Charging more than MSRP in the US???

Nashville Mini

I read with interest the comments of those who had contacted the Nashville dealer since I made a deposit with them in November and am number 48 on the overall list. I talked with the dealer this afternoon and was given the following information:

1. They have only one list at this time.
2. Some depositors did not specify S or not.
3. The dealer estimates a 60/40 split between Minis and S's (which sounds strange to me)
4. They are selling at MSRP
5. Assuming the 60/40 split the dealer estimated that I would be able to get an S in Aug/Sept.
6. The person in charge of Mini sales in Nashville has changed since I orginally made a deposit.

I would have to say that all three of the people that I have talked with at the Nashville dealership have been very courteous. I don't think many dealers are really knowledgable at this point.

The Ultimate Driver, I too am located in Knoxville. That makes three in the area that I know of that are ordering S's. The other is located in Maryville. Are you per chance a member of the SCCA?

I am #12 on the list at BMW of Nashville and called them tonight after reading this and a few other posts.

So far I've had very mixed experiences there, the first 6 or so times I visited after putting my deposit down over the phone I -NEVER- got waited on. Either all the salesman were out to lunch or in meetings, or nobody would talk to me at all. Being that I usually go by after work and am preety filthy they might have thought I was either homeless and looking for coffee or janitorial service searching for my mop. Over the phone has been fine and I've never had to wait more than maybe a minute to be waited on when calling.

The list - there is, according to my salesman, only one list and it does not differentiate between the Cooper and Cooper S. It will be quite simply first come first serve, pick from what they have or place a special order. He told me they will do everything they can not to go over MSRP but that options are sometimes a different story, but that at this day in the game it was too early to tell.

No guarantees were given with my $1000 deposit of any kind, not even a receipt. All I have to prove it is their word and my Visa bill. I'm taking a chance here but I think it's worth it.

I was by the dealership last thursday and they had just received a silver/black Cooper that was passing through town on it's way to a show or something, I assume it is the same car appearing in St Louis and/or Kansas City in Feb. If so it is STUNNING and I have video of it....

This is a link to my quicktime format movie of the Cooper in Nashville. It is a large file, over 6 megs, so I don't reccomend downloading it unless you have a broadband connection. The text at the beginning and end just says that the car was not supposed to be on general display and that I had to get as much footage as possible before they moved it or told me to leave.

http://68.53.124.2/minicooper.mov

I'll post more as I think of things to say,

Yeah, I have the same reaction when I think of it. I might swing by there today and see if I can get something about it, as it's way past the time I can dispute the charge on my creditcard. The salesman I deal with, Phillip Johnson (doubt he'll mind my dropping his name here,) has been great to work with so far. He has made it clear that he probably won't be doing the mini's when they arrive but that he'll do anything he can for me regarding the sale until that time comes.

He says the Cooper S should be here late in the year, probably september or so, which is much different than what I've seen others in the US state - could be they had the dates confused with the Cooper or maybe my salesman just didn't have all the facts straight.

In either case, I am involved in the BMW motorcycle comunity and let him know that I will be reporting my experiences to several publications, both locally and worldwide.

I've been a diehard BMW cycle rider for years but the dealership here, Bloodworth Motorsports, is abosolutely horrible, to the point that when I bought my last bike I specificly shopped for anything OTHER than a BMW so as to never have to deal with them. I now am the proud owner of a Triumph Sprint ST and couldn't be happier with it.

haven't been to the Knoxville dealership but know a good many stories about them, have heard they aren't much better than who we have currently in Nashville. The only BMW Motorcycle dealers I have had good dealings with are BMW of Atlanta and Rees Powersports. Unfortantely Rees dropped BMW several years ago and has since died in a housefire. Am trying to get BMW to add another dealership here, Castle Powersports has been begging for a couple years and would easily outsell Bloodworth, but BMW NA won't hear of it.

The bikes I REALLY want are Moto Guzzi's, but there's no dealership around here for hundreds of miles - not acceptable for me, so for now it's either the big 4 or Triumph, Ducati, and Aprilia. Oh, and possibly Ural - I would LOVE a Ural Patrol. It's difficult to support my habits and tastes on a postal worker's income.

But back to the subject of Mini's - my impressions of seing the Cooper at BMW of Nashville last week:

It's much smaller on the inside than I remember the classic mini's being, but then I'm much larger on the outside now than I was when I had a classic mini.

The leather apholstery looked a bit shoddy to me, the stitching stood out like an eyesore. Seat adjustment controls are brilliant, if only they had worked. I managed to adjust the seat correctly on the first try but then found it nearly impossible to move it anywhere else. Got the seat folded down to check out the rear and then couldn't get it back up.

Standard CD stereo sounded lackluster, flat and weak.

Started the car and it was very quiet, hope the S version has a bit more character to it. (I know it will) Shifter was WONDERFULL, I wasn't allowed to drive it but I did play with the tranny and it was superbly crisp (at least while parked.)

The trunk/boot was surprisingly spacious for a car so small. Interior of the car felt comfortable but is definitely going to take some getting used to as I currently drive a GMC Suburban and Chevy S-10 Blazer.