Hunted: Mini Cooper Convertible

Back in February my cousin Cindy came close to buying a 2005 Mini Cooper convertible but we were a couple of hundred bucks from what the dealer wanted – and no one budged.

So we passed and then Cindy decided she wanted the newer model. Another Mini dealer in the area had a new 2009 they were eager to move so she bought there instead. It was pretty easy and totally low pressure. And the price and financing was pretty good. She was going to pay cash but the interest rate was so low (less than inflation) she financed part of it.

But the logistics were kind of challenging as we are both very busy and traveling a lot. So finally picked the car up after returning from a trip in late March. Then we finally hung out again this past weekend at my Mom’s house and I took the car for a drive and snapped a few pics.

For a convertible the structure is fairly solid. It’s got a lot of interesting features like the way the engine is started: Insert the key fob in the dash like a cassette tape and then hit the start/stop button.

The auto transmission shift map was fairly sporty, keeping a lower gear than other vehicles when you release the throttle to keep the engine in its powerband, steering was well weighted and the switchgear is unique – looks a bit like those in Spyker cars.

Another neat feature was the tailgate. It reminded me of a tiny pickup truck the way it would fold down to expose the modest trunk. The rear seats, by the way have fairly limited legroom as would be expected from such a small car.

One thing that did take some getting used to is the turn signals. The stalk has two modes for each direction. If you press it lightly the signal will flash a few times. If you press it further, past a subtle “click” it will keep flashing until you complete a turn. I’m used to cars with only one mode and a very positive “click”.

Same with the control for the high beams. And while certainly unique, I also found it takes longer to glance at the fuel gauge and speedometer placed in the center of the dash rather than near the steering wheel.

The leather seats were comfy, and the top opens and closes fairly quickly – I’m guessing about 10 seconds. It’s a fun, peppy car with good fuel economy too (25/34 EPA mpg rating). Overall, Cindy has been thrilled with it.

No Big Deal On the Mini

For the last two weeks I’ve been going back and forth via telephone with the local Mini dealership about a red 2005 convertible my cousin Cindy wants to buy. Their asking price of $15,995 was a little bit high, and the car needs about $600 of minor cosmetic work like replacing the leather boot around the shift lever and the parking brake.

Thus far I’ve talked them down to $15,200 with everything repaired (basically $14,600 without the repairs). You would think in the midst of record snowfall that they’d be a little more flexible on the price of a convertible, especially considering it has been on the market since November. Buyers aren’t exactly lining up for this vehicle at the moment.

Last week, in between connecting flights (yes, travel has been a challenge due to weather) and the dealer going back to his managers multiple times, they decided to retract their offer from the prevous week and not sell the car for $15,200. They’re back to $16k. Wow.

I’m not sure how typical/ethical that is but we’re not caving. Cindy doesn’t need a car and though they’ve been very low pressure, I think on the back end dealers’ modus operandi still consists of the same tactics as before. I need lessons in negotiating. We’ll keep looking.

On the Hunt: Mini Cooper Convertible

Image source:  Wikimedia

My cousin moved to DC a few weeks ago, and I’m helping her look for a car. She wants a convertible. Her original list consisted of a VW Beetle and Mini Cooper convertible, and a budget of $15k.

Last weekend we went test driving. The Beetle wasn’t very impressive (’05 model). The engine was buzzy and it had bizarre ergonomics. Despite its outward appearance, the driver’s seat is actually quite far back in the car. I kept thinking of a Datsun 240Z for some reason. The dash-to-windshield distance is huge too.

The Mini Cooper (also an ’05 model) on the other hand was pretty whimsical, in a good way. My cousin really liked it and wants to get one.

Good thing she doesn’t need a car and has garage parking for it. The dealer is playing hardball (can’t find any private sellers with automatic Mini convertibles for sale in the area at the moment) on price. But both the dealerships we visited were remarkably low/no pressure. I was tempted to ask where the guy in the plaid jacket was.

The weather hasn’t been cooperating. We have another storm of the century this weekend, and I’m going out of town for about 10 days (9 now due to weather delays). So it might be a few weeks before a car is purchased.