MY LOCAL MINI DEALER - ROADSHOW BMW - IS ADVERTISING "LARGEST INVENTORY EVER !" AND IS OFFERING $1,000 OFF STICKER ON ANY NEW MINI IN STOCK. IS THE RECESSION FINALLY HITTING THE MINI MARKET ? WASN'T THAT LONG AGO THAT THEY HAD ZERO MINIS IN STOCK AND ALL THE MINI'S THAT WERE ON THEIR WAY IN HAD ALREADY BEEN PRE-SOLD...

 

I got the same email from my dealer in Charlotte. They have had over stocks since about November last year. When I bought mine in July it was the same way they were all sold out or only resold sitting on the lot. The economy has hit and people can't get loans to buy new ones or they just are waiting it out to see if they will have a job to buy a car with.

 

My dealer at Arlington, TX has more Mini on the lot than I had ever seen before. In fact, I think they ran out of room !!

 

Does it apply to 2009s or just 08s?

 

CAPS LOCK is often precieved as yelling on the internet

For what you get vs what you pay with a new MINI it doesn't surprise me at all. I got my mildly optioned 05 for less than you'll pay for a zero options no frills (or metallic paint) R56.

 

GREAT!! this is going to start to hurt the fantastic resale we have enjoyed all these years on our cars!! OH well, nothing lasts forever :(

 

Never thought I'd see the day. Of course, one could say that about lots of things these days.

 

I live on the east coast, but I just got an email from MINI of San Francisco saying they had 3 leftover 2008 MINIs: one Clubman S and two Cooper S (I think)...........$2500 off the Clubman and $2800 OFF each hardtop.

 

Consider that in 2008, San Francisco MINI Dealers were adding $3K premium above MSRP.

Lots of room to discount from there, but no doubt that the market drives the price.

 

Yes that is correct and even people with high credit scores are having problems with getting a car loan of late from the banks.Before the housing/mortgage crisis hit people were able to get home equity loans to purchase news vehicles but now they can't at this point.

 

People with high credit rates are not having trouble getting loans. What's considered 'high' might have changed though.

 

Yea it's not a problem getting a loan in the Seattle area either. If you have good credit, not excellent you can get a loan at a good rate. The problem is that people are afraid to buy for fear of losing a job. It's a lack of confidence in the economy.

Until the job losses are reversed I doubt you will see much improvment.

Regards,

Pat

 

 

Dealers usually order models that are loaded with options, so the ones on the lots tend to have a lot of mark-up built into them. They can afford to discount them more that they can a base model or one with few options that a customer might custom order.

 

I saw a blurb I can not confirm it, the old average credit score
was 720, it is now 680.

 

If you buy your Mini out of town is the local Mini dealer going to refuse to service it?

 

No. You might lose a perk like a free loaner but they will service it.

 

I am playing on going to Baron in KC soon.....any idea how much off of MSRP...on a leftover 08 or 09? It looks like they have a ton of inventory.

Looking for somebody who recently got a great deal to share the results of savy shopping...

Thanks for your help..

 

In addition to the economy issues, it's because gas is $1.85 instead of $4.00 a gal. No need for a small car when gas is cheap. Less need for an expensive small car when gas is cheap. If gas prices go up, mini sales will go up. "When" that will happen is the question.