+1 for southbay mini just picked up my car last week look for Chris "Mr.Mini" He really knows minis and is a true mini enthusiast. He actually has one of the nicest mini's I have ever seen.

 

Hello there! I'm looking into getting a new Mini in the So Cal area. I'm close Nick Alexander, Monrovia, Long Beach, and Southbay Mini dealerships. Is Southbay the only dealership now that willing to sell at MSRP?

 

Between Long Beach, Monrovia and Southbay, Long Beach is the only one that has a markup ($1,500 as of last week but they may lower it to $1,000 if you push). Monrovia is no longer taking '08 orders and Southbay has a longer wait list then LB but you'll get MSRP. Also, Irvine has a $500 and Crevier a $3,900 (includes Low Jack, paint sealant and they may lower it to $2,900 is you push) markup.

 

That is ridiculous. Im glad that I got my 08 order in from Southbay. Do they give you the car faster if you paid them extra $5k? lol? I should just call and ask... Crevier dealer pck is ridiculous.

 

I posted Monrovia's markups in the So Cal section, but i'll dup here

MC $2000
MCS $2500
Clubmans $3000

as of July 1st. JCW wasn't out, so i didn't hear about it.

 

I just came from southbay over the weekend to test drive the JCW. The wait right now for MCS is 4 months. They still are still MSRP no markups. Talk to Chris over there he can answer all your questions.

 

I got a dent in my roof and crevier quoted $940. I still have a dent in my roof.... This will help me go to a different dealer. Thanks.

 

I had the worst experience from Crevier when purchasing my M3 back in 04. Total sneaky unprofessional fake people working there.... Two years later, I was checking out a CPO car, and he wanted to rip me off so bad, i laughed and walked away. Sorry for ranting out. I would never give them a penny of my money. Sure they are a big dealer... but they LOVE ripping people off. I would drive 100 miles to go to another dealer to order my car.

Problem with Crevier is thatthey changed their whole management team. Esp in service department. Some company from NJ took over and messed up everything. How do i know? My buddy used to be a Service Advisor at Crevier for a long time and he left to go to Newport BMW. Naturally I followed him and the quality of service and care was top notch.

Irvine BMW/MINI = Dont get me started with them.... little kids working at tech joy riding my car and launching my car thinking I was not looking.... and no apology from Service Manager... who i will not post his name.

Southbay = BMW side of the dealer is junk.. service wise.. My SA was super nice and cool but service manager who approves work is an @SS. Banned my VIN because he thinks my coilover suspension on my M3 caused leak on the differentials. He said "Change of geometry of the axle is making the diff work harder so you voided your warranty on your differentials due to use of aftermarket suspension parts" I just walked away...

Mini side of Southbay is good i "heard" Just gotta work with the right people. Sales side = These guys are cool and understanding and NEVER pushy and they dont lie to you. THey straight-up say MSRP and NO MARKUP in their advertisement (LA TIMES, INTERNET) They say they are proud to sell it at MSRP... Waiting list might be longer but why pay extra when you just have to wait... unless you really really need the car few weeks earlier.

 

Has anyone tried the Vegas dealership? Or northern california dealerships? Also, is the 4 months wait only at South Bay or is it the same everywhere? And if there is a 4 month wait, I assume it will be a 09 model, right?

thanks,

franck-

 

Doc Cooper - I'm in Socal, too. Jeez, it's like pick your poison.

 

I ordered from Irvine MINI on July 2nd, I had a production number on July 4th, and my MINI is already on a boat. So yes, you don't need to wait 4 months.

HOWEVER...

I paid the $500 mark-up which seemed better than sitting on a waitlist for a few months and risking a base MSRP price hike for the 09s anyhow. Also it was obviously better than paying the higher mark-ups everywhere else.

 

ok honestly... $500 isnt that bad.. anything higher is a robbery. I would pay $500 max.. I ordered my car around your time and my car is still on order.. and im still changing my order around.. lol If the factory isnt working, then they cant make my car... that means i can still change my order.. (I keep adding and deleting stuff.. my MA is pissed off at me)

 

That's why they are called Stealer. Business to make money off desperate people like me... or take advantage of people who are not familiar with car stuff.

I once over heard at Buena Park BMW (Shelly) quoting a woman with 2001 325 who just went over her warranty and came into the dealer due to car not starting. After she paid diagnostic fee of $120, they wanted $375 to change the battery + 1 hour of Labor fee..... I just reading my magazine and just had to look at stare at the lady for her response. She said "Well... I guess that's I need to do whatever it is needed. Ok... I'll get it"

I wanted to tell her that I will change the battery for her for $200. LOL

 

Doc i'm a bit curious. Since you ordered around the same time as me but haven't gone into production, will you end up with an 09? If so, were you able to secure the 08 pricing, or will they hit you with the price increase? I would love to hear that someone was able to finagle the stealership!!!

 

It's still 08 order. I'm on the last week of 08 batch. Still 08 pricing.. When Southbay placed an order, I think they only had allocation for the last batch. (Whole month of July order and maybe last week of June order) Every MCS became week 32 production. I have not gotten my VIN yet...

 

Ralph Schomp MINI, Denver: always MSRP, NO prep/doc fees, and NO mandatory accessory paks--the customer chooses what he/she wants. But then the waits are a bit longer. Scottsdale, Murray UT, Albuquerque, all the MTZ dealerships are l msrp, as well as OKC.

You guys need to consider buying out of CA somewhere else. this was pretty popular back in the first gen days when markups were commonplace all over CA, or the waits were approaching 3 years in markets like Seattle.

 

Seriously whoever is considering to order one, consider out of CA dealer... make it a weekend trip to pick it up and who knows.. by the time you get home, your car will have gone through the break-in period.

 

Who the hell waits 3 years for a regular production car? It's not an Enzo for christ sake....

 

A couple of you have talked about a price increase for the 09 model... Do you know how much it will be? Is it for sure? When do they start rolling them out?

thanks,

franck-

 

Just go to miniusa.com and you can already price up an 09. I don't think you can configure 08s online anymore. There is a thread somewhere on here about the base price increase. I think it came out to something like $750, however, DSC is now standard(previously $500 option). So ultimately you could consider the increase to be $250.

 

I see. I did not notice but I have been configuring an 09 all along!! No price increase for me I guess!! I am honestly thinking about going the Vegas or Phoenix route. Is it complicated with the DMV to bring a car back from another state. Also, won't the car be tuned for AZ or NV emissions and don't they have 93 instead of 91 there?

 

I live in California and purchased a new Mini in 2005 from the Mini dealer in Oklahoma City. I think the Mini is built as a 50 state emmision standard
car and the computer in the car will adjust to whatever octane gas is
available.
When I did bring my new Mini into California I did have to get a smog check
before registering the car even though the car was California legal.
You also have to pay California sales tax!

 

I'm glad I don't live in CA. That 's ridiculous on markups. The East Coast is just as bad in not having MINIs also.

Morristown Mini just got in Red 09 JCW for $35K and a Mellow Yellow MCS that someone just walked out...and that it for cars...everything else is sold out.

 

I can see these mark-ups scaring people out of buying MINI's.....easily. Too bad the ONLY dealers that deal M.S.R.P. in SoCal are LB and SB. The current automotive retail business model is inefficient and needs change.

 

Just got off the phone with LB MINI, it's a sad day: they no longer sell at M.R.S.P. I was told $3'g's over sticker for a Clubman S. WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!