Extremely frustrated with Mini USA

[///ACS330Ci]

So, my wife and I finally decided what options etc. we wanted to order on our 2005 MCS and headed to the dealer to place our order.

Unfortunately it seems Mini USA decides what its North American customers want rather than leaving it up to us

Yes, we want an anthrazite headliner and I won't start another thread about that being discontinued, but I would like to mention our sales person was not aware of this issue and said we could still get it??? He did ask if it would be a deal breaker if for some reason we couldn't though. (He can't get it BTW)

Now, here's my main complaint. We decided we wanted to order the leather/cloth combination after seeing it at a local dealer. Panther Black Satellite cloth with Panther Black leather - perfect Salesman, "oh, that's not available for the US spec MCS ". You can only get Tartan cloth and leather. OK, what about Panther Black Satellite cloth with Panther Black cloth? Salesman, "oh, that's not available for the US spec MCS either". You can only get Space Silver/Panther black cloth". We don't want light gray seats!!!

Why can't Mini USA just allow it's customers to choose what they want like the rest of the free (and even not so free) World???

[phillyb321]

Man, the only thing I know that I WISH I was getting a frekkin Mini Cooper S. Those things are sweeeeeeeeeet!! I test drove one about a month ago and I was VERY impressed.

[in euro dreams]

ok i'm not a mini guy at all......but couldn't you work out a deal and pull the seats out of another mini and 'swap' them? or would the WHOLE interior also need to be done?

[///ACS330Ci]

Originally Posted by in euro dreams

ok i'm not a mini guy at all......but couldn't you work out a deal and pull the seats out of another mini and 'swap' them? or would the WHOLE interior also need to be done?

It would be possible, but I would have to find a European owner that would be willing to do that. For the most part, dealers in Europe do not have new cars on the floor. Especially here in Germany were most cars are made to order.

I think the limited choices being offered to American customers by most manufacturers stems from how most Americans shop for cars (even more so in the past). In the States, most people walk into a dealer and if they see what they want the expect to drive away in it. If not the same day then pretty soon after ... 1 or 2 days tops. Obviously, compromises on both sides have to occur to make this happen. Dealers can't be expected to have one of each possible car configuration available for every model they carry and likewise customers must realize this and make sacrifices occordingly. So dealers end up with cookie-cutter cars. European buyers on the other hand, go to a dealer and pick each individual option they want. Packages are even a rarity. The European customers know they will have to wait to get the exact car they want, but that's OK. Now, since we (NA buyers) have to wait for our European cars to be built just like our cousins overseas why shouldn't we be able to pick and choose just like they can? If Mini USA offers one color of cloth interior, what harm is it to offer the other two combinations they offer everyone else? BTW, all the cars come off the same assembly line, so this is not the issue. It just doesn't make sense.

[krule]

ug, i hope this changes b/c i want to pick and chooose EXACTLY what i want on my mini.