[calinca]

HI everyone

I'm the future owner of a new mini cooper D 1.5, witch one not really sure:nerd:

On the dealership I have connections with, they have a service car, around 4000 km. It's full extras (wired, chilli, HUD, AD, Parking assist, camera, driving assist), everything I was considering buying, plus led lights (didn't have the money) and 17" spoke silver wheels. It's pepper White with black roof and stripes, So far so good, but inside it has diamond carbon black seats witch I originally dislike, and also piano black interior, witch I don't love but find it looks good on the car. We get a great discount on the price (as good as mini goes), but basically the prices stays similar to the one I could customize, but wait 3 months.

While I'm driving I don't really notice the seats much, would I hate them in the future? not sure....When you are spending this much on a car, you imagine you want everything perfect! But also life taught me that it's not worth to overstress for details....some are not worth it???

If I forget about the diamond carbon black seats..... For the same price, I like the car in white, get a car this next week, with extra led lights and 17" wheels. Is it worth it what do you think?

Thanks for the feedback

 

[Comet]

Guess it would depend on your intentions in a few years time. Warranty will be the first time the car was registered so it's a few months less than a new one.

I'd personally choose this since you get the extra bits which does save you some money.

 

[Stingray82]

Those diamonds could get hard to live with. If you go for it and find everyone calling you "Lucy in the Sky", don't say I didn't warn you.

Ps. Google "Lucy in the Sky" if this post isn't funny to you.

 

[calinca]

Hi Comet

Warranty it's on the mini approved program, so it 24 months no km/mile limit.

Stingray

Can I leave with the beatles song maybe Not sure!

If I get the car and hate the diamonds, I can go crazy and paint them! (If I had the guts!):

http://www.fabricspray.co.uk/shop/boat-car-interior-spray-paint/midnight-black/

 

[jeremybingham]

I love my diamond black half leather seats but it's great to sit and design a car to your exact requirements .and the wait and anticipation is great in a weird way.plus you can run it in. Someone may have caned it so if you plan to keep it....... I loved building my own plus the factory tour made it for me!

 

[Pmcg16]

Foe me, when you are spending a lot of money it is always preferable to have a choice and pick your own specification. Also, given your dislike of the seats, surely it would be a real downer looking at them every time you get into the car. I strongly advise you to bite the bullet and order a car that you really want.

 

[jeremybingham]

Concur entirely whole excitement improved by designing your own. Go play on that configurator it's fun.

 

[Stingray82]

I agree with the other posters. I custom ordered mine and waited 4 months for it to arrive. It was well worth the wait and I feel like I have a car that is uniquely mine. With any other brand of car I wouldn't bother but with the Mini, customizing it with all those option choices is a big part of the experience.

 

[calinca]

Hi guys

Thank you for your feedback, great MINI family here

I've played with the configurator again and again, also I might know by heart most extras and prices... I've been a maniac for a few weeks, I imagine to have you customized car it's worth the wait, but not sure I value the experience as much as you guys, I'm not a patient person at all, not sure the "mini anticipation" is for me....

I don't care much for the 17 " wheels, but I would like the led lights.....I'm a girl and always love a bargain!!

I've read quite a few post here, sometime people order something and don't like it when they get it, and in the end they still love their Mini.

I was more set up on buying the white pepper mini, but you know leave me a bit divided again.......:|

 

[profiteroles]

If you are buying on finance check the rates, my mini dealer was offering 6.9% APR on new minis, but 11.9% on used ones!! Means that the difference in price isn't as good as it looks in the long run.

 

[MintMark]

What's the saying... buy in haste, repent at leisure? (OK, I'm paraphrasing )
You'll have the car for much longer than you'll be waiting for it to be made. If it's not what you really want then you might regret that a little bit every day.

Only you can say which options are deal breakers... and like you, I knew I didn't really like the diamond seats. I did select a plain roof because my dealer said it would take longer for black or white... maybe I should have waited, but I'm not really bothered by that choice.

I guess I'm saying have a think about the importance of each option to you, then decide how close the service car is to your ideal Mini.

 

[dinger]

they have a service car, around 4000 km.

The other thing you would need to think about is how has it been driven being a service car,I bet money on it that they did not follow the break in period also how many bottoms have been on the seats etc.

 

[Sunster]

Well, I'm going to counter the argument a little... seeing as I've just purchased a demonstrator. It's done 1,000 miles and is now in MINI storage. I have to wait until 1st December before I can collect otherwise they can't class it as a demo.

So, yes - it's not going to be new, it's going to be nearly new. But for me, having the correct equipment inside the car was a must and as we all know, that spec list can quickly start mounting up. I have a limited budget - or putting it another way I have a ceiling that I can't justifiably go above so getting a demo meant that I have ended up with a lot more of what I wanted rather than what I could have afforded.

There is a danger that the car could have taken a thrashing, but it's by no means a certainty (and bear in mind I gave it an extended test drive at 900 miles on the clock) and it felt fine so in the end I think it was the right move for me.

 

[profiteroles]

Did you get finance Sunster? if so, out of curiosity what was your dealer's APR % on the ex demo?

I wonder if my dealer is unusual in offering higher APR on used than new? (11.9 used, 6.9 new (5.9 new on a MCS))

 

[QMark]

I agree with dinger, based on personal experience. In 2005 I bought a nearly new ex-demo (what you call service) MC from a reputable Mini dealer in London.
Within 6 months it needed to have a load of suspension parts, and wheel bearings, replaced (which thankfully were done under warranty)
The response from a salesperson at the dealership was 'Oh, yes, that doesn't surprise me: the sales staff really thrash the demos, and there are loads of speed humps near here...the staff like to see how fast and far they can fly'
Needless to say, I decided never to buy another ex-demo car.

 

[Sunster]

Did you get finance Sunster? if so, out of curiosity what was your dealer's APR % on the ex demo?

I wonder if my dealer is unusual in offering higher APR on used than new? (11.9 used, 6.9 new (5.9 new on a MCS))

Hi Profiteroles - sorry couldn't tell you - I'm buying mine outright.

 

[calinca]

Hi everyone

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes demo cars can be trashed, you can never be sure, but in this case it was a service car of a saleswomen occasionally lent to be tested. I drove it myself for a 200km on all road types and felt no problems with it. But the true is the risk is higher.... but the warranty is there and I know plenty of people with service cars that never had a problems unlike Qmark. On the other hand it's already been tested and it doesn't appear to be faulty.

And I've buyed in a haste before and not repented several times, I'm the impulsive type,as you might have guessed.

I'm not sure about APR, as I've managed otherwise. So not and issue for me. I'm told that nowadays sales don't really prefer to be pay up front as most car brands haven their financial department and the salespeople also get commission when that department aproved a loan.

I'm pending towards the service white mini, hope the pure miniacs here don't get upset ;-)

Sunster, I get you, Yes I have a limited budjet and, with this car, I get for a slightly lower price, EXTRA, the led lights, the 17" wheels and the back camera. So it 's a good deal and probably the better move for me, also considering the anxious.....

I'll keep you updated

 

[jeremybingham]

hi Profiteroles, here in Lincoln the dealer has a much higher rate for used cars . Makes it worth sourcing your own personal loan imo.

 

[opal]

I would go for it, all my 5 Minis have been low mileage demonstrators. If you don't like the spec of the demo you don't buy it.
I understand others comments about personalisation but like you say even if you have a car built you have to make compromises....unless you have an unlimited budget. depreciation is also more for a brand new car and then you have to wait!

 

[opal]

Oh and I have the diamond black half leather sports seats and like them. The other no cost seat option on the Chilli pack is leatherette (plastic) and tweed seats which I don't like at all, they don't look anything like as classy as the diamond half leather to me. cant see how half plastic and half leather are the same price either!