Oh boy!!! Twiggy is now officially on the lot at Northwest MINI.

While I am anxious to see her, it is probably a good thing I live 100 miles away or I would be up there breathing down everyone's necks - trying to get her ready for me to take possession of tomorrow rather than Saturday. But, I have waited this long, so another day won't kill me (or so I hope).

P.S. I'm sorry MiniCrazy09 - I really wish your car had been on the same truck as Twiggy. But, your day will come - hang in there!

 

How did you find out? Did your MA call?

 

Twiggy has arrived.

Everything is set for me to pick Twiggy up Saturday morning.

So, after thinking for weeks about what song would be the first one I wanted to listen to in my new MINI, it only seems natural that it will be "Come Saturday Morning" by The Sandpipers.

My previous choice, "Feelin' Groovy" by Harpers Bizzare, will be the second song. My iPod is all set up with a playlist of nothing but the best songs to hear on the first drive in Twiggy. That trip home, on all the backroads, is going to be one to remember!

 

The Sales Manager AND my MA sent me an email - I guess they knew they needed to call me as soon as the transport truck arrived. Otherwise, I would have been bugging them all day!

 

They call this a 'Support Group' for a reason.

 

Congrats! Wow, all the way on the left coast and you're getting your car 1-day after me.

Though I have been sitting here for a couple days due to timing, but still...

 

I didn't know the song so I looked it up on youtube. Perfect lyrics!! Just substitute "Twiggy" for "friend".

Come Saturday morning
I'm goin' away with my friend
We'll Saturday-spend till the end of the day-ay
Just I and my friend
We'll travel for miles in our Saturday smiles
And then we'll move on
But we will remember long after Saturday's gone
(Come Saturday morning, come Saturday mo-o-rning)

Come Saturday morning
I'm goin' away with my friend
We'll Saturday-laugh more than half of the day (ay-ay-ay)
Just I and my friend (my friend)
Dressed up in our rings and our Saturday things
And then we'll move on
But we will remember long after Saturday's gone
(Come Saturday morning, come Saturday morning)

 

Here is a direct link to hear the original song.

http://www.imeem.com/people/xg5GCY/m...urday-morning/

I suspect most of the people in this group are too young to remember this song, but I'm glad you agree that it seems like the perfect song for my first day with Twiggy.

 

And great weather for Twiggy's first weekend home too!

http://www.weather.com/weather/weeke...nav_undeclared

 

Congrats RayRatt!!! Have fun on Saturday!

 

Um...I really do need help. I have a bag ready for the big day: floor mats, boot mat, blue MINI plush for the back seat (Bert was originally slated to be a blue cooper - until I snagged him up!), MINI heated blanket, MINI coffee mug, and my loaded ipod Touch...ready to motor!

My husband said I am more prepared for this than I was for the birth of our kiddos (never had a bag packed). What's wrong with that??? LOL

 

Wow! Where did you get all that stuff???


Congrats that your baby is coming soon!!!

 

Well, Lynn, went into the dealership last night to pay for the stripe install. Upon reviewing the order with the sales rep. and manager, they said the 6 cd changer ($725) along with install was not part of the the negotiated out-the-door price eventhough the manager clearly initialed the part that stated the cd changer and installed was part of the negotiated out-the-door price. Lynn called me, and we agreed she should walk out and take the loss of $500 on the deposit because the dealer was not dealing in good faith. When she went to leave, they quickly changed their mind and said they would include the cd changer with install as part of the out-the-door price. At this point Lynn was pretty pissed that the dealer was playing games with her to try to milk her for more money. Not only that, they didn't even order the blackjack mirror caps for her eventhough she told them in person several weeks earlier. To top it off, they told her since they were taking a loss on the cd changer, they wanted her to pay for the car before they will install it. She told them she will not pay for anything before it is installed on the car. Needless to say, Lynn is totally irate. The car buying experience should be a fun one. Instead it made Lynn not care about buying the car anymore. She is willing to walk away and take the $500 loss. She will not call the dealer back. If they want to sell her the car, it will be on her terms.

Good luck to the dealer trying to sell that $38,000 (including tax of 9.75%) albatross. In this depressed economy, not many people are willing to drop $38k on a Clubman--especially one that they didn't build themself. The dealer needs to get rid of the car, Lynn doesn't need to buy it.

 

Wow. What a balloon popper. I can't even imagine having something like that happen - especially after all the good times we have all had sharing this car-birthing experience together. Talk about a punch to the stomach!

I agree, Lynn should not give an inch. That dealer has made a huge mistake, and I hope someone there comes to their senses real quick and figures out a way to turn this sour experience around for Lynn. Even if they do come to terms, this action has made what should be an exciting time become a big ugly cloud. Who wants to think about something like that every time they get into their new car?

Bummer.

 

How do you argue over $700 for a car worth a total $38k? I mean seriously. I know they get money from dealer accessories but they still get money from MINI just for the car in general. I'm sure their cut, or whatever, from MINI increases as the add-ons of packages, etc get pushed by the salesperson.

Just amazing.

 

I just discovered that Nightfire Red is NOT available on the hardtop MINI in 2010 - just the convertible and the Clubman (and only on the base models - not on the S or John Works versions).

Maybe that is only true for U.S. MINIs since I found out about it on the 2010 configurator at MINIUSA.com. Looks like they replaced my favorite color with one called Hot Chocolate (dark brown - a metallic paint that adds the usual $500 - plus it requires you order their new Mayfair package). The Mayfair package is a $4,500 special 50th anniversary package - it includes the new 50th anniversary grill badge.



I think they should have put one of those grill badges on Twiggy - she was completed the first day after the 50th anniversary of the first Mini sold (August 26, 1959). Actually, we all should get one of those badges!

Anyway, I think Twiggy may very well be the LAST Nightfire Red MINI Cooper Hardtop sold in the USA. I guess I no longer need to worry about someone else in town seeing Twiggy and ordering one just like her!

 

RayRatt, ZugginAround,...

I am so happy for you guys! We have been tracking all the Minis in our group since August. Now you guys get take your Minis home. I would give anything to see the smile on you guys' faces when you are handed keys to your car.

As for me and Lynn's situation, we talked it over and she has decided not to buy the Clubman she originally ordered and take the loss on the deposit. She didn't like the way she was treated, and that took all the excitement from her.

After talking to her, we both decided she should order a 2010 Clubman and get back on the saddle again. We configured the 2010 online today, and she will make an appointment with another Mini dealer to order the car this weekend. I don't think I will join another production week group. I don't want to be obsessed with the car every moment of my day anymore. I will track the car on my own since I have all the tools necessary.

 

UAL Kingpin, sorry to hear about the crap experience. =(
RayRatt- So exciting, my mini is at the dealer as we speak, all alone in the dark, begging to be taken home. I pick it up Saturday morning! Woo! So excited, now all I need is a way to get to the dealer....

 

I understand your frustration and disappointment. And I think Lynn is doing the right thing in walking away from Monrovia MINI.

But, please don't rush to any decisions about not getting involved with another support group for the next MINI. I don't think I mentioned my initial bad experience here before - so at the risk or boring you, here goes....

I originally decided to buy a MINI because of the Cash For Clunkers program. I went to the MINI dealer in Portland and the MA seemed up front about everything. They had no cars in their stock that were close to what we wanted, but he found a couple cars in the Port Hueneme inventory that were close enough that we decided to go for it so as to get the $4,500 rebate.

This was all a few days before the C4C program became finalized, so we had to wait to see what the rules were. Once the program was unveiled, the MA told me his dealer was ready to make the sale, and he told me they had already made a half dozen transactions under the C4C program. I was instructed to bring my clunker in five days later. When I got there, the MA was away from his desk. The guy next to him tried to track him down, and while waiting he happened to say my car was the first clunker they had taken in. First red flag.

Finally, when the MA arrived, he told me the dealer was not yet ready to accept clunkers - they were afraid the first billion dollars might be gone. I let him know how upset I was that he hadn't called - I had just driven 60 miles in 105-degree heat with a broken AC. He finally got someone higher up to agree to take my clunker for a test drive to be sure it qualified - it did. But, when we got back, he left for a few minutes and when he came back he said the manager had decided they would only sell cars from their stock. It turned out they had made that decision several days earlier - the intent was to let me come in and use that $4,500 carrot to get me to buy a car I didn't want.

The MA tried all kinds of things to get me to buy a car, but it was obvious he had lied to me up one side and down the other. I left VERY mad. I could have let that bad experience spoil my feelings about MINI Coopers, but within a day or two, I decided to try the dealer in Tacoma.

They were more than willing to work with me to sell a C4C MINI from the Port (or any other dealer's) inventory. Unfortunately, the cars we had looked at were gone by the time this occurred. None of the available cars met my minimum criteria (automatic with no sunroof) - except for a few that were colors I didn't want. So, I made the decision to order a MINI and hope the additional $2 billion C4C money lasted long enough for me to get the car (placing an order was not good enough - the car had to be in the dealer's possession).

Long story short, I am getting a car I really wanted rather than settling for one the had stuff I really didn't want - and lacked some things I wanted. Saving $4,500 was not worth settling for a car that was not "right" - especially if I had to buy it from the Portland dealer.

Bottom line, I think I would have been very happy with Twiggy even if I had never found the Week 34 Support Group. But, this whole experience has been so enhanced by sharing all our emotions and experiences that I think Twiggy will be even more enjoyable. I think you will find joining another support group will help you and Lynn forget about the Monrovia experience.

Even though members of this support group will probably never cross paths with one another in real life, I feel a bond that will be remembered for a long time. These last two months have been a hoot! And, to a very large degree, much of the pleasure has been due to what you added to this thread. I hope you reconsider.

 

I am so excited for all of you who are SOON to get your MINIs! I can not even imagine waiting all this time. I've had mine for over a week now and am loving it! If it weren't for the ride I gave three of my girlfriends last Sunday morning (Wow! Are roundabouts fun when your car sick husband isn't in the car!!), my mileage per gallon would still be in the high 30's. I'm averaging over 30 mpg this week commuting to and from work- about half city driving, half freeway driving. When I look at the mpg as I'm cruising on the freeway, I am getting over 40 mpg unless I am going up hills. Did I tell you all that I had over 38mpg on my drive home from the dealership? I am very happy with that!

I've gotten used to the radio controls that are a little different. I wish I could turn the radio on or off on my multifunction wheel. I can't do as much as I'd like with the wheel.

So far I have no complaints except that a bird dropped a bomb on my front hood. oh, and that on the one week that I wish that I was sent out on home visits for the job that I do, it has been slower than tar and I have had to stay in the office every day, so no extra driving.

My dealership had my car ready the day after it arrived at the dealership. May all your cars be equally swift in greeting you once they arrive!

 

I'm actually a bit miffed about this. They had said Hot Chocolate would be Clubman only when they first showed it. I get how they are using it with their 50th anniversary mayfair only but still.

When I was thinking about the car I was totally first into British Racing Green hardcore. But I was visiting my grandmother-in-law and took some time out to test drive a clubman and it was Hot Chocolate, loved it in person.

I am loving those Mayfair stripes and may look to grab them for my Clubman., though stripes on a non-S just doesn't feel right.

 

Amen to that.

 

The way I see it UAL, you owe us pictures. So you can't leave until we see some pictures of PURCHASED MINI.

 

UAL -- I am shocked and truly sorry to hear of the inconsiderate treatment Lynn received from her dealer. Such a disappointment -AND- after such a long wait for a vehicle whose progress was followed every mile of its journey. Gosh, I feel let down for her.

I can speak for all of us in that you are one of the integral people who made this thread so enjoyable and exciting. You followed every person and their vehicle's progress and updated your chart regularly. That made our thread quite unique. And I know that made me really feel part of a group, rather than just a poster on a thread.

No matter what, be sure to update this thread with the info on Lynn's new car. We still want to share in her excitement....especially as she picks it up.

ps.....How about sending a letter to the local news consumer advocate and copy it to the dealership and MINI management? That should get her $500 deposit returned to her.

 

Letters can be very powerful. We had bought a timeshare but were 'misinformed' as to what we were purchasing. A common problem but not common when your spouse's family has had a timeshare for many many years so you know how it all really works.

We got nowhere with anybody on trying to rectify the situation.

But oh the fun of research. The timeshare and affiliated companies are publicly traded. Publicly traded means the names and addresses of top company officials are available from many sources.

Nothing like letters to CEOs, Deputy CEOs, etc to get someone calling you (instead of you calling them) to rectify the situation. (end result, they bought it back for what we paid).

I always thought letters were a waste of time but do enough research and send it around to enough people and things can happen. Based on your skills via this thread I'm sure you can dig up some good names and addresses. One thing MINI really doesn't like is negative press, their niche depends on positivity.