I would have had to reply: "Yep, I've made a decsion about my accessories: Not at this dealer."

Our MA was great, and the experiences we've had with the SA at our dealer have also been excellent. We visited three MINI dealers before we bought Gromit, and bought from one who wasn't charging premiums and who we felt most comfortable in dealing with. We felt it was best to shop around for dealers since our two closest dealers are both 150 miles away. If we are going to have to go out of our way to do business with them, they should appreciate our business.

I just don't understand dealerships and salespeople(in any industry) who act like the customer should feel honored to be doing business with them. Off topic example: while visiting another state, I had a cell phone saleman insulting my cell provider while trying to push his company's service on me. After giving him my opinion of his sales pitch, I enjoyed telling him his company doesn't provide service where I live, and maybe he should find out a little about the customer before making an a** of himself and giving his company a bad image.

 

it's always that one rotting MA that ruins it for all the other cool MA's.

 

We had something similar happen when we were looking for a company to apply spray-on vinyl "paint" to our wooden house. At $25 thousand+, we wanted to make sure we dealt with someone we could trust. Salesman "A" gave as a long presentation, answered all of our questions, was knowledgable and polite, and made us feel very comfortable. Salesman "B" spent most of his time trash-talking about the company that "A" was representing. He was condescending (bordering on rude), and didn't seem to understand why we didn't want to sign the papers five minutes after he arrived.

Both price estimates were within 2% of each other, and the products seemed pretty similar, so the decision to go with "A" was almost exclusively because of our experience with the sales reps.

 

Thats because they dont process them as they receive them ... waste of time. Rather, they get a big batch of them and process them all at once.

As to the OP ...

Hey, the guy was just trying to make some money. You can't fault him for that ... its the American Way

on the other hand, you didn't have to listen to him ... walk ... its the American Way

 

My experience with my MA, Jim Barth in Indianapolis, was great. He did show me accessories and I'm glad he did. His MINI had a clear hood thing on it and that's why I got it. A few days later my front end was hit by a rock - Thanks for showing me that option Jim!! There were a lot of things I didn't buy but I appreciate the thoroughness of how he showed me everything he thought I would be interested in.

 

How is it that everyone seems to think that they deserve to get free stuff?
I'm sorry but I can't blame the dealership for, GOD Forbide, trying to make money!
I bought my MINI at Ralph Schomp MINI and had no problems at all. Of course I wasn't trying to get free stuff at the time of pick-up.
I do not frequent here much anymore because I get a bit tired of all the whining that occurs. You all have great fun cars and it gets soured by needless bitching and moaning.
Maybe later
Shawn

 

 

I thought MINI drivers loved whine

 

We do when it comes from our cars.

 

But there will be no more whining in 07 so MBE nolimit can frequent more then

 

Well you got me there.

 

I don't think anyone's trying to get a free clearbra or a free aero kit out of their purchase, but there's a certain variety of low-cost "freebies" that most car dealers (MINI dealers in particular) have historically "thrown into" the deal - things like floormats, nice license-plate frames, etcetera. When you have a "rogue" dealer that not only doesn't offer those kinds of trinkets, but is snarky about it as well, it sort of sours the experience. It's kind of like the dealers that charge a markup over MSRP, or make purchases like the paint protection or fourth year of scheduled maintenance *mandatory* as part of the deal.

When you have a large group of enthusiasts communicating frequently in forums like this one, it's easy to feel "cheated" when your dealer doesn't do the things that most of the other dealers do.

 

That was part of the problem. We were in a mall and the cell phone saleman was working one of those kiosks in the middle of the aisle. As we approached, he walked up to us and began his sales pitch while walking beside us. When I told him we already had service with a different carrier, that is when the insults about our service began. He stayed with us until I gave him my opinion of his sales tactics.

 

No, there will be "whoosh", Whoosh" is ALWAYS faster than whine.

ROFL ... kind of like those guys on street corners who wash your window if you like it or not. Or salesman who act insulted because you won't answer their questions.

The best defense against this ....

Listen to their whole speech. Make it give it again. Ask inane questions, let them spend all their time selling you (provided your have time and want some fun) ... When it comes to sell or walk ... ask how many flavors their are ... more questions.

After they waste enuff time on your they will NEVER approach you again

This works particularly well on salesman on the phone (But alas, with the no call list, it dont happen so much)

 

My favorite smart-alec answer to an annoying sales person came from my dad to a phone solicitor:

MCI: "Hello sir, who do you currently use for long distance?"
My dad: "No one."
MCI: "No one? You have to have a long distance carrier..."
My dad: "No, we don't. We don't even have a phone."
MCI: "Oh...okay...goodbye."

 

I pleaded with my dealer NOT to install the front plate. He whined about lawsuits and they do that at Port Hueneme, they could get in trouble. I'm asking you NOT to do something?!?!? To MY car?

Do you think the state of California has an agency that goes around and checks to see if the TWO MILLION PLUS cars sold have holes drilled in the front bumpers?!?!

I refused to let the buying experience upset me. Hey, they may be MINI dealers, but they're still car salesmen.

 

My MINI dealership in Indianapolis gives me a free car wash every Saturday for as long as I own the car. It's not like they detail it or anything, it's just like I'm getting the basic wash at Mikes. I just thought that was kind of cool.

 

You call them "motoring advisors" which is very cute and savvy but ultimately they are all just "car salesmen". There are good ones and bad ones. When cars are popular salesmen tend to be less helpful. That's just the way it is. Better salesmen can at least fake sincerity in that situation.

 

I'm not disagreeing with your statements - I put car salesman right above politician and dentist - but at least our MA was not working on a commission. I know this is the new model that seems to be popular now; no commission & fixed pricing, but it seems to increase my very limited tolerance a tad. Plus I always ask any car salesman what they drive - our MA drives a MINI and even walked us over to it so at least some credibility even if he got one because of a dealership incentive.

 

I agree - all of the MAs at our local dealerships are enthusiasts and are a lot more knowledgable about the cars they sell than any other salesmen I've seen. Also, with the high demand/no-haggle system, they don't seem to have to engage in as much "salesmanship" to close the deal. I also got a lot more support AFTER both of my orders than I would have expected - e-mails and letters telling me where my car was in the production/shipping pipeline, information about local clubs and vendors, and a LOT of help and coordination when my car was delayed a month because of the 2006/2007 VIN mixup.

Again, I only have experience with the one dealership, but our MAs really act more as advisors, coordinators and facilitators than simply "salesmen"

 

Speed isn't everything

 

MINI marketing hype ... You gotta love those ad agencies

 

Turbo, VRRRRROOOOOOoooooommmmm.... PISH!

 

dealers who act like you are doing them a favor giving them business really dont deserve your business.

this is a tarnished dealer experience that i believe should be reported to MINIUSA. this service advisor may be having a bad day or is ignorant of the fact that our service survey's heavily weigh in on their annual bonus. hehe... remember that.

also.. my 06 MCS is the only car that I have ever paid MSRP for, and it will probably be the last MINI i own.

I just placed an order on a 07 toyota Rav4 limited 4wd v6 for nearly $2600 under msrp. this includes tow package, floor mats, DRL, indash cdchanger, immobilizer key, dual (digital) climate control and the works Sans leather and moonroof. No offense, i love german cars, just not the dealer attitudes... sorry.

 

Welcome to the RAV4 club Just wait til after the breakin period is done and then you can smoke the MCS

BTW, I'm not joking, After you have had both cars awhile, let us know what you think in terms of acceleration.