Hello I just registered here and was creating this thread to ask some basic questions about the mini and what everyone on here thought. Currently I do not drive a mini but will be driving a new 08 s in the next few weeks.

I recently went to a dealer and test drove an 08 and was plesantly suprised with the power and handling. at 172 hp (correct me if im wrong) the car moves along quite nicely. I am getting the car mainly for the gas savings so I am not trying to spend to much on the car.

My reason for this post is to ask if you thought the dealer gave me a good quote on the new car, I was quoted 24 and some change for the mini with the sport package and leather with the upgraded sound system.

so this post was really just to say hi, I should be seeing alot more of you around on the forum because I should be driving one quite soon, and any input on options that I should get that you guys cant live without and dealership I should use would be appreciated. I live in castro valley ca and went to east bay mini off recomendations that I saw on here.

if for some reason this is in the wrong forum I apologize.

 

Welcome DJOHNSON143,
It seems to me that most people have reported up paying pretty much sticker price less maybe a few small dealer installable options such as floor mats. That was at least the case with me. What is the window sticker price?
If you are getting a better deal than that, I would say it's a pretty good deal.

 

that actually is the winow sticker price, they say they do msrp no haggle pricing I believe so I wasnt sure if I was going to be able to get it under msrp or not. On my current car I got it way below msrp

 

Welcome...My MINI had a sticker of around 28,800...and some kind of manager special going at 26,999. When I built the MINI on the I-net the $28K price on the sticker was pretty accurate. I purchased a lot car, so maybe they just wanted to move it???

 

Welcome . You will love this car . Sure , gas was one reason I bought my MCS , but it is so much fun to drive . This is the best forum on the net for MINI. Lots of freindly people with lots of great ideas for these cars . I don't know on the west coast , but here on the east coast MSRP seems to be the norm . Most dealers throw in floor mats and some other goodies . Why discount their product if they don't have too . It's not a Ford . I mean that in a good way . I have worked at Ford dealerships for 31 years . We also have Mazda , could have gotten a smokin deal on a Miata , but got the MCS
anyway . Enjoy .

 

DJOHNSON143...

to answer your question about options... here's what I learned:

I'm glad I got the auto AC, LSD, Anthracite Headliner, Sunroof, and HiFi options

I think I wasted my money on the sport suspension as it adds nothing but more stiffness and no performance

If I could do it over I would have gotten the rear fog lights, white light covers instead of yellow, and DSC

If you're going for the gas mileage and haven't driven the standard R56 Cooper, it's worth consideration. It has the same character, still feels like it really gets up and goes, and gets even better MPG.

Hope that helps.

 

yeah i for sure need to get the S and not the standard mini because I dont think I could handle anything slower, right now my car is running 12.9 in the 1/4 but only gets 15mpg. The 30 plus of the mini S would be a nice relief to my wallet, also my payment will decrease drastically.

 

Just out of curiousity what is your current car?

I totally understand. Though I now think I would have been as happy with a standard Cooper, at the time I was going from an Impreza STi getting 18 MPG for the same reason as you and didn't think I could accept such a performance compromise.

 

300c srt-8

 

one more question to whomever would like to help me out, I am an old honda owner and on hondas a good lsd was a big plus. So my question is should I drop the 500 for the lsd on the mini? Is it worth it?

 

Yes. The MINI Cooper S has a lot of torque.

 

Agreed that the LSD is a good idea; weirdly, it is really hard to find on a lot car (at least in Massachusetts).

 

First, welcome to the family. I bought Steeler as a leftover and got a really good deal MSRP $28.5 paid $24. But I used to sell cars so I know all the tactics. I was fortunate to find the color and most of the options I wanted including LSD, which was something difficult to find here in South Florida, don't know why really. But anyway, if you are going to push your car to its limits then get it. Otherwise these cars turn on a dime even without them.

Anyway, once again welcome to the family and enjoy!

 

DJohnson143 you'll love the MCS, I bought my 07 MCS off the lot here in Chicago and paid sticker. They are moving them so fast out here that the salesman don't feel the pressure to make deals. The good thing is they hold their value very well. I was actually looking to buy used and the minimal difference in price between a new and a used MCS had me buying new. As far as the LSD, mine doesn't have it and it is still a blast to drive. If you order one I would get the option otherwise if its got the options that you want but just doesn't have LSD, then buy it. Have fun on those curvy roads

 

Welcome to NAM!

I'll echo -- MSRP is pretty much the price you should expect to pay. Some dealers will try to get more. Don't pay more.

 

well thanks for all the input guys. I am going to go for the lsd now, I was at 80% before I asked now I am 100%.

I will keep everyone updated, hopefully I will have the car ordered soon, I doubt that I will find a lot car with the options that I want, because I dont want the sunroof. Seems that most lot cars that have the majority of the options I want have the sunroof and do not have lsd, so I will just have to wait it out and be patient.

 

Yeah...when i went to the lot...Most of the S models had the sunroof It looks cool and all, but I could do w/out the extra weight and potential rattles...I'm in the process of tinting my sunroof now. I settled for one, cause I really didn't want to wait for a car on order. I needed to get rid of my old car.

Anybody know who determines the options on the LOT cars? I assume some of them were pre-ordered MINIs that the buyer changed their mind. But that can't be all of them.

 

Sample size one: My build slot was previously configured by my dealer to be a "lot" car. When I placed my order, they changed the configuration to match mine. It took a couple of days after entering my order until the changed configuration showed up in my owner's tracking.

My conversation with the sales manager led me to believe that the dealer configures any build slot for which they don't have a buyer configuration.

 

Same here, most of the S models had the sunroof and REALLY did not want it because of the not potential raqttles but def rattles and because it has not opaque sun screen its a killer on my balding head LOL. I tinted it with 5% tint and is much better but still sunny. My kids love it but in a perfect world I would have done without it. But anyway I still Love my MINI

 

yeah thats another thing, the sunroof. Why the hell dosent it have a cover and just a sun shade. I love having a sunroof personally, but hate the sun shade. That is my main reason for not wanting it.

 

That's actually my one complaint about the car. I have the premium package, so the auto air definitely helps out, but it's still no fun driving with a sunspot on your head or legs. I'm going to see if there's an aftermarket cover in the near future.

I bought my mini (actually picked it up yesterday) from east bay mini, and paid MSRP.

 

Picked it up yesterday!?! Good for you. How do you love it? I mean, how do you like it?

 

It's very hard being patient! I can understand your hesitation, and maybe if I had known how hard the waiting would be I would have bought one off the lot. But I knew I wanted MSC LB and I knew I did NOT want a sunroof - all the dealer MCS, at least the lightning blue ones, had sunroofs. I don't get it (but then again, I'm not much for bright sun; my eyes are very light-sentitive.) Anyway, I was thrilled to find out how easy it was to customize exactly what I wanted (not thrilled with the cost of adding so many options, LOL! I guess I went crazy.) I have been waiting three weeks and tomorrow the ship finally leaves Southampton; three more weeks to the west coast and then some time (probably two weeks but I'm hoping for less) before it's at my dealer and ready for me to pick it up. I know that once I get the car I will be happy that I was so patient. If I don't end up in a locked ward wearing a straight-jacket before then, of course.

Tony

 

It was love at first sight...and drive.

 

I paid MSRP but I also got about $600 in accessories. A few folks got $1000 off msrp plus some extras - from Otto's in eastern PA. Don't let them just charge you msrp and not get a bunch of other stuff - you can get more!

Jeff