[DeadCanDanceR]

Congratulations!

[Freddo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Martin F (original)

Just been out to the garage to take a careful look. I can confirm the lenses are clear, the bulb is orange and what the photo shows is the orange bulb in the silver reflector

Aah, thats nice to hear.
Odd that my dealer told me that white indicators could´t be ordered until december. But thats maybe only here i Sweden.

[rec]

He's got white indicators all the way around, and the S comes with them as standard. They're a £50 option on the Cooper, however, and mine's just been built, so I guess they are available :]

I'd check with your dealer Freddo ! I think he's telling you fibs.

[118]

very very nice I should be placing my order for a new Works S on Monday

[Martin F]

Quote: Originally Posted by e180881 (original)

very very nice I should be placing my order for a new Works S on Monday

Who are you using as a dealer? I would recommend Ivan at Vines Redhill who is very helpful. ( Unfortunately he was on a training course on the day of the Handover and his colleague was not of the same calibre thus the problem with the GAP cover) Vines Redhill are not my nearest dealer but if you check on here you will find v good reports. But it all depends on who you deal with as much as the dealership itself. And where in Sussex that you live

[Freddo]

Quote: Originally Posted by rec (original)

He's got white indicators all the way around, and the S comes with them as standard. They're a £50 option on the Cooper, however, and mine's just been built, so I guess they are available :]

I'd check with your dealer Freddo ! I think he's telling you fibs.

Here is´t the white indicators standard for either the S or Cooper.
Not expensive tough £35 for S and £50 for cooper.

[Andy P]

Looking ver nice, love the colour

[118]

Quote: Originally Posted by Martin F (original)

Who are you using as a dealer? I would recommend Ivan at Vines Redhill who is very helpful. ( Unfortunately he was on a training course on the day of the Handover and his colleague was not of the same calibre thus the problem with the GAP cover) Vines Redhill are not my nearest dealer but if you check on here you will find v good reports. But it all depends on who you deal with as much as the dealership itself. And where in Sussex that you live

I use Chandlers Worthing as my dealer - they were great when I bought my last car and their service dept has been fab, so think I'll prob go back there. Can't fault them at all

Who's your nearest dealer then?

[ONED]

The reason they asked you to sign the form is because they are bound by the FSA to follow their proceedures when offering any kind of insurance or finance!
There is nothing underhand or sneaky about it!
......although I have often wondered why they wait until you are about to take delivery before trying to sell it to you??

[Martin F]

Quote: Originally Posted by ONED (original)

The reason they asked you to sign the form is because they are bound by the FSA to follow their proceedures when offering any kind of insurance or finance!
There is nothing underhand or sneaky about it!
......although I have often wondered why they wait until you are about to take delivery before trying to sell it to you??

Yes, I did get some stuff about the FSA.

If they had been providing finance they would then be acting in a regulated capacity and I can understand the need to comply with FSA rules. However, the car had just been paid for on my Switch card so they were not in any relationship with me for the provision of any financial services.

I did not mind the offer of GAP cover; it was the request for the written evidence of refusal that was not necessary. And to then to ask me to absolve them from liability was pushing things too far.

I suspect that many buyers do use their finance and so they tell their salesmen to use the same procedures regardless. Problem is that I know rather more about regulation than they do and have a background in financial risk management.

The other problem is price. If one accepts that the cover is effectively for the difference between trade and retail for say 3 years, lets say £3000. A premium of £400 for two years cover ( my insurers will replace with new for the first year) implies that 1 car in every 8 will be a total write off in any 2 year period! Of course the insurers have costs to pay apart from the claim but even if expenses are 50% of premium income, the implied rate of claim looks very high. The truth is that this product carries a huge profit margin for Mini.

[ONED]

....not that I'm endorsing illegal behaviour.....but people have been know to ....basicialy get a new car in 3 years by writing off there old one and claiming off their insurance and the Gap for a brand new replacement!
.........economic sense!

[popey]

Any one had a look at these Gap Insurance by Click4Gap, seems cheap to me.

[Spamini]

Quote: Originally Posted by popey (original)

Any one had a look at these Gap Insurance by Click4Gap, seems cheap to me.

Thats the company recommended by autotrader. I had a look, but as my Insurance is new for old for the first year not sure whether it is worth it. I suppose if your mini has lots of extras then it probably would be a good idea.

[TAmini]

Quote: Originally Posted by Spamini (original)

Thats the company recommended by autotrader. I had a look, but as my Insurance is new for old for the first year not sure whether it is worth it. I suppose if your mini has lots of extras then it probably would be a good idea.

I had a look on there too. £303 for 4 years cover, with a selected max claim limit of £10000 however www.shortfallcover.co.uk quoted £253 for the same terms. I do intend to keep my R56 a long while, managed to get £299, 4 years, £25k cover at my dealer. Even though my car is new for old in my car insurance policy in the first year only, I think it's worth covering myself for a longer period, especially as I would not be able to afford to buy another new one if it got smashed.

[Olly.]

Martin F - One other question for you, what are the Bi-Xenons like?

[miniman23]

Rather me paying £495 with my dealer I think I'll pay £244 with this company thanks for the info you saved me money.

[Martin F]

Quote: Originally Posted by Olly. (original)

Martin F - One other question for you, what are the Bi-Xenons like?

The bi-xenons are very good. I drove home this evening and decided they were very good indeed although they didn't stop a local cat nearly losing one of its nine lives!

[Loui]

Quote: Originally Posted by Martin F (original)

I picked up my R56 MCS yesterday. My first MINI.

The handover went well until the salesman offered me GAP insurance which I didn't want as it is very expensive from MINI. When I refused it he asked me to sign a form to confirm I did not want it AND that the dealer would not be liable for any loss that I suffered because I did not have it.

I was amazed as I do not expect to have to refuse an oral offer in writing. And anyway I could not see why I should agree to relieve the dealer from liability for me not buying it. He could not explain the last point so I refused to sign his form. This caused one of his chums to intervene to try to get me to sign. I also asked him why I should sign and he could not give a coherent explanation of the benefit to me. ( I don't doubt that there was some benefit to the dealer) It was all a bit unpleasant as they tried to bully me. And there was a strong smell of b*ll****.

Apart from that the handover was OK although, as the first one the salesman had done, he was not very knowledgeable. But I sorted it out with the Handbook when I got home.

Driving impressions to follow but here are a few pics in the meantime.

The reason they were so keen for you to sign the documentation is because its a legal requirement, if the dealership isnt seen to be at least offering the product an dosent have physical back up in written documentation they are at the perils of the FSA ( financial services authority not the food standards agency) Who can take that person, an the dealership to court, just your dealership sounds like a bunch of muppets who havent got a clue. Makes me wonder whether they have the relevant qualifications to actually be selling finance an insurance products. But in a nutshell that was why they were so keen for to sign the demands an needs document

[Loui]

Quote: Originally Posted by Martin F (original)

Yes, I did get some stuff about the FSA.

If they had been providing finance they would then be acting in a regulated capacity and I can understand the need to comply with FSA rules. However, the car had just been paid for on my Switch card so they were not in any relationship with me for the provision of any financial services.

Its in relation to insurance products not finance. Although most motor trade insuance is based around finance, thats where most people are ill informed, its the insurance side that is regulated in realtion to finance