Test Drive before I buy?

AVP said:

Hi folks

I'm configuring at the moment an have some questions. I hope you can help.

First up. What's the difference between Sports seats in the chilli pack and Sports seat as a £0 option?

Click to expand...

I tried to configure the sports seats without the chilli pack,but when i went to dealers it was not a free option,so i ordered the chilli pack and got the sports seats.
All i can say is i did not like the standard seats,but if that was true or false info i received i dont know.

If you try to add the Sports Seats as an option on their own, they tell you you need to add the Chili pack I think...?

EDIT: Nope, just tried it and it added... But this was after loading my own saved configuration, removing the Chili pack and then selecting the Sports Seats for £0. Added no problem. But read what tandberg wrote above if you haven't already ^

hi

Your right, the Sports Seats are a must for me too, but I don't want some of the stuff in the Chilli Pack either. If I go with Chilli it stops me getting Arm Rests, rear sensors, folding mirrors....dam their options!!��

Anyway I'm off to battle (negotiate) tomorrow so will report back!

Definitely test drive. I was all set to get the sport seats until they didn't fit my 5'1 wife.

Are they not available with another option? In the UK you can either have them with the Chili Pack or the Sport Pack, although something's telling me the Chili Pack comes as part of the Sport Pack, but not too sure!

When working out what to get before ordering the car, I ticked the Chilli Pack, then ticked seperatly the enhanced bluetooth (which included Arm Rests), the rear sensors, and then the folding mirrors and I had no problems at all and the car arived as I expected
I am in thr UK maybe other countrys are differeent

The 10-15 minute test drive you get is not long enough in my opinion, especially when spending £25k. I have requested a longer test drive or even one for a couple of hours, Mini Nottingham didn't even consider it.
When buying the Toyota Rav4 (family car + towing) last year, they loaned us the full spec, 2.2 Invincible, at £30k for 24 hours.


I have been looking for somewhere that hire out Mini's in the Nottingham area, no look so far.
When it comes closer to the time to order I will be test driving the Audit A3 and Mercedes A class, just to make sure I'm making the right decision.
The Mini has more options and quicker for the same price.

I arranged a test-drive at my local dealer, 2 miles away, nice showroom plenty of stock but the drive was for less than a mile!!. A friend who works for BMW suggested I try Lloyds of Newcastle, about 8 miles away, what a difference, the salesman took me out in 3 different variants, we did about 60 miles in all on various roads, motorways, A & B roads etc. needless to say I bought from them.


Tony

I had two test drives but didn't really need longer than the first minute of the first test drive to know I had to have one! Sytner Nottingham were great.

Hi AVP,
I have ordered the chilli pack with the folding mirrors and the rear parking sensors.
I know that the configurator can be very temperamental, would suggest sitting down with the dealer and working out your options.
I would suggest the sports seats every time.
Good luck with the order.
Blazing Deb

jeremybingham said:

I had two test drives but didn't really need longer than the first minute of the first test drive to know I had to have one! Sytner Nottingham were great.

Click to expand...

You and me both. And I can't speak highly enough of Sytner Coventry so far!

As for my test drive, I had it in my head that I was going to drive half way home, which is where the car will be driving 80% of the time as the dealer is closer to my work than home, in Birmingham.

Before I could even suggest it, the dealer said "why don't you head down the A45?" so I couldn't argue, that's where I wanted to go.

Weirdly we never drove a f55 before we ordered... Tho we did drive a f56 which we liked but felt it was too small... Then more recently tried a countryman but wasn't blown away so looked at the 5 door hatch. Convinced myself that it will be big enough for the family and took the plunge on the basis that all the reviews say that it is virtually the same driving experience as the 3 door... Here's hoping!

We had impeccable service from the team at Snows MINi Portsmouth, test drives were no problem at all, 1 in a F56 and then another in a F55 both for an hour, no problems or hassle.

Rix, you can rest easy as the F55 drives superb and almost the same as the F56. It is without question the most fun I've had driving a 5 door hatch for under £20k

Mini High Wycombe gave me a 24hour test drive.

AVP said:

So,

I've ordered! Hooooorah!!!!

I'm a Proud proud Volcanic Orange 5 door Mini Cooper owner, with the Chilli Pack, Roof Rails, Black roof, Wing Mirrors and Roulette Allies.

But

Prices have increased! From the 1st March. Chilli Pack now includes Visual boost.
The 2 £245 paint options are now £475.
Plus others. The Mini configurators prices have not been updated!

I've had to have a factory build due to having the roof rails but should be built by the end of March (cross fingers)

Thanks for all your replies, AVP

Click to expand...

Adding Visual Boost to the CHILI Pack seems to be something that should have happened a long time ago. And I still think adding navigation should be included in Visual Boost, because I can't see how it would cost £595 just to install an extra piece of software and maybe a couple aerials?

Any word on the MINI Your's interior options and the Park Assist Pack? When I ordered both of these had been phased out and were no longer available, just wondering if you have anything you could add about this?

AVP said:

So,

I've ordered! Hooooorah!!!!

I'm a Proud proud Volcanic Orange 5 door Mini Cooper owner, with the Chilli Pack, Roof Rails, Black roof, Wing Mirrors and Roulette Allies.

But

Prices have increased! From the 1st March. Chilli Pack now includes Visual boost.
The 2 £245 paint options are now £475.
Plus others. The Mini configurators prices have not been updated!

I've had to have a factory build due to having the roof rails but should be built by the end of March (cross fingers)

Thanks for all your replies, AVP

Click to expand...

Great colour choice

radiocaf said:

Adding Visual Boost to the CHILI Pack seems to be something that should have happened a long time ago. And I still think adding navigation should be included in Visual Boost, because I can't see how it would cost £595 just to install an extra piece of software and maybe a couple aerials?

Click to expand...

The sat nav version has an entirely different screen with a different height/ width ratio than the visual boost screen and i would imagine its a different unit behind the screen rather thsn just a software change. Totally agree though that car manufacturers generall still massively overcharge for built in sat nav, epecially when you can use google maps and nav via your phone and have the nav guidance read out via the car speakers, for free

Agreed 're price,crazy but it's so nice not to have to faff about with wires and screen suckers etc etc.