Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

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Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby pilotart » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:09 pm

At long last, a brand new MINI Dealer has just opened for business in Fort Myers!

A link to their web: MINI of Fort Myers site map.

I visited their location last week (before it was open) and met a new MA, Jason Johnson and he seemed very nice, they had 33 new MINI's in stock.

Eddie, the Service Manager just posted an announcement on NAM's Forum.

While I was there, a huge, completely enclosed auto carrier arrived with another load from the Brunswick, GA Port Facility.
Saw something new to me, our (2007+) side mirrors can be easily manually swiveled towards the window,
to cut storage width to the fenders.

They have a beautiful, stand-alone (no BMW) facility on the South Tamami Trail just past Costco, they are owned by Sonic_Automotive who also owns the local Mercedes, Honda, Volkswagon and BMW (they have 153 franchises nationwide). They have the MINI Dealerships in Greenville, Atlanta, Long Beach, Nashville, Houston and now Fort Myers.

Rumors were wild, eighteen months ago when I decided I wanted a MINI but I had to drive 2½ hours to find a Dealer.

I have been fortunate to have not ever had any 'return to dealer' issues and I look forward to Local Support for the remainder of my Service Contract and Warranty. :) (I have DIY two MINI oil/filter etc. services in 4400 miles driven.)
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby JBKone » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:23 pm

So when are they having the Grand Opening party?? :-D :party2:
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby pilotart » Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:54 pm

Well, my MINI's Service Counter is showing "mls 10000 ~ 03/2010" so I am hoping for March! :mrgreen:
(my odometer is now approaching 5k, but I should be due a Full Service @ 2yr from production date)

They seem to be having a 'soft' opening, as there has not been any local announcement in any media.

Two weeks ago, a new Infinity Dealership Grand Opened with a WBBH TV Giveaway of a new G30!
(no idea when they actually opened though).
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby J3kidford » Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:13 pm

When do we show up for the Grand Opening party??? \:D/

And why have they not posted on Sunshine MINIS???
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby JBKone » Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:41 pm

And why didn't we know about the Infinity giveaway?? Selling that would buy me another MINI!! :-D
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby BillTheCat » Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:36 am

Surprised there wasn't a big pre-opening hype. Glad to hear the dealership down there finally came to be. The years of rumors had gotten a bit old & tired.
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby seewhy » Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:34 am

JBKone wrote:And why didn't we know about the Infinity giveaway?? Selling that would buy me another MINI!! :-D



Me too!
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby J3kidford » Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:05 pm

JBKone wrote:And why didn't we know about the Infinity giveaway?? Selling that would buy me another MINI!! :-D


LOL
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby speedy1 » Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:06 pm

Hmmmmm....any news on a grand opening??? We like to travel!! \:D/
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby pilotart » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:43 pm

Not familar with "Pirate Coast MINIs" but this looks like a Grand Opening Party with a cookout to boost.

Paste below was copied from a post just placed on NAM today.

"Pirate Coast MINIs having their annual cook out at MINI of Fort Myers"
Pirate Coast MINIs is having their birthday cook out at MINI of Ft. Myers on 11/21/2009 from 12-4 pm. Please come and join in the festivities. We are located on 13880 South Tamiami Trail Fort Myers, FL 33908
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby 2phun » Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:35 am

Woo, MINI is taking over the state!
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby JBKone » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:11 pm

Whoever posted that on NAM only has 4 posts and joined in Oct 09. Here is a quote from one of his posts: "I wanted to intruce myself, my name is Eddie and i am the service manager at MINI of Fort myers."

I wonder if "Pirate Coast MINIs" is a real club or something he's starting from the dealership? Anyone ever heard of them?
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby JBKone » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:18 pm

I just PM'd him on NAM with this:
Hello, welcome to the MINI community. I wanted to mention SunshineMINIs if you haven't heard of them yet. We're a group of MINI/Mini fanatics all over Florida. We do local meets and statewide meets and put on the "Mickey and MINI" event in Orlando every year. Please come on over to see what we're about. We're always excited to have a new dealer! You can find us at http://www.sunshineMINIs.org

If it weren't such short notice I'd try to make your cookout, but I'm in Pensacola and I just can't do 1 day notice. Maybe next time.
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby pilotart » Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:54 am

^^^^ Thanks for extending the invitation for Eddie to join Sunshine MINIs.
JBKone wrote:Whoever posted that on NAM only has 4 posts and joined in Oct 09. Here is a quote from one of his posts: "I wanted to intruce myself, my name is Eddie and i am the service manager at MINI of Fort myers."

I wonder if "Pirate Coast MINIs" is a real club or something he's starting from the dealership? Anyone ever heard of them?
He also posted the same announcement as above on the MINI2's Florida Region Forum.

Today, he posted this: "...Pirate Coast MINIs is a local club based out of Naples, FL" on NAM's Florida section.
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby speedy1 » Sun Nov 22, 2009 7:22 pm

pilotart wrote:^^^^ Thanks for extending the invitation for Eddie to join Sunshine MINIs.
JBKone wrote:Whoever posted that on NAM only has 4 posts and joined in Oct 09. Here is a quote from one of his posts: "I wanted to intruce myself, my name is Eddie and i am the service manager at MINI of Fort myers."

I wonder if "Pirate Coast MINIs" is a real club or something he's starting from the dealership? Anyone ever heard of them?
He also posted the same announcement as above on the MINI2's Florida Region Forum.

Today, he posted this: "...Pirate Coast MINIs is a local club based out of Naples, FL" on NAM's Florida section.



Hmmmmm...I've never heard of them
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Pirate Coast Coopers

Postby pilotart » Tue Nov 24, 2009 7:09 am

Very pleased that I took the time on Saturday to attend this event, It was a great time. Food was excellent, huge fruit cups (watermelon, grapes, strawberries etc.) typical potato salad and slaw and choice of Hot Dog or Hamburger with fresh buns and all the salad fixn's.

Pirate Coast Coopers is a Naples based club that has been in existance for several years, MINI of Fort Myers just opened last month.

MINI of Fort Myers had an area blocked off on their lovely grounds for the Cookout and there were at least twenty-five MINI's (wish I had counted) including at least six Cabrio's and one GP.

Eddie (their Service Manager) gave a tour of the best looking Service Department that I have ever seen, (including the brand new Orlando MINI Dealer), Air Conditioned with the latest and finest equipment, even had special 'MINI' German 'Brick' tile floor ($32 per brick) that if you drop something, instead of smashing, it bounces. There were eight or ten Service Bays with individual hydraulic lifts and one flush mounted four wheel alignment lift 'over a pit' for chassis service.

They have donated storage (for PCC) to store chairs, banners, tables, tents and all that is needed for picnics, etc.. They also had free cotton 'Tee' Shirts with PCC logos front & back with a small "Sponsored by MINI of Fort Myers" logo on left sleeve. They also passed out a sheet with a photo of a GP and 10% off any Service and 15% off any Motoring Gear.

It was Pirate Coast Coopers second annual picnic, I had never heard of them, but was impressed enough to join (along with almost every attendee that did not already belong), there are no fees or dues.

They meet about every other month and said they will alternate between Naples and Fort Myers. Joining was just fill out a simple application and then they took two 'head' and two full photos with you and your MINI, said they would prepare Photo Membership cards and give ten Color 'business cards' with your car photo and your contact information.

New Members were given a club handbook (three-ring binder) with eleven pages of club activity and maintenance tips to begin with.

There was also a 2009 Wall Calendar given; featuring color photos from MTTS and other events. September's photo had eight of their MINI/Mini's posing in front of an extra showroom that the Naples BMW Dealer had wanted to use for a MINI Dealership.

Pirate Coast Coopers currently has no Web presence. Contact information would be George, or Valeria Salivonchik, 4500 32 Ave. S.W., Naples, FL 34116.

When I receive a newsletter, I will post more information here. :)
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby JBKone » Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:04 pm

They NEED a web presence... and I know just the place! :wink:

Someone needs to volunteer to contact them and get them "in the fold" with SSM.
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Re: Brand New MINI of Fort Myers Dealership Opens!

Postby Minvader » Wed Nov 25, 2009 3:30 am

Wow, sounds like they definitely have their act together... but yes, they need a web presence!
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