The Mini Cooper Market help from 996 guys

It took 3 months but I convinced Nicole the Cooper S is calling her name. She thought I was joking 3 months ago, today she can't stand not having one. We spent this evening at the dealership. She wanted to sit in one and see how she liked it. Well she not only likes it she LOVES it. We will go and test drive tomorrow. She will prob. end up ordering a car to her specs. I know a couple of you guys have one... What is the deal with MSRP? Is there room? Do they move? what should I expect off MSRP? Any input is apreciated! (BTW I am excited, even though this is her DD it is really for ME! But she does not read these posts!)

Long Beach Mini sells them for MSRP. Everyone else in OC marks them up right now. Check Mini Long Beach website for current inventory. If they don't have any, you will have to wait for them to get one or you'll have to order one. Their wait list is about 8-10 months from order to receipt. I have a non 'S' and I actually got it slightly below MSRP at Irvine Mini about a year ago. I will buy an 'S' when local dealers are selling for MSRP. You won't regret getting one. Heck of a car for the money. Build quality is top notch and still feels new after a year.

Thanks man I completly forgot you had one. They told us that it takes 100 days to deliver from the day you order. Her main WANT is the Cooper S with NAV. She has a laundry list of other WANTS but Nav in a Met. Grey S is what she is set on. I convinced her to PC her wheels Black...!

Cool. Do it.

Eric, take Nicole up here if u decide to visit me at shop. u guys can try my JCW MCS. she'll love it even more... trust me, it looks sick in person. the best price i heard was 300 off MSRP a while ago.

Before you do the Mini, try the R32. I did and liked it a whole lot more for a number of reasons. If you try it before you buy then you'll not second quess yourself later on. They are both very fun cars, but I'm told the best way to upgrade the Cooper S is with an aftermarket package, cheaper and more power than the "works" package.

cheaper and more powerful yes, but it voids the manufactures warranty on the engine completely, and the R32 is a diffrent kinda car than the mini, nothing from the R32 but i prefere the silly looks of the mini, i have the JCW's package ordered as well, im putting the Anthratic Black SSR 18" rims on it when it arrives in 3 or 4 months

Had a 2003 Cooper S for a year. Nothing but problems including the known hesitation problem (which Mini now claims is a characteristic of the car). The good news is I sold it a week ago for the same price I paid for it (new owner didn't have time to wait to order one). :-) Jim

thats weird jw, ive heard nothing but good about the mini, but then you win some you loose some, i had a 2003 E500 that was nothing but problems, i'm in Roanoke Jim, do you drive a silver C2?

Hi Nivek Looks like we're practically neighbors. Yes, I have a silver '97 993S. check out www.northamericanmotoring.com for the probs with Mini - there are many. The hesitation is just one of them. Jim

Hey here on the east oast I don't think they are getting above MSRP. Mini of the Main Line ( outside Philly) has 20-30 on the lot. Some are S and 1 or two are "works". I have not been in when they are open but run by on one loop ( and run the other way for the Ferrari dealer). Try shopping around because I cannot fathom above MSRP with their inventory here. Best, ScottS

I went out of state when I purchased mine, got the car at MSRP ordered exactly to my specs. The dealers didn't seem to want to budge, I even went in there and told them I'm buying hte car cash and will close the deal on the spot for MSRP and they still wouldn't budge. I purchased my car from Classic MINI in Ohio and had it shipped enclosed transport for $900 to CA. Thus far I have an intake/exhaust/lowering springs and wheels/tires. I"m planning on installing the pulley by the end of the month to give it some real hp. I'm very happy with mine and haven't had any problems other than the tops of the fenders fading. The Yo-yo is due to a faulty bypass valve springs, can be resolved in 20 minutes with pliers by removing the bypass valve all-together as it is not necessary for proper operation of the vehicle, rather it's there to satisfy EPA requirements. The car used to have a noticeable stumble, with the lighter wheels/tires smoothed a lot of that out though. Overall I'm very happy with my purchase, here's a pic of mine (British Racing Green with black top): BTW, I got a chance to drive the R32 recently. It's a nice car with healthy power, but lacks the feel of the MINI. The AWD system really numbs the car out (but this car has a mother-load of useable power and a pretty fat torque band!) and I personally feel the standard FWD GTI is a funner machine. That, and it lacks charm.....but hey, different strokes for different folks.

Forgive my ignorance but what is an R32 and who makes them. Any pics??

It's the 240 HP Volkswagen Golf, and it's an amazing car for the money. Production is around 5000 units. The suspension is really stiff, the torque is amazing and the car beats the feel and sound of a mini hands down. My neighbor who vintage races an owns a Cooper S calls it a Mini Killer. It not for everyone, but as a "grocery getter" it's a blast. The mini could well be the car for you but test this one before you buy..not after. It's a car to take places you can't take your Porsche.

Ordered a MCS from the nearest dealer in Kansas City over a year ago and it came in 6 months, at MSRP. Love the car and have had NO problems which did concern me at first having a British car with no local dealer...it's primarily my wife's car and she loves it. Great for running around town and plenty of room for two. The back seat is best for Alex Zanardi or little kids but we didn't buy it as a people carrier. Has decent power and is a blast to drive quickly. As the old saying goes, it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow...

I bought a six month old example and kept it for 6 weeks - yes it was that bad. An athritic wheezing unreliable heap that drank fuel. Bits fell off, steering shimmy, stone chips all over especially on the windscreen and loose trim items on the bodywork. Monday car - more like a Doomsday car! Don't ask about the small boot or the widows that refused to edge down when opening the door, or didn't work at all. Merdre as they say in France!

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<<The Yo-yo is due to a faulty bypass valve springs, can be resolved in 20 minutes with pliers by removing the bypass valve all-together as it is not necessary for proper operation of the vehicle, rather it's there to satisfy EPA requirements. The car used to have a noticeable stumble, with the lighter wheels/tires smoothed a lot of that out t>> Curious where this info comes from ? While my 2003 has neither the stumble or yo-yo I know a lot of folks would like to solve their problems.

Hello Perry This info is derived from a very large thread on northamericanmotoring.com. Suffice it to say that the person who created the "fix" now is seeking a class action and/or Lemon Law claim against BMW for the hesitation problem. Jim <<The Yo-yo is due to a faulty bypass valve springs, can be resolved in 20 minutes with pliers by removing the bypass valve all-together as it is not necessary for proper operation of the vehicle, rather it's there to satisfy EPA requirements. The car used to have a noticeable stumble, with the lighter wheels/tires smoothed a lot of that out t>> "Curious where this info comes from ? While my 2003 has neither the stumble or yo-yo I know a lot of folks would like to solve their problems."

I have had 1 for 8 months and Im selling to get a Porsche. Nothing bad about it--a true go-kart of a car --I dont have a garage for 4 cars otherwise I would keep it. My ebay auction---only 4k miles Ebay link TODAY IS THE LAST DAY Mike

Grizzy If ebay doesnt work, try autotrader. I sold my Mini on autotrader for the same amount with less options. Good luck

The dealer lent me a MC-S while my car was in service and I kept the car until 2 days after my car was done getting serviced! It was such an incredibly different and fun to drive. I even taught my g/f how to drive stick on that car so as to get her to buy one.... (putting psychology from class to practice..). I'm stuck with her on the micky mousy looks, I still want one but I need to convince her..... how did you do it? -Nima

i put 10,000 miles on my porsche in 3 1/2 months, so i told her about the value of it going down because of this, so she agreed to get a mini for a "work" car

Perry, Jim's right. If you have an hour to kill, it's an interesting read... The Yo-Yo Chronicles

good lord that was a long thread, but it seems to me this Yo-Yo is about like our Vario Cam crap at 3300 rpms, annoying as hell to me, but i'd buy my Pcar again in a second

I had the chance to 'test drive' a mini at an airstrip for an hour or so. They had a little auto-X setup. This was the test fly a mini thing in Toronto... Not sure if anyone is familar. Anyways, the car is such a blast. I simply love it. I'm going to get a Cooper n/a for my daily driver in a few years from now, when I save up enough for it.

Thanks Jim-- I sold it this past saturday to some guy in Chicago--Could have I got more --sure but I just wanted to sell it to get it down with. Now onto the 996 hunt for me Thanks Mike