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December 09, 2003
My Mini and me
I just put a deposit down on a new car, and so far the buying process has been, dare I say, pleasant.
No pressure-wracking salesperson. No probing questions about a trade in. No hours spent haggling over price with back-and-forth between a manager.
I have been admiring the BMW Mini Cooper since its 2001 launch, so I decided it was time to make the leap to ownership. At the dealership, my "motoring advisor" Christina was calm and sweet; I've encountered more pressure-driven salespeople at Nordstrom. The test-drive proved what I already suspected: These babies are too cute, and they handle well, too. With only a few on the lot and a rare automatic among them, Christina said a handful were in transit from assembly in England, including the object of my desire: a silver automatic with leather seats.
Would the dealership work on the price? No, Christina said. The Minis sell fast and retain their value well, so there's no haggling. At first glace, Christina seemed to be hardly trying to sell. She said to take time to decide. Her approach was personal, straight-forward, and her main goal seemed to be educating me on the car's features and benefits. But her opposite-of-sales approach worked -- my experience was the opposite of what I expected, therefore I felt doubly comfortable making a decision. How are you outdoing standard expectations within your industry?
I was hooked. I called Christina the next day and put down a deposit. Three weeks to go. If you're unfamiliar with the Mini, here's one similar to the future Jackiemobile:
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nice - I wish I'd just put a deposit on one! :-)
enjoy
Perfect car for you, Jackie. An Audi TT AND a Mini? You guys are way too hip.
Regarding the salesmanship of Christina. How much of it is because the Mini is an extremely popular car, and they don't have to budge on price? They know if you walk away, someone else will by their car soon, at their price.
I'd love to see the soft sell approach at every dealership. I just had a wonderful experience when I bought my new car (import).
I doubt the soft sell strategy will do well initially for a GM dealership trying to sell a Chevy Cavalier, but maybe that would force them to make better cars. Until American manufacturers stop offering massive rebates to move cars, the hard sell will always be part of the game.
Right now, they have to practically give cars away at year-end. Bribery, not quality is the norm for most American passenger cars.
I want a ride when the weather get warmer again!
I saw one of those recently and flipped. Absolutely beautiful! I had to explain to my wife that I've desired a Mini Cooper for many years, but circumstances always seemed to get in the way.
Enjoy your car!
Your site is also a delight. Keep up the good work.
I am selling my 2003 mini cooper automatic (yellow) b/c I am expecting my first child. Loaded w/ leather interior and white top, alloy wheels, and racing stripes (sport and premium packages)...what a cutie!!! anyone interested can contact 513-941-7363 18,500
thant s a very nice car, i got it too...
