus far. My production date is projected for 08/09, but from some of the other posts, hopefully I'll get it sooner. I'm looking at driving off in my Liquid Yellow /Black dream machine in mid-september!!!

I don't know where your at, but factor in the price for traveling againist the extra add ons. Baron MINI has done well for me. I'll be going to Jackie Cooper for service, unless Crown can get their act together and open a dealership in Tulsa!!!!

 

Thanks for the reply. According to one of the salesman at Jackie Cooper (I dont know his name), the OKC MINI dealer will be the only one in OK, for a while at least. Sounds like you may be close to Tulsa. Congrats on the future ride! I am in Lawton, so a trip to any of the dealers will be a haul, unitl Jackie Cooper opens up.

Butch