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Comments
And I was just noticing today that I need to buy mudflaps too. Been awhile since i've had a FWD car...
I have the JCW suspension, Engine kit, and brakes--and I love them.
The JCW strut brace is unnecessary unless you're getting the convertible; its more eye candy than anything else on the Cooper or S, and there are other places to put your money that will significantly improve your performance. Its benefit is negligible to nonexistent on the Cooper or S as they are plenty stiff already. You're better off with M7 strut tower braces (to prevent strut tower mushrooming) than the JCW strut brace, which will not prevent mushrooming. Hopefully, however, on the 2007's the issue with strut tower mushrooming will be a thing of the past.
As for the JCW brakes, make sure you're not getting the racing brakes--I'll have to check out the new configurator; I have the older JCW brakes, which aren't drilled rotors (In fact, the old JCW brakes are now the standard brakes). If the brakes are sealed, they're fine for everyday use. If they're not sealed, they're really only reasonable for the track. But if you're getting the JCW brakes from the dealer, they should be the street brakes rather than the racing brakes anyway (they'll still be good for the track, but also fine for everyday driving).
I agree with you 100% on the rest of your options--brakes make a huge difference, and any upgrade is worth it. The other huge upgrade is tires/lightweight rims (arguable the most important upgrade of all), but that opens a whole other can of worms.
My girlfriend is looking to order a 2007 Cooper and was quoted MSRP by our local dealer. From reading these forums I told her that she probably isn't going to get below that on a car she orders but it never hurts to try...I have a few questions and I was hoping someone on here might know the answers...
1. The dealer is charging installation for the accessories and the iPod adaptor is especially expensive. Has anyone had any luck getting the dealer to drop the installation fees when ordering a car? For us, it's a hard mental hurtle to get past just to pay MSRP (I've never payed MSRP on any car), much less pay for installation on accessories on top of that...
2. There is some sort of pre-delivery fee...I know we have to pay the $650 destination fee but what is the pre-delivery fee? (Sorry we've never ordered a car...)
3. On the mud flaps, have any of you seen them on the car? The dealer tried to talk her out of them. He said he didn't like the way they looked and they didn't work well anyway...It seems to me that he is just trying to get her to remove the accessories rather than cut her a deal on them. Thanks in advance for any comments you have.
BTW, here are the options she is looking at:
(Let me know if you think any of them are not worth it...)
Oxygen Blue
White Roof/Mirrors
White Bonnet Stripes
Convenience Package
Front Fog Lamps
6-Speed Manual
16" Bridge-Spoke w/ All Season Tires
Sport Seats
Automatic AC
Lounge Leather: Carbon Black
Leather Sport Wheel w/Multifunction
10-Speaker. Hi-Fi Sound System
Interior Surface Brushed Alloy
accessories
iPod Adaptor
Chrome Gas Filler Cap
Black Rubber Floor Mats (Front, Back, Boot)
Mud Flaps?
2. If the pre-delivery fee is a dealer prep fee, the answer is no, you shouldn't have to pay that. That is a gouge, and you shouldn't have to pay it. There are many Mini dealers who don't charge a pre-delivery fee; if its exorbitant, you may want to look at another dealer.
3. Mud flaps: Your dealer was right. Forget the mudflaps. They look out of place on a Mini, and potentially create more problems than they solve.
Good Luck!!
I don't know what JCW/aftermarket options there will be, but the idea of mine was to get a basic box with a few options, and the handling and so on upgraded, and then spend the extra money on aftermarket stuff to beef up the brakes, and other things. Bigger anti-swaybar might be nice, for instance, or better calipers or...
Of course, what I really want for this is a Tweel. Imagine a tire that weighs 20-30lbs, including the rim. Looks really cool, too.
The destination fee is automatic added to the price of my car, which is $650. I think all dealers do this.
I haven't received my car yet, not until the end of May. But I think as far as for mud flaps, they don't look that good on a MINI.
I tried my best to eliminate everything that I don't need and this is what I have for my car:
Cooper S
Pure Silver Metallic
Grey/Carbon Black Leatherette
Steptronic automatic transmission
Black bonnet strips
Sports leather steering wheel
16'' alloy wheels, bridge spoke
Roof and mirror caps in black
Foglights
Rear fog lights
Mini HiFi sound system
iPod Adaptor
Most of the options come standard for Cooper S version...
I think you should upgrade to the S version and cut down options that you don't really need. Cooper S is more fun to drive due to it turbo engine w/ 172hp...
I can't wait to get my hand on my MINI and do share when you get yours...
I may eventually go with a bigger adjustable swaybar too.
I've been going back and forth for past year about buying a Mini. A friend of mine has a 5-yr old Saturn mini station wagon with 55,000 miles that he has been telling me--for a year--that he'll give me for $2000ish. He has 3 kids plus nany and wife and they need a minivan or somesuch. Problem is, he is also trying to move houses, change kidsschools and they are both busy with kids/works--and they both have international driver's licenses and have to go retake the NY driver's test, etc. So I've already been waiting a year for him to hand over the car--he PROMISISES he will, even by the summer--but I'm not so sure it will really pan out.
I don't want the Saturn but obviously its like a free car and even though I"m having Mini fantasies I have to do what's fiscally smart!
HOWEVER, I do need a car by early June since I'll be housesitting a few days a week in Connecticut...and I'm not sure if he's going to get his act together by then and if he doens't then I will have to have another car alternative--and that will probably mean just stumpoing for a Mini.
I was just looking at Mini websites in the area and saw this Long Island one in Freeport offering this deal that looks like a really nice option.
But seeing as I know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about cars and buying or leasing them, I'm not sure if there isn't something that I'm majorly missing.
When I've been thinking about buying one I'd sort of thought that leasing for 3 years made no sense because you pay so much at the end and you don't own it. I don't really care if I drive an old car so once I buy it I woulnd't just trade in for a new model just for the heck of it. So if I was going to be paying out for 3 years, it would make more sense to just buy, I think.
But then I saw this:
_______
Is This The Best Lease Ever? Call us let us know your opinion!
The One Year Lease Special is back!
The all new 2007 MINI Cooper
is available to well qualified lesees with;
NO Bank Fee !
No Security Deposit!
Starting at as little as $99 per month with only $1,799 down
$1898 due at inception, plus taxes, registration and title fees
for a 2007 MINI Cooper, MSRP $18,700. Order yours today!
10,000 mile per year lease. lesee responsible for excess wear and tear, taxes, insurance, registration and title fees. available to well qualified lesee's through MINI Financial Services. Some restrictions may apply,call for details. Must be approved by 4/30/2007 and delivered by 5/31/07
Hassel MINI___________
I called and spoke to the sales guy and he said--
A mini I would want would be roughly--TO BUY--$21,000 ish
(18,700 plus automatic 1300 plus a few options)
TO LEASE
The 1-year lease is $2300 down payment (includes the down payment plus taxes, title, regis and first month)
then 11 months at $130ish--so $1400 for year
So the total year's leasing would cost around $3700 or 300/month.
Not bad to rent a brand new car (and not having to do it for 3 years like those usual leases)
THEN TO BUY LATER
then if I wanted to buy it after a year it would be the 'residual value' (whatever that is): $17, 800--
HUH?
...and this is where it doesn't make sense to me--so if I leased for a year, then bought it, it would be around the same price 17,800+3700= 21,000ish as if I had just bought it straight out WITHOUT leasing it for a year...? Does that make sense for the dealer?....it doesn't seem like they make EXTRA money from leasing it that way? But the sales guy said that was the case.
Anyway, so it sounds like a win-win no comittment deal. And I could give it back after a year if I move out of NYC and want a bigger car or I could just buy it and not have lost anything...(other than the free freind's car, but then it probably would've started to break down by then anyway!)
anyway this seems to be such a good deal I'm wondering if I'm being dumb about something...?
_______
anyway, what do experienced car buyers/owners/leasers think?
also, no one answered my mud flap question--what do they do? keep the mud off your tires? Is that really necessary if you make a point not to drive in the wet dirt?
thanks!
If it's real, it's a hell of a deal. Just be sure to buy it when your'e done with the lease, as you can resell it for $18-20K at a moment's notice(actually make a lot of your money back).
Go onto autotrader or cars.com and loko at the silly prices for 2 year old models. Something like 2-3K less than new, if that. Nothing I know of depreciates $1000 a year.
Skip the automatic, though. In a base model, the manual is more desireable for resale, since it's harder to find(fewer people will call, but the offers will be higher as a percentage of your initial cost.
Man I wish I had this deal out here in CA.
It has 50,000 miles on it, Avon Performance Tyres (non-run flats with 16k on them, lots of life left) that handle great, mechanically the car is great - all service done at dealer. Interior/Exterior is also in good condition. I'm looking for someone who wants to have as much fun driving this car as I have had!!
For some reason I haven't had much interest, I don't know if it's the area (Balt/DC) or the season (winter) or ...
If you are interested send me an email message. I've been asking $17995 but am open to offers.
Thanks!
can anyone tell me which year to go with for a used purchase?
I was looking at the 04 to the 07 (if I can find one). I don't know when any changes where made so I have no idea which model might have better features.
thanks
The 2006 would be your best bet as that was when most problems had been worked out, but finding a used one might be tough. You can check the cars for sales area here or on North American Motoring. Although there might be discounts on 2006s that dealers still have on the lot and are trying to clear... although the discounts won't be much. Also, I think it would probably be best to stay way from the Cooper CVT (automatic) as I've read they have had a lot of problems. The 2007 doesn't use the CVT anymore from what I understand.
If you're after a used Mini Cooper or S stick, you'll want a 2005 or 2006 if you go used--all the bugs are worked out of these, this is also when the gear ratios were changed; it significantly improved the drivability of the car. You may still find one under warranty.
Personally, I'd wait until 2008 at the earliest on the new Mini's--the 2007 is entirely new--every body panel, mechanical part, etc. And there have been some significant problems--not unexpected--given that the 2007 is a completely different car from the 2006. The only thing that is remotely the same is the look.
This is part of the reason that Mini did away with the CVT on the 2007's--so although for the Mini S, I prefer the 2006, if I was getting an automatic base Cooper, I'd definitely, beyond a doubt, get a 2007. The 2007 is a traditional automatic, hopefully will have less issues with the transmission than the CVT, and performs significantly better than the CVT. Also, from a deprecitation standpoint, I think the CVT will be very, very difficult to sell in a few years; the new automatic on the other hand should depreciate very, very slowly in comparison.
2007 Cooper
Oxygen Blue
White Roof/Mirrors
White Bonnet Stripes
Front Fog Lamps
6-Speed Manual
16" Bridge-Spoke w/ All Season Tires
Sport Seats
Punch Leather: Carbon Black
Leather Sport Wheel w/Multifunction
10-Speaker. Hi-Fi Sound System
iPod Adaptor
The sale price for this before taxes and title was $22,185 including the iPod adaptor. We ended up saving over $1000 because the dealer removed the $499 dealer fee, and didn't charge the $650 destination fee. He also threw in free mats and only charged $385 on the iPod adaptor, which is really low compared to some other dealers. Also, most other dealers have a $1000 deposit and this one only charged a $500 deposit.
We live in Tampa and our local dealer in Palm Harbor has been calling for weeks since we did a test drive. When we told him that we were going to order from another dealer because they were so much less expensive, he made sure to tell us that they wouldn't be able to offer us a loaner car if we get the car serviced there. I'm not sure if this was supposed to earn our business but we made it pretty clear that all he had to do was match the price in Miami and we would order from him. Even with the discounts and freebees the Miami dealer still made a handy profit on our sale. I just don't get why the local dealer wouldn't budge. Oh well, we are very excited to drive back down for the delivery. It should be fun to motor over to South Beach for a Mojito when it comes in! For anyone looking to buy a Mini who doesn't mind driving a little, I highly recommend emailing all the dealers around you as we found a large variation in the prices we were quoted. Also, when negotiating don't be afraid to let them know that you are willing to go to another dealer. Some won't budge but some will. Good luck and happy motoring!
I'm curious though, I thought all the MINIs were supposed to offer basically the same prices since the options all are established prices...so what is that the Miami dealer just knocked off the stuff you listed above, or did you find a wide variation with all dealers?
I found a place here in NY that is doing a 1 year lease and I think I"m going to do that but I'm not sure that I can get any other places to offer that, although I guess it's worth a try.
did you figure out all your options that you wanted first and then email that list to each dealer?
what is the deposit for if you're buying it?
I've called several mini dealers and always find that the sales people never call me again--which seems odd becuase when I was going to buy my mother a Ford and a Staurn a few years ago I was bombarded with these guys pestering me. So it's interesing that you had the Palm Harbor dealer calling you...
Dealer fees, destination fees, and installation on dealer add-ons can add up quick. Any dealer add-ons like the iPod adaptor have a wide degree of latitude on pricing because they charge varying installation rates. There were some dealers that charged alot more for installation and just about everyone's dealer fees were different. (Anywhere from $350-$650).
They certainly have room to drop the price if they want to but most won't. At MSRP, the car we bought yielded them approx. $2100 profit (maybe a little less if they have to pay that destination fee), but they might have made even more because I don't even know whether there are dealer kickbacks.
Paying MSRP seems to be the Mini way, but I did some research and found out that the dealer fees are a price gouge that dealers get away with. It is supposed to pay for the cost to inspect, unwrap, clean, and fuel your car. Of course, these costs really only amount to $100 at most to the dealer and really not even that since they have to do this to any car they get anyway.
Another thing to look out for is the "paint protectant". The Palm Harbor dealer proudly told us that all the cars on the lot have the some sort of paint guard (a large invisible clear decal across the front bumper and hood) and that this was an extra $1000. If you really want this, you can get it installed for much less after market.
The deposit is when you order one. You have to put something down while it is being built. The price is set once you sign the contract and you pay the balance when the car gets in. It really doesn't matter to me what they charge but it's nice having as little of our cashflow tied up as possible. We only ordered because my girlfriend really wanted Oxygen Blue, which nobody has on the lot yet.
Several dealers tried to get us to drop the iPod adaptor because the car already has an aux-in in the glovebox and their installation rate was way too high. We wanted the iPod specific adaptor though because you can control it with the stereo controls on the steering wheel, it charges the iPod, and shows track information on the head unit. We use our iPods for music in our cars now but our adaptor only allows us to use the iPod interface to change songs. It is really dangerous to reach into the glovebox, get your iPod out, and look for a song while you are driving down the freeway. It is certainly worth $385 IMO to have a 1000-20,000 song jukebox in your glovebox that can be controlled with your steering wheel and can be taken with you. Especially, if you already have an iPod. It isn't worth the $700 some other dealers where trying to charge though...
The skinny is that the Mini should only be offered in manual. It's exactly like buying an automatic Porsche. Such a drastic difference in how it drives that you really should just stop being a lame couch potato who complains about everything and just learn to drive stick. Especially with the base Mini, which is pretty underpowered as it is. Two totally different experiences.
And, yes, anyone can learn stick. ANYONE. 90%+ of the entire world drives or can drive a manual transmission. I'm sure if you got a brand new Mini with stick for free, you would figure uit out pretty soon
I did see that paint guard stuff on the ooptions on the build-your-mini site, so maybe that dealder just automatically got them on everything ordered for their lot...
I guess the hardest part is figuring out which options you really need. Someone told me the other day that he barely uses any of the controls on his Porsche SUV steering wheel except volume control and mute...so is it then worth several hundred dollars, esp. if you are used to doing it the old fashioned way (reaching over and turning down the dial!)
the options I'm thinking of getting are:
multi steering wheel--although do I really need it? what else besides stereo controls are on here?
Weahter option: heated seats and mirrors (I'm in NYC)
dynamic stability control
parking distance computer thing (is this good or not? I know it's hot on cars right now)
armrest (it's such a CRAPPY armrest, you'd think they could make a better one, esp. as there IS space in this area! and they don't use it! But still I can't imagine NOT having an arm rest here--can you buy your own somewhere else--a nice one and have it installed?))
sports seats--everyone on this forum seems to think they are worth it
fog lights--still unsure about these, front only, back ony, both? do I need them at all? I can count the handful of times I might drive thru fog..but do the regular lights not work very well? what's the benefit of these really?
leatherette vs. cloth seats? I don't want to spend any extra money for leather--but any benefit in getting one of these free options vs. the other?
no sunroof--seems to me like I'd barely use it, plus I like to avoid the sun because f wrinkles...
shade for window?--is this a good thing to get, the dark cover?
mudflaps--still not sure what these do or if I need them
automatic--sorry, in NYC manual to learn and use would not be good, so much stop start every second. I'm not a big savvy driver so I'm not sure the nuances of all these engines really make a difference for me
base or S?--this is where I'm still not sure. I appreciate that S has more power...but I'm not going to be racing, or speeding and I'm not sure I know the difference...so I'm not sure what to do here. Esp as I'd really like to save money. My main use will be driving (AND parking) in NYC, and then driving once or twice a month a copule of hours out of the city for hte weekend. I'm buying this cute car to PARK it! not to drive it! (in NYC parking is hard to find!)
grocery bag hooks in the back..?
glove compartment divider?
all season tires? (are these better than just the standard ones?) they are free it seems; why would I need bigger tires?
I'm still unsure about color and trying to avoid getting caught up in all the decorative options since those can add up, although I'm tempted by a british license plate and mabye outside mirrors with checker pattern and I'm starting to like stripes the more I look at them--although I wonder if that hurts resale value or if they peel off or anything?
any comments appreciate
thanks
DSC--definitely get it. Wonderful safety feature, especially if you have slick roads.
Parking distance thingy: It's a Mini!! You don't need it, unless you live in europe.
Armrest: It's fliimsy, I'll admit, but aftermarket solutions haven't been so hot--something is always compromised. I got it, I use it, but I wish it was a bit sturdier. I'd get it again though.
Sport seats are definite must. Much more comfortable.
Leatherett vs cloth is a personal preference. I did leather.
Sunroof is another personal preference. I love it, its almost like having a convertible, and it makes the Mini feel bigger by letting in more ambient light, even when closed.
Shade for the window: PIA in my opinion. Have fun storing it, putting it in and out, etc. Not worth it or really necessary.
Mudflaps: Definitely not. Screws up the look of the car, and doesn't help with the major area that gets dirty on the Mini--the rear hatch.
The new automatic is fine, but I'd strongly recommend learning to drive a stick--its a very easy stick to drive.
Grocery hooks really aren't necessary with the way the boot is shaped; neither is the glove compartment divider.
If you're doing everyday driving, you'll want the all season tires. Performance tires are strictly for warm weather, standard tires are ok for all season, but all seasons are a decent all around tire.
Bang for the buck, upgrading from the Cooper the the S is the most cost effective upgrade you can do. The S is almost a totally different car. Both are great cars, but if cost isn't an issue, I'd go for the S.
You gotta do the extras! The stripes, if peeled off properly, don't leave marks, and they can be replaced if damaged-it won't have any impact on resale. Mirror caps, whatever you want to do--its all about individualizing it, so definitely go for it!
On the options you listed:
I think the multifunction steering wheel is worth it because you have cruise and stereo controls right at your fingertips but some might not.
The heated seats are probably a must for you but we live in FL...
Dynamic Stability control doesn't seem that important if you get the base mini but you might want it on the S. It just tightens up the suspension for taking turns at higher speeds and keeps you from drifting off the road...
The parking distance thing might be good if you have to parallel park a lot in NYC but its not really that useful here.
The armrest sucks. We didn't get it because it looks like it will break. But if you don't have it you won't have a place to rest your arm. Also, if you want bluetooth for your phone you have to get it.
The sports seats are much nicer than the normal ones.
Its foggy here alot so fog lights are nice to have. Also, they look good on the car.
I would never have cloth seats again but thats personal preference. They get dusty and dirty fast. Leather or leatherette you can just wipe off and are resistant to spills. Go with leatherette IMO.
We didn't get a sunroof. It is really cool in the Mini because it encompasses the front and passenger areas. It makes your whole roof have a black area on in if you get the white roof though. We have a sunroof now and don't use it all that much so we decided we didn't need it.
Shade for window- It's sunny here so I would get anything that blocks out the sun. They would probably throw this in for free...
Mudflaps- Everyone says that they don't do much and the dealers charge quite a bit to install them.
Automatic-I agree manual isn't good in NYC. Its too bad because I think the Mini is better in standard IMO.
Base or S- We got the base because my girlfriend could care less about speed. Also, she wanted the oxygen blue (kinda Aqua like T-birds come in) and it isn't available in the S. I would test drive the S and Base in automatic and make sure the base has enough power for you though....
The grocery bag hooks and glove compartment divider are up to you but be aware that every one of the dealer accessories will be charged installation which adds up fast.
We got the bigger tires because we though they looked nicer on the car. Just pay attention to the tire sizes and different rims at the dealer and get the ones you like best. The bigger the tires, the more sporty (or stiff) the ride though. We got 16" rims with all season tires (they last longer) because it seemed to be a happy medium between style and comfort. If you think the base wheels are fine get them though.
Color for us was easy, my girlfriend has wanted an Aqua blue car for a long time. Don't go by the paint samples on the Mini website. They aren't right. Go look at cars on the lot or look at pictures at the North American Motoring Forum...I don't think the bonnet stripes will hurt sales values on the Mini. They are very common. You can get magnetic aftermarket ones if you really want though.
Make sure and get free mats for front and back from your dealer.
Basically, though, it comes down to:
Buy the S. Buy the suspension and handling upgrades. Get everything else a piece at a time to save money. You'll end up with a low cost yet high resale value(and fun to drive) car. New York is about the only city I would possibly consider an automatic, though manual is still recommended.
The "pleather" in it is vinyl. I'd pass on it and get the cloth or splurge for the real leather. Nothing's worse than Vinyl in the winter and summer.
My next car - 09/10 - will definitely get the ette. 335i or M3, doesn't matter, I'll avoid the leather in the future.
I agree about the Cooper S with suspension bits, etc. No need to go overboard on options.
I'm just honing down the bare minimum of features I need to keep my costs down and would love everyone's input:
1. Fog lamps: front, back, both?
A friend here in NY with a Porsche SUV says he's never turned his on. I'm still not sure what the point of them is...are they brighter than normal car lights? Can you not be seen in fog if your normal lights are on? I understand that many people think the car LOOKS prettier with them on it, but I"m talking pure function...are they worth it for 250? I don't think there is much fog around here, I can't remember ever seeing any.
2. Steering wheel with all the controls
Again my Porsche freind told me that the only thing he uses is the mute and volume, but he doesn't actually manipulate his cds or radio thru it. So he was nonplussed about how necessary it is.
If I have an AUX IN only ipod connection--I can't use the steering wheel, correct? So I might NOT get the fancy steering wheel in that case? (I rarely use cruise control, I would rather control things myself.)
It's only if I have the actual 'iPod connector' that I can control the ipod on my steering wheel, right?
So having this ipod ease is actually about $1000--you must have the wheel at 350, the ipod connector at ?250? and installation of the connection by dealer at ?250? (I was quoted 495 by one in NJ)
I know this has been discussed in past posts, but not quite sure what the conclusion was--is it possible to put in the iPOd connector yourself? and buy it yourself? how do you get into the back of the stereo..difficult? also does that ipod connector charge your ipod at the same time?
3. Park Distance Control
Everyone seems to say that I don't need it to park since the mini is easy to park. However, my Porsche friend had it on his suv and it actually bleeped when a car was driving too close to him--so I"m wondering, is this thing also useful if you're being tailgated or some other car is too close while driving (does happen in NYC). This appeals to me, but then again, is it worth 350? And for parking--would it tell me before I start trying whether I could get intoa teeny space I see? (I'm not a great parallel parker and can't always judge whether I can fit or not, until I try and can't do it! (dumb I know!)
4. Dynamic stab control
One dealer told me I didn't need it (trying to sell a car off the lot) becaues the car already has front wheel tractioin control and this is for the rear wheels. My biggest concern about the mini is it's size and I'd rather be safer than not. Is this then a must? Or is it really not that much more safety?
5. 15 inch tires
I will be bringing my 16.5 year old cat who is diabetic and not used to travelling back and forth to Connecticut all summer. Having a more quite, smooth ride is a good thing so he's less freaked out. This NJ dealer told me that the larger 16 tires actually are bumpier, and the road is smoother with the 15. Is that true? Thats good news if so. What is the point of bigger tires?
6. what does bluetooth do? does it let you talk on speakerphone? do you answer the phone thru the steering wheel? why exactly is it 600 bucks? that's a lot...
thanks for all input!
tica
Here goes - my list:
First off, get the S. Worth every penny. And let's face it - everyone wants a used S and not he standard model as well.(true with most cars - always get the upper-end engine if you buy new).
- No packages. Add items separately.
- No sunroof. It kills the clean looks of the car and makes it into an oven inside, plus it's so far back that you can't see up and out of it while driving unless your seat is so far back that you have no rear seat.
- Get a cat carrier for the cat and let him deal. The ride isn't the problem with my cats so much as the stopping and starting suddenly. That said, you want to replace the stock runflats with non-runflats right off. They handle better and have a softer ride as well. Less expensive to top it off.
- Sport suspension, DSC, limited slip. Always buy anything that improves handling or major safety. When it comes time to resell, you can ask top dollar for it if it has these as well(plus it drives better)
- Bridge Spoke wheels(look better, no extra money)
- Rear fog light(amazed this isn't standard in the U.S. yet)
(fog light are std - and the xenon aren't any better than the regular lights(as opposed to HID) - and they look less attractive - not worth $550 in any case)
- The S comes with foglights. They make some difference in fog and rain, but mostly they look cool and are a major must-have item on the resale list for most people. Note - the idea of foglights is not that you can see so much as other cars can see you easier(though good ones do help somewhat as well). Think of it as DRL for bad visibility conditions.
- Arm rest. No adaptor. Not required if you get automatic, though. Very nice if you have manual.
- Cloth seats. Leatherette is Vinyl and hot as hell in the summer. Real leather is nice, but pricey, IMO. Either opt for the Beige/Orangeish real leather(beautiful in person) or cloth.
- Interior trim is your choice - I'd opt for chrome lined interior(keep it simple) ($200) and that's it.
- A/C - $300 - much better deal than getting a package
- I don't think ANY of the instrument options are good for the money. Pass entirely.(the remote access is nice, but $500 is way too much) Pass on homelink and the other easy to break stuff. Get a Garmann GPS unit instead for $250.
- Multi-function wheel - changed my mind - pass. You are right - IPod requires this and that and suddenly it's $1000+ as opposed to a $50 jack in the glovebox. I set my MP3 player to random anyways. Little Rio thing - 0Gig with a SD slot. $30. Drop in a SD card and enjoy - instant Ipod Nano for 1/3 the cost.
- Stock audio. Upgrade later yourself with a few good Alpine speakers instead.(cabin is so small 4 speakers is more than enough)
Accessories I like:
Mud flaps are always good, though the stock ones look weak - see if there are aftermarket ones available.
Glovebox organizer.
Map Light
Rubber Floor Mats - front, rear, and boot. ($134) - Well worth it, IMO, to protect the carpet.
Bumper Protector.
Accessories I don't like:
Driving lights are nice, but pass - $550 is more than you'll ever need to install some Hela driving lights if you want - and they'll look and work better as well)
Invisishield and so on - just do it yourself. Look online for Novus. They make plastic polishes that keep your plastic looking good as new - and lots cheaper too.
****
Extras/JCW - this is where the miserly approach pays off.
JCW Strut Brace - nice - stiffens it up a bit.
*note* the audio jack(glovebox) is available but isn't listed - it's not too pricey, though.
I get ~24K like this in a basic color like white. Outfitted this way, it's a superb performer AND it has maximum resale value, being that it has all of the performance options and little or none of the bling.(appeals to the performance minded enthusiast)
2. I love having steering wheel controls. Mainly I use it to change the volume of a song, change tracks, and control cruise control. Personally, I think it is unsafe to be messing with your head unit if you are going fast on the freeway but some others might not.
You are right about the aux-in. It only allows you to control your iPod or other Mp3 player from the player interface. I have this setup now basically but I have my iPod mounted to my dash so it is a little less dangerous trying to change tracks going 70 Mph. The iPod adaptor and steering wheel aren't for everyone but they were worth it for us. Again, this option is up to you. Our dealer is installing the iPod adaptor for $385 including the price of the part. My dealer said the actual price of the part is like $175 to them. It is worth it IMO at this price but not at the higher prices some dealers are asking.
3. Personally, I would never use this. As I said before, if you think you need it get it. In Florida, there is little need to parallel park but in NYC you might want it.
4. Its up to you. Some say its a necessary safety feature. Personally, I wouldn't pay $550 for this over other options unless I was getting a type S with only racing options. How often do you make sharp turns at high speeds?
5. The 15" tires will have a better ride. People get bigger tires for 2 reasons: because they are setting up the car for speed ie larger tires offer better performance, or they like the look of larger tires and rims. If you don't care about the look of your tires and aren't getting the car to go fast don't worry about the tires.
6. The bluetooth allows you to talk handsfree with your cell phone. You make a call by pushing a button on the steering wheel and voice dialing. The car connects to your phone via bluetooth and connects the call through your cars speakers...The bluetooth feature requires the mutifunction steering wheel and armrest I think...
thank you all for your wonderful input. It's been so incredibly helpful I can't tell you. I 'm a girl who's never known anything about cars (and never owned/bought or leased my own). Now I can speak (sort of) intelligently, at elast about the Mini! It's very exciting and I'm sure I'm being less screwed by the dealers for it! Thank you!!!
Just a few quick questions. Although only the one dealer, Hassel in Long Island, was offering the 1-year lease on their website, I contacted 3 other local Mini dealers who first said they didn't ahve one but then when I told them Hassel did, offered me one too.
Basically my Hassel deal is 1800 down plus the varius fees--tax, regis, etc. There is NO security deposit and NO 'Acq fee (Upfront)' whatever that is--it's on the print out of figures he gave me, but both of these say 0. My total upfront with 1800 down and taxes and fees is 2450 then 155/mth for a year. This is for a 1 year basic Mini/automatic worth 21,700.
2 other dealers quoted me more down--like 3400ish and a 340-385/mth offer. And one quoted 3250 down with 206/mth. However none of these other 3 broke down my costs specifically like I repeatedly asked, so I'm not sure why there is such disparity, esp. in the mthly payment.
So it seems like my choice is that I MUST go with the Hassel, since it does, indeed seem to good to be true. (Everyone agree?)
So at this point I was ready to order one tomorrow based on these figures and the options I"ve boiled it down to.
But my friend, a car guy, said tonite at dinner that they probably want to sell the ones off the lot and maybe I could get a deal off one of those if I get it right then and there instead of ordering. (True?) I know that in general everyone seems to go/get MSRP.
But these are my 2 issues with doing this.
1. My options have boied down to these and I'm pretty set on these:
Mini basic, don't care about color--except don't want Mellow Yellow! Automatics with Cold Weather, sports seats. I had also wanted: armrest, dynamic stability and fog lamps/autodim mirror. I've now talked myself out of fog lamps and autodim mirror. So only really want armrest and dynamic stabi.
BUT on the lot are 3 cars that fit--auto/cold weather/sports seats...BUT they DON'T have arm rest or dynamic stab control AND they do have the Premium--sunroof, etc. They work out to be about 600 more than I was going to pay, by sacrificing those 2 options--and giving me some I don't want.
1. How likely is it that they'd give me a car with Premium package for extra 1400--even though I don't want that at all--but not charge me for it to get it off the lot? Any chance of that? Like I would take the thing tomorrow, as opposed dto order. do they have quotas? Would they make me pay for a sunroof I don't care about?
2. does Dynamic STab Control have to be added at manufacturer? Or can it be added to these cars on the lot? I could possibly forgo it, but might add it to an existing car if that can be done...
3. Arm rest...Can these be added by the dealer? Better yet, is it possible to buy a totally different (BETTER) armrest than the ukky Mini one and have it installed? I realize that the leasing thing is a problem to ruin the car with something like that--but just wondering, since I probably will end up buying the car--just can't comit now for a variety of reason and the lease doesn't seem to be costing more to lease 1 year and buy (they say residual is 19K and 89%)
I am planning on going to Mini in the afternoon. If anyone has a chance to weigh in LATE Friday night or saturday morning/lunch, I'd really appreciate it!
thanks!
tica
1) Your lease deal.. $4300 total for one year.. is pretty darn good for a one-year lease.. Usually they are so expensive they aren't worth it..
2) More expensive cars will definitely be more money... Figure at least $15/mo. for every $1000 in options..
They may cut you a little better deal for a car on the lot, but I doubt there is a lot of extra room.
3) DSC has to come from the factory.. Armrest? I'm sure the dealer can install that.. Be careful, though... dealer installed options usually aren't residualized and can kill your lease deal, as you only have one year to amortize the cost.
regards,
kyfdx
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yes, I'm still perplexed as to why this deal seems so much cheaper overall, yet I'm afraid to ask the dealer in case he tried to mess with me by tacking on fees since no one else is coming even close to his offer.
I"m actually still waiting to hear from the Morristown dealer, she was super nice. Her price was 2300 more for the year (mostly due to the high monthly--385/mth---but I've asked her if she can meet the other guys price. haven't heard back yet.
well, it looks like I may not go do the mini today, my friend who was going to take me had a dog-getting-sick emergency.
I guess that gives me more time to negotiate, I might try Manhattan Mini, whom I haven't approached with a counteroffer opportunity yet...they seem a little tougher to deal with.
OH, I went online to this 'lease calculator" and used both their formula and their actual calculator. Both gave me ridiculously enormous prices for a one year lease, actually, I think it would only let me figure a 2 year lease at the minimum. So that confuses me even more...why I'm getting such a great deal.
thanks for your comments!
tica
I got another quote a week ago--both online--and this time--all the various options it gave me were 546/581/681/6th months or 1100-1300 for the year
This is hugely more expensive.
The thing is, my firs 840 quote had all higher coverage--so the 840 quote gave me 250/500K for bodyily injury liability iinsted of the higher quotes where it was just 50/100. I also had 50K instead of 25K properly damage and 100/300 unins motorist vs. 50/100....so why did my cheaper quote give me better coverage? Makes no sense. The only other thing was in the first quote I"d said YES to emergency road services and no on that for the more expenisve quote. Could this have made a difference?
Or have interest rates just risen so much higher or something? Or have more Minis gotten in more accidents?
I don't really know how insurance works so I'd be curius to know why the disparity...
I just plugged in all my new info to Geico to exactly Match last year's quote.
I got the highest quote ever--$685 or 1360 for the year...why would it be 245 more than it was 7 mths ago?
It appears that for the same coverage- Body Injury Liabe went from 140 to 262, everything else went up 15 to 50.
However I seemed to get more in discounts 145 as opposed to 90 before.
....? Why the big jump? Is it interest rates, more Mini crashes, or perhaps something initially I said --how many days I'd be driving to work or school or whatever...?
I just went on a Mini test drive. I was at the dealer for 4 hours (my sales guy was extremely nice.)
I drove a basic Mini and because I live in NYC wanted to test parallel parking (I was in Long Island, not Manhattan). I found 3 different spaces to park in. The only thing is--a little bit the 2nd parking attempt but really 90percent of the time on my 3rd attempt--the steering wheel became completely rigid and I had to use all my strength to move it at all. Like it must have lost its power steering. I was trying to maneuver into a tight spot so I was turnign back and forther repeatedly trying to squeeze in.
It was like I was wrestling a bear, I could barely move the wheel. Occasionally it would give a little but something was definitely wrong.
Has anyone had or heard of problems with power steering?
This is a MAJOR deal breaker for me because I live in NYC and parallel park every day ! I've never experienced htis on any other car before.
The deal was a little silent. Thankfully he wasn't trying to pretend it wasn't anything but he was sort of speculating that perhaps it was the fact that I parked 3 times in a row...which I don't think should matter.
Anyway, when we got back to the dealer he said that I should call the service people in Manhattan and see if they were getting complaints of it. He did say that if it was a problem then Mini would fix it in the next round of cars.
I spoke to the used car dealer who happened to be around and he suggested that if the car was 'idling' then...then maybe that does something to the engine and the power steering fails..he set that the idling could be set to higher...
then he later said it could be a 'belt'.
Now I don't know if what he said made sense. My dad said that setting the engine to go faster or whatever wasn't nec. good and would use more gas, too.
does this make sense to anyone? I will call the service guy tomorrow. And I'm going to google the topic.
My other dilemma is whether to order exactly what I want, or settle for something on the lot--which he was willing to knock a little off of, believe it or not.
This 1 year lease deal does actually seem to be real, fair I think and reasonable. He told me that the money factor was .00265 ...this is good I think, from what I've read on here, correct? The residual varied according to the mileage, it was the highest at 10,000 miles for 1 year (89%) and dropped to 60something % when going up to 15, 000 miles I think.
BUT the monthly went up a bit with the higher miles (ranging from 156/mth to 209/mth on a 21,850 MSRP car.
any comments welcome!
thanks!
My personal biggest fear about the new Mini was the switch to electric power steering (EPS). Thankfully, I, too, can exhale as BMW has managed to do what others have not: make EPS, through careful hardware and software tuning, feel like "regular" good steering. And even though the rack itself is solid-mounted to the chassis for good direct feel and immediate response, the EPS system nicely filters out steering nastiness like shimmy and kickback. Kudos.
http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpcontainers/do/vdp/articleId=117072/pageNumber=1?s- ynpartner=edmunds&pageurl=www.edmunds.com/new/2007/mini/cooper/100837390/roadtes- tarticle.html&articleId=117072
Strangely, just today my steering suddenly felt extremely heavy. I ignored it and it felt fine later. But after living with BMWs for 4 years, I'm used to ignoring mechanical and electric problems.
I did a Google search and DID come up with some complaints about Mini's power steering giving out. However, it seemed to be on '04s and '05s....
I emailed a bunch of people on Craig's List in various crowded cities--NYC, Boston, DC and Chicago--who were trying to sell their Minis to see why they were selling and what their expeirence was.
Two responded thus far and said they were selling to get a new Mini, and they said the power steering was stiff, as were BMWs I believe, but not a huge problem. MINE was DEFIITELY a problem--I broke a sweat trying to turn the sucker. I'm going to call the Mini mechnanics today and see if they know anythign. Maybe it was just that one car, and a fluke.
One of the complaints with the last gen MINI was that they power steering pump made weird noises. This is one of the things that contributed to the MINI's poor showing on the JD Power Surveys.
Some dealers have stated it won't be till 2009.But I don't trust them,probably not many 07 converts sold this year,if people knew the it will be changed less than a year from now.
I've test drove a 07S convert and a 07S Coupe,both 6-speeds.And deffently like the Coupe's ride,etc. better. :confuse:
There's a world of difference from the R53s to the R56s (07s).
I'm still trying to decide whether to go with one on the lot (and looks like they'll knock off a few hundred)--with features I don't want and missing a few that I do, or order.
when I was at the dealer I was able to see on a couple of cars taht I was shown the paper that showed how many days on the lot--one was 58 days and the other in the 40s. Are they quicker to sell a car--i.e., negotiate more--if it's been hanging around a longer time?
the salesman did admit sort of that there was some sort of end of month quota/bonus too--which I sort of mentioned as a reason for him to give me a discount if I took one off thelot
I went out to do another test drive yesterday and it turns out I must have had a bum car with that stuck steering wheel because I parallel parked 5 times in a row and this one held up fine.
I ended up getting a car on the lot--perhaps a little more car than I bargained for--and more options than I initially intended, but it seemed better than waiting while I ordered. I basically got all the options I initially wanted--and then some.
What I got:
Chili Red with white top basic Mini/Automatic 2007
arm rest
sports seats
cold weather package
fancy 3 spoke steering wheel with controls
What I also got:
comfort package--which also have Bluetooth (anyone know how to use it? I'm due to get a new phone now, do I need a special phone, or any phone with blue tooth will do?)
also autodim mirrors, auto headlights/rainsensors wipers/auto a/c, etc.
also there's a rear fog light (not sure about a front one)
convenience package--sunroof (i didn't actuallyw ant this since I wanted less hotness and a quieter ride, but oh well), and whatever else is with this one
So I WAS supposed to go pick up the car today but my sales guy seems to be flaking on me now--I think it's cuz it's the last day of the month and he's trying to meet sales quota.
He ended up doing a great deal on this car (I think) Lease for ONE YEAR;
169/month for 12 months and 2320 down (includ 1800 down plus taxes/regis)
To buy later it's 21,500 I think. Car is originally MSRP at 24,200.
So he knocked a few hundred...maybe 500 off the car? Im not entirely sure. All I know is that somehow he made my lease payments be only 10/more months (from 158/moth and SAME AOUND down on my original 21,700 car I was going to order). My other residual was going to be about 2000 less or so.
Also, in case anyone's interested, they, Hassel Mini, in LI, has a souped up John Cooper works S I think on sale--it's a 2006 new and it's original 35K and they are selling it for 29K I think. I forget the color but it's in the showroom.
If anyone can share what to do about the Bluetooth, I wouldn't mind trying to get the phone in advance if I can that would be much appreciated
thanks