Nope, I put in my order in Peabody, as well. It looks like we're seeing some variation in deposits both at Herb Chambers and Peabody!

 

Same here, my friend just ordered his HC/S Clubman S from Prestige (they rock, I will always drive the almost 2 hours to go there specifically)

 

... with Mini fever...

Despite the cold start issue I will be going to Mini Morristown (NJ) tomorrow to order a PW/B Clubman S. MSRP and $1,000 down.

(Can't believe that I'll be happy to pay only MSRP for a f***ing car.)

config to follow...

 

I have as of yet not purchased a Mini, but am leaning towards the Clubman S. That said I would NEVER pay over MSRP and would NEVER accept forced options - like Lojack. I currently have an '05 Prius which I bought when they were first released and people were paying up to $5K over MSRP (nuts) and I shopped and bought mine for $500 back of MSRP with floor mats thrown in. True, I had to drive 1.5 hours to get it, but well worth the drive. I refuse to do business with people who try to rip customers off. In these down economic times I believe the buyer is in the driver's seat.

 

I also got mine from Long Beach at MSRP with a $500 deposit, but it's right around the corner for me. Jerry was my MA, and took great care of me. They were really busy on launch day, everyone trying to see the Clubman. Jerry made sure I was well cared for.

 

obieseven - don't get bent out of shape over paying MSRP. Lot's of folks on these threads are paying well above MSRP, especially on the west coast. Also, consider MINI resale value, which is just about the best in the industry. With fuel prices headed skyward, I think a new MINI will hold it's value even better. Enjoy!

 

MINI dealers do have allocations. When I bought my MCS in March 2007 the choice was to drive farther to a dealer selling at MSRP, or pay $1,500 dealer fee and have my MCS delivered a month earlier. The MSRP dealers had used up their allocation for the current month and were selling into next months allocation.

As it turned out, due to a ship being full, and a backup at the Panama canal, it took a eight weeks to arrive. By that time, my dealer had dropped the $1,500 fee and I paid MSRP.

 

Good lord I'm glad I'm the type who buys on impulse. I'll haggle back and forth with a dealer and will NEVER budge on what my bottom line that I'm willing to pay is, but I have never and will never pay over MSRP. I got my Clubman S off the lot (waiting for my personal custom car is just not for me LOL) for $1500.00 off sticker price.

Braman Mini in West Palm Bch was great to deal with.

 

My dealer here in Northern California - Mini of Concord only asked for $500 too to place the order and my MA told me that goes towards the purchase price of the car and it's fully refundable if I decide to not get the car.

 

I believe that California has a law about deposits on cars being fully refundable if you don't take the car. Anyway, my dealer charged $1,000 down and it was refundable.

 

Sandia Mini of Albuquerque charged me $1,500.00 down.

 

$1000. deposit in Florida. Had a great buying experience and would reccomend Alan @ Braman Palm Beach to anyone. He is a true professional.

 

Ordered my new clubman 3/9, got he vin # 3/11, just called 866askmini and it said the status is in the body shop and scheduled for completion 3/17.
Went through this process several years ago with my first Mini, but even more exciting now somehow?

Clubman
Pepper White/Black roof/mirrors/C
Hot Choc Leather
Anthracite Headliner
Conveinience Pkg
Cold Weather Pkg
Premium Pkg
Sports Pkg
Automatic
Piano Black
Park Distance Control
Xenon
Rear Fog Lamps
Navigation

Anyone know the actual manufacturing steps are and how long it takes to actually be built?

How long do you think it'll be until it gets to my dealership?

Somehow, if I recall correctly, last time the wait was alot longer, here it will be finished only 8 days after I ordered it- dealer said I was lucky- just got the order in at the right time.

Thanks for any info.

 

Aye, he or she will be completed on St. Patty's Day, what a great way to remember his or her birthday. Great way to come up with a name, too.

I believe it takes 5 days from start to finish on the cars. That's what my MA told me when mine started. Indeed Otto was ordered Pearl Harbor Day (Dec. 7th) started on Jan. 10 and completed on the Jan. 15. It took two days to travel by train to Southampton where he sat on the docks until the Isolde sailed on the 21st if I remember. Arrived at Port Hueneme Feb. 9th, then arrived at 7 p.m. the 19th at Mini N. Scottsdale. The waiting seemed the hardest once I knew he was at Port Hueneme. The time varies there for delivery to your dealer. I know they had a truckload of MINIs destined for N. Scottsdale, so probably they just had to wait for all the be processed before delivery to dealer.

I know how difficult it is to wait for delivery, but I had a deposit on my Clubby from Jan. 4, 2006. Talk about waiting a long time--782 days. Well worth every minute of it. I have never loved any of my cars like this one. Can't wait to do it again.

 

yeah... I know once I find out my car is there I'd wanna drive the hour and a half up there to pull it off the boat m'self!

 

I thought it was about four days, but I could be wrong.

There are some variables. From the factory it goes to Southampton and waits for a ship. Mine didn't get on the ship it was scheduled for and had to wait a week for another. It was there about ten days, IIRC.

At least you don't have to wait for it to go through the Panama Canal. You may find some recent delivery time info in the 1st Gear forum.

 

The VDC is something of a black hole. All tracking info ceases once your MINI leaves the ship. Some cars have gone through in a day. Others have been there for weeks -- probably to repair damage from the voyage. Adding mods also slows things down.

However, going the Hueneme wont help. The have specially trained attack rabbits to keep you from climbing the fence.

 

I see your beautiful Greyhound in your posts. I adopted a greyhound too. His name was Cappy, a tall aristocratic Red Brindle,75 lbs of love and sweetness. One of the most beautiful animals on the planet, in every way, he passed at a bit before he turned 11, that was in 2001. I still miss him.

Such great and wonderful animals. Pity more people don't consider a Greyhound when they adopt.

 

Ordered a Clubman S yesterday at Morristown (NJ) Mini. MSRP, $1000 down, Joe Scarpa was good to deal with, patient..

Went in set on a PW/B, Premium Package, Xenons, White Trun Signals, Rear Fog, Lounge Leather Black, Cream White Color Line and Brushed Alloy.

But then thought that SS/B looked much sharper, so wen with it and changed clocl line to dark grey - everything else stayed the same.

Now second guessing between

1. PW/B, LLB, CWCL, BA: strength - white carries over to interior on LLB trim and CWCL; weakness - PW/B's are pretty common

2. SS/B, LLB, DGCL, BA: strength - SS/B looks great for outside; weakness: blander interior, white piping out of place.

Opinions????

 

Color is really a matter of personal preference and your gut will always tell you which is right.

That being said, the Clubman I ordered is PW/B, and will be my second Mini, last one was PW/B too.

 

Here is how I outfitted my Clubman:

Pepper White/Black roof/mirrors/C
Hot Choc Leather
Anthracite Headliner
Conveinience Pkg
Cold Weather Pkg
Premium Pkg
Sports Pkg
Automatic
Piano Black
Park Distance Control
Xenon
Rear Fog Lamps
Navigation

 

Color is such a personal thing. I spent about 24 hours hemming and hawing over which combination to choose. As harold47 suggests - "Go with your gut." Sparkling silver would look lovely with that tuscan beige leather...or you could just go for black leather or the leatherette which looks close to black (and save yourself $$$ or put it towards something else.).

 

Guys, thanks for the gut feel advice - I think I'm going to stay with the SS/B, LLB, DGCL, BA which was my gut feel in the showroom.

But advice to others in the process: spend more time in the showroom and less time on the website - the representations are not as good as they could be and you can't see the whole package.

 

I put down $500 the Monday after Thanksgiving and got my car the Monday after launch MSRP. I feel like I'm living in a McDonald's commercial ever since: "Nah, Nah, na na na, I'm lovin' it!"