[Vizilo]

I live on Vancouver Island and have fallen in love with the Cooper Convertible. I have read a number of posts (Canadian and worldwide) that seem to indicate buying at MSRP is the norm for Minis.

Yet, the local BMW dealer is advertising in the Victoria, British Columbia paper sales of in stock Minis until the end of January at dealer invoice price. Is this just a come-on to get you in the dealership or is it truly a discount off of list to get business in a warm but very rainy January?.

Would be interested to hear your views

many thanks

[cooper_s_flyer]

...and find out in person.

This is my advice to you because you are there and most on the forum are not. I could theorize whether this is a come-on or a bonefide offer, but it would be pure speculation.

I will however give you an opinion on the convertible. The top only looks great when it is down and out of sight. When up it looks downright bizarre.

The back window is not laminated glass (safety glass) which I find strange as well. If that glass breaks one must replace the entire top... This is a prospective major pain.

Personally I favor a fully loaded "S" with a panoramic roof and JCW package. It can be had for around the same price (or less) than a semi-loaded convertible is going for...

IMHO wait for the factory to sort out the initial production bugs... and get your convertible at a later date if you are really stuck on getting one.

Just my 2 cents...

Good luck with whatever you decide...

[MINNOW]

Well this time of year can be slow for auto dealers so it is not unusual to see some sort of discounting being offerred - and you did say it was on in-stock MINI's only.
If it is true and there is a car in stock to your liking (assuming you are ready to buy now) this may be your lucky day.
Wish I had this opportunity - I paid MSRP on a factory order, but then got $300 in my choice of accessories.
Scout out the dealer and let us know.

[dbo]

I ordered a 05 Cooper S in August from Victoria BMW / MINI and at this point I would not buy from them again. Initial problems were either BMW Canada or the dealer not revealing the truth about the upcoming LSD or auto trans. I was flat out told by both that there was no plan to put a auto trans in the S (wife's preference) nor would a LSD be available for the 2005 model year although that changed in late November once my car had arrived. When I did pick up the car there was very noticable lines on the paint of the hood (hyper blue) but the dealer said they were water marks and would polish out. They were fully aware of my reservation to take the car before the issue was dealt with but they seemed to be pushing to get the deal done before the end of the month and in good faith I proceeded. Well it turns out the issue in the paint would not wet sand out and they would only offer to paint the hood. Now I ordered a car and paid for a car with a factory painted hood and asked for a different car or some form of discount or incentive but it seems that once they had my money the deal was done. I have now been told they will order in a new car of the same color and swap hoods between the two cars (what are the chances of the paint batches being a perfect match). All of this has left a very sour taste with me which is disapointing as I like the car and it is fun to drive. What probably annoys me most is they do not seem to feel this is an issue and have not returned any emails I have sent. I called today, over a week after I sent an email and they said they had received it but with no response to my questions.

Signed
Not so happy........

[Vizilo]

Sorry that you had that experience. I was concerned about problems with them were I to order a car. Luckily they had a ton of convertibles in stock. Let me have my pick of which to test drive. I was surprised that they let me take the car out by myself (at Victoria Saab, they insisted a sales person come with me). No pressure to buy.

Only slightly unpleasant experience was the downright unfriendly on-site insurance agent. Maybe she had had a bad day or maybe it was because I was only buying the license plate and mandatory portion of car insurance from her (for out-of-province readers, there is mandatory government liability insurance issued at standard prices based on your experience; then you have your choice of private insurers fot the collision and comprehensive portions)

Here is hoping that future dealer experience will be pleasant. You really do not have much choice on Vancouver Island. 750,000 people on a 250 mile long island with one BMW/Mini dealer. Only other choice is 2 hours and $50+ each way by ferry to Vancouver (2 dealers there)

[dbo]

Well Vizilo, I'll be looking for you on the road and I'll be sure to flash and wave.

Dennis

[jason2025]

Quote: Originally Posted by dbo

What probably annoys me most is they do not seem to feel this is an issue and have not returned any emails I have sent. I called today, over a week after I sent an email and they said they had received it but with no response to my questions.

Signed
Not so happy........

I've had mixed experiences with this dealer as well. My initial contact was good, and the salesperson was great at responding to e-mails and questions however he's no longer there. My dealings on the phone with the business manager and her current replacement have also been excellent but overall, their e-mail response has been a failure. I've sent several mails asking some questions and never even got a reply saying they'd got the mail.

I'll be getting my insurance elsewhere as well.

Anyway, I'm about to buyout my friend's lease so see you on the roads soon

Cheers.

J\

[beken]

I thought the Victoria dealer was pretty good. Coming from the Vancouver area, the sales guy recommended I buy in Vancouver than from Victoria. They were willing negotiate a bit on pricing but mentioned that the savings might not be worth the ferry ride if I had any problem. So on ethics, I was pretty pleased.

As for the convertible, Victoria is a great place to have a convertible. It's warm and sunny compared to the rest of Canada.

I like the way the roof opens and closes. An engineering marvel. However, the car is 200lbs heavier than a hardtop. Rear view is extremely limited with the roof on. The ride felt less harsh but response wasn't as sharp as the coupe. This is probably because of the 200lbs difference. But most people do not buy a convertible for razor sharp handling.

I would recommend you set your budget that you would consider a fair price for what you are getting, know full well that the dealership and sales people need to make a living and go see what you can get. Don't let your heart overrun your brains.

Do not compare the car with a lesser car. Most people do because of the size of a MINI.

I'm sure if you are fair and the dealer is fair, you will both leave in a win-win situation.