Jeez it's come down, used to be 18-24 months!

 

But a couple have posted here that they in fact did pay less than MSRP. (not me). I think a lot depends n where the original poster lives. Did he/she ever say?

 

I would imagine that paying MSRP to most consumers is not acceptable, but most MINI owners see value in being able to custom order their vehicle any which way, track its production and delivery (and really feel like its your car, even before delivery) and finally, not have to go into the process knowing that you're going to have to spend hours on end haggling over prices and watching idiotic salespeople run back and forth to the sales manager's throne. My MSRP experience was awesome, done in less than one hour, stress-free and its backed by the fact that my dealer is incredible even after the sale. I don't mind paying $$$ over invoice for that. As long as a dealer like LB MINI delivers awesome service and I find value and enjoyment in my car, that's what is important to me personally.

 

Umm... the 07 MC gets a turbo too? That's news to me. New engine, yes. Turbo, no. That's only for the MCS, unless I am SORELY mistaken.

 

The possibility of a discount from MSRP is definitely regional, and I would guess smaller markets. Got to be less demand in Kansas than in Houston or SoCal, NJ, etc. Both dealers here in Houston have only the minimum in stock at any given time. One of them, Momentum, charges a bogus $497 "dealer services fee" above MSRP, Woodlands where I bought mine is strictly MSRP. I received discounts on both BMW's I have bought from their sister dealership, including a pretty hefty one on the M3, but with 95% of their allotment of MINI's still customer orders, there's just no incentive to discount. Me personally, I would not go to Kansas for a $750 discount, but if I lived in SoCal where my options are MSRP+ or long wait time, I'd be on the plane to the plains in a heartbeat.

 

I think DISCOUNTS are a fantasy when the market has dealer allotments mostly being pre-sold through ordering. I guess if someone backs out of a sale, then there might be a shot at it in that moment, but right now it's kind of an ideal market for the dealers. They fill their allotments a month or two ahead or more, (that's why some dealers have such long waiting times). They have pretty much of a guaranteed income stream. MSRP + small Document fee was a discount in that situation. Good luck getting something more if you are in a hot market, which mousetown appears to be. I see plenty of MINIS around this town, now.

 

Maybe what I read is wrong, but it says both the MC and the MCS will have a turbo.

By the way, I got a $350 dollar discount off MSRP on my MC when I ordered it from Roadshow in August of '03. It should be easier to get now than it was then.

 

Five finger discount perhaps .

And yeah, I've read that the MC is getting a small turbo as well (140 hp or so).

You'll need to find a dealer where there are like 20-30 just wasting away on lots. Unfortunately that is not the case, as most dealers are selling as fast as they get them... Supply and Demand .

 

I've bought something like 40 cars and several motorcycles. On every single one, I've negotiated the price. I even tried to negotiate the price on the mini and was granted the free floor mats and some goodies. I honestly didn't push it much because a) I had read so much on this board on how cars were selling at MSRP, so I was prepared and b) this was one of the few cars that I've bought recently that I was actually enthusiastic about, and so I didn't mind paying for it.

But for all of my previous cars, I think I've gotten some really good deals and I think I've gotten screwed a few times. By screwed, I mean that I paid more than I could have. So I'm a better negotiator now, and I think I know how to get a good price (as long as the car isn't in high demand).

The game that the car dealers play is stacked in their favor, and they trick us, they lie, they manipulate and sometimes they lie. In my years of buying Chevys, Pontiacs, Fords, BMWs, Jaguars, Porsches, Mercedes I have found that the way you are treated is often in relation to the type (and price) of car that you are buying. How you are treated in a Chevy showroom tends to differ greatly from a Mercedes. But they still play the same basic game and use the same tricks. They're just nicer about it when you are buying the Jag.

And I'll never forget my favorite line. I was at my BMW dealership (probably for service) chatting with my salesman, and he was about to deliver a new Z8. "How much are they going for?" I asked. "We got 25 over for it." They charged the guy 25 thousand dollars (that's an MCS!) over sticker on a, what, a $95,000 car!! (IIRC). So I asked, "did you give him a tube of K-Y before you stuck it in?"

He was not amused.

Damn, now I've rambled on and forgot my point.


Michael

 

Because MINI's are the only game in town right now (in the U.S. anyway) for reasonably priced, fuel efficient, 4 seater fun, they will continue to command a premium. When other manufacturers start jumping on the bandwagon things will change. The Miata is a good example, very high premiums at first, good resale value for a while. Now they can be had for substantial discounts like any other car and used prices are flat. When production ramps up for the new 07's and the competition heats up you'll start seeing discounts and better deals. It may already be happening in certain regions. The current MINI market kind of reminds me of the Harley market a few years back. Everyone had to have one and used Harleys were selling for as much or more than a brand new one. Once sanity set in, people began to see the light and the used market softened which in turn put less pressure on the new market. Supply and demand ruled as Harley ramped up production and new bikes were no longer rare and dealers couldn't gouge anymore, though some still try. The only thing to prevent the inevitable is if MINI/BMW restricts production and I doubt that will happen.

 

It sounds like some people think when the car salesman says, "sorry you can't get a discount, or, "MSRP is as low as we can go", that that's the last word on the subject.

Almost never is that true.

 

The problem with this statement is that other dealers do the same thing for brand new cars. And personally, I fail to see value in anything I have to wait for. If I show up with cash in hand, and the dealer doesn't have what I'm looking for, I go elsewhere.

To each their own.

 

For the record, the only Minis currently holding their "value", are '05's, and '06's. Used '02's and '03's are seeing several thousand dollar depreciation, just like any other import their age.

 

"Interestingly it would seem MINI has decided to use the naturally aspirated 115bhp version of the engine (equipped with BMW’s Valvetronic) for the Cooper despite the fact that there is a 140bhp turbo version that will be available and put in use by PSA"

http://www.motoringfile.com/2005/03/..._mini_revealed

 

And that is why I used the phrase "most MINI owners." And from my own experience, I got lucky, I found an 05' MC that was a cancelled custom order, so I did not suffer the wait nor did I compromise on the options I would have ordered if I had placed my own order. If this wasn't the case, I would have gladly placed an order just for the assurance that I could have my car the way I want it. When it comes to a MINI, I want to customize my car and don't want to take or leave an option just because something is sitting on the lot. Once again, everyone places value in different aspects of car ownership. I paid MSRP for my MINI and am fine with it because I got the car exactly the way I wanted it and I continue to have a great "after experience" with my dealer.

 

The bottom line is this.

If you WANT one you will pay MSRP because you already fell in love. Those who got less than MSRP are willing to buy another car if the dealer doesnt budge on price. after test driving there was no way I would be happy in any of the other cars I drove. I and most people who love these cars are just not willing to back up our threat to buy honda if they dont cut 500 off the price, because as someone said earlier there really isn't any competition in this sector. there just isn't a car that can compete with the fun factor of this car.

Much like falling in love with a beautiful woman....

 

I paid MSRP, got free floor mats (everyone does), and a travel coffee mug I should have asked for a shirt too. Maybe I will when I pick it up.

 

seems to be the standard. I live in Cali and got an MCSC for MSRP. Note that it was 'extra allocation' and on it's way already, so it's unsold inventory. If you're willing to compromise a bit, just go to the dealer and ask what cars are available on the lot and go from there. I was extremely lucky and available car was almost exactly what i wanted!
I got the floormats, a detail, a full tank of gas and the swing away coffee mug holder. Just ordered the windscreen and euro shelf from the nice folks at Classic.

 

I kept my first MINI - 04MCS for close to 2 years. At 18k miles I traded it in for a MCS convertible. My dealer gave me 2k less than what I paid for it brand new! I think instead of looking for a discount one should take into account the strong residuals! And in NJ, you do not pay sales tax on the portion of your trade in.. which saved me 1,200 in tax. So basically the old MINI cost me $800 for 2 years (400 bucks a year!). Try that in a Chevy!

 

I actually had some MA contact me via email offering to sell MINI cooper S @ $1000 under MSRP back in 03/05. I never followed through because I ended up buying a gently used 2002 MCS
This was Braman Mini in West Palm Beach, FL. I got the contact through one of those internet car buying sites (cars.com I believe).
Some of them don't even include MINI in their Network, but if you email the company direct, they provide you with a dealer contact.

 

I do not think this is the case at all, the older ones seem to lose their value when they are out of warranty, but they still hold their value better than a Honda, Toyota etc..
I paid $19,500 for a MCS with premium package, still under warranty, and this car was in cherry condition. 37,000 miles on it. The car was listed in as true market value at $22,000 (in April 2005).

 

Yes got 10%off list on demo with 3000mi

 

I agree with this, but I guess I just got lucky at the dealership because I didn't really NEED a new car, and I was willing to wait awhile to buy one, so I probably didn't seem that concerned about the price yet. But in the end, I got my MCS 6-spd, sport package with sunroof for about $800 less than MSRP. I'm not sure how this happened based on all of the posts on this thread! I'll recommend a dealership to whomever asks.

 

i bet they would deal. keeler in latham new york. they have some nice ones.

 

Ordered my MINI/S for $500 over Invoice plus $400 dealer fee. Worked out to be just over 23k on the road.