[My MINI me and me]

Specced my new Clubman D at my dealer this weekend an incredible £24,900! That can be reduced to £22,000 by getting rid of all the Sat Nav and ICE related toys however I was appalled at the trade in on my 06 Cooper S Con (Chili Auto Trans & Air etc...) of £13,000 (60%) from my "Trainee Sales Executive" Glass book. I went home and checked myself on Parkers which came out at nearer £16,000 and noticed that with Glass you can easily end up with a hatch valuation which comes out at £13,000 which is where I think the problem lies. I now also have to buy MINI Seal and Protect otherwise "It will be taken in to consideration at resale" is this where my missing cash has gone? What is this and does anyone know the base price, I suspect it is wax and costs less than £50?

I was also a little annoyed that whilst drawing me depreciation graphs and explaining the £120 per hour it costs to check a 21mnth old trade in for resale and warranty, I was also being told that the MINI had the lowest depreciation of any other car on the market. I have tasked him with significantly improving the trade in and the 10.9%APR on the 5K I need to change over.

A very different experience to when I bought my Cooper S, when I got 47% trade in my four year old Cooper and a fantastic end to end customer experience. Same dealer but dealt with by an ex-BMW sales person who knew their stuff. I don't need to change but would like to improve on the 22MPG I get in central London and having just moved house, I would now like to be able to get stuff in the back of the car rather than having to "phone a friend" all the time. So I though I would take advantage of the best possible trade in price to achieve this on yet another MINI.

Can anyone recommend a decent dealer in or around London, I don't mind travelling I just want a fair valuation and a decent customer experience. Could swap it for a Golf TDi but would preffer not to.

[Paul]

My advice would be walk away.

Quote:

I now also have to buy MINI Seal and Protect otherwise "It will be taken in to consideration at resale"

Absolute rubbish. Sounds like the slimiest of all sales methods are all being employed on you at your dealer. Go somewhere else.

[iain cooper]

I think your wasting your £10,000. go for something else, as you suggest a Golf tdi or similar.

the clubman is just not worth that amount of money, and for £24,900 you can buy much much better it terms of spec, size, build quality, etc, etc, etc

[Shaun]

You missed the best line of all
"Well we are not maiking anything on your trade in"

I got offerd "Glass Guide" Pricing for my last S and wasnt over the moon with it I could have sold privately but there are so many rogues out there I cant be doing with the hassle. I rang and complained when I saw cars of similar spec and age selling for 2.5k more off Mini Dealers they stumped up more cash and still made a huge profit in my car at sale time.

25K for a Mini is just ludircrous though if you live in London walk or get a push bike and be drunk all the time its miles better than driving.

[My MINI me and me]

Been offered 16.5K tentatively over the phone from an outer London dealer who is not worried about the kerbed alloys. If I bring the Clubman spec down to 22K (bye bye Sat Nav and TV options) then the exchange is 5.5K which is what I am looking at. I am expecting to reduce fuel costs from £250 to about £100 a month which pays for the changeover. Although I live in central London I work in outer London doing unsocial hrs so although I use my Oyster card when I am off work, I have to commute hence the need for an auto. Looks like there is a good chance of staying in the MINI2 Club.

[Matt FT]

Which London dealer is it? I had reasonably good customer service from Westminster recently... BTW, I'm in a similar situation with needing a car in London and the 21mpg out of my MCS I get is really stinging. Plus the £170 parking permit now scaled on CO2 Clubman Cooper D was on my list - let me know how you get on.

[Shaun]

Quote: Originally Posted by My MINI me and me (original)

Been offered 16.5K tentatively over the phone from an outer London dealer who is not worried about the kerbed alloys. If I bring the Clubman spec down to 22K (bye bye Sat Nav and TV options) then the exchange is 5.5K which is what I am looking at. I am expecting to reduce fuel costs from £250 to about £100 a month which pays for the changeover. Although I live in central London I work in outer London doing unsocial hrs as an operations manger so although I use my Oyster card when I am off work, I have to commute hence the need for an auto. Looks like there is a good chance of staying in the MINI2 Club.

Cool now go buy a Tom Tom and your sorted