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Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences MINI Cooper Prices Paid and Buying Experience
1305 messages, Last post on Nov 27, 2009 at 5:44 PM
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Replying to: nycgrrrl (Nov 22, 2005 5:15 am) As for ordering first, negotiating later, they're not going to do that--you'll know the price when you order it. Again, expect MSRP--if they go above that, run, don't walk, out of there. As for other websites, the google will do that. But be careful, those websites are addicting....
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I live in Kalifornua(as our governor says it - lol) - and $5K over MSRP is the best we can do. See, the dealerships all have CSI ratings and just don't care that they are in the cesspool. 6-8 month waits to get a custom model from the factory is actually helping them make more profits. Thankfully, the car is 50 state compliant, so a lot of people are wising up and buying from out of state. |
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Replying to: cct1 (Nov 26, 2005 7:13 am) are there any MINI owners out there who paid less than MSRP? Is it worth trying? Has anyone used CARBARGAINS to buy their MINI? Has anyone actually paid less than invoice on their MINI? Does anyone know if MINI has holdbacks? Thanks to all the kind souls who have helped me on my educational journey.... 
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Replying to: nycgrrrl (Nov 27, 2005 2:31 pm) Yes, Mini has holdbacks, but it doesn't matter - the supply/demand situation is such that Mini dealers don't need to discount and they generally don't. - Mark
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For all the west coasters out there, there are several mini dealers that will sell to you MSRP, and deliver your car for $500.00, with the traditional 6-12 week wait. Again, Mark is dead on--if you read CR, or something like that, their advice is wonderful for cars made in high numbers, but it's not going to work on the Mini, or any other high demand car. I have seen anecdotal reports of people getting a couple of hundred dollars off, or getting lots of freebies thrown in, but the overwhelming majority are paying MSRP or higher. |
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Replying to: markjenn (Nov 29, 2005 8:41 am) Of course, I would like to get the best deal possible, but if MSRP is the lowest they'll go, that's fine. I just wanted to explore all my options. Would you say that most of the dealers offering MSRP are no hassle dealers? Should I even attempt for a lower price? Now that all of you have helped me figure out the price issue, I am getting one step closer to getting the car of my dreams...
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Mini dealers selling at MSRP are no hassle--they've got a hot car, so they don't need to pressure you one way or the other. They'll sell their allotment either way. You can TRY to ask for some bucks off; you'll probably get a polite no. But then you can shoot for some extras--mats, or something installed for free, etc. Worth a try; I got mats and the european parcel shelf (which I bought myself) installed for free. Not much, but it's something. Something to keep in mind--there is a $500 price increase scheduled for march, so I'd get it ordered soon (Don't know if we'd discussed that yet or not, and I'm too lazy to look back in the thread)....
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Replying to: cct1 (Nov 29, 2005 3:11 pm) I spent all last night reading dealership reviews on another forum, and the same dealers kept getting rave reviews... For all who are interested...there is only 1 MINI owner (at least that I've read) who got $600 under MSRP, at a dealer in Long Island. He says the dealer offered it to him right up front. He didn't have to haggle at all. As soon as I make my very expensive international calls to all the dealers, I promise to report my best deals. We all have to help each other, right? Take care and have a great day.
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Replying to: nycgrrrl (Nov 30, 2005 4:10 am) If you have a specific lead on a dealer who is discounting, you might give that one a try, and you're certainly welcome to offer anything you like, but if I were in you situation, and on this particular car, I'd just find one that is as close to LA as you can find that will do a straight MSRP deal and call it a day. Beware of various "doc fees" and the like that may get tacked on to the deal. While the costs of registration and taxes are above and beyond MSRP (and fixed by the state taxation situation), most dealers will have a $100-$800 document fee they'll attempt to tack on. This is non-standard and is basically extra profit to the dealer. I would try and negotiate this away, or at least make sure it is nominal (less than $100). I'd ask that they fax you something back which shows the full purchase price of the car when you take delivery so you're not surprised. States taxes and registrations are local to the state and sometimes even to the county where the dealer is located. Sometimes they'll vary depending on what address you give as your home. Some will charge sales tax and/or registration for an out-of-state buyer; others won't. And for sales tax, when you register the car in your home state, you'll typically get credit for sales tax paid in a different state, but not always. If you're buying out of state, you might consider buying from a Texas dealer. They don't charge sales tax for out of state buyers. I bought mine at Moritz Mini in Arlington and it was very straightforward. And this might be the closest MSRP dealer - I've heard that the few dealers in AZ, NM, and NV typically surcharge above MSRP. A little off topic, but I'd advise you to postpone this whole car buying thing until you are settled. It sounds like you need to move to LA (from Barcelona), find an apartment, presumably will be starting a new job, etc. etc. etc. Do you really want the hassles of buying a car at a distant dealer and having it shipped and delivered during that 1st month? And what if your job situation or apartment situation ends up having the car parked in a location that is subject to vandals or theft? The extra cost of driving a rental for an extra month or two is nominal - it might even be cheaper than your car payment and insurance. You might decide on a different car once you learn your full situation. I'd keep your eye on the ball and keep your options open until you get settled. Good luck, - Mark
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Replying to: markjenn (Nov 30, 2005 8:20 am) Thanks for your very thoughtful advice... Well, I did spend 5 hours yesterday calling dealers all over the country, and guess what? I found my dream MINI!!!! I was on the fence about whether I should order my exact specifications, or see what was on dealer's lots.... I found plenty of dealers selling at MSRP, and some were offering below MSRP!! It is possible!!!! You just have to ask. I also found many who were willing to throw in freebies as well. I was lucky enough to talk to a great dealer at MORRISTOWN MINI, (can't mention his name here),he located my exact car through his locator. He directed me to ASSAEL MINI in Monrovia, California, and my MINI is en route to the states. I was able to purchase it at MSRP. My MINI is a bare bones pure silver convertible 2006, with automatic transmission. MSRP is $23,750. My dealer says with tax,title,registration, it comes out to:$26,011.84. Does that sound about right??? I offered to put down a deposit to hold the car, and he said not to worry about it. It seemed almost too good to be true. The timing is perfect, as the car will not be delivered to L.A. until probably last week of December, or first week of January. He said that he had no problem holding the car for me until I arrive in Los Angeles. I asked for a written confirmation of my order, since I don't want to lose this car to anyone else. He sent me an e-mail with the production number and the VIN number, and I am tracking the status in the Mini Owner's Lounge. Please let me know if you think this sounds secure enough. I want to make sure that nothing falls apart at the last minute, since I have no written documentation or signatures of our agreement. I would like to tell all prospective MINI buyers not to lose hope!!!!! Although I did not call every single dealer, I found that many are open to negotiation below MSRP, especially on the East Coast, especially in Long Island. I even found quite a few dealers in L.A. willing to go down on their mark-up. It was the last day of the month as well, so take that into account when you are looking to buy. Honestly, I am still in shock that I was lucky enough to find my dream MINI, with no additional dealer installed options, at MSRP, in my new home state. I don't think I could ask for more!!!! Re: accessories - what do you all think of the ipod adapter? Can I find something similar on my own for cheaper? They are charging $150 for installation, and $149 for the adapter. Let me know what you think. Also, how much of a down payment do you think I should put when I go to pick up my car? I have a little saved, but not much. I need to have enough savings to find an apt, get settled, etc. I will definitely be financing my car. Thank you all for your help in my quest for my MINI. And remember, don't give up searching for your dream car - call around and always ask what they have coming in the next month or so....they can always try to hunt down and locate your car anywhere in the country. Good luck to all! Love and Peace, nycgrrrl
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