Hey All,

So I'm contemplating selling my 2008 4runner and a getting nicely loaded 2011 MCS. I was going to buy a MCS when I originally bought my new 4runner, but the MCS was just in it's infancy as a second generation MCS, and I'm always hesitant to buy a car in its first model year.

Anyways, that's the rational (really I've always loved the Mini's and would really like to get better than 16MPG).

I know you guys and gals on here are pros at everything MINI, so maybe you can help me out with what to expect as far as negotiating price down from MSRP. In particular:
- I'll be buying not leasing
- I'll be paying for at least $25k cash/trade-in
- I'll most likely be customer ordering as I must have it in green w/ black and it has to have Convenience Pkg, Sport Pkg, Cold Weather Pkg, Black HID headlights, Black Wheels, Black Driving Lamps, etc.
- May get Premium Pkg (I'm still on the fence on this one)

Any good dealers, sales people you suggest in So. Cal (I'm in Orange County but would drive to SD or LA for a deal)?

Any recent MCS buyers of 2011's and news of OTD (w/TTL) prices vs MSRP?

Thanks everyone, I have the burning inside, like many of you can recall to get that first MINI in my hands

 

Sounds like you are ordering almost exactly what I just picked up, except mine is Horizon Blue, BRG was my other color fave. I ended up flipping a coin.
I paid MSRP less the March incentive which was getting the Premium package for free. Not much room to deal in the Atlanta area, MSRP is the norm for an built MINI. This is our 3rd MINI and that has been the case for all 3.
Here's a pic of Mozart, driving lights and tint to be installed this week.


Good luck with your purchase!
Annette

 

Your advantage in Southern California is you have about 10 dealerships you can order from. I suggest taking your build list, emailing each dealership and then actually talk to each one. Ask what their best out-the-door price is. Plainly state that you will be paying cash. I was surprised how much the two dealerships in my area battled to get the sale. One started at exactly MSRP plus TTL...until I told him that, I'm sorry, but I have a better offer on the table. They ended up within $50 of each other, about $2,500 discounted...and I went with the one that treated me more like a person.

No trade-in, cash sale. It's negotiating. There's plenty of margin on these cars, so plenty of room to move. This economy sucks for everybody, and a sale is a sale.

 

I was able to negotiate $1000 off sticker plus MINI / BWM Finance incentives in Kentucky. I would move sooner than later. The situation in Japan is already affecting deals / pricing on many Nissans, Toyotas, Hondas, etc. Add to that the increasing cost of gas, and dealers of small fuel efficient cars like the MINI will be less likely to negotiate to make a sale, at least for the next several months. Just my observation. As someone else mentioned, being in SoCal with more dealers competing for your business can't hurt. The dealer I purchased from has only been open a year, and doesn't have another MINI dealership to compete with within a 90-100 mile radius.

 

Just a couple of things.

Get the smartphone prep, if for nothing else than it keep wire clutter to a minimum, (Mini pun...lol)

Get the adaptive headlights.

Think about if you want rear fog lights or an alarm. The alarm can be added but at significant cost, the fogs can't be added later. (at least on the 10's) Yes, you can hook them up to the brake lights, but you can't add the inside switch and programming at the dealer to make them work. (again on the 10's, the 11's might be different since it comes with the light housing, but it's worth asking about)

I really should have passed on the sunroof. It's heavy, makes the interior HOT, and it's prone to rattle and leak. Plus it's a $1000... I had to buy a Zippy shade and it's all black now anyway, and I never use it. You want the sun? Buy a vert...

Really, really think about the 3M clear bra. The frontal area of the car is like a slab and it gets the heck beat out of it. Yes it's expensive from the dealer, but it is negotiable. And it sure is nice to take delivery and not have to schlep off to have it done anyway.

I really like the cloth seats. You won't sweat your buns off when it's hot. Easy to clean... Free... leather just isn't right in a Mini anyway...lol

 

BoCRon,

Did you get yours with the sunroof, or HK Audio? Have you ever had a MINI sunroof? And if so did you experience any issues with leaks and interior heat?

PS - That MINI looks sweet!

 

Yo Mo'Phat,

I hear you on the getting "treated like a person"...so so sad that getting real customer service is a dying art almost everywhere. I'll take your advice on emailing the build list to each dealer and getting some friendly bidding going. Was excited to see that you got ~$2.5k off of MSRP.

Looks like you just ordered yours, so I'm assuming that part of the ~$2.5k was getting the one free package dealio?

 

Hey Richard,

Thanks for the tips. I'm a meticulous car care guy and was looking at the clear bra option they have and was wondering if I should get it. Now I'm really thinking I should get it.

Do you know if the smartphone prep will work with a Sprint Evo4G? Everywhere I look on their website it seems like everything is made for iPhones.

Check on the Cloth seats, I've owned enough leather seats in my life to know that they look nice but if you live in a sunny area they just aren't as comfortable as cloth.

Also gonna have to check on the adaptive headlights, as the website builder says that you can only get adaptive headlights with the standard non-black housings

Love the rear foglights and I must get 'em.

Thanks for the input on the sunroof. It's like you read my mind! Those were the worries I had about ordering the premium package.

 

To clarify, I didn't get $2.5K off MSRP. I took the MSRP, added TTL, and ended up with an out-the-door price of about $2.5K less than what I had totaled. Small difference, but I wanted to be accurate here.

Also, I think the one-free-package is only when you finance through Mini. I didn't, so I didn't get a free package. Would have been nice, but they probably wouldn't have negotiated the price as well as they did.

 

I have the cloth seats, had them on my '06, too. Really love them.
I'm getting the clearbra, but I'm having the person who is doing my tint do the clearbra. She comes out to the house,so no schlepping for me. She's also doing my husband's Countryman.
I chose the black headlamps over the adaptive. Never had the adaptive so figured I wouldn't miss them. My other option was to get the adaptive and joey mod the lights, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't get around to that forever, so went with factory black headlamps.

Annette

 

I had the sunroof and H/K on my '06 and loved both. Never an issue with either. The H/K is even better in the '11, worth every penny to me. On most of my previous cars I would do an aftermarket sound system but when I got the first MINI I liked the hk so got it and figured I could pull it out and totally upgrade when I had some cash. I never bothered. I got the sunroof again and have had it open since I picked up the car. I'm having a graphic put on at the dragon so I'm not bothering to get it tinted.

 

2011 sunroofs are much darker than prior years. Tint was increased from 10% to 30%. No Zippy shade needed.

 

I never even thought of not getting the sunroof, and I am so glad I did. Its only "heavy" if you plan to race the car. For all other uses the extra weight really shouldn't make a noticeable difference. It also opens up the interior a lot and I have never had a squeak from mine.

The HK stereo is a must if you like music, unless you plan to add aftermarket replacement parts to the crappy base stereo to make it sound OK.

I agree with the rear fog lights, you will always be bothered by the missing toggle switch in the lower bank if you dont get them!

 

Thanks for all the input, I've been up late at night working the numbers and seeing if I can make the purchase. That and attempting to crash the mini configurator online by changing up packages and options.

 

Personal opinion - don't get the sport suspension on an MCS. At least on my 08, it was overkill for everyday driving.