MINI v. CIVIC how to convince a MINI purchase?

[Dan4tuc58]

The answer for me is obvious...I'd go mini all the way....BUT... my gf is a different story...well basically because her parents are willing to pay for a civic....now my question is how much more can an automatic mini really be?/ how can I convince her/her mom into getting that over a ____ civic. She definately would like a Mini over the Civic but we just got to get our facts down and a game plan ready to convince her mom. Any suggestions or facts and figures that blew you away or a significant other that needed some convincing? Thanks.

[lounytoon]

The answer for me is obvious...I'd go mini all the way....BUT... my gf is a different story...well basically because her parents are willing to pay for a civic....now my question is how much more can an automatic mini really be?/ how can I convince her/her mom into getting that over a ____ civic. She definately would like a Mini over the Civic but we just got to get our facts down and a game plan ready to convince her mom. Any suggestions or facts and figures that blew you away or a significant other that needed some convincing? Thanks.


Hrm...given that I currently own a CR-V, another Honda was NOT a choice! I'd say just run the numbers, go on Kelly Blue book pull the dollars, then pull the performance numbers also. Parents love practical.

If you can convince the 'rents, the hard part is finding a Mini in your specs that you don't have to pay 3K over MSRP for or wait till January to take delivery. I found mine at Mini of Southhamptons, charging MSRP.

[TD]

One universal truth is that the person paying gets the final input. One way to make sure to get the Mini is for her to buy it herself. When you take parental money, you have to deal with parental bias.

[drd_330i]

both are probably good cars... honda is known for reliability... but...

while both cars have high resale values... the Mini has a much higher resale value... it's a nicer car... with more features... a 4 star crash rating... and BMW engineering, plus it's much much cooler looking :D . how can you go wrong. Plus if she's willing to pay for X car... why not another one that you want more?

[Guest84]

One universal truth is that the person paying gets the final input. One way to make sure to get the Mini is for her to buy it herself. When you take parental money, you have to deal with parental bias.

:thumbup:

[ayn]

How to convince her parents? easy! just ask them to go get a test drive! My sales guy was pushing the MINIs really hard in the backroads of the dealership, we were sold.

and I would save the money and skip the CVT if I were you.

--Andrew

[nowonder]

How to convince her parents? easy! just ask them to go get a test drive! My sales guy was pushing the MINIs really hard in the backroads of the dealership, we were sold.

and I would save the money and skip the CVT if I were you.

--Andrew


Uhhhhh, fast driving and "pushing the limits" is NOT a way to impress her parents.

--nw

[ayn]

Uhhhhh, fast driving and "pushing the limits" is NOT a way to impress her parents.

--nw

ok...

well, Dan4tuc58, the MINI doesnt cost all that much, just save up the money for it, and buy it in a year or so. then she won't have to convince anybody to buy it, her money...

why are most fools convinced that big cars like SUVs are safer than better handling cars like the MINI? I still don't get it... one should learn to AVOID the accident first, before thinking about if they hit another car head on what would happen... i told some of my non car-enthusiast friends about how cool the MINI was and first thing they say is "is it safe? it's so small"... I have successfully avoided about 4 very serious accidents in my BMW because I was aware of what was going on and was able to react quickly to go around the stupid drivers (3 outta 4 times was huge pickups or Suburbans)... I probably would've been dead otherwise, regardless what kindda car i had...

I will definitely drag my girlfriend to the track a few times after she gets her car..

--Andrew

[PropellerHead]

Crash tests. Parent LOVE thinking their babies will be safe in the new car they've just bought. See if NIHST.or (?) has any of those pics of offset crashes.

Show them that the Mini is safer and they'll at least have to think about it.

[Dan4tuc58]

cool...good ideas guys....thx....car isnt for me, therefore she would want an auto....furthermore we are college students....saving and buying it on her own would be more of a reason for her to just get a civic and say "F-it i'd rather not pay anything and still have a car" But yeah the safety approach and handling etc are good ideas. thx again.

[piku]

Take the Civic and be thankful. She is a collage student and what she needs is a reliable, economical car that will run worry free. When she graduates and gets a job, she can sell the civic and put that money toward the Mini. Minis are going to be around in the next few years, why rush and piss off the parents while they are doing you a great favor! :rolleyes:

[Dan4tuc58]

She is thankful...i'm a college student as well and i have an 03 e46....i could have gotten any other car for less...but why make payments on a car one really doesnt want?.....and who said anything about pissing them off? The convincing has a lot to do with size comments/safety....I mean the civic ex that they want to get for her is about 19k....and a mini with enough features is around 22k, therefore i believe the price jump is worth it. Her mom is just hesitant....her mom bought a civic for my gf's brother 2 years ago....her wanting to buy another civic is just her staying in her "comfort zone" ....so its not about pushing them into buying a more expensive car...its about getting the most/more for a bit more than the price they are already willing to pay, thats all...

[piku]

She is thankful...i'm a college student as well and i have an 03 e46....i could have gotten any other car for less...but why make payments on a car one really doesnt want?.....and who said anything about pissing them off? The convincing has a lot to do with size comments/safety....I mean the civic ex that they want to get for her is about 19k....and a mini with enough features is around 22k, therefore i believe the price jump is worth it. Her mom is just hesitant....her mom bought a civic for my gf's brother 2 years ago....her wanting to buy another civic is just her staying in her "comfort zone" ....so its not about pushing them into buying a more expensive car...its about getting the most/more for a bit more than the price they are already willing to pay, thats all...


I don't know about you, but I had to earn by my self every car I have owned. When I was a student, I drove a Hyundai Excel! I went to college full time and worked 35+ hrs a week at the same time. Paid $3k for the car and drove it until 1 year after graduating and starting a real job. I don't know how you can afford an 03 E46 unless your parents are making the payments. And if you are paying for it, I would say you are not wise to put that much money into a car at your age. You have all your life ahead to drive better cars. I have no sympathy! :rolleyes:

p.s. that $19,000 civic, assuming is the SI can be had for $1,000 under invoice or $17,000 and you can buy the EX for invoice $16,000. So there is a $6-7K difference between the civic and the mini!

[ayn]

A Cooper can be had for ~18k, she does not need the CVT, other options don't cost that much, and I don't really see why u would need anythign else except maybe the Xenons...

That doesn't cost that much more than a Civic, also, MINIs don't depreciate much if at all, so it's a better choice than a Civic, IMO... I think it's also much safer, but u'd have to check that yourself... just try to open and close the doors on the MINI, it's so much heavier than the Jap cars... I would be more comfortable to have my loved ones in a MINI than a Civic, no question about that...

and if she's gonna get a CVT Cooper, then, IMO, she should just go for the Civic and save her money for the super expensive CVT option...

--Andrew

[Dan4tuc58]

I work hard for my e46...and have saved up....i'm glad you worked hard for your hyundai as well...i guess i am just lucky enough to get by comfortably at the moment...and the way i see it is...if money is available now, why not....luckily, 500 a month is not that difficult to make while going to school....anyway... the price diff. on the civics v. minis looks like a lot of $$...i guess they were not as lucky when they bought their previous civic...i've seen the figures....but, we'll see how it goes...thx for the input.

[Dan4tuc58]

A Cooper can be had for ~18k, she does not need the CVT, other options don't cost that much, and I don't really see why u would need anythign else except maybe the Xenons...

That doesn't cost that much more than a Civic, also, MINIs don't depreciate much if at all, so it's a better choice than a Civic, IMO... I think it's also much safer, but u'd have to check that yourself... just try to open and close the doors on the MINI, it's so much heavier than the Jap cars... I would be more comfortable to have my loved ones in a MINI than a Civic, no question about that...

and if she's gonna get a CVT Cooper, then, IMO, she should just go for the Civic and save her money for the super expensive CVT option...

--Andrew

I agree....i mean her wanting the CVT as well would be worth the overall options of the mini i think....i mean i've driven their civic for a few hundred miles....went to frisco to pick up her brother and brought him back to LB....and it just ...man...its just not even worth mentioning.... all i gotta say is: damn am i lucky to be in a bmw :bigpimp: and if the mini drives anything like my car after being broken in....i definately want her to have the Mini...

[ayn]

I agree....i mean her wanting the CVT as well would be worth the overall options of the mini i think....i mean i've driven their civic for a few hundred miles....went to frisco to pick up her brother and brought him back to LB....and it just ...man...its just not even worth mentioning.... all i gotta say is: damn am i lucky to be in a bmw :bigpimp: and if the mini drives anything like my car after being broken in....i definately want her to have the Mini...

My girlfriend has an MCS on order, and I've driven the Cooper and the S a few times, I can assure you that the MINI is more fun to drive then our E46's... you won't get the mad crazy speed like in the M3, but it's plenty fast enough for it to be fun... and with the S, u can get it up to ~200hp with some relatively cheap engine mods... :thumbup:

--Andrew

[Dan4tuc58]

My girlfriend has an MCS on order, and I've driven the Cooper and the S a few times, I can assure you that the MINI is more fun to drive then our E46's... you won't get the mad crazy speed like in the M3, but it's plenty fast enough for it to be fun... and with the S, u can get it up to ~200hp with some relatively cheap engine mods... :thumbup:

--Andrew


Even MORE of a reason for her to get one....haha...j/k...but thanks for your thoughts....your opinion really weights a lot since your gf is getting one and you know what the MINI is about 1st hand :thumbup:

[piku]

I work hard for my e46...and have saved up....i'm glad you worked hard for your hyundai as well...i guess i am just lucky enough to get by comfortably at the moment...and the way i see it is...if money is available now, why not....luckily, 500 a month is not that difficult to make while going to school....anyway... the price diff. on the civics v. minis looks like a lot of $$...i guess they were not as lucky when they bought their previous civic...i've seen the figures....but, we'll see how it goes...thx for the input.

You say "if money is available now, why not..."
Body, you don't seem to know the value of the money. Yeah it's easy to make $500 a month while in college, but obviously our priorities were different. You will grow up and understand. Either way, good luck with whatever car she gets!

[Dan4tuc58]

What seems to be and reality are two different things. Anyway thx for the input on the price diff. i'll look into that more.