I have the opportunity to buy a 2007 MCS at a GREAT price ($6,000 off MSRP). It has 9K miles and was a Mini buyback. Normally I wouldn't touch a buyback with a 10 foot pole, but this one seems different.

The car supposedly was bought back due to an undisclosed repaint issue that was done in port before delivery. Owner found out about it 8 months later and threatened to sue the dealer & Mini USA. Dealer & Mini bought car back to avoid a suit. There is no history of electrical or mechanical defects.

My concern is that it seems a bit far fetched to buy a car back over a simple paint issue that the dealer claims no one can see with the naked eye. Is there a way I can find out if there are more serious mechanical or electrical issues with the car?

It is Mini Certified, so I am assuming there shouldn't be any serious problems.

Am I going to have a problem reselling this car such that I should consider leasing?

What does everyone think?

 

It sounds like an intriguing opportunity. If you are not interested, please let me know - my girlfriend is looking to upgrade from her 2005 MC. Is it auto or 6-speed? What color?

 

There was a thread in December from a person that may have been the trader. He had an issue exactly like you describe. I'll try and find the thread for you later (gotta go now). It was a link in a recent thread about paint that had to be done by a dealer recently.

 

I could tell you...but then I'd have to kill you.

jk

it's dark silver/lounge black leather w/ 6speed. Fully optioned car with nearly every bell and whistle offered by Mini. Really, it's only missing Sirius/HD radio and JCW. It has every single extra option I believe.

 

Here's the link: Most of the details are there. He's from Maryland.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...paint+mismatch

 

Not to far-fetched. Have another vehicle by an american mfg. and know of 2 buy backs from two different people. One for a paint issue and another due to unavailable windshield wiper replacement blades. Same make and model of vehicle.

Sounds crazy, but car mfgs. obviously do it.

 

it's the same car. I tried contacting the OP to find out if there are any other issues besides the paint. If there are none, that car is MINE!!!

I'm not trying to **** off the OP, but the dealer told me they did research on him and he has a history of threatening lawsuits to various dealers and has gotten out of 4 cars this way.

If that is true, it sounds more like a problem with the OP than the dealer or Mini.

Of course this is all hearsay and it is NOT my place to accept or reject the opinions of either the OP or the dealer. I am just reporting what I heard.

 

from reading the original post... Coffeeman is a total tool. I wouldn't bother contacting such an individual..

 

??? Are you sure that this is in the correct thread - I don't see any 'Coffeeman' here ...

 

Go for it.

 

refer to link by newt.

and i don't think i want any part of this.....sounds messy.

 

Just for the record, I've not "gotten out of " 4, nor 3, nor 2 vehicles . Someone is not being truthful with you if they advised you otherwise.

 

But they did buy back the one in your thread, right? (I'm not saying anything about anything else mind you, but the thread ended with no outcome, presumably because of a possible lawsuit).

 

My impression of Coffeeman was that he was pretty serious about his MINI so my guess would be it was well cared for.I say go for it!

 

in defense of coffeeman they would not buy it back unless it was true as he states.

 

Not making things any easier here...Coffeeman contacted me back and declines to comment (presumably due to the settlement agreement).

My gut tells me no, but my heart & pocketbook say YESSSS!!!

Sadly, I may have to go with my gut on this one unless Coffeeman can find it in his heart to forget about silly legal agreements and help out a brother in need. I'm not looking for a glowing recommendation, just a simple answer to the question:

Besides the paintwork, were there any other known issues with the car that would prevent a reasonable car afficionado from buying the car?

I really don't see how this question is so taboo to Coffeeman.

 

Just have the dealer put it in writing that there are no undisclosed previous or current issues with the car so you'll have some legal recourse if you find something after the sale.

 

I agree. As I recall the car in question was Dark Silver/Black with Nav. And I don't recall his ever griping about anything about his car until he wanted to sell it (said he needed a different ride, as he stated in the first post) and found out from Carmax the panel had been repainted at some point. I doubt that any agreement would prevent him from telling the truth to an honest question from a prospecive buyer.

 

make sure the car will have a clean title

 

Buy backs must come with lots of documentation especially with thousands of dollars at stake. Just ask them to provide the documentation. If they can't produce it, then walk away. A deal too good to be true usually isn't.

 

Sounds pretty good, but I'd definitely want documentation and more money knocked off (as well as an extended warranty and service plan) on a car with a sketchy background and 9,000 miles on it already.

One thing I've learned is if your gut tells you something isn't right, then it isn't, regardless of what your brain tells you.

Greg

 

If you want to talk to the Sales Manager at MINI of Towson trojanman, please contact Brad @ 443.632.1195. I would be more than happy to give you the straight dope on Coffeeman's MINI.

In terms of any more than one vehicle being purchased back from Coffeeman; no one at MINI of Towson has any knowledge of more than this one MINI being purchased back from him. If you feel this information was conveyed to you by a representative of MINI of Towson, I can only hope that it was a misunderstanding of information.

Once again, I will always be happy to speak directly with prospective clients and current clients for MINI of Towson. I believe that the posts on NAM will back that information, and look forward to hearing from these true MINI enthusiasts.

 

Car is Mini Next CPO'd for an additional 2 years, 50K miles beyond original factory warranty. I don't know how much extra the dealer would come off, but I imagine if I ask for another $3K and wind up with $2K that might be fair.

Neither NADA nor KBB have used prices for 07 coopers yet...does anyone have another way to value this car?

 

So what do they want for it-28k? To get comparison prices you'll probably have to go the ebay/autotrader route and look for some for sale now. The spiel is they are worth about 2/3 of the new price at 5 years. If it was 34 new and 28 now that's 17.5% off a new car that's about 6 months old now in driving age, about 15 months old in car years. I'd try for 20% off (another grand) citing its checkered past. It might help to know how long it's been on the market. If it's Coffeeman's car he raised his issue last December, so where's it been for 3-4 months? He listed the miles on his car at that time so you can see how many more were driven since then.

 

I have all the particulars on the car.

Dealer is asking $29,990. I think it should sell for $27K, but who really knows what the dealer will do. They did say that BMW assisted with the buyback, so I have reason to believe there is some trunk money sitting there.

Dealer has been very open so far and has sent me complete warranty history on the car as well as a copy of the disclosure for the buyback. The only issues ever listed on the official history are a persistent bluetooth issue that now appears fixed, and the paint issue we've been discussing. No mechanical or serious electrical items were mentioned at all.

Car has been sitting on the lot since December and no one has bought it. That's what worries me. If the market is supposedly so hot right now, why would a well-optioned CPO car be on the lot for months and months?