.

 

This math is better than $595 for nothin'.

Hey Jarid, PM me with you email so we can get in touch.

 

I paid $180 at MINI of Peabody in July

 

This whole thread bothers me...I heard of this BS charge before I ordered and it was the first question I asked before I ordered and I was told there was no charge or I would not have bought a MINI. Sadly enough and not to offend anyone, but it is folks like ones posting here that are gulible enough to pay the money to line the dealers pockets. This is my 4th new car purchase and I have always received a full tank of gas, a detail job before picking up, gotten this or that thrown in AND not paid MSRP! I expect that as a customer purchasing a car for tens of thousands of dollars! Mats...15 bucks at an auto or dept store, wheel locks...why, boot mat...fine its unique and maybe you want it but it should be your choice, not forced down your throat in a "processing fee." This "high demand" stuff is exactly why these dealers prey on you. I could live without a MINI, but I cannot live with someone sticking their hands in my pockets taking my money. Bottom line people...it is your money...why let a stranger tell you what to spend it on...because he has a cute little acronym (MA) and talks fast? No thanks. Motoring Advisor=Car Dealer=SALESMAN!

 

Jaridp, Gratis means free. Then you can redo the math after taking out those items.

I like your goodie bag. I did not get one.

 

Funny, no one seems to have a problem when slow moving cars are sold at a significant discount, sometimes thousands below MSRP, but everyone seems to become incensed when a dealer adds additional markup on a hot selling car in great demand and short supply. It's not a rip-off, or theft, or a dealer preying on the poor, defenseless customer. It's called capitalism, supply-and-demand economics. Unless the dealer springs the extra fees on a customer at the last minute, or buries them in a mountain of paperwork, it's up to the customer to either agree to pay, or walk away. Personally, I wouldn't pay above MSRP, but I'd just shop elsewhere, without the histrionics.

 

A reasonable expectation when purchasing a meal is to have all that one ordered in the amounts promised for the cost on the menu. If one asks for extra vegatables then one should expect to pay extra for the item requested. How does this differ from a car purchase? If I want a boot mat and wheel locks, I will request it but I wont have that extra vegatable that I didnt order put on my table and then be told I must pay for it. That is simple economics.
One can candy coat this issue all they want but in the end, it is money for nothing tangible or wanted and it is the buyer's money to which the dealer is not entitled. Not emotion or theatrics, just a fact of buyer beware. Just like when buying a house or any other larger purchase, a seller's market is a danger to the buyer...hence the addage...buyer beware. Most folks after doing reasearch on a MINI digress and pay MSRP as is nearly required. I agree miniclubman, anything beyond that is nonsense.

 

I bypassed all the local bullshyte and purchased my MINI out-of-state with no regrets! It was the smoothest car purchasing experience I have EVER had. I got my MINI @ a great price without any dealer add-on fees. I got free floor mats, free wax and detailing and a full tank of gas.

I was hesitant @ first doing business over the phone but found it much easier and to the point. Playing the bullshyt salesman games @ dealership showrooms gets old and I have better things to do with my time.

If you have the time, make your purchase out of state and make a road trip/vacation out of it! I did and loved it!

Shout out to JACKIE COOPER MINI of Oklahoma City! You guys ROCK!

Oh....and buy your MINI Accessories from MORRISTOWN Mini online. I have bought quite a few things from them @ much lower prices than anything local.

 

Hi Countryclubber, I am ordering from NW Mini as well. I find it very interesting that you ordered 5 1/2 weeks after I did, (I ordered May 11th) but your Mini is already in CA. Mine is still on the Medea, should be getting into CA on the 12th. I wonder how that happened? And do you mind sharing your MA's name?

 

siggiS - That is very strange. I have no idea as to why I would be getting mine before yours if you ordered 5 1/2 weeks before me. Seems quite unfair. Did you order a Clubman or a Clubman S (Sometimes that makes a difference)? It also seems strange that a boat would arrive today AND on the 12th. So, that means that one of us (or possibly both) is being lied to. Hhhhhmmmm, I don't know about you but I'm starting to wonder if I made the right choice here. I will private message you with my MAs name. Wonder if they read these posts....hope so!

 

We ordered a Clubman S and I was week 37 build, but at the tale end of the week. Are you also on the Medea? It left Southampton on 9/21. It seems like a ship a week leaves for the West Coast. I do know that I read somewhere that more Minis then usual were being released to the USA. Perhaps that's the reason.

 

Yes, Inskip is in Warwick. I did have a bad sales experience at HC in 2005, but I was told that they had a new manager that changed things around, so they should be better now. I don't particuarly care for the manager at Peabody, but my MA is great. Even if I get the car from another dealer though, I'll still go to Peabody for service.

We're thinking about selling both of our MINIs and getting just one automatic Clubman. Some of the people on this board might remember the saga I had with my wife trying to learn standard and whether or not I was going to trade the Clubman. Well now that the 09's are coming out and we've had a few months to let things settle, I'm ready to give up my baby and get another one.

 

Good for you, Tim! I remember your dilemma and this seems like the best all-around decision, if you don't really need 3 vehicles. My husband & I both enjoy driving stick and can fill that need with our other car (5-speed Miata), but both also feel it's wise to have at least one auto. in the family for certain situations. That said, we both LOVE our automatic Clubbie and have started using the "manual" and "sport" modes when we want a more engaging/fun drive! Don't know if your other MINI has M/S mode and paddle shifters but while not exactly the same, it is a bit of extra fun when you want it. The Aisin automatic is, honestly, one of the smoothest/best we've ever driven - I don't think you'll be disappointed! Best of Luck with the new one and please share your specs. with us - I almost envy you getting to make all those fun choices again!

 

Apparently political correctness, i.e. obfuscation and lawyer-language, has come to the Northwest.

A better term would be "additional profit".

 

The other one doesn't have the paddle shifters, but it does have manual mode. She doesn't particularly care for me using it though. Basically, if I move the shifter over to the right, the next word I hear is "don't". As for options, I can already tell you what I'll get: cold weather, convenience w/arm rest, climate control, f&r fogs, xenons, climate control, sport stripes, possibly mellow yellow (instead of paying extra for metallic paint), roof rails, and possibly cloth/sport seats.

 

$195 now for 2009 up from $185 in '08.

 

Id like to adjust my inital statement about NW's processing fee. I DONT KNOW exactly what its for. I'm sorry if I ruffled any feathers in the NW. What son!!!

 

Hmmm, don't quite understand, but respect that. Spec. sounds good; we may opt for roof rails next time as well. Know what you mean about paying extra for metallic paint; goes against my grain too! Hopefully, they'll offer more non-metallic choices by the time we're ready to re-order.

As to the original topic, our "dealer fee" was listed as $389. We told them that they could play with the numbers any way they wanted (i.e., back that amount out of the deal somewhere), but we would not pay that on top of MSRP. They reworked the numbers and everyone was happy. (It may have helped that they remembered we had purchased a car from their parent dealership several years before.)

 

Okay, so that would be:
$195 at MINI of Peabody
$95 at Inskip MINI
$259 at Herb Chambers

 

Did you try to teach her yourself?


I remember my parents always saying you should never try to teach a loved on how to drive. My Dad taught my Mom, so I guess that's where that little bit of wisdom came from.
I, of course, never did listen to my parents and tried to teach my son how to drive a standard. Big mistake. I ended up paying a driving instructor a one hour lesson and the kid got it! Just a thought if you're at all interested in keeping the stick.

 

She paid $100 (not to me) for a three hour lesson back in April. At the end of the lesson, he told her to tell me to buy an automatic.

 

 

One of the big conglomerates here in Houston tacks on a $495 "Dealer Services Fee" on all of their cars at any of their dealerships. An insider once told me that that fee was split up amongst the managers as a perk so it was considered sacred ground. If you squawked loud enough, they would usually discount the car itself a further $495 but that fee would still be on there, only now coming out of the salesman's pocket instead of his boss's. One of the two MINI dealers was part of that until another dealer moved into town and didn't charge extra...the fee disappeared without fanfare sometime later.

 

My understanding is that in most states, if you charge any customer a fee like this, you have to charge them all, so that's why they have to discount the car if you won't pay the fee.

It's simply additional profit, nothing else. There can be real costs assigned to it, such as the salaries for the detail guys and the office people who process the title work etc, but those are just accounting dodges, they have those costs on every car they sell.

 

Oh.
Nevermind.