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MINI Cooper

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Comments

  • segestasegesta Member Posts: 27
    In Chicago, dealers are putting on the chrome driving/rally-style lights and charging $1000. I was lucky enough to select my car while it was still on the truck, and talk them out of it. The lights look great, but not worth the money to me.

    And the only people who notice my car (out in the suburbs) are teenage boys and middle-aged men who are familiar with the original Mini. As my friend who bought a black 540i with 18-inch wheels quickly learned, women just don't care about cars. At least, not in Chicagoland...
  • tollagtollag Member Posts: 23
    It speaks volumes when 6 consecutive messages about a car, are people worrying about how they're going to keep their rims clean!

    Motor on :)
  • rickroverrickrover Member Posts: 601
    I've owned a bunch of BMW's - they are notorious for brake dust. BMW uses soft brake pad material that produces a lot of dust. I've gotten into the habit of swapping out my brake pads with Mintex pads that don't produce nearly as much dust. I currently own a 2001 X5 that I swapped pads on at 2k miles. There are a lot of other brake pad brands out there that have the same result - I've been happy with Mintex so I stick with them.

    My X5 has Xenon's - I wouldn't consider anything but the factory Xenon set up - don't mess with aftermarket Xenon kits. Unlike the MINI, X5's have headlight washers as a separate option from Xenon's as part of a cold weather package - which I didn't get since I live in the sunbelt - so I have Xenon's without washers on the X.

    Glad to see more action here in the MINI forum - I asked for my S deposit back after being on the list a year and a half (#14). Long sad story - the dealer really hacked me off so I passed. I'll need another autocross/ track vehicle in a couple of years and plan to revisit a MINI purchase then. It'll be a sad day for me when the first MINI whups me at the track in my modified turbo GTI - a stock S can't touch my GTI but I'm afraid to see what the aftermarket has in store for the S - it will be awesome I'm sure.
  • tetonmantetonman Member Posts: 73
    I'm looking at working with Patrick in Schaumburg. I definitely don't want to pay a grand for the lights or any add-ons I don't want.

    Thanks,
    Tetonman
  • segestasegesta Member Posts: 27
    I got mine at Bill Jacobs in Naperville. They typically stick on the rally lights ($1000) and 17" sport wheels ($3600!!) before the car even hits the showroom.* I avoided both, but *was* forced to pay $300 for a 'breakdown kit' (basically a bag full of Wet-Naps and a reflective triangle) and $600 for a BMW CD changer worth maybe $150 retail. I figured those were the knocks for buying an in-demand car.

    But overall I was happy with my treatment there.

    *this was two months ago; changes in demand may have altered their policy since then.
  • tetonmantetonman Member Posts: 73
    Will look into this at Patrick. I didn't see any big aggressive add-ons when I went in, of course that was about two months ago...
  • crcoxecrcoxe Member Posts: 72
    I took delivery of my MINI about two weeks ago (LOVE IT!) and have found the same problem with the brake dust. I got the 16" 5-spoke wheels in standard silver and am VERY glad I didn't go with white. I am wondering if the dust will subside after I get through the break-in period for the brakes. To those waiting for delivery - seriously consider getting bonnet stripes. It's a dealer-installed option and at only $200, they look great (white on green) and distinguish mine from the few others I've seen on the road.
  • misterbeanmisterbean Member Posts: 7
    I've noticed that a number of folks are unhappy - in the customer review board. I'm estactic with the car - maybe my expectations were in line... Anyone else have comments? Also, I noticed that many of the complainers have the S... Interesting, since the S is so darn hard to find (on the lot)... I love mine - and have found that it is truly a "premium" small car. I once had a Civic - and find many similiarities (gas mpg, engine performance).
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    http://www.scca.org/amateur/solo2/nat_tour/2002/rome/results.html


    A MINI Cooper S won D Stock (another one came in 10th with some DNFs), beating some Integras, WRXs, etc. MINI Coopers took 1st and 2nd in H stock.


    As for disgruntled owners, find any discussion group and the people most likely to post are those with a beef. Only real fans will take the time to post a message saying they love their car. That said, I have heard of problems with S cars cold starting which has a forthcoming software fix. It is a new car model so there are bound to be bugs -- hopefully MINI will come through with some good service.

  • crcoxecrcoxe Member Posts: 72
    misterbean, I am right on board with you on this. I'm not sure what the complainers were expecting, but they seem to be a confused bunch to me. Unless you bought this car expecting a big roomy sedan with a trunk for your golf clubs (which would make me question your judgment), you should have no reason to complain about it. If you buy the car for the love of driving, I see no reason for disappointment. It out-performs everything in its class (or is it in its own class?) and gets great gas mileage to boot. Not to mention exceptional exterior and interior styling. What's not to like? hpulley4 makes a good point that the only ones who post comments are the ones who have a gripe. It's good to see that MINI is holding its own on the SCCA circuit as well!
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    So the Cooper S ended up in second, .1 s behind an Integra. The 2nd S fell to 11th. Sorry 'bout that; I thought they were final results.
  • tollagtollag Member Posts: 23
    I tried to find some info about it on the internet, but couldn't really find any matching results that helped me...
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    Also, for the sake of continuity, another post that was in direct response to this message was also deleted. Please be aware that soliciting is not allowed in our Town Hall discussions. If you want to sell your vehicle, or your spot on a waiting list, can I suggest that you use Edmunds' Used Powershopper - Sell or Ebay. Feel free to send me an email if you have any questions. Thanks for your participation at Town Hall. ;-)

    Revka
    Host
    Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
  • doctorddoctord Member Posts: 4
    Sorry about that-I didn't realize that was against the rules! Oh well, I guess I'll try your suggestion. Thanx
  • dacremadacrema Member Posts: 6
    The dealer stated there is a 5 mo wait for the Cooper,14 mo wait for the S and a refundable deposit is required. They had a "S" and a "CVT" Cooper to test. The S was sweet but I will most likely order a Cooper with a 5 speed. The dealer will have a 5 speed Cooper later this week to test. If I make the jump the car will be my daily driver replacing older Honda. We have a van for the family car so the only trips this car will go on will be to work and winding back roads on days off. I hope to order the car with the upgraded suspension, 16 inch wheels with all weather run flats, and maybe a sunroof. We will see. I am not under any time crunch and the Honda runs ok.
  • segestasegesta Member Posts: 27
    Where is the wait 5 months?
  • dacremadacrema Member Posts: 6
    the Dealer is in Sterling Va. I do not have their card on me at this time. They were very nice - but that is their job. I do not know what the average time to wait is. They are only the location that I have talked to at this point.
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    Great full road test of the S, followed by a 2 page blurb on the standard Cooper. The silver Cooper "S" pictured in the road test was purchased by one of the editors, Brock Yates. It's impressive that someone who road tests cars for a living would plunk down his cash on one.

    -Jason
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Does anyone agree with some of Car and Driver's complaints with the Mini? Some of their complaints concerned me. For example, does anyone else find the horn buttons too small and hard to find? In a car this small, its imperative to be able to nail the horn quickly to let someone know you're there. It could almost be considered a safety feature. I simply don't understand why they didn't use a center horn unit like everyone else. They also didn't like the 5 speed's operation. Anyone else have issues with the 5 speed? What has me most concerned though is how they described the reflexes of the car. First off, how in the heck did the Mini end up with such a large turning radius?? I thought this car would turn on a dime and would be very manueverable. This apparently is not the case. It has a larger turning radius then a Honda CRV and was described as having slow-witted responses in the city because the controls all felt too heavy. What do the actual owners have to say about this? Is it really that bad? Anyway, they just didn't seem to have as much good to say about it as I expected. I'm sort of considering a base Mini 5 speed (no sport package and I would be sticking with 15" alloys to keep the ride more comfortable) since it's in my price range so I would appreciate some insight. Thanks.
  • stryderstryder Member Posts: 140
    I haven't read the C&D article, so I'll just address your specific questions: The horn buttons are pretty small, they're in the right place if you know where they are, but they're not something you can do without thinking. I imagine the reason they're not in the middle is because they wanted to hide the airbag in the lump in the middle, and it'd be difficult to have buttons in front of the airbag. The horn's basically a finger operation, not a smack the wheel with your palm type deal like pre-airbag cars. The turning radius of the car is something like 34.6 feet, but its 2.4 turns lock to lock so its not huge, its just not teeny, but I don't find it a huge problem, recall its the shortest car made now, so when doing 3 point turns, they're still 3 point, not 5. The weighting of the controls isn't designed for city driving, it is biased towards open motoring, but I like the extra heft, (I'm currently running around Cleveland, which is entirely city driving), it also avoids the feeling you're driving around in a roller skate, and its awsome on back country roads. As far as the 5 speed, I like it, but I don't have much for comparison. Edmunds.com (sm) seemed to like it, so I guess everyone has personal preferences. I have 16" alloys and no sport package, and I like the ride, the streets around Cleveland are pretty crappy, but the ride is acceptable, I test drove a car with 15"'s and they squealed a huge amount if you went around corners remotely fast, so I was glad to compromise on normal suspension and 16"'s. (The 16" rims are nicer too in my opinion). Anyway, that's a large amount of viewpoints, but realize I own the car, so I'm bound to be biased into liking it. There's tons of other reviews by journalists, and most people seem to like it more then C&D seems to.
  • freddy_kfreddy_k Member Posts: 376
    The horn placement was a decision by somebody, I'm sure for some reason, but the airbag has nothing to do with it. Plenty of wheels still have the "smack in the middle with your palm" style.
  • segestasegesta Member Posts: 27
    Having just passed 3K miles on my Mini, I agreed with just about everything C&D had to say, but remember: if turning radius and horn-button size are all they can find to complain about, then it's a pretty good car. I especially liked their description of the steering as "heavy but quick," an odd combination, but I really like it that way--it inspires lots of confidence as I take 90-degree turns at 40 mph.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I went to the Downtown Mini on June 2. They were closed but I thouroughly enjoyed looking at the cutest cars through the window. Anyway, they still seemed to have the exact same cars people mentioned as being sold a month ago. They have a chili red S and a yellow regular Mini (among about 6 others, including a black one that had "take me home!" written across its windshield). If these cars were sold a month ago, don't you think the owners would have picked them up by now? I'm beginning to wonder if maybe they are sold but the dealer is paying a fee to the owners in order to keep them on hand so people can look at them and maybe even test drive them. What do you guys think about that possibility? Has anyone had a good experience buying at flat MSRP at that dealer or the ones in Jacksonville and Atlanta? If I decide to get one, I'm gonna have to drive at least 3 hours just to look at one. I want to find the right dealer so I don't waste all that driving time just to get pissed off and walk away with nothing.
  • rickroverrickrover Member Posts: 601
    I got my S deposit back from the Orlando MINI dealer - I guarantee you those jokers aren't paying anyone anything to keep a car in their showroom - they create demand with sold signs on cars that aren't sold - totally pathetic. Why don't you call or email the other MINI dealers and get some communication going with them? You can test drive a MINI in Orlando- tell them you aren't interested unless they drop their manadatory accessories requirement. No problem using them to test drive a MINI then buy it somewhere else - works for me.

    When I was dealing with them they had a bunch of MINI's available immediately - I was 14 on the S list but they started calling me when the first S's arrived to see if I wanted one - I wouldn't buy a skateboard from those Orlando MINI clowns.
  • plumqtplumqt Member Posts: 1
    What do you mean by "mandatory accessories requirement"?
  • crcoxecrcoxe Member Posts: 72
    I traded in a '97 Mustang (with the "smack in the middle with your palm" horn) for my MINI about three weeks ago. It took about a day to get used to the horn. I got the multi-function steering wheel, with cruise and radio controls, so perhaps acclimating to this eased the transition into the push-button horn. In any event, it's not exactly something I am concerning myself with. I must say I was a little surprised with the larger-than-expected turning radius, but the way this car drives in every other respect makes you forget about the turning radius quickly. And as stryder said, a 3-point turn really is 3 points, not 7 or 8 like in some other cars. As for the 5-speed, I don't quite understand the complaint here either. Mine is very smooth.

    To those in Orlando, I'm sorry you're stuck with such a bad dealer. I got mine in Towson, MD and it was a great experience. No mandatory accessories - I was able to order the exact car I wanted and had no hassles whatsoever. I think the wait at this point is around 4-6 months for the Cooper, probably a lot longer for the S.
  • dacremadacrema Member Posts: 6
    I just returned from a test drive of the Cooper with a 5 speed.
    I liked it.
    The gears were nicely spaced. Reverse was not to tall. Yes I backed up at length in my test drive - the car I buy will be a daily driver and I do not want to be riding the clutch. With less power that the S this car could use the 6 speed and if it were an option I might go for it. Without pushing the engine the car had enough bottom end to drive comfortably in traffic. When pushed, the car accelerated well. Not as good as the S I drove last week, but good enough to be fun. Better than the the 93 Accord 5 spd I drive now.
    This car did not have the plus package for the suspension and I did notice the difference in handling between it and the S. In an empty parking lot, without flogging the cars, I did some tight figure 8s, and hard stops. I did the same maneuvers with the three Mini's I drove. They are all fun but I will opt for the plus package.
    Horn location. I like it on the spokes. The car drive now has the horns in that location. Our Van has the horn in the center and now that I'm accustomed to the buttons under my thumb I like that better though I am not much of one to beep it.
    I too am disappointed with the turning circle. The tuning circle of cars in general now a days is way to big, I whish the industry's design engineers would get a handle on this. I agree that this car because of the lack of front and rear overhang should not hard to zip around in but some of the other cars I've owned are a pain to drive in a parking garage.
    The dealer said that the wait is 6 mo at this time. A refundable deposit is required to get in line. They charge MSRP on the car and options selected. You get what you order they do not add any items.
    I'll order the Sport Package and the beefed up suspension. And - oh yes - it will be red. A favor to my 10 year old daughter.

    bcnul8r K
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    The turning radius is 35 feet. Most cars have 33-35 feet. The CRV has 34 feet. So the diameter is 1 foot shorter, not a big deal. The car is no problem to park, perhaps except that I always think I have no space left when in fact I have 4-5 feet left in front of me.

    The steering is not heavy, it is solid. It is less strenuous than manual steering but not one-finger 80's Buick style. The 2.5 turns lock-lock makes it very tight and maneuverable. I like it.

    The 5-speed transmission does take some getting used to but it is good, giving you smooth acceleration if you want to shift low or fast acceleration if you want to shift high. The car likes to take corners fast so 2nd is too slow if you like to gear down to 2nd before the turn -- I start the turn in 3rd and then shift into 2nd to power out of the exit. Once you get used to the gear spacing I think you'll find them good but take a test drive to find out for yourself!

    The middle of the steering wheel is a hard plastic cover for the airbag. Since it is hard, there is nothing to push in so instead there are horn buttons. The car my MINI replaced had horn buttons so I am used to them. Want to know a good reason for horn buttons? If the horn breaks in some cars where it is part of the airbag you may have to replace the whole airbag assembly to the tune of $500 or more just to fix the horn!
  • dawgoddawgod Member Posts: 4
    New to the forum, tho I've been following for awhile. A few comments: I'm taking delivery of my spec S in August from Global Imports in Atlanta. Very professional, low pressure. Price is sticker plus options. No addons or mandatorys other than glass etching and floor mats. Very easy to work with.
    I did not drive the non-supercharged car so I cannot compare, but I was very impressed at the handling and solid feel of such a small car. It definately loved the twisties. Did not notice any of the "choppy ride" that C&D reported on my city test drive and was very impressed with highway cruising-no problem merging or passing. In my book, this much sport-not to mention fun and exclusivity-for this $...it's a no-brainer. I too do not understand C&D dishing the car in the article, but their overall assessment was very good, comparing it to their perrineal favorite Miata for driving fun. Plus, Yates (the editor) owns one! As for the horn buttons, Yeah they're small and hard to find, but who cares?!

    Can anyone out there that spec'd one share their experience of delivery with me? Did you drive the car before signing papers? Were there any surprises? Did you have any good/bad experience with MINI financing? I've never "ordered" a car and am curious as to what to expect. Anyone have anything good or bad to say about the runflat tires? Thanx for input.
  • dawgoddawgod Member Posts: 4
    One more question: Does anyone else feel guilty paying full MSRP for this vehicle? I'm afraid that in a couple of years, supply will exceed demand and I'll be woefully upside-down.
  • crcoxecrcoxe Member Posts: 72
    dawgod, I took delivery on mine (not an S) almost exactly one month ago. Like you, I have never ordered a new car, and I was also curious to see how it all played out. I did the financing on my own, which was one of the better decisions I've made in a while. All I had to do - quite literally - was give them a check from the bank, sign on the line and drive away. They had the car under a cover in a single-car garage that was attached to the showroom. The rep "unveiled" of the car (the bonnet stripes immediately brought a smile to my face), followed by a simple question-and-answer about anything I was unfamiliar with (thanks to Edmunds and miniusa.com there was not much left to learn). There was a package of "MINI mints" on the driver's seat (kinda cheesy, but I liked the additional touch) and three weeks later, they sent cookies to my house as a thank-you. I feel like I should be thanking them!!! The process was almost too UNstressful, if that makes any sense. No surprises and no hidden costs.

    As for the run-flat tires, I have 16'" performance run flats and like them. Though I'm not an expert, I think cornering is even that much better due to the more rigid sidewall. My wife also likes the piece of mind these tires add to the mix. I'm not much of a fan of changing a tire on I-95 in the rain either.

    I had no hesitation of paying MSRP, and I'd do it again. I like this car so much, I have no reason to believe that I will be getting rid of it anytime soon. Even so, if BMW/MINI is smart, they won't make the same mistake Chrysler made with their pathetic PT Cruiser by saturating the market to the point that they have to offer huge rebates. As long as there is a wait for the MINI, you have no fear of finding yourself upside down. Some food for thought also, my dealer told me that dealers on the west coast (L.A.) are getting premuim pricing of up to $5k over sticker.

    OK, so it's written on my forehead -- I LOVE THIS CAR.
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    Look at the features in the car and I think it is worth the price down to the last penny. You can option other hot hatches up to the same price by adding in safety features, alloy wheels, etc. but even at that price you won't find any with EBD, CBC, tire pressure monitors, speed sensitive steering/wipers/volume, 6 airbags, theatre lighting, height adjustable driver AND passenger seats, etc. On top of the standard features and mechanicals, many of the MINI's options are only available in luxury cars costing considerably more.

    I paid MSRP, no more. No options were necessary. I could have ordered a base one with no options if I'd wanted to but I wanted the sports package (sport seats, 16" runflats, foglamps, leather wheel, all great stuff).

    My delivery was similar to the experience recounted by crcoxe. Car was under a cover in a glassed in room off the showroom. Signed the papers, got the mints (just a standard marketing item actually that companies will stick any logo on but they fit the MINI well), pen, etc. We took the cover off, asked my questions and off I went. I didn't drive it prior to delivery -- I assumed that any issues would be taken care of under warranty without difficulty. With the sort of waiting list that MINIs have, you'd really have to be upset to say, "with that dash rattle I won't take it."

    I also have the 16" runflats. I love the handling and the peace of mind. Saw some people changing tires on the interstates on a trip in the states yesterday and thought how awful it would be. I drove through a pile of debris on the road this morning which looked awful but turned out to be stuff that isn't really that hard or sharp. I looked to the pressure light anyways and so far so good -- I knew I wouldn't suffer a blow out so I didn't have to make a panic stop or a dangerous maneuver around it. It is nice for peace of mind (to repeat).
  • novcenthusiastnovcenthusiast Member Posts: 80
    I didn't think C&D were dissing the S model at all, but it did seem as if they had less than favorable things to say about the Base Cooper. I thought it (base Cooper) accelerated well enough, I just had to keep the revs up.

    I did think the steering was artificially heavy initially, although it was quick, but later in the test drive it seemed fine. Unfortunately I didn't get to take it anywhere to really test out the feel and feedback.

    What are owners opinions of the road feel and feedback of the steering compared to other driver's cars?
  • stryderstryder Member Posts: 140
    Delivery was similar to what other people said, I didn't drive the car previously, but it does come with a paper cover of the steering wheel that says 'your MINI has been thorougly inspected from boot to bonnet'. It was waiting for me in the garage section that separated the BMW half of the dealer from the MINI section. My salesman showed me the car, (along with the requisite mints), handed me a MINI keychain (which has the dealer and # laser etched on the back) and asked if I had any questions. He then explained most everything about the car. I noticed there was an errant cable tie on the battery wires, so I asked him about it, (he called me the next day to say it was leftover from assembly - when they put the motor in they tie the wires back to keep them out of the way). With the 4/50k warranty I wasn't worried about anything not working so I signed papers before I got the full tour. I noticed before I signed there were some spots that weren't spotless, and they touched them up while I was signing. Finally when he asked if everything was ok, I noted the windshield fluid was low, he literally ran to get some and filled it up right there.

    Basically it was a great experience, a couple was picking up their 5 series and a z8 was in for service in the same small garage area, but everyone treated me almost special even with my slightly over $20k MINI, As usual I couldn't help but smile when the staff congratulated me about the car. (It was the 50th or so they had aparantly delivered). They were completely paranoid about getting a 5/5 on their review, so I could have asked for most anything and they'd have jumped. My salesman called the next day with the mentioned update on the cable tie, as well asking about any other questions I had.

    I didn't finance through MINI, so no views on that. This was my first new car buying experience, as well as the first I didn't have help from my parents or anyone with btw.

    Views on runflats - I like them, though fear what will happen when they wear out (Treadwear rating is 240). No one seems to admit that dunslop dsst 3000's exist, or any tireses in 195/55/16. Hopefully they won't be too expensive to replace through a dealer I guess. I love the security, my old beater that I replaced would have flat tires at least every month or two, but from an engineering standpoint I do wonder how much better the acceleration would be with less weight spinng.

    Quick steering note: I drove a friend's 2002 GTI 1.8T, the steering isn't as hefty, so it lacks the feeling of security the MINI has.
  • dawgoddawgod Member Posts: 4
    Thanx for your input guys! Makes me feel a little better about the process. Sounds like the dealers really go out of their way to make this a premium experience-I hope that this continues and instead of a 2k discount in 2 years, we find that this car carries a 2k premium! That would really make me not feel so bad about paying sticker. Your'e absolutely right about the warranty-I have no reason to worry except that my dealer is 50 miles away! I also agree with hpully4 on the feature/safety content-can't be beat at this price! I wish I could have had alonger test drive-all this talk on tire and ride quality makes me wonder if I made the right choice of the s-lite 17" with 205/45 runflats!? I was after max performance, but I'm afraid I may have a pretty bumpy, noisy ride. Anyone out there "motoring" on this set up care to comment?
  • gilasminigilasmini Member Posts: 3
    My wife and I visited Lauderdale Mini in Ft. Lauderdale yesterday, test drove both models (without the slightest hassle), and placed an order for a base Mini with some package options. This will be my second purchase from this dealer (2001 BMW 330i), and I can honestly say they are straight up, no BS, no hassles. The Mini salesperson informed us up front that they deal only MSRP, BUT (and this is a big but) they won't ever put a premium on the car just because it's in high demand. They don't believe that this fosters long-term, repeat customers. Also, there is a 10-12 month, 180 person waiting list for the S model, but they claim their allotment will increase over the next few months and anticipate earlier delivery. My wife wouldn't wait that long for this or any car. So, we opted for the earlier delivery on the base model. The base models can be ordered from this dealer, with delivery in September.

    Other dealers will tell you they have the car, but to get it NOW, they want a $2,000 to $4,000 premium (over and above MSRP!). Consequently, the laid back, no hassle, no premium buying experience only added to our excitement of one day (hopefully by September) taking delivery our MINI.

    I know it's a 2-3 hour drive from Orlando, but it is well worth dealing with a dealer that you absolutely don't have to worry about getting shafted or hassled. Besides, ANY MINI dealer has to service the car whether you bought it from them or not. Good luck and if you decide to hit Lauderdale MINI, ask for Andy.
  • gilasminigilasmini Member Posts: 3
    Dawgod, to add to other great Mini dealer experiences, I've posted another message under GilasMini in response to the "Orlando Dealer" post. We had only a great experience. The dealer had both models we could drive before we made any decisions. How this is possible, given that all of their allotment is sold, I don't know. As for paying sticker, when you compare the features of this car with others in its category, at MSRP, we think at its MSRP, it's simply a good deal...and with production currently pretty low (100,000 cars), and an allotment of only 20,000 cars to the US this year, I don't see an issue with the car being "undercut" with too much volume out there on the road. I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for the car just because of supply/demand. I'd put those premium dollars towards something else before paying it for a popular car.

    Somehow, I've got to believe that BMW/MINI won't make the same mistake as Chrysler did with the PT Cruiser (i.e. over producing, then the bottom fell out of the domestic car market = TONS OF PT Cruisers on dealer lots at much less than they were going for a year ago).

    Anyway, good luck and enjoy your MINI (when you get it)!
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    At my local dealer, they had special test vehicles that were not part of their alottment. I've heard of dealers selling these testers (maybe they are allowed to) but perhaps it explains the mystery of how all cars could be sold and yet there could be testers available at the same time.
  • stryderstryder Member Posts: 140
    All of this discussion makes me have to ask a question: Since I'm not a huge fan of front license plates, what did MINI do in Florida/Michigan/Other states about a front plate bracket? I wanted to see if I could order the blankout panel from those states if it existed, since at the moment taking off my front plate would just yield the 'I'm missing my plate look'
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Thanks for the heads up about the good experience at Lauderdale Mini. I actually live in Tallahassee so its more like a 7.5 hour drive down there but I go to Jupiter here and there to visit family so it's not out of the question. It would be a good excuse to visit Ft. Lauderdale since I love the area so much. Anywho, my biggest concern right now is getting service if something goes wrong. The closest Mini dealer is 3 hours away. Anyone know if regular BMW dealers can take care of minor problems? Ugghhh....Why does Florida have to be such a huge spread out state, lol.
  • stryderstryder Member Posts: 140
    BMW has specifically said no dice on fixing a MINI at a non-mini BMW dealership. Their logic is it needs special training and parts. I guess the 'perk' of the dealer being so far away is you're even more unique.
  • scottphillipscottphillip Member Posts: 249
    Has anyone been able to purchase without buying the mandatory accessories? I looked last weekend and saw all the "sold" minis. We've been having lots of rain, so it is not exactly Mini weather. :)
  • drivinisfundrivinisfun Member Posts: 372
    Wife and I are currently leaning towards the purchase of a new MINI Cooper base model, with the only options being the CVT transmission ($1200) and metallic paint ($400). According to the MINIUSA.COM car builder, a MINI configured this way will command a sticker MSRP price of $18,500.

    We are not interested in Sunroofs, Xenon lights, etc, etc. We want this car as simple as we can possibly get it and not be forced into buying options and junk that we don't want to pay extra for.

    This car, we think, has enough standard equipment as-is. The addition of the CVT is bacause my wife can't and won't drive a manual tranny equipped car. Besides traffic conditions in our city makes manual shifting pretty tiring and unpleasant business. Been there done that with 2 previous cars.

    I went to South Motors BMW/Mini in Miami and the jerks have a "Mandatory" accessory requirement of $2500 worth of options on each and every car ordered and purchased from them. Also the order deposit of $500 is "Non-refundable". Besides they don't have any cars to test drive at all. Pretty disgusted with this policy and left the dealer thinking that our desire to purchase a MINI will not be possible under this circumstances.

    However, I am pleased to hear that Ft Lauderdale BMW/Mini is not forcing thier customers to buy new MINIs with mandatory option packages and to give in into price gouging practices. If this is true, I don't mind driving another 20 to 30 miles to get the car configured the EXACT way we wanted, pay MSRP + options and not a single penny more above that.

    We don't mind waiting for 3 to 4 months for our new car. But I don't want to be forced to pay for junk we don't want either.

    The only colors we are interested in are Indy Blue Metallic w/White roof, Velvet Red Metallic with white roof or as a last resort Chili Red solid with white roof.

    Last, has anyone has had any experiences with Braman BMW/Mini in Miami???

    Any pointers as to how to conduct business with Ft Lauderdale MINI are greatly appreciated.
  • drivinisfundrivinisfun Member Posts: 372
    Question for you. How do you find the interior room, specifically back seat and trunk space in your MINI when it comes to install a Baby Car seat (How easy is to deal with the ISOFIX system in this car) and do you experience problems loading bags of groceries in the 5.3 Cubic Feet trunk???.

    We already have a big 2001 Chevy Impala sedan and that car's main mission is for all our family related hauling purposes. However, the MINI, acting as a second car, will be used on ocassion to transport more than 2 people (2 and a future baby) and more often for grocery getting routine trips during the week.

    Do you find yourself struggling to fit say 5 to 10 bags of groceries in the puny MINI trunk with the seats up???

    Do you use the MINI to go to the grocery store, or you leave that duty to your Saturn wagon?
  • misterbeanmisterbean Member Posts: 7
    I have found that I now would have liked the 16" wheels - simply, I feel more comfortable pushing the car to it's limit after nearly 3 months of ownership- and the 15's are the weak link... Go for the 16's - I'm going to swap them out soon.

    As for turning radius - this car has a 97" wheel base - it should behave like larger cars as for turning radius... I drive in the city - no problems. Our other car is a Suburban, so the Mini is quite refreshing!

    The only problem I have now is a rough idle when the car starts up after sitting for several hours - lasts about 30 seconds before all is well. Anyone else experience this?

    Have fun!
  • gilasminigilasmini Member Posts: 3
    Drivinisfun,
    Tips on dealing with Lauderdale MINI...really, there are none. They simply don't hassle you, they don't force you to buy "minimum equipment packages", they don't charge premiums, and most importantly...you can order the car the way you want it. If you want a base MINI with nothing on it...no problem. The only thing is if you actually place an order for one, the $500 deposit is non-refundable. However, if you simply get on the list for a MINI, and hope one comes in the way you want it, when you want it, that deposit is refundable. They only deal MSRP, no negotiating (we tried), and their dealer prep charge ($299) is also non-negotiable (we tried)...Braman charges $399 and South/Vista charges $599...so even if you don't agree with the charge, Lauderdale's is at least the lesser of them. Basically, this charge is the dealer's detailing the car, your floor mats, etc.

    Sounds like you've been exposed the South Motors/Vista BMW scourge. These people are simply, in one word...miserable. I will NEVER do business with them.

    Braman, not as bad as South/Vista but VERY high pressure. Without question, Lauderdale Imports provided one of, if not the best car buying experiences I've had (on both cars, MINI and BMW).

    Good luck. The sales person I dealt with at Lauderdale MINI is Andy Hegley (super nice British chap). Larry Bonito is the Assistant Manager, and his wife if the General Manager. If you end up buying a car from Andy, tell him Greg & Gila sent you. I think there's a "birddog" reward if you take delivery of a car from them. We'll be happy to kick-back half of it to you if they offer it. Our e-mail address is gregk@stiles.com.
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    My wife and I have a 14-month old (almost 15-month old) son who travels in the MINI Cooper on occasion. He loves looking at the centre-mounted speedometer while we drive, as he thinks it is a clock, one of his favorite words. We have an old non-ISOFIX child seat which works fine; there are tethor-anchors for both rear seats in the trunk and the seatbelts lock so it works fine. An ISOFIX seat should be easy too as the bottom anchors are right there under two covers. The car doors open wide enough and the seats move up far enough that getting him in and out is actually not difficult. He is forward facing, however -- putting a child in a rear facing seat might be more difficult (we didn't have the MINI when he was in a rear-facing seat).

    We've taken the MINI grocery shopping on a few occasions and the trunk is bigger than it looks for groceries. It will easily take 5-10 bags in the back (5 big ones or 10 small ones), plus you can fold down half the seat at a time (useful for the big econo boxes of diapers!). If you shop in bulk for 2 weeks of groceries at a time then you will run out of space but for the amount we usually shop for as a family of 2 adults plus a small child, it works.

    For 3 people, the MINI is very good as the main space constraint is the seat behind the driver which, in my case, doesn't have enough leg room when I am in my preferred driving position. You can fold that seat down for extra cargo, however, giving you about 15 cubic feet of space which is more than most small sedans and even some midsized ones. The room behind the front passenger is more than enough for a child seat or an adult to sit comfortably.
  • hpulley4hpulley4 Member Posts: 591
    I don't have a rough idle per se, but a while back I filled up after it had rained and my car was still wet (or there was water in the gas) and I think I got some water in my tank. For a few days, every morning the car would start fine but after I'd back out onto the road, the idle would go low. The first day the check engine light actually came on. It got better the next day and the next. MINI service suggested I run the gas down and put new gas in from somewhere else before bringing it in and the problem went away on its own.

    Have you had this problem for a short while or is it all the time? Just when starting or all day while idling? If for a long time and all day then I'd bring it for servicing. If just recently then I'd try using a different gas station.
  • jr47jr47 Member Posts: 10
    I got on the list for a Cooper last month. At the time I was told I would have a September build at the LATEST. I went to the dealership again yesterday just to check in and was told I would have a December build with January delivery. Apparently they are building more S's than before, plus the influx of new dealerships is limiting supply. I have read about others saying they were on the list for Coopers and were offered S's instead (that must be rough) and others saying that the waiting lists at their local dealerships have pretty much evaporated. I'm not sure where these dealerships are but that doesn't seem to be the case here in Nor Cal (Bay Area). I'm beginning to wonder, is it worth the wait?
  • milwaukeeboymilwaukeeboy Member Posts: 19
    question for owners:

    does anyone have feedback on upholstery? is the fake leather annoying? i am tempted to order cloth which at least is familiar ground (will not shell out for real leather).
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