Hello Everyone,

Well it's decision time. I'm getting a new car and it's going to be a Mini, my Taurus SHO obsession is no longer. I sold both my 94 5 speed and my 95 5 speed that was modded to the extreme. I'm in the Albany NY area and now the only problem is...deciding what one! I REALLY want one in British Racing Green with the white stripes...S model of course. But they have a couple 07's that aren't that color at Keeler Mini that aren't priced too badly...then again I could get an 08 in the exact color I want. The only options I really want are heated seats, a sunroof, and the LSD. So i'm thinking ordering a brand new one might not be a bad idea. Any major differences between the 07 and 08 I should be aware of? Look forward to being a contributing member of this forum! Not a bad world when the worst decision I have to make is what year Mini to get!

Thanks,
Colin

 

Welcome ColinMc . This is a great group, lots of info for newbies like us. I could not find an 07 I wanted either , so ordered an 08 . Not that long a wait, was told about 6 weeks total .

 

Welcome to NAM.

It's too late for you now.

You have been assimilated.

 

Yeah i've been browsing this site for a while now just checking things out. I'll be honest, the only reason I even started looking at the Mini was after reading how much Peter Egan raved about his...i've always liked the way they looked but didn't know much about them. A friend of my fathers has one too, a 2004 S model that he loves, drives the tires off of, and has never had any major problems with. After pricing out the exact one I want on MiniUSA, I think I might just opt for an 08, unless I get a REALLY good deal on one of the 07's they have at Keeler. I have to sit down and figure things out tonight lol.

 

Go ahead and order one exactly how you want it. The process is fun and you'll only pay for the extras you want. We have two MINI's and I must say that most of the extra electronic gizmos are really not worth it unless it is something you really think you MUST have. Our first MINI has lots of packages and our second one has only the few options we wanted. I much prefer the second version except for the fact that it is missing a supercharger. Here's my short list of my must have options: LSD xenon lights sport suspension rear fogs

 

I agree.... order one exactly the way you want it!!

 

Yeah, I think that's what i'm gonna do here's my list of the exact way I would want it:

British Racing green
White Stripes
No frills interior
Factory Aero package
LSD
Xenon
Sunroof
Keyless entry
Heated seats
Sport Suspension
Driving Lights
6 speed manual of course!


That's it. I have a nice Alpine stereo and some speakers I figure I can swap in after what i've read about the factory stereo...even the premium being crappy. The Xenon are a recent addition after reading about those...the rest is just the list. If anything I might get rid of heated seats, and the keyless entry...not sure about those yet.

 

If yer gonna spend the $$ get EXACTLY what you want.

Welcome to the madness!

 

Sounds like a great ride Colin! Of course, you might consider the unlimited headroom option of a rag top....

 

Lol, no convertible for me. I have an older targa top supra for summer days when I want no top...the supras don't have the t-bar in the middle, the whole thing comes out.

I've rethought my options and decided now i'm going this route:

S model
British racing green, white bonnet stripes, white roof and mirrors.
Cold Weather package
Sport Suspension, LSD, Xenon Headlamps, Aero package

MAYBE a cream white color accent for the interior...

That's the final setup I want lol

On another note, from what i've read in the forum there isn't much negotiating room for price on Mini's...is this true? Is pretty much the price I get quoted by the Mini site when I "build" one, the price i'm going to pay? I've never actually bought a brand new car, or even any car from a dealership lol. So I am bringing my father with me, but more for moral support, he's letting me do my own negotiating. I'm not asking people what they paid for cars, I guess just basically how much they really negotiated if at all?

I got the consumer reports bottom line report for this car, with all these options the bottom line price is 23,222 while the MSRP is 25,950...the cream accent may go because that puts the bottom line under 23k...can I expect to pay the bottom line or close to it? Or is it typical to pretty much pay full MSRP when you order one to spec? Any info or input at all about this stuff would be helpful. I've tried searching on the forum and havn't had much luck.

 

Congrats on your soon to be addition!

When I purchased mine, I paid MSRP. That tends to be the standard. Sometimes the dealer may deal on a car on the lot. Mostly, you will pay MSRP. Negotiation comes in the swag you will get from the dealer. What was important to me was service. I wanted to trust my dealer with my service needs after the sale. Talk to some on your regional board here and see what their experiences are with the dealer in question.

Differences between 07 and 08:
Minor price increase
USB port now a part of the bluetooth option
Powerfold heated mirrors now a part of the cold weather package.

There are other changes to the packages but you can still get what you want with them.
Replacing the stereo may be a daunting task. Ask in the 2gen audio forum. The center stack is a well integrated machine. What some have done was to order the hi-fi and replace the speakers. Replacing the amp on the hi-fi was an issue due to the car computer. Again, ask there and those in the know can help you.

Another thing that is an issue is with rims. Generally, you can purchase great lightweight aftermarket rims instead of upgrading the mini rims when ordering. The rim weight can make a difference. Check out the tires section for more info on that.

Most of all, have fun with your new mini. The wait is taxing but so worth it. It gives you time to think of a name for you new baby!

 

Well I stopped into Keeler yesterday, test drove an 07 S and LOVED IT!!! I'm going in tomorrow to place my deposit. Here's my finalized option list:

British Racing Green
White Bonnet Stripes
White Hood and mirrors
Cold Weather Package
Sport Suspension
LSD
Xenon Lights
Aero Kit
Cream White Color Line
Leather Sport Multifunction Wheel

They didn't cut me any kind of a deal, but it was very low pressure and the salesman was very friendly. He even used to own a gen2 Taurus SHO like mine so we bonded about that lol. He was great about explaining the standard options and pointed out that i wouldn't get cruise if i didn't ask for it. He didn't try and push any options, just pointed that out to me which I appreciated. He actually talked me OUT of getting a sunroof heh. So i'll update tomorrow after I finally make it final! Thanks for everyone's input and I can't wait!

-Colin

 

Great specs...the only thing I would consider would be sport or some type of upgraded seats. The standard seats just don't cut it for me. I was on the fence on our first MINI about it until I sat in the standard seat then the sport seats.....I got the sport seats and it was a no brainer for us when we ordered our 2nd a few weeks ago. Good luck and let the wait begin!

 

According to what the salesman told me, and the list on MiniUSA the sport seats are standard? I'm ordering an S model, i'm sorry I wasn't clear about that in the final list of stuff lol. I think just the S model comes with the Sport Seats as a standard option

 

Sorry...your right.....Cooper S they are standard! duh!

 

Lol, no problem, you had me worried there for a second though

 

It's ordered! I put the deposit down and placed the order at Keeler last night. BUT I rethought some things and called back last night, to add some options. I'm hoping that it didn't make me miss out on the production run I was hoping to get in. The salesman is gonna let me know. Here's what I ordered!



Colin's 2008 MINI Cooper S


White Turn Signals
White Bonnet Stripes
British Racing Green Body Color
White Roof/Mirrors
Cold Weather Package
Premium Package
Sport Suspension
Front Fog Lamps STD
Xenon Headlamps w/Power Wash
Auto Dimming Rear View Mirror
Limited Slip Differential
6-Speed Getrag Manual
Aero Kit (Factory Installed)
16" Bridge-Spoke (Performance)
All Season Tires
Sport Seats STD
On-Board Computer STD
Anthracite Headliner
Leatherette: Black/Grey STD
Leather Sport Wheel w/Multifunction
Interior Surface Brushed Alloy

 

While I'm not familiar with all those packages, make sure that you get a multi-function steering wheel - It's the only way to have cruise control!

PS- Love the color!!!

 

Congratulations on the order, classic BRG/W is a nice combo.

Lots of good options, post some pictures after you bring it home.

 

Can do! I already bought some Momo 17" wheels off of another member in preparation for spring time lol. Oh and the Sport Multi-function steering wheel is there! Thankfully a few people on here, and the salesman mentioned that same thing about cruise control. I would have not known and just ordered it without lol.

 

Hello all!

My boyfriend and I are currently pricing around dealers in the SE on '08 S's and will be hopefully placing an order on 2 cars in the next 2 weeks. We are just trying to find the best deal right now, particularly since we will be ordering 2 cars at once, and will have to drive at least 2.5 hrs to go to the nearest dealer.

 

Good luck! This post works just fine in this thread but did you mean to start a new thread ? Or did I inadvertantly start what is going to be a thread for anyone who can't wait to get their mini? It's all good to me! Now the wait begins...it's too late to ask for mini stuff for x-mas, but my birthday in March should give me some time to decide what to ask for from my girlfriend/family.

 

Got my VIN number and production number today! WOOOH!!!

 

Very cool!