[MRC2K6]

What's Up ... how come there are no MINI dealers in E?
(Because they all ordered Maxi's and no one ordered MINIs?)

I know your going to enjoy your new ride ... so happy motoring back in the big E.

[cgoodman]

'02 MCS DS Cdn flag on sun roof

[nabob]

I am in regina! Looking at purchasing a mini as it seems like smart 27 year old decision lol but am concerned about winter driving conditions and mini performance. How's Winnipeg for Mini driving?

[P.Phresh]

The MINI is great in the winter. Some dedicated winter tires the and the traction control make the car easy to handle in the winter, and once you turn the traction control off and pull the handbrake, it gets REALLY fun!

[Revolver]

Hey all, I'm in Winnipeg too. No Mini yet though. I am about to order it. I am trying to make a decision - I can factory order my MCS, or I can get one delivered from Ontario with a couple extra features I don't really want. The BMW dealer tells me my factory MCS would be built in January and I would have it by mid-February. Is this possible? It seems some other guys are waiting a LOT longer than that. What has the wait-time been for Canadians? What has it been for Winnipeggers (or, the lone WInnipegger I guess)?
Thanks!

[Mr Grean]

We ordered our 2003 MCS in April 2002. from Victoria MINI...actually gave them a deposit to get on the waiting list. Reconfirmed the order early August, car built late August/early September and we finally got it November 5th 2002. We could have taken what they had on the lot but they were loaded...most Coopers "extra-d" up to a Cooper S price....Cooper S running mid-high $30s. dealers order them loaded & if you don't want to wait you pay for what they have. We would have liked to have received our car sooner, but it was worth the wait to get exactly what we wanted. Metalic clear coat BRG and heated seats were the only extras...car ran $31,000 and change...PLUS all the taxes etc.

[P.Phresh]

HOLY CRAP!! Someone from Winnipeg... i thought that'd never happen.

Revolver: To answer you question, i think you should wait the extra time, it'll be well worth it. Get the car YOU want. Not somebody else's car that they couldn't get. Don't settle for someone else's car, get YOURS. I was supposed to wait 8 months for mine, but it came early and i've had mine for over a year already. Got it last October. I had the oppurtunity to get someone else's car whose financial services fell through. I was offered their car. Had I taken it, i'd have had a Cooper since August, but i was losing out on options i wanted. So i chose not to, cause i didn't want to be driving around someone else's car.

I'd wait it out. If you're not in desperate need for a car-- wait. It'll only be better, you don't wanna drive your car around all winter anyways.

So how's your optioned out so far? Are you trading a car in? What are you driving now?

[Revolver]

P.Phresh: The specs I want: MCS, dark silver (sorry, don't mean to cramp your style), sport package, and cruise control as stand-alone option. That is it! Hope you don't mind that our cars will look somewhat similar, although it looks like your suspension and wheels are modded up pretty good. Maybe I will throw the bonnet stripes on there anyway!

The cars I could get from Ontario have sport and premium package and sunroof. A sunroof I could live with although IMO it is too expensive for what you get. Don't like leatherette though, which is what they have.

As to what I am driving now: Nothing! ...with the occasional weekend rental (it's cheap actually). I lost interest in new cars during the SUV craze when there were no affordable, interesting, small sports cars. But the MCS has brought me back. I would have looked into the Mini a lot sooner if the Canadian advertising hadn't sucked so badly, with that "Little Guy" crap that failed to show off the look or performance aspects.

The BMW dealer tells me that the long wait-times were only for people who ordered the Mini right when they first became available.

Any Canadians who got their Mini more recently? What was the wait-time? Thanks!

[Revolver]

Forgot to mention I am getting black roof and mirror caps.

[P.Phresh]

sounds great!

If and when you get yours, gimme a shout, I'd be more than happy to accompany you!

[ChilliSteve]

I would also suggest buying the car that YOU want. there are alot of options that do not want to get when I order my MINI, the sunroof being one of them. I don't think I could handle having one!

Also, since we are in Winnipeg, there isn't a large mass of people to drive a waiting list. If you order a car today, since MINI Winnipeg already has their allocation for the month of December, you get it for the January builds! it's the one good thing about living in the prairies I guess.

As for your spec, it's pretty close to what I'm going to order on my MCS. Save for the 17" S lites, which I don't care for, so I'll be opting to get the standard 16" X-lites.

Also, have you thought about ordering from MINI Regina? they seem to be able to work a little bit with the numbers, as well as some freebies.

-Steve

[Revolver]

Thanks P.Phresh and ChilliSteve, I believe I am on the right track...I ordered the factory built MCS with only the specs I want. Winnipeg Mini assured me that mid-to-late February is my ETA, and it's great that you are basically confirming that. I didn't think of the Regina option but hey, I don't have enough patience to squeeze every nickel out of them anyway. I should, but I don't. I will keep you posted about my impending Mini arrival. Most people around here don't realize how cool the Mini is. Good to hear from some local yokels who do appreciate it.

Another question: Do you guys have, or are you getting, the electric front windshield heater? Is it worth it? Is it so great that not getting it is just stupid?

Thanks!

I'm out here in Calgary. Sold my Stealth Twin Turbo, and I am expecting delivery the first week of January. It is on a train as we speak!
I managed to get a Mini that was orignally destined for Saskatchewan.

B/W MCS
Sport Pkg
Premium Pkg
Sunroof
HK

[milliethemini]

Hey Revolver, you know that if you want the electric front window defroster, you will also have to select the Rain sensor w/auto dimming mirror, right?

If you had already selected the rain sensor and a/d mirror, than the window defroster adds $390 to your total. But if you didn't, the whole package is $635. Something to keep in mind.

I have the rain sensor and autodimming mirror, and they are great!! But I live in Vancouver, and I get lots of rain, so the rain sensor gets a pretty good workout. The autodimming mirror works much better than the regular rearview mirror.

With the very cold weather you get in Winnipeg, my feeling is that you will like the front window defroster a lot - because you will get a fair bit of use out of it. Whether it's worth the $390 or $635 to get it, only you can answer best!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by milliethemini

With the very cold weather you get in Winnipeg, my feeling is that you will like the front window defroster a lot - because you will get a fair bit of use out of it. Whether it's worth the $390 or $635 to get it, only you can answer best!!!

IMO the front windshield defroster isn't worth it. It will only cost more when you have to replace your windshield. Especially here in Calgary with all this damn gravel they put on the roads...

[Canuck1]

I'm in the process of dealing on MCS right now with Birchwood (Wpg). Anyone care to opine on what % of sticker they'll hold out for? Will the new engine be in the '05? Are you current owners drooling over the changes for the new model year? I could wait but I don't want to.

[ChilliSteve]

no new engine for 05. I don't think that birchwood will deal at all from MSRP. maybe a little (like 1-2%) if you order lots of options.

-Steve

[Revolver]

Thanks for the responses you guys. I am likely going to skip the heated windscreen in view of the unnesessary extras that come with it and also in view of concerns about replacement cost for the windshield if it gets broken. I do a fair bit of highway driving and it seems to me that with a fairly blunt-nosed car like the mini, windshield damage may eventually happen.

Canuck1: Birchwood should offer 1% to 2%. I got 2%, they said, because a lot of guys where I work are clients of theirs (BMWs). Who knows, they may say something like that to everyone. It seems to me that they make their money on the options, so in my opinion the best plan is to get only the options you can't do without and wait until they offer the 1 or 2% discount. Re: '05 model - it seems from my research that the '05 is nothing to get too worked up over. The changes seem minor and cosmetic and some people don't even like the changes (myself included, I think...?).

Quote: Originally Posted by Revolver

Thanks for the responses you guys. I am likely going to skip the heated windscreen in view of the unnesessary extras that come with it and also in view of concerns about replacement cost for the windshield if it gets broken. I do a fair bit of highway driving and it seems to me that with a fairly blunt-nosed car like the mini, windshield damage may eventually happen.

Had my mini exactly one week, and got my first big rock chip in the windshield. If glass coverage is an option I would definitely suggest it...

[rotor]

Just joined, and I ordered my MCS about three weeks ago... I can't wait until April. BRG, blk roof, mirrors, and bonnet stripes. Anybody else here from Edmonton can give impressions on Alberta Mini Winter driving? I travel between E-town and Van. often during the year and can't wait to drive down the Sunshine Coast highway!