Can we assume you got 5% off MSRP or were you "dumb"?

 

We just took delivery from Niello a couple weeks ago and was told No Way Jose on the mats. Our MA said the Sales manager will not do mats on cars that go for MSRP.

I tried, but if you get it please let me know, cause I'm going back to solve a couple issue on our MCS.

Who's your MA?

 

My MA threw in the mats during the ordering process. I think it might have come out of his commission. In any event, it's probably too late after you take delivery--this is a negotiation point.

 

Calling people dumb for paying MSRP is arrogant and dumb. The car business is all about perception and negotiating. A customer has to be willing to accept that the dealer will say no, and they will leave with no car for this approach to work, and for it not to be a waste of time.

The end goal of negotiating a MINI is not to leave in a haughty scoff, it's to buy a car, but at the right price. These cocky comments are not helpful to anyone.

Like I said before, they are counting on customers just accepting MSRP and buy. I had to fly out of town to pick mine up, but saved alot My local dealer didn't care. He didn't even return my phone call or two emails after the fact about radio upgrade service. I'm sure he was dissapointed. I am not going to be shy about the fact that TOM BUSH MINI was totally unwilling to do anything to earn our business or prevent us from making the drive out of town.

 

yeah, and there's a lot of hot gas blowing on nam lately. such comments are beyond arrogant and dumb, and fall into the realm of just plain stupid. happy motoring, birdman. i'm sure eveyone's listening...:impatient

 

But they might leave it, and they often do. It's like buying a house. The owner may not need to sell it for what you offer. So you leave and keeps looking for a buyer who want to pay his price. Unlike a house there are other places that sell the same car. Minis seem to be like iPods in the marketplace. No discounts, maybe a free charger thrown in, that's it. There are a lot of products like that, mostly those in high demand (X-Box anyone?). Just 'cause you can't get a discount on a Mini like you could on your last Caddy doesn't make you any less of a man (and you saved yourself the agony of driving a sled too)!

 

I will order my first MINI next weekend and follow this discussion with great interest. It will also be the first car I will order brand new, all others were used.
When you guys refer to MSRP,it is the price quoted when configuring the car via miniusa.com, including the destination and handling charge, right ?
That does not include any sales tax, title, etc. right ?

Any information would help me.
Thanks !

 

That's correct. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the "document fee" typically charged. I paid $50--some have paid hundreds more. It's a great way for the dealer to get more than the MSRP, so watch out. You can probably negotiate that price down if it's unreasonable. Taxes, title fees, etc. vary by state--even by city. For example, my "TTL" included the state inspection, for $42.50. No way of getting around that!

One other thing--you might be pressured to add on to the bill with extended warranties, tire warranties, Lo-Jack, and any number of other add-ons. Use the search function here to check these out. We didn't take any of them, although we might go with some sort of added warranty later if the terms and coverage are right. It can be added at any point up to the end of the MINI warranty period.

P.S. Congratulations in advance, and welcome to NAM!

 

Yes, I did not make a dumb decision. And howdy, from another Steeler fan. I have a chair from three river stadium in my living room. We are going to have a great year with the new coach, new offense....

The rest of you are all nutz!! (but we all knew that already, we all bought minis!!). There is nothing "arrogant" or "cocky" about stating I think it's a dumb decision to pay over MSRP. It's simply supply and demand, find a different dealer. If you all found a different dealer, your dealerships would stop ripping you off (which is what they are doing).

 

I just ordered my car and recieved 2% off sticker and free mats. No real haggling, the dealer just told me he could offer an incentive for going to him rather than one closer to me. I didn't travel far by any measure, though: a 30-40 minute drive versus a 15 minute one.

 

Cool. I had been there a few times. Maybe I've sat in your chair before.

I'll see how things progress with trade-in value and financing then I'll see what they'll accept for the new car. It never hurts to ask, right? I'm of the mindset that I do not have to make a deal right then so if I am not comfortable, I'll walk.

 

Exactly!! Remember, you DON'T have to buy a car, but on the other hand, they DO have to sell a car. If they don't sell, they don't stay in business.

And not only do you not have to buy one, you don't have to buy one from them (there are other dealers), and worse, there are other brands of cars to choose from. (well, ok, not really!!) ;-)

 

Agreed. I need a new car. If I don't buy a Mini, I will buy something else. It's simple economics and math.

I'm heading to the dealer soon to talk to them about a new MCS lease. They have some '06s that have been sitting on the lot since at least April (maybe longer), yet their website doesn't offer anything more than $500 off MSRP. I'll talk to them. If they can fit it in my budget, then I'll buy. Luckily for me, I'll be in 3 different states over the next 10 days, and within driving distance of 4-5 Mini dealers.

If none are willing to deal, It looks like I'll be heading over to the Ford dealership and pick up that Mustang I've been lusting after as well. It'd be a shame, I'd really rather lease an MCS.

 

I bought my '06 MC off the lot this past Feb. Dealer was advertising on their website $500 off of in stock '06's. Got 'em to take another $200 off plus they threw in floor mats & 2 baseball hats when I agreed to take the car that day.
Do you think I might have compromised my negotiating position by the fact that as I was dealing with the sales mgr., my body was draped across the bonnet & I was muttering under my breath: "mine, all mine"?
Jeff
"Dorothy" '06 MC BRG/W
#151 in the GWRR

 

LOL!!!


And by the way, I should add, there is nothing wrong with doing "dumb" things sometimes!! I have a boat I paid alot of money for (too much) that gets 2.1 MPG. That is the same fuel consumption a 747 gets.

 

LOL Yeah, I'd say that little show of affection cost you. These cars are hard to resist though, so no one would blame you.

 

@daffodildeb

Thanks !

 

My whole thing is that the particular model I am considering has sat on the lot since at least April, is an '06 when the '08s are about to be released shortly. IMHO, the dealer should want to move on this thing quickly. That means they're going to have to sell for a grand or two under MSRP. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but every day that car sits on the lot, it drops a little in value. Why should someone spend full boat for this particular car (or even some of the used ones that they have) when they can order a brand-new one for the same price or less? Should I be penalized because this particular car has a leather interior when I never would have ordered one?

I'm giving the dealer the benefit of the doubt as of right now. We'll see how it goes once I get there.

 

Boy, after reading this forum I feel like I have been wasting all of my time. I've been trying to negotiate a little between 4 dealers and making little, if any, headway. I have encountered a few things that have really pissed me off:

1. A #&%^ near $30,000 should come with some @%^!*& car mats, even if they are the cloth ones. Come on, man, that is just plain insulting.
2. Hidden fees popped on at the end just when you think you have a ballpark figure to start negotiating from. Watch out for "PDI" charges and "delivery packages" that include next to nothing.

As for supply and demand, every dealership I go to has 20-30 of these sitting on the lot. No more wait times exist, so let's start talking. Oh wait, I want to custom order one! That's where they have me!

I just want my car! I don't necessary mind paying MSRP but I am NOT paying over as a result of these weird charges and darn it this $30,000 car is coming with some floor mats if it kills me!

 

If your lucky you get to pay $30K and MSRP and you might even get a well lit CEL light at no charge.

 

I wonder what will happen when MINI expands its model line up beyond the Cooper and Clubman, surely this aspect of buying a MINI won't prove appealing to even more prospective buyers?

 

It will prove interesting, to say the least. This whole thing pangs of what happened to Ford a few years back when they re-released the Thunderbird. Dealers were tacking on insane "market adjustments", some to more than $10K over MSRP. Collectors gobbled up the first few thousand, but after that, sales were very sluggish. I can't say how many I saw languishing on dealer lots simply because they weren't willing to budge from their "uber-inflated" pricing. My dad bought one a few years ago, brand-new, for a song and dance because they just couldn't unload the things. I see this happening with the Mini really soon.

The problem is, dealerships for so long have created this culture of "get as much money as you can from every sap that makes a purchase", that many buyers go in with a pre-disposed attitude. It is especially frustrating for those of us who do the research, who know how much the dealer is paying for the car (invoice isn't always invoice), how much they're going to sell your trade-in for, ect, ect ad nauseum.

From the sounds of it, for the most part, MAs seem to be bucking that usual car-dealer experience trend. That being said, there is no reason they should still be selling nearly 2 year-old models for MSRP or slightly under.

If the Mini really is all that everyone claims it is, and I get a good deal, my MA/dealership will have a customer for life. Isn't it worth it to take a little bit of a hit (while still making a profit, mind you) and getting a great lifelong customer in return? Even if I only buy two or three Minis from them, the after-the-sale stuff is where they're really going to make their bread and butter.

I'll get off my soapbox now, I'd just hate to see the Mini go the way of the Thunderbird.

 

Agreed. If I get no movement on price negotiations for a new order, I will do one of two things: Go buy that 'Vette I've always wanted (sorry, I get this way every year during Le Mans when they kick butt) or strip off some of the dealer installed goodies I intend to order and then go after market. And the sales department will know that I'll get my JCW mods at a dealership other than theirs.

But I'd guess that part of the problem there is that BMW separates the sales and service departments. Sales is only concerned about its own bottom line. A promise to spend a few thousand dollars with the competition probably won't motivate them.

 

No need to apologize, please. If it were me and I were choosing between a Mini and a 'Vette, there would be no contest, the 'Vette would win 6 days a week and twice on Sundays. I am a Mustang man through and through, always will be, but I need something that I can drive daily (I live in the NE rustbelt), and getting decent to excellent MPG is a bonus. I will eventually own another Mustang (I could kick myself for selling the last one, what a beauty!), but this right now may be the only chance Mini gets to hook me. I'm only two weeks into the infatuation, and if they allow me to come to my senses, I'll end up buying something with much more growl.

Which is nowhere near a slam on the Mini, I think it is a great car and I want to own one very badly, but at these prices, I just can't justify spending the money when I can get a brand-new daily driver and a nicely restored classic Mustang for less money.

Hopefully it'll work out. My wife is secretly hoping that they won't deal on the '06s, she really wants me to get a sedan, she's specifically been eyeing the Ford Fusion.

Que' sera' sera' I guess.....

 

I'm pretty sure MAs are not on commission. I can't remember if he told me that, or someone here said that. But I remember it was a reliable source.