Very nice! We were at the MINI dealer here in San Antonio yesterday looking around and entertaining the idea of a second MINI in our garage....and of course it would be an auto tranny as well.

 

Nice ride! Congrats to your wife.

 

I seem to have missed anyone actually saying something bad about auto transmissions.

 

at my work the other day this kid spent 48k on a mini s. jcw kit, premium blah blah etc... had around 10k in just accesories.

 

I like the color-combo you got. The MINI is the first car I've seen that I actually like all the colors they offer vice only a few. 'Ya done good... : )

 

Sorry, it IS out-of-line. $1400 for an audio system? $1400 for a auto-garage-door opener, and rain-sensing wipers? $2100 for a crappy nav system? $350 for cruise control and a couple buttons in the steering wheel? $200 for a different color headliner? Mini options are ridiculously overpriced. And what other car can you increase the price of by 56% with simple everyday things like leather, nav, audio system, etc. In every other car, you'd get all this stuff as standard or in a couple packages that might increase the car price 25%.

It's a beautiful car and if the OP is happy, that's all that matters. But I've never understood the rationale of taking a FWD pocket econobox like the MCS and spending as much as you'd spend for a well-bargained base 335i. My next MCS will be a base model.

- Mark

 

Granted many of the options are overpriced but we are dealing with BMW here. If you look at any of the models throughout their range you'll come across the same issue. It sucks, but in buying from a premium German brand (recognized the same thing with MB) that's just how it is. Personally, albeit it tiny, I don't look at the MINI as an 'economy' car in the first place and hence had no issue optioning mine up to $30,750. It is after all classified as a PREMIUM small car.

Of course that's still a pretty far cry from the OP's MSRP, but if I had the money (paid cash) my MINI would most likely have been in that range as well. For me personally it made perfect sense as I cross-shopped my MINI with a fully loaded GTI or a G35s (I know that comes way out of left field, but I'm quite indecisive and at one point was even considering a Pathfinder ). Therefore the MINI actually turned out to be one of my cheapest options. It does **** me off that they charge $100 for a simple change in my turn signal lights, double that for an even simpler change to the roof trimming, and almost triple that for an audio system which certainly doesn't impress the hell out of me; but hey, it's what I wanted.

Also, you were grossly understating the options in your first couple lines. $1400 buys you a lot more then the audio system; it also fetches a lifetime Sirius subscription (quite a chunk of change on its own) and HD radio. The upgraded system itself is 'only' $550. Also the $1400 convenience package is QUITE a lot more then an auto garage door opener and rain sensing wipers. It's that plus auto headlights, convenient access (a $500 option on it's own), the center armrest, and bluetooth. I want even touch on the "$2100 for a crappy nav system" as that's pure opinion. Most nav systems in foreign cars cost that are more and at least it integrates with the car incredibly well.

Finally, $35,050 definitely does NOT buy you even a base 335i. Trust me, I checked, because I REALLY like that car. $41,575 with not even one option. Leatherette, non-metallic paint, manual transmission - I'm sure you get the idea. I know you said "well-bargained" but good luck getting ANY BMW SA to take over $6500 off MSRP...

 

Also, if my wife wanted a fully loaded 335I for $65,000, she would have it. This was not an investment, it's a car that will put a smile on her face when she drives it. Yeah, $14000 ish in options is crazy. But so is $4.00 for a drink at Starbucks.

 

At least the stripes were included! Wow! 40% of total cost is options...

 

.. and so is $3.35 for a gallon of 93 octane.. I paid that yesterday. I'm willing to bet it'll go up again tomorrow..

 

$3.39 for 91 octane here... It's KILLING me.

 

You beat me, $34,550, I didn't get the cold weather package. No sports suspension????

 

So, is the wifey thrilled!?!?!?!

 

But my point was, you don't know *how* much the leather seats cost in a Lexus, because you can't buy one without them. Likewise, we don't know how much the 17" wheels or Xenon headlamps in an S2000 cost, because you can't order an S2000 without them.

If you looked at a $35k MINI, and had no idea which features were optional and which were standard, and compared them to what you get in other small, sporty coupes with a $35k MSRP, you're not getting a whole lot less for your money with the MINI. Of course, there *are* some options that drive the price way up without a huge return-on-investement, like getting a $6k JCW package or $3k of carbon fiber.

A lot of people freak when they see a MINI where XX% of the final price is options, but that's only a by-product of the pricing system MINI uses (low MSRP/long option list, as opposed to high MSRP/few options). The only reason you don't see it with other cars is that other models throw a lot of that stuff in as standard equipment, meaning the cost is hidden in the MSRP.

 

Yes she it.

It's there.....between the auto trans and the alarm. And it gets the Mach V springs put on this Friday.

It may be her car but I get to customize it

 

He speaks the truth for sure... I guess MINI wanted each MINI to be its own, whether the owner wants it to be a fun and economical car, or a luxuriously fun mid-range car. I think they do a VERY good job, because people from all financial paths of life will be able to enjoy the MINI Cooper (S or not) with whatever options they want.

I think they did a great job... hardly any car here does that!

 

It did take awhile to get used to the Mini ride 'hugging the road'. She should enjoy driving it....And she may let you drive it on occasion.

 

Don't forget to tint it asap.