Could the first month of 05 production be factory spec-only cars?
I heard for a few dealers in the US state that the first run of 05 Coopers (especially convertibles) will be all factory-spec and none of them will be customer ordered cars in the attempt to get the production line running as fast and as smoothly as possible. All the factory spec-cars will also come with just aboot every option available so dealers can get those on the showroom floors with huge markups on what will already be a very expensive mini.
I guess out here in Califronia the dealer mark for a MCS convertible will be between $5,000-$10,000 depending on the dealer. So the first loaded MCS convertible to land here in Southern California will most likely sell near $35,000-$40,000.
In the UK people will have been able to order all types of Mini for some months. The production both LHD and RHD will already be up and running in 05. Modern production lines ensure that each car can be unique on a production line. I appreciate that US dealers have run the operation differently but the most likely explanation is that dealers are making a commercial decision to ensure people cannot go on a waiting list and pay retail price but come in and pay a premium for a top spec preordered car in a thinly veiled auction (conspiracy theories aside).
Just a thought
Hey all,
We received our July allocation not to long ago. There were no convertibles even listed. We received a separate bulletin that listed the specifications of the first 4 convertibles that we will receive as a store. We will receive 2 Cooper Convertibles and 2 S's. We have no control over the specifications or colors. It is my understanding that we won't be able to modify convertibles until August production.
It is my understanding that dealers won't receive more than 10 convertibles between the 2 models every month. They're taking from the hard-top production to make the rag-top so we'll see coupe production decline with the convertible. I would call the average between 5 and 7 a month based on the information that I have.
They actually moved the end of production for the 2004 model year to June from August. So the first 2005 models will roll off of the line in July, arriving on the west coast towards the end of August.
You are all correct.....no spec car until AUG. production And depending on the dealer allocation.
5-10 Cabrios.
As to the price: there is another thread about the cost. check MINI 2 search.(MINI COPER S CABRIO.. $ are you ready?)
I always felt that if you would like a Cabrio with LSD or automatic (Jan ,2005) and LOAD UP on the options you can be over
$ 30,000.
In Southern California, the sky is the limit. Some who has deep pockets and want one the first month cold pay $40.000 easy. In 2002, at a dealer in Palm Beach Florida on the first day the Mini's arrived in the U.S. I was waiting for two hours for a test drive. When a guy pulls out $40,000 and buys the MINI S.off the waiting line. There was only two cars in the this dealer and then "THERE WAS ONLY ONE" True story . I was floored
It makes you wonder why Mini would even want to make the hardtop for the first few months of 05 production when you got such a huge demand for the convertible and tons of people willing to pay way over MSRP to get one.
Its typical MINI for them to pre-spec the first batch of cars. When Cooper's started they were pre-spec. After a month or so, customers could order their own spec, but then S' came out, and they were pre-spec, while Coopers could be specced, until a month or so, and then everyone could order.
I think part of the logic of prespeccing is it keeps everything controlled, it'd be much easier to make all the cars well if they all have similar specs to start with, before it starts getting crazy and everything unique.
And the rationale I think of not shutting down hardtop production for convertible production is probably because it'd A, annoy all of us who have been waiting for '05s, and B. even with high demand, convertibles will only be a small percentage (10% maybe a bit higher?) of total cars sold, so it doesn't make sense to make only them, then go back to hardtops. People who want convertibles can wait an extra month, that's what the original plan was anyway.
Magic 8-ball was correct. All be in awe of Magic 8 ball.
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US allocation = Factory Spec 
