Trade-ins -- are Mini dealers generally fair?

[Mini Pod]

I'm looking to trade in my current car upon purchase of a new MCS. In the past, I've always privately sold my cars. My current one is a convertible, so it should sell fairly easily, but right now I would prefer not to deal with the hassle of a private sale.

Of course you get a little less resale value with a trade-in, but I know some dealers are more fair than others. How have people found Mini dealerships to be in terms of fair credit of a trade-in? Anything to be wary of? Thanks...

[supersaw]

My advice to you would be take it to as many dealers as you can,i recently found a difference of £2000 between my two local dealers. The one offering the least amount of money must of thought we were stupid,couldn't believe it as we had spent over £60000 on two cars in the previous year with them,so much for customer loyalty eh.Needles to say they didn't get the order for our new mcs

Rant over best of luck with it

[Coop2004]

The lesson I learned? Bought my 2004 used Mini from a non Mini dealer in a county that has no new Mini dealers. In spite of the fact that I did bluebook value research, the car was a somewhat impulse buy. My previous car broke down in the rain the night before and needed a big repair plus a towing. Anyhow I paid below car dealer bluebook and from what I saw the Mini's held high value.

Went to a Mini dealer and was told the car was worth about $4000.00 less on trade than I paid for it because the Mini dealer didn't sell used Mini's and he would auction it. I guess it would have been different if they sold used Mini's.

So for me trading in the Mini isn't gonna be an option.

[Humourl3ss]

Shop between dealers; that's my advice.

When I traded in my '03 MCS on an '05 MCS, the opening offer for trade in from dealer "B" was $2,500 better that the last offer from dealer "A".

No points for gussing which dealer I bought from.