Hi all
I have a friend who last year got together with a group of similarly minded mini lovers to buy their mini's together in a group directly from mini classic in Ohio. Any of you guys around? Can i get some direction in starting up a new buy like you all did? Or does anyone know of a group that needs another mini buyer?

My friend said that the group originated form this site. That he had recieved a better deal going that way and cutting out markup from dealerships. I like that idea.

 

I find it very unnecessary to get together to beat up a dealership. Lack of negotiation skills? Or lack of confidence? What is going to happen if they don't discount, go beat another dealership. C'on, there is a little mark-up on these cars, just try to get a little bit off, if they don't discount and you don't like it, move on, buy something else.

We had too many discussions on paying MSRP, and I am tired of this.

FYI, not trying to be rude, but these kind of ideas are driving me crazy...

 

No problem, your entitled to annoyed, Im entitled to search for the best price.
My problem is that no dealership has what I want, and I have to order and wait anyway. In CA the markup is 2500, quite a bit I think. But correct me if i am wrong.

 

Tara, what you are suggesting is not annoying to most of us. Where in Cali are you located? You may want to go to the regional forum and see who else wants to do a group buy. There was one last year, I believe, and the people who participated even got a great deal on a covered-truck shipping directly to their doors!

Welcome to NAM and send me a Private Message if I can help you with anything on the site.


Clover

 

Hey, way to welcome a newbie. There is nothing wrong with people getting together to plan a group buy. It has been done before on this site. You don't realize what the mark-up in Cali is like. She has every right to seek the best price possible. :smile:


Clover

 

Thanks for the friendly,
I was nervous for a minute with that first reply.
Im in Sacramento- been dreamin of a mini for years. Fianally got the cash to do it right.

Ive gotta question for you on the astro black i see you have, That is the color im dreaming of. How do you find the up keep. I dont have garage for my downdown address. I really worry about water spots and tree dander. But really tempted to take on the upkeep.

 

Well get used to it, things come up again all the time, the new folks like you don't know it may have been gone over before

Tara, good luck on finding a group

 

TRaven, my MCS is all Jet-Black....not astro black. The astro black is metallic, mine is flat. The upkeep is brutal, but worth it. Besides, once you have your MINI, you will wash and detail it more than any car you've ever owned!

Hmmmm....Sacto means Niello. You are smart to consider Classic in Ohio. You may also want to call Murray in Salt Lake City or check with South Bay MINI in Torrance. Shop around and see! :smile:


Clover

 

Well you could come up here and buy one at MSRP, but we have to sign a waiver saying we won't sell it outside the country for a year.

Not sure what that means if you leave the country with a new one

 

Here in Chicagoland we have several dealerships. My fav is Patrick MINI. There is a salesman Chuck that I have dealt with on a couple of them. He always has allocations so he can order that day. They will send it your way if you don't want to pick it up also. The number there is 847-303-mini. They sell at msrp and throw in floor mats. good luck on your search!

 

In the Wash. DC area there's MINI of Sterling (VA), MINI of Towson (MD) and Tate MINI (Annapolis, MD). My understanding is that all three of these add no mark-ups and no mandatory dealer add-ons to the vehicles you order. Just "build your own" on-line, send it to the dealer, then give them a call.

We got my wife's from MINI of Sterling and liked it so much I ordered one, too!

BTW, no group buy required to get these prices.

Also, if you belong to the local MINI club here, DC Metro MINIs, the dealers will honor 10% off dealer installed accessories (parts AND installation) on the car being delivered. For instance, I'm getting the AeroKit so that's a discount of $320 on that part alone! Membership is only $26 a year - gotta like that math.

john

 

And check out this thread about what someone else went through and the recommendations he/she received:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=49522


And that thread also references this one:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=50037

john

 

Well, I prefer people introducing themselves first, then I can understand the newbie . I was not trying to be rude anyways. I agree with over MSRP deal, it is stupid . I would simply get out of CA and buy it somewhere else. Simple. You do not have to go to a Mini dealership as a group to get a good deal.

 

LOL you seem to be a bit of a newbie yourself only being here for a few months. That was her first post on here with a join date of probably just a couple of days ago. Which is shown in the first post. Patience is a virtue! I have spent way more time on this forum than I'd care to share but do not get angry with people asking the same question. If that were the case I would have left this forum long ago!!! The part of this forum that is tiring to me is the way people get angry about a post. Lets get a grip people!

 

I wrote what I thought, like it or not, sorry

 

There are benefits to a group buy beyond the lower price that you get from the out-of-state dealership. The biggest is probably that you get to know some of your fellow motorers before you even get your car. :smile: I read about the last group buy to California and had I needed a MINI at that time, I would have been part of it! Oh, and you'll have the ability to negotiate the best deal on the best possible shipping because you're moving enough cars to fill a truck.

I don't see any harm in trying to get together a group buy. If you're not interested in participating, why not just move on to the next thread?

 

Rude.........Unnecessary words... Perhaps, if you get enough people they might sell you at wholesale price

 

Let me remind you of the purpose of this forum, ariercetinberk, as posted by DiD in the very first thread in 1st Gear:

Welcome to NAM

To our new members, this forum is for you. For anyone still lurking, here are some reasons to register. Whichever category you fall into, I'm glad you found us. Welcome.

This forum was created as a place for new members to find out a bit about what NAM has to offer and as a place you can make some initial posts, get your toes wet, so to speak, and get over any butterflies (if any) that you may have about posting. Why not introduce yourself, your MINI, or the MINI daydreams rolling through your head. :smile:

To our current and long term members, please take an opportunity to welcome the new members and also try to remember what it was like to make one of your first posts. Your helpful participation in making this forum a success is appreciated.


Please note that he asked current members to remember what it was like to make one of their first posts. Let's make an effort to be friendly and helpful to newbies.


Clover

 

Should I take this as a warning or an advise?

YOU ARE WELCOME NEW MEMBER, I AM SO SO SO SORRY THAT I WILL HAVE TO PASS ON THIS TIME, MAYBE IN 2007 I MIGHT CONSIDER A GROUP BUY, DEPENDING ON HOW GOOD OF A DISCOUNT YOU GUYS GET NOW.

How does this one sound?

Hey,

I just had to say what I thought, if I was rude that's fine, I am sorry, on the other hand, I find it pretty immature to make it a big deal out of this...

 

It is a bit of advice. You were a newbie here not that long ago, so try to be kind to our new members. Actually, being rude to newbies strikes me as immature.


Clover

 

I will entertain your advise when necessary...

 

Hi Tara,
Welcome to NAM. Sorry you got such a negative response for asking such a simple, apppropriate question, especially for a CA buyer. Unfortunately, at CA dealers you usually can only choose to: buy a MINI @ MSRP and wait "forever"; or pay from $2,500 to $2,995 over MSRP for the "privilege" order a MINI and get it in 8 to 12 weeks.

I'm the guy that started the "Classic MINI Group Buy" back in November of 03, working with Julie Saxa at Classic MINI and Fred Koller from Concours Transportation. We didn't "hammer" Julie or Classic to drop their prices because we were purchasing more than 1 car. We all bought at MSRP; but the advantage in the group buy was the reduced cost of shipping more than one car on the same truck. The price went from $1,400 a car to $900 a car; so at $2,500 over MSRP in CA we were "saving" $1,400 over the CA price---and $900 for transportation wasn't taxible or included in the registration fees in CA. On top of that, Classic was discounting dealer-installed accesories and parts 20%---something CA dealers wouldn't even consider. Plus you got a full tank of gas, a parcel shelf, and rubber mats front & rear.

I put together two group buys on my own; and helped coordinate two others for Classic. In all I've purchased 3 MINIs for my immediate family and 1 more for my in-laws....4 in all from Julie. But nothing lasts forever.

Our last delivery of 8 MINIs on a Concours truck was in May; and then the tansportation world turned upside down...and it's only gotten worse with the rising cost of diesel fuel.

Midwest dealers like Classic sell all the cars they get----eventually, but on the Left Coast the demand is much higher (as in August MINI sales are up 43% over August 2004) and they are selling future allocation at MSRP, or charging a premium to "get it now." My MCSa Cabrio arrived in 6 weeks from the factory, and was in my garage in 8.

I've spoken to Julie earlier this week and she has lots of MCS in stock, plus they're taking orders for 06's. I couldn't tell you what it would cost to ship a MINI to CA now, but my sense is that the "savings" has been substantially reduced because of higher fuel costs.

One thing Classic can do is get you a car sooner than a West Coast Dealer since the cars get off-loaded on the east coast and then shipped to the dealer while the ships that deliver to the west coast have to pass through the Panama Canal. In all it takes about 2 weeks longer to get the car to CA.

Of course, there's always the "fly & drive" approach. There are cheap flights to Cleveland, and Julie can pick you up at the airport.....and if you have 4 or 5 days, it's a great drive. Or, you can do as other posters have suggested, and look to closer states that have unsold allocation and no dealer markup. Just go to MINIUSA and start getting phone numbers for dealers and call, finding what their wait time is, and if there is any markup, including so called "dealer prep"

If you have any other questions, PM me

Charlie

 

South Bay MINI in Torrance sells at MSRP, so does Long Beach MINI. You'll probably be able to get a new one quicker from South Bay, as they are a newer dealership and don't have a long wait like Long Beach. If you get it in So Cal, you can make a vacation out of your break-in period by stopping off in cool places along the coast on your way back home.

 

As has been mentioned above Classic MINI (ie - Julie Saxa at Classic) has worked to put together group buys and orchestrate shipping. I would recommend jumping over to the Ask Classic forum here on NAM and talk to Julie about what you would like to do. I'm sure she can address what shipping costs would be as well as work with you on exactly what you would like.

Mark

 

Tara.

Let me know how this goes. I may need to get in on a group buy as the dealers here in S. CA are really out of their minds.

Heath