MINI USA Changes Paint Costs – Moving Non-Metallics to $500
MINIs worldwide paint pricing structure is changing in 2017 and the all-new MINI Countryman is the first affected vehicle in the US. Until now MINI charged an extra $500 for all metallic paint with premium options costing $1000. Starting with the Countryman MINI will re-orgnaize it’s paint options instead offering one no-cost option (metallic or not).
Historically the majority of MINI customers (72% – 80% depending on the MINI model) have paid an upgrade charge for Metallic Paint or specialty Non-Metallic colors (i.e. MINI Yours Lapisluxury Blue or JCW Rebel Green). For them this change doesn’t necessarily drive prices higher. However the remaining 20% – 28% of buyers will see an upcharge depending on the color they choose.
The free option for the Countryman will be Moonwalk Grey – a color that in our opinion might be one of the best in the range. We expect this change to roll-out to other models as they’re updated for the 2018 model year this summer. It’s unknown if all models will have a consistent no-cost color or if that color will differ.
It’s worth noting that all other MINI markets have already changed to this new pricing structure.
| Code | Paint Color | $0 | $500 | $1,000 |
| B71 | Moonwalk Grey | X | ||
| B15 | Light White | X | ||
| A94 | Midnight Black | X | ||
| 851 | Chili Red | X | ||
| B22 | British Racing Green | X | ||
| C2M | Island Blue | X | ||
| C1V | Chestnut | X | ||
| C2K | Melting Silver | X | ||
| B58 | Thunder Grey (Cooper S only) | X | ||
| C24 | MINI Yours Lapisluxury Blue | X | ||
<p>MINI’s charging for paint now? Seriously?</p>
<p>I get it, there’s always been a charge for metallic paint, and you can still get grey for free – but it’s not like you could (or would) opt to order a MINI without paint. Since when did MINI start talking to the airlines for pricing advice?</p>
<p>So what’s next, MINI will give you one tire for free – but you’re going to have to pay for the other three?</p>
<p>It would have made better sense for them to just bump the base price up $500 and leave the non-metallics “free”</p>
<p>Not looking forward to most other MINIs I see looking just as bland and grayscale everything else on the road.</p>
<p>I find this pretty disheartening after the base price of the Countryman S has already increased $3K. This reminds me of how AT&T does business… the pitch: come on over & subscribe to our AT&T TV service… we have lower prices by 20%. Then you get your first bill & see AT&T has so many hidden fees & surcharges which actually make then the most expensive TV service in town. That’s a bad way to do business.</p>
<p>I am hanging in waiting for the configurator to come online in JAN as I have been waiting/hoping to buy a new Countryman for 6+ months but… it’s looking like MINI my have priced their cars out of the price range of value I think they are worth :o(</p>
<p>MINI is becoming more and more ‘premium.’ And charging extra for paint.</p>
<p>This doesn’t make any sense. And I sell these things.</p>
<p>Internally MINI USA has said that one color throughout each model will be “free”. That color will be different based on the model. Looking at our numbers and those across the US, it makes sense why Light White on the Countryman is now $500 as MINI USA could see it was one of their most popular colors and a simple way to boost the bottom line.</p>
<p>Light White was one of the popular colors for the Countryman because it was a no charge option and like any self filling prophecy when dealers stock this color to keep the price down, voilà it becomes one of the most popular colors.</p>
<p>I can see your logic, but white is just safe. I have folks that come in wanting blazing red, kite blue, or even jungle green that end up with white just because it will have the safest resale. Also, white is the easiest to see in the snow wouldn’t ya know. $500 in a configuration that is in the mid-30’s isn’t as of a big deal to the clients I work with.</p>
<p>Yes, $500 charge for the color is not a deal breaker. I will say that I have only had one customer order a Light White CTM and can’t recall any locates for that color. Can’t wait to see the Chestnut and Island Blue in person. Definitely not BMW boring.</p>
<p>Chestnut is definitely one color we’re anxious to see as the photos change the color so drastically. I’m assuming your a Motoring Advisor? Shoot me an email: <a href="mailto:tpoulson@miniofmurray.com">tpoulson@miniofmurray.com</a></p>
<p>Way to piss off the customers MINI. There is no justification for this. It was already ridiculous to charge up to $1000 for a paint job imo and it was somewhat justified when it was for the metallic paint process. Backdoor bullshit.</p>
<p>Moonwalk Grey is terrible, and this strategy is absurd.</p>
<p>Mini has spent the last few years doing very little that makes any sense. They are actively diluting what attracted so many of us to the brand and made us return again and again.</p>
<p>My Cooper S will likely be replaced with a GTI, albeit grudgingly.</p>
<p>In the Canadian configurator, when I go into build and price, there is a $590 (CDN) “added feature” charge set as default for all models. Selecting space gray removes the $590 charge. I was thinking it’s time for another car. But it’s becoming less and less likely I will be repeat MINI customer. Also, most of the options I want cannot be bought without some $1500 “essentials package” or some other mandatory options package. Adding something like LED headlights becomes a $3000 option with about $2500 of unwanted bits. Worst is adding an accessory power socket in the boot for the Clubman, which is show stopper for my wife. In Canada, that can only be had with some $2000 package. Hard to find a Clubman here off the dealer lot for under $45000 asking price. That’s 3 series territory.</p>
<p>Just poking around the site as an enthusiast, there are more incentives and rebates from when I was a motoring advisor just a few years ago. With that said, it’s easy to see they are raising/adjusting a few prices here and there, but also appears to me that you can negotiate much harder than before. On that front much has changed, coming from a time from my own personal experience as a motoring advisor where cars were largely sold at or above MSRP and when MINI offered rebates that rarely exceeded $500 in the monthly sales programs.</p>
<p>I am split right now between the Golf sportwagen 4motion with a manual versus a Cooper Clubman all4 manual (an S all4 with at the minimum LED headlights and heated seats is out of the budget). With that said, there are no options available for a base Golf sportwagen when paired with a manual outside of paint color. So my choice is either a Cooper all4 with some power help from the aftermarket LED’s and heated seats, coming in around 28k, or a Golf sportwagen standard with more space and HP, costing a few grand less, and living without or retro-fitting good headlights and heated seats – something I would rather not have to do on a brand new car. All because my wife and I agree on manual :)</p>
<p>It’s a tough choice. With my above dilemma Mini still reigns superior in regards to available options and the ability to order wanted equipment. When you want manual VW, the “build process” is literally color, accessories (floor mats mud flaps and roof racks), summary. I think Mini still has value in this regard, but within the next 18 months my dollars will determine how much that value is really worth.</p>
<p>After 12k miles on a Cooper S manual I can tell you that I’ve rarely enjoyed ownership more. The Sportwagen is nice but offers a very different driving experience.</p>
<p>BTW I would do what it takes to get those LEDs on the Cooper. Perhaps find a dealer willing to deal a bit more.</p>