Most liked posts in thread: MINI Plans 20% Expansion of U.S. Dealerships

Lots of prime showroom space coming available for a steal... :sad:

But good news for many of us. Flow is opening a dealership in Raleigh - where there are TONS of MINIs now.

 

Good for BMW! Nice to see someone is doing ok in this economy. Now if only they could dump that waste of space that I bought my car at (Mini of the Hamptons) and get a new dealer that is interested in selling Mini's to enthusiasts and not just as second cars to 750Li customers! They really have no interest nor care about anyone who takes a real interest in these cars. The customers they cater to buy Mini's because they are "cute" and "trendy". :arf:

Steve

 

I heard there was a new dealer coming in NoVA...makes for a good alternative to MINI of Sterling (which is large but also quite troublesome at times).

 

Flow? The "kiss my grits" waitress from the mid 70's show Alice?

 

Yeah, that's her.

Actually, Flow may be one of the least "kiss my grits" dealers out there... they are very supportive of our club and owners' events here (including track events). At least they smile when they tell you that your mods or motorsports participation have voided that portion of your warranty.

 

Hopefully some of the closing GM and Chrysler dealerships cal "realign" themselves with MINI instead of having to shutter their windows.

D

 

As much as I agree with the saving of jobs, would you really want that? :skep:

I have had some horrible dealings with some of those.

 

Glad to hear SOMEbodys business is on the increase! I just hope that by the time these new dealerships are up and running, we aren't in even WORSE financial shape as a nation!

 

My take on this. If ya can't do the job, take a hike. Those that can will, those that whine and blame others, well they suck:arf:

Mark

 

I'll second that!

 

There are good and bad dealerships everywhere. Many of the closing dealerships are top performers, they just geographically (or other reasons) are inconvenient for their supplier.

My local MINI dealership has been hit or miss on service in the past, though they have reportedly made great strides in customer service lately.

If a Chevy dealership closes, and people get laid off, who do you think will be applying at the new MINI dealership down the road? I don't see too much a difference here. :idea:

D

 

I totally agree. I'm not saying that some of them aren't good. I'd much rather a good dealership re-open/re-align than have to shut down.

I just don't want them to hand them out to anyone that wants one.
Have some standards. And on that same note, and as some have said, some of the current BMW/MINI 'ships should be stripped of their MINI side.

On a lighter note, this could be a great thing for some of the areas that do not have a close dealer. Get some independent (non BMW) 'ships open and it might be like going into a non-stuck up place. Like some of the stand-alones now.

 

There will be a new MINI dealer in Northern Colorado

in Loveland, associated with an existing BMW dealership. This dealer will serve the Loveland / Longmont / Ft. Collins / Greeley area north of Metro Denver.

JPS

QUOTE=Nathan;4270]By Doron Levin

June 3 (Bloomberg) -- Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s Mini brand plans to expand its number of U.S. dealerships by 20 percent during the next 18 months to help increase sales.

Mini will add 17 dealer franchises to the 83 that the company operates, said Jim McDowell, vice president in charge of the brand in the U.S., in an interview today in New York. Most of the additions will be in new markets for Mini, he said.

“This could mean that BMW is preparing for recovery,†said Jeff Schuster, executive director of global forecasting for market-research firm J.D. Power & Associates in Troy, Michigan. “You can’t ramp up overnight.â€

Mini is bolstering dealer ranks as it endures a 21 percent drop in U.S. sales of its small cars this year through May. Last year, gasoline prices that rose to a record in July contributed to a 29 percent jump in the brand’s deliveries. Mini’s decline so far in 2009 came as sales tumbled 37 percent for the industry and 29 percent for BMW including its namesake brand.

Sales for Mini starting in 2011 will rise by “double- digit†percentages from last year’s 54,077 cars, McDowell said. He declined to be more specific.

BMW has sold Mini cars in the U.S. since 2002. The Munich- based company will now grant Mini franchises to dealers other than those of its BMW brand, contrary to its previous policy. BMW’s U.S. headquarters in is Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Among the locations for new Mini dealerships are Allentown, Pennsylvania; Birmingham, Alabama; and Louisville, Kentucky.

“We’ve had owners in these communities, they’ve had to drive some distance to get service at Mini dealershps,†McDowell said.[/QUOTE]

 

Lousiville, KY is getting a dealership and is going to be the first stand alone dealership that doesn't have any ties to a BMW dealership.