MINI Cooper Prices Paid

crunch

Please tell me the MSRP of 32000 is a typo. Even a MCSC with the options you listed would be less that that. Did you mean 22,000 perhaps?

bvmd73

oops...yup that's a typo- MSRP is 22,000. Also I looked at the contract again and re-calculated my savings to be $1750 ($1000 below MSRP and $695 acquisition fee waived + $50 since gas tank was only 1/2 full). I'm really happy with Lease by Tel and will use them again when my dad in Las Vegas gets the new Passat. They can get you any car at a great price where ever you live in the US!

wantminenow

Yes please! Currently lowest quote is $550 p/month with $500 down for a mscs w/4 packages! Also, I have gotten various delivery dates from end of Sept. up to as late as mid Nov. for the 2006s. Is this just a dealer tactic or can this be true?

rayt2

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, just read the post. Nearest dealer to Poughkeepsie is either Westchester BMW/Mini or Prestige Mini ( http://www.prestigemini.com ) in Ramsey, N.J off 17 (where I bought mine from) about 50 miles from Potown. Buying experience was excellent , I dealt with the sales manager himself. Expect to pay MSRP (maybe they'll throw in some floor mats & bonnet stripes) but don't be afraid to ask for under MSRP. If you order it will take approx 8 to 10 weeks I believe is what he told me (been contemplating upgrading to an "S"). I can go a little more into detail thru my e-mail rather than over this site so e-mail me with any questions, check my profile for e-mail address.

Ray T. :shades:

needacar6

at the MINI dealer in the san diego area,
MSRP is listed as 20,400 for the base model 2005 cooper w/ manual transmission, before options are added. Edmunds lists MSRP as 16,900 for the same . The cheapest one on the lot is tagged at over $28k.
ack.

Any luck elsewhere in california?

imajetsfan1

Hello ... I'm looking to buy a convertible mini, but I don't have a lot of information. I can only spend about $24K (would rather spend $17) and I've seen prices anywhere from 20-31K. Can anybody post a quick message letting me know what is the lowest price I can buy a convertible mini. Also, will I get value by spending a little more than the minimum, or should I get the cheapest one possible? thanks!

markjenn

In most markets convertible Mini's are selling for MSRP. A few markets, mostly on the west coast, are getting $1K-$4K over MSRP. You can get MSRP at Mini's web site. This is basically the "lowest price". In low-demand markets, you can sometimes buy off the lot, but most markets have a 2-3 month wait from order to delivery. There are longer waits on MCS's compared to MC's.

If you're buying a new car, you pretty much want to spend as little as possible, although it may not be worth going across the country to save a small amount.

- Mark

minilooking

I am also looking for a MC S in SoCal. Anybody recently bought one who can advise on place to buy and price in relation to MSRP?

jxbst15

When things are too good to be true at the dealership, I have to wonder if the MINI I bought last weekend will fall apart a la a Bugs Bunny cartoon and I'll be left on a seat holding a wheel as I plung over a cliff somewhere.

Walked into the dealership and bought a loaded black 05 mini s in the DC area off the lot - paid MSRP ($27460) and got a hell of a deal on financing I wasn't expecting through BMW (had my own financing pre-arranged). The car did have an alarm I didn't want that the dealer installed, but not a deal breaker for me. It had all the packages + the LSD + the chrome lining inside + out + the chrono package. The whole transaction took less than 2 hours.

Beautiful car, a ton of fun to drive so far!

anjor

I am wondering how I can find out what the money factor was used for March 2005 on the Mini Cooper S Convertible. I made an agreement the end of March 2005 for a Mini Cooper S Convertible and I thought the rate was 5.3% (as I recall, BMW Financial was having this incentive). I am currently negotiating a lease for a 2005 BMW X3 and pulled out my Mini lease which seemed quite high. I actually picked up my Mini on April 6, and when I emailed the Mini rep yesterday to question the high lease payments, they gave me a money factor of 0.0028 which I believe comes out to be more than 5.3% (0.0028X2400). I was quoted $500 under MSRP, which came out to $31,020, but realized (thanks to this board in hindsight), that they took $500 off the $550 destination charge. I did add the Ipod auxiliary jack for $170 at the last minute which they said brought the price to $31335 + $625 bank fee.The security deposit was waved and I paid registration, doc & tire fees + first month of $518.00 including tax on pick up. I assumed the bank fee was rolled into the adjusted cap, but I guess it was not. Would it make much of a difference if the money factor was less?

Thanks for your help. I am a bit confused.

anjor

The $518.00 was the monthly payment minus the doc, registration, tire fee.

kyfdx

Looking back through the Lease Questions forum, it looks like the base money factor in March was either .00255 or .00265... waiving the security deposit raises the money factor by .00015.....

Equates to a little over 6% APR, either way..

If you didn't pay the $625 acquisition fee upfront, then it was definitely rolled into the cap cost... It has to be paid, one way or the other..

Considering a $30K car, purchased at MSRP, with a market-rate money factor, your payment doesn't look out of line... though, you don't mention term or mileage..

regards,
kyfdx

anjor

The term is 36/12,000.

Why does waiving the security deposit increase the money factor at all? They did not do that with the X3.

Anyway, it you think the lease looks in line, then I am OK with it.

Thanks, again for your help. I could not find the information anywhere in my search.

kyfdx

Your X3 lease may have had the security deposit waived, because you were a returning customer? If not, they may have bumped the money factor in lieu of the deposit, and not told you...

Either way, it is pretty hard to go back 6 months later, and re-visit a contract...

So, how do you like the MINI S convertible? They look like a lot of fun, except for maybe some visibility issues..

regards,
kyfdx

anjor

Yes, you are quite right about going back 6 months!! I was happy to have gotten the car with no wait at all and loaded with options...so no complaints here.

I absolutely LOVE the MCS Convertible. I test drove a manual S and an automatic that was not an S. There was a big difference with the S. I opted for the automatic (that's what was in stock, anyway). Never thought I would love it this much! It is really peppy, takes turns beautifully, and is a handsome looking car (I have the dark silver, black top). People stop me all the time, complimenting the car and wanting to know all about it. There is a comraderie on the road amongst Mini drivers and there is this bond (the "Mini Wave") when you pass one, that is very cool! Trunk space is plentiful and back seat legroom is surprisingly ample. Extremely FUN to drive!

On the down side.... The blind spot with the top up is the biggest drawback. It is pretty bad. Also, driving at night is a bit tough. Would like to see Mini add lighted mirrors, as well. My top broke after two months and there was a problem with fading. Mini replaced it, of course. Guess this is first year kinks. The new top creaks when going up, perhaps too tight. Car rattled badly when sunroof was open, but Mini adjusted this and is better now. I really like the sunroof option vs. full top down. There are still some rattles with the windows at high speed, but Mini acknowledges these things and are quick to resolve any issues. I get the feeling that the service centers are also in learning mode. The flat run tires seem sensitive,but that could be due to a number of things. Given the intro of this car, it seems as if they have gotten it right. Being a BMW lover, you can tell that it is a BMW built car and the value for what you get can't be beat compared to other cars in its class.

HIGHLY recommend this car and I will always be a MINI driver. If you don't have one..get one! You won't be disappointed!!

bkirsch2000

Hi all!

I'm in the process of moving to LA and I keep hearing horror stories of long waits and $1000s over MSRP in So Cal for a mini cooper convertible.

Las Vegas said they would order my car and charge me a little over MSRP and I'd have it in five weeks.

I'm not in LA yet, so I was just wondering what people's experiances have been. Thank you so much for sharing.

Cheers,

Beth

ninasimone

Hello, all.

The Lease Questions forum didn't turn-up any current MFs for me.

Anyone herein care to share? :shades:

kyfdx

Patience... it has only been a few hours... check again tomorrow...

regards,
kyfdx

chris35

I live in Orange Co. CA and just started looking at Minis. Irvine BMW charges a $2500 overcharge and has a 10 week wait for an S. Im not sure how it is everywhere else, but I would guess that it could not be much worse.

juggynut

In the San Jose, CA area we have two choices - Mtn View and Pleasanton. Mtn View has the same 2500 overcharge, non-negotiable with about the same lead time. Pleasanton has no mark up, but has a 10 month wait. No good either way.

akitadog

If you've already taken a test drive and know what you want, I say order your car to spec from an out-of-state dealer and have it delivered. The wait will be 4 to 8 weeks and delivery would probably be $1000 at worst. Saving $1500 over the CA rip-offs they get away with.

gasgirl

Glad to hear feedback that lists the positives and negatives. I am also looking at the Cooper S Convertible. Anyone else have similar problems with the cloth soft top? Is there anything in the works for a better top in the future?

chile96

wife wants a fun weekend car so we decided on a MC "s" convertible. Looks like it'll have to be an ordered car in the Atlanta area. Before I go over to the dealership, just wanted to make sure i had a realistic price on my mind.

I'm assuming MSRP on a heavily optioned order car will be the ticket?

thanks

crunch

I would expect MSRP in Atlanta. I have heard of some unusually high dealer add-on charges in Atlanta though. Be sure to ask your sales person for a detailed list of charges before you sign up for anything. Don't want any surprises. :surprise:

maxillo

Has anyone recently leased an 05 Mini S?

I'm in the NY area and am thinking about leasing one. Does the MF of 0.0028 still apply? What about residual % (57% after 36 months 12000 mile/year)?

Any help would be much appreciated.

cheers

plekto

So I want a MIni. I like the car and the resale value is nice. I drive 8-10K miles a year and am the perfect candidate for a lease or to buy.

Yet I live in California. I went to the local dealer in Monrovia and they were charging $4K over MSRP on the non-S models. He said he wouldn't even order one for me for less than $20K, unless it had at least $2000 in dealer installed options on top of that so that he could make the same profit(this on top of the $2K over invoice they already make!).

*boggle* Can they do this? If MiniUSA states a certain price is MSRP - how can the dealers charge more for one you order directly from the factory? Is there a way that I can just deal with Mini directly and have them deliver it to the local dealer in a few months?

So I talked to the one in North Hollywood. They were willing to order one for MSRP, but only if I used their financing - otherwise, you guessed it - 4K markup. I asked about a lease - but it came back with something silly - they were calculating the residual value as if it were a Ford or something - said it would be worth $10K in 4 years or some nonsense.(find me a 2001 Cooper for $10K that isn't flood-damaged - I defy you to find one) Their in-house financing was like 18%, naturally. $400-something a month on a base Cooper. Gheez.

SIGH. So tired of getting a run-around. I just want to get one but can't since there doesn't seem to be any dealership in California that isn't hopelessly corrupt. How can Mini tolerate peole who run businesses like this? Is it even legal to force someone to pay more than MSRP for something they order directly from the manufacturer? This has to be illegal somehow.

If I can't make this work within a few weeks - I'll tell you right now(and I know MiniUSA reads these forums) - I'll just buy a used IS300 or RX-8 or something.

Great car. Worst dealerships on the planet. It's a bad combination.

markjenn

Car dealerships are independent businesses that are free to charge what the market will bear. There is nothing illegal about this at all. In fact, what IS illegal is a mfg forcing a car dealer to sell at a fixed price. And if you think about it, if it was illegal for them to charge more than MSRP, then wouldn't it also be illegal for you to go in and negotiate a price below MSRP?. If the price were fixed, then it would cut both ways.

The only mfg which does have a fixed price policy right now is Saturn. I think they can do this because the Saturn dealerships are owned by the mfg - they're not independent franchises like other car dealerships. But again, this cuts both ways - no Saturn is sold for above MSRP, but none or sold for below MSRP either.

As to ordering it directly from Mini, MiniUSA is the exclusive importer and the Mini dealer network is the exclusive retail outlet for cars imported from MiniUSA. You could try and buy a car overseas and have it shipped here, but this is just a momumental hassle and expense as the car has to be brought to US emissions and safety standards. This isn't feasible.

What you can do is simply take your business to somewhere else where the supply is higher and the demand lower. Most of the rest of the country's dealers will happily order a car for MSRP and deliver it 2-3 months later. You can either go pick it up and drive home or have it shipped to you. All cars sold in the US meet CA emissions standards so there is no hassle there.

- Mark

plekto

I guess I'll have to do it that way. There are some options that I want on it that normally don't come on it, like the rear foglight and side turn indicators and a few other things - you basically have to order it that way.

kyfdx

You might have better luck, if you post your question here:

MINI Cooper: Lease Questions

regards,
kyfdx
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minigirl1

What are the problems folks have had with the cloth soft top? I have experienced no problems here.

nycgrrrl

Hello fellow MINI lovers!!!

Desperately seeking wise advice and wisdom regarding buying a mini cooper convertible (base model) in silver. I will be moving to Los Angeles on January 4th, 2006, and would like to know the fastest and cheapest way to make this happen.

Has anyone used a car broker or CARSDIRECT.COM? Are they any good? If anyone can refer me to a car broker, I would be very interested to hear your experiences and how much you paid for their service, and what kind of a deal they managed to get for you.

I am a first time car buyer (after living in nyc for the last 12 years), and feel totally overwhelmed and nervous about the buying/negotiating process.

I am currently in transition at the moment, so I do not have a home address. (I'm staying with friends in Barcelona until I move to L.A. in January) How do you go about securing car insurance and ordering a MINI if you do not have a current address to give???

Basically, I will be moving to L.A. Jan.4th, staying at a hotel while I look for an apt. to rent. I will also be renting a car until I can buy my MINI convertible. Does anyone know if I have a chance of ordering one now, and having it ready and waiting for me by January 4th?
If not ready and waiting, at least ready within 2-4 weeks of arrival?

I had no idea that you had to wait so long for a MINI. especially in L.A. What are the chances of finding a silver base model convertible(manual transmission) on a dealer's lot when I arrive? Does the fact that it is right after the holidays help me or hurt me?

Please, if there is a kind soul out there who could recommend good finance options or insurance options, I would be so grateful. I've heard it hurts your credit score if you make too many inquiries - does anyone know what the time period is for when they lump all your car financing inquiries into one inquiry?

Don't know where to start. Can I order the car first, and then deal with financing and insurance? Or should I secure financing first, insurance second, and then order the car? Can I use a friend's address in L.A. temporarily to make all these things happen?

I simply can't afford to rent a car for more than a couple of weeks.....would love to line everything up now, so that I would only need a rental car for less than a month.

Beth - how was your experience??? How did you finally get your MINI?

When I e-mail internet managers regarding their selling price, what is the best way to proceed without sounding like the first time buyer that I am? I'm not well versed in car terminology, what is the best way of approaching them? Do I ask if they are charging MSRP, or just ask them what their "out the door" price is?

Is it possible to order straight off the MINI website?

Please help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cct1

You can order the car first and arrange financing later. There are a number of ways to finance--credit union, or over the web. Your dealer may offer to match your best rate once you have a firm offer for financing.

The mini plant is shutting down in January for a few weeks; I'd order ASAP; January fourth is going to be pushing it, but you can get a production date before the plant shutdown. There are other dealers than the ones in LA--you can even order in the midwest and have the car sent to you for example. Don't pay over MSRP, but expect to pay MSRP. Wether you can find one on the lot or not is a crapshoot--you might want to check with several dealers around the country.

You can configure your car at the mini website, but you can't order it from miniUSA--you will need a dealer for that.

nycgrrrl

thank you so much cct1!!!! i deeply appreciate you taking the time to help out a first time buyer. i just spent the last hour or so writing down every single dealer's telephone number in the country to compare prices... (that's a hell of a lot of international calls to make...but what's a girl gonna do when she's overseas?

you didn't mention anything about securing insurance before ordering, is that essential? or should i just go and order my mini asap, since the plant is shutting down in january?

it sounds like it is more secure to order in advance, rather than take the chance that my specific model will be on any given dealer's lot when i arrive in los angeles. do you think that is the way to go?

i apologize for my ignorance, but when i do order from a dealer offering me MSRP ( i hope), do i have to put a down payment right away, or a deposit???

i have no idea how it works.... if i do have to put a deposit or down payment, how much do you think that would be? does it vary greatly depending on the dealer, or is there a standard amount?

also re: financing, if i can order first, and arrange financing later, how much time do i have to arrange it? do i have until my car is actually ready? it sounds like i should get started on that now...

if you know of any good websites or car buying guides that could educate me on the basics, that would be great.

thank you so much for responding....i hope to hear from you soon....

you are a kind soul, and i wish you the best....

nycgrrrl

rowlandj

If you find a dealer that is convenient for where you'll be when you get home that's the best option assuming you get MSRP from them. Go to mini.com, build your mini and then send that spec to that dealer as what you want. Give them a lead time of about 3 months if you can to have that car at their location. You may get lucky and find one that you like but there are so many options on Mini's it's hard to say if that will work out.

They will likely need about $1,000 deposit and, assuming your car is not way out of the ordindary, this should be refundable if the deal does not work out for some reason.

For a loan you could try eLoan.com or other such services for the financing. But you could use them to lock in a rate and see if the dealer will match or beat that. This assumes you don't have options at a credit union or employee benefit or something.

Good luck in the hunt.

JR

cct1

Personally I'd order a Mini--you can get exactly what you want, and you're probably not going to find one cheaper sitting on a lot; might as well get the car perfect for yourself! And you may have to settle for something on the lot--you're going to be paying the same anyway, so get what you want.

You don't need your insurance before ordering your mini. If your dead set on the Mini, I'd get it ordered; that's going to be the rate limiting step. You can get the loan and insurance after. Eloan is a great place to get a loan quote; your dealer may match it.

My deposit was $500. My car should be here any day now. Financing can be arranged in a day or so; I haven't arranged for it yet; I'll do it when I get the call from the dealer. Insurance is even easier.

There are some good websites with mini resources, but it would be against the rules of these forums to post them--I can email them to you though.

nycgrrrl

Wow, that's so exciting that your MINI is set to arrive any day now. Congratulations! Did you have to scour the whole country to find a dealer offering MSRP? Did you have to negotiate alot or did you find a no-hassle dealer?

I must confess I am a little afraid of the whole negotiating process, as I am new to all of this. Can you order the car first, and negotiate later? Or do you negotiate on the price first, and then order?

Sorry for all my questions...I'd rather ask strangers, than approach a dealer and expose my lack of knowledge about car buying. I know they would take me for a sucker.

I would love to find out other good websites from you with mini resources...but I know we are not supposed to put personal e-mails in these forums....so how to proceed?

thank you again for your kindness...

nycgrrrl

rayt2

Try here for more forums on the Mini outside of Edmunds, who is also listed as a reference on this search.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Mini+cooper+forums&btnG=Google+Search

Ray T.

nycgrrrl

Thank you!

olddrummer55

Just ordered my "S" Convertible from the Portland, OR dealer and have to wait eight months for delivery. I was in Denver two weeks ago and visited their Mini dealership and was told the wait was eight months for the "S" convertibles. The salesman in Denver claimed it is the highest demand Mini but has the lowest production allocation! :confuse: That doesn't make sense, but what can I say? Paid MSRP plus $175.00 for dealer prep/floor mats and put $1K down. My bank has a car buying negotiating service and they advised many of the west coast dealers are jacking up the price over MSRP so if you can find a dealer who will do MSRP (or less??? ) give them your business. Cheers.

kyfdx

I was at the BMW dealership today.. I went upstairs to the MINI showroom.... and they had a red "S" convertible on the showroom floor that had a red STOP sign hanging from the rear-view mirror.. in smaller print, "This car is available and you can take it home today".

At this dealership, they sell all of their MINIs at MSRP. I didn't look at this model to see what options it had (or didn't have), but obviously, some dealers have them in stock..

regards,
kyfdx
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cct1

I live in Wisconsin, so it was either Milwaukee or Chicago. Did some research on the Milwaukee dealership, knew they sell at MSRP (although they do throw in some mats and knick knacks), and had a good rep., so ordering was a breeze--I already knew what to expect. No negotiating or hassle--check into the dealers in your area; heck, give them a call, ask them their pricing policy, it'll make it even easier for you. You can set up a test drive, etc., and if they know you're coming ahead of time, you're going to be well treated.

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....

plekto

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.

nycgrrrl

well, over the weekend i read 2 car buying guides, and i feel much more informed about the whole car buying process. according to these books, you should be able to negotiate below MSRP,but above invoice.

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....

markjenn

These car buying guides are talking about car buying in general, not Mini buying. For cars that are in low demand, you can generally negotiate deals around invoice, or sometimes even less. But for high-demand cars like the Mini, they typically sell for MSRP. In high-demand west coast markets, they often sell for over MSRP, over the rest of the country they sell for MSRP, perhaps with free mats, or other token throw ins.

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

cct1

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.

nycgrrrl

Thank you. It sounds like there are enough dealers out there selling for MSRP, so I will just do my research and find one. It sounds like there is no point in negotiating if they are selling at MSRP, right?

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...

cct1

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)....

nycgrrrl

Thank you cct1. You have been so incredibly helpful. I will definitely order soon. Now that I have learned so much from this forum and my books and other forums...I finally feel ready to talk to dealers.

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.

markjenn

Given the distance and trouble, I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time trying to negotiate a deal or match the "best deal" you've heard about on the net. On this particular car, MSRP seems to be what everyone is paying (except on the west coast where MSRP+ seems to be common).

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

nycgrrrl

Hi Mark!

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