Broader economy? Don't you watch the news the economy is the best ever. People have so much money they don't know what to do with it all. Thats what the talking heads say, or maybe thats to protect the current corrupt administration.
oops sorry that just slipped out.:devil:
The coup and roadster are purpose built cars. Ether you get them or you don't. I get them, would love to have one(in-spite of the turbo). I just wish BMW would remember ether you get the MINI or you don't. It can never be a car for everyone. they have tried to make it the everyman car. So sales are down.
And by the way my son gets them to. If I have to hear about Darkhelmet any more I will screen. THANKS CHKMINI!
Lol! Well, then there's that. Someone was talking about the Aztec the other day and I had this random memory of the first season of Survivor. The season finale came on after the Super Bowl and a bunch of us were watching someone win the Aztec as part of their grand prize. I remember all of us wondering how that was supposed to be a prize. I guess if you lived in a jungle for a while, anything with AC is a prize.
I don't buy that entirely. When we were shopping for our first MINI for our son, there were no used MINIs and if you did find one, it was almost as expensive as what we could buy a new one for. Except nobody had any. We went to four dealers, and the most we saw were 5 at the MINI Dealer in Richmond, VA. So we ordered one.
Sales were good then. not real sure what t think except for Daves theory, Ugly don't sell. But look at the Roadster and the coupe.The Roadster is as sharp as they come and they aren't exactly flying off the showroom floor!
Dave is right. 1st Gen is still the best looker. Women love it - lots of compliments, and you can mod it enough to have something a bit more than just a chick car.
Wife says the new 3rd Gen is ugly, and I agree. They need to make the 1st gen again, but still incorporate new technologies and a little more room in the back seat if they want.
They should avoid "focus groups" and listen to their core customers. WE know what we like more than THEY think they know what we like....OR WANT for that matter.
We don't necessarily want/need all the new frills they're heaping onto the newer models. Hell, I'd even be happy with a stripped model with roll up windows and a few more performance goodies.
Lot availability has a bit to do with it, at least in one case. And I've seen word of that spread. Example: A non-car friend asked me about MINI as his wife's next car. Comparison shopped and it came down to a Leaf, a Volt, or a Cooper. (They aren't car people.) Cooper was in the lead.
Options? Couldn't find them on the lot. Not the way they wanted. They needed a car. The Leaf was right in front of them. Why couldn't they find the MINI they wanted? It was during the change over and this probably had a lot to do with it.
Fast forward a few weeks later. A mutual friend is car shopping and they ask for recommendations on a fun, small car for the city. What happens? You got it! "Don't bother looking at the MINI. They don't have much on the lot and they can't find what you want. Save your time and head to..."
The lack of speedy available options in a world where they market "youification" isn't particularly helpful.
Ouch....
Pretty damming....
Sure the delayed gen3 has something to do with it...
But mini has gotten tons of bad press...
Things like "10 worst used cars", " shifter comes of in drivers hand"...need I go on...
See that...and it scares folks away...the brand dies. Remember Yugo? Similar headlines there....same for Hyundai.... But they seem to have turned the ship.
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