[S-Thing]

I am scheduled to pick up my MCS tomorrow at Bill Jacobs Mini (near Chicago)..At 8:00pm tonight I got a call from my sales rep telling me that BJ Mini has a policy limiting down payments to $1500 if using a personal check. $2500 if using a credit card...Any more and CERTIFIED FUNDS are required! What’s the deal?? I have purchased several vehicles where I paid a significant portion with a personal check (including a BMW!)....

What the Heck Part II: I was also informed that if I was financing through another agency, that I needed to bring the physical loan check! Having spoken to my bank this week, they informed me that they could fax all of the financing stuff over to BJ Mini when I closed the deal.... Once again per BJ Mini, this is against their rules.... No phone/fax verification...Subaru didn't have this problem.

It seems as if BJ is forcing people into using their in-house financial services at the maximum loan amount. Especially when informing me about these "policies" at the last second (especially after talking to them several times this week). Is this happening at other Mini Dealers?

I feel like a dirt bag trying to buy a used conversion van on bad credit. (all which is not true)

Less than 12 Hr from pick up and I am already losing faith in my dealer!!!!

[NEMINI]

doesn't sound like a good situation, my dealer certainly never treated me like that.

[BigM]

I am glad my dealer (BMW/MINI of Nashville) didn't do that since I paid cash for my MCS. I wrote a personal check but I guess since the car didn't arrive for 4 weeks after payment they figured the check would clear.

[S-Thing]

UPDATE:

Well Bill Jacobs Mini and I were able to come to an arrangement so I could still pick up the car this weekend. To meet them "halfway" I ended up financing through BJM at a slightly higher rate than I could get on my own. In return they worked out a way to accept my check for a higher amount then they normally allow. Their policy is really inconvenient and they claim that not informing me was an oversight.

I must also add Bill Jacobs Mini did a reasonable job of working through this headache and did a great job prepping the car and programming the features I wanted on short notice.

After full day of ownership I’ve logged over 400 miles (including a 100 mile detour just for a cup of coffee!) and have loved every second of it!

[markjenn]

Dealer policies towards payment do vary. You do have to cut them a little slack in not accepting a personal check and then watching a $23K car sail out the door with no recourse other than to track the buyer down. There are a lot of scams and bogus cashiers checks now floating around.

My dealer took my check, but didn't mail me the Certif of Origin (the thing I needed to get a title) until the check cleared. That seemed reasonable - I had the car and they had the ownership papers until the funds were transferred.

You can usually get around this stuff just by being reasonable and meeting them halfway. Like wiring funds.

It does seem like they were making it difficult for you with respect to the financing in an effort to steer you towards theirs. And it appears it was effective.

This is defiintely a 'gray area'.

- Mark

[AmRov]

My dealer (MINI Center in San Antonio, Texas) told me they'd take my personal check for the full purchase price. I was surprised; I was prepared to have to wire funds or something, but he said that "of course" they'd take my (non-certified) check. I guess dealers vary...

[Codette]

Sorry to hear that, glad everything worked out for you!!!! I just purchased by New Mini there in Nov. and they have gone out of their way to help get it all accessorized to my likings. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a MINI. Also I am at the 3000 plus for mileage, took it on 1st road trip to Texas over Thanksgiving and it was wonderful. Alot of looks and questions at the one stop I had to make for Gas!!!!! Hope your experience with BJ gets better!!!