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After our trip to Tennessee yesterday, we have just about decided if Tom Williams opens a Mini joint here in B'ham, we may still have to sick with the Nashville folks. Here's why.....
3 weeks ago I called on a Saturday and scheduled a warranty service for Nov 10th at 10:30. The guy said we got you covered, see you then. I asked if I should still log it in on the website and he said no need to, you're all set.
So yesterday we drove 2 1/2 hours, go there about 9:45 and there was no "Williams" on the list I thought we would be rescheduled and sent away. They had plenty of cars in line and a dozen people in the waiting area.
The older gentleman who greeted us at the service door was so kind. The moment he saw the small Special Forces decal on my windshield he was full of questions for Bruce, shaking his hand over and over. I think he was former Army. They do that.
I guess our reaction helped. We were a bit disappointed, but weren't angry or frustrated, just wanted to be seen before sundown. Tis true, you get more with honey than vinegar ya know. Sadly the guy who I had scheduled the appointment with had a Grandmother pass away yesterday morning and wasn't there. They had to work us in.....didn't sound good at this point.
Next thing I knew the service manager had us pushed up to the front of the line, took down a list from me of things to fix on the car and handed Bruce a key to an '06 Silver MCS. He got our cell phone number and told us to go see Nashville. It was a blast for Bruce to get to "enjoy" driving a stick again. We had lunch, did a bit of shopping and sight seeing and got to look over some new '07 Mini's on the lot Like a play day for big kids
They called us back in 3 1/2 hours even though they said it may take 4 to 5, and everything was fixed and taken care of.
I even got a free Nashville Mini key chain, so I tossed the Hank Aaron one
We we're very impressed how they handled the scheduling glitch and treated us like valued customers and not the problem of the day.
Yes! Another Alabama MINI abandons the poor service of the Atlanta Dealers in favor of some real Southern hospitality in Tennessee.
We have yet to need to take our 06 in for any dealer work but as soon as we need it, it is going to Tennessee. . .either to Nashville or Memphis depending on where I want to take road trip.
__________________ Disclaimer: No claim is made that the quality of the MINI-related advice offered by Yucca Patrol
is greater than the quality of MINI-related advice offered by other NAM members.
MoN is a great dealership and the service department is pretty good too. I've had a few hiccups with the service department (like anywhere), but they've always come through.
They are a full on Dinan dealer too, so they often have some nice parts to lust after...
Hank Aaron has been pretty good to me on my last 2 visits & actually, looking back, on other visits too. My biggest gripe with them (had a hissie fit actually & swore I would never go back ) was that they had no Mini loaners (only loaners for BMW owners ) but I saw what I believe to be some outside on my last visit, I forgot to ask dangit but they had a Mini with "Hank Aaron courtesy car on the rear window . HA has never given me bad service (other than the dreaded & common, we will order the parts excuse). I gave Global a try but I found that the grass was not greener there, it was brown & dead instead so I am sticking with Hank Aaron (going to Nashville adds a full hour to my drive time )
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Tact is for people who aren't witty enough to be sarcastic...
Its great that you got treated so well. But you should ask how good that treatment would have been without the Special Forces sticker and the military connection. (Not that you all don't deserve special treatment.) But I too believe the 'honey rather than vinegar' theory.
Our experiences with MoN have been fair to good other than them not holding their (our MA) word on taking off our old sway bar and shipping it to us (of course us pay the shipping) when we traded our '05 for a '06. Haven't been in this time for service yet, but the times that we took the '05, they never offered us a car to go sight seeing in, I may ask for one next time . They did give us a loaner to bring home and we had it for a little over a week.
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2006 MCS PW/BLK with Blk Bonnet Stripes
so I am sticking with Hank Aaron (going to Nashville adds a full hour to my drive time )
True, but you wouldn't be racing against the clock (EST) to get your car in for service on a Saturday. Personally, I feel Nashville is a more car friendly town than Atlanta. Have to schedule a simple fix soon, maybe I should head north.
They were 2006 Mini's, I was just looking at the cars but so much the details in the windows since I have my own
Sorry for misleading, I had assumed they were '07's cause they were so bright and shinny!
They were 2006 Mini's, I was just looking at the cars but so much the details in the windows since I have my own
Sorry for misleading, I had assumed they were '07's cause they were so bright and shinny!
No worries, PB. The new '07s are going to be a whole new design (well, the Cabrios will be the same for 2 more years), which is why we were all so surprised at your comment!
Its great that you got treated so well. But you should ask how good that treatment would have been without the Special Forces sticker and the military connection. (Not that you all don't deserve special treatment.) But I too believe the 'honey rather than vinegar' theory.
Me too, I think it was mainly wanting to fix the situation and our attitude about the whole thing.
Its was a good experience
We were in N'ville for the weekend too, not for service, but visiting the family. MoN is only a mile or so from our folks. We were in the bus (SUV) not the MINI though. It's getting close to service time for ours, so MoN is where we'll go too. Great story.
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Let's Motor! Zoom~Zoom!
2006 Cooper S Convertible, Black/Hot Orange
2004 Mazda RX-8 GT, Velocity Red
GO UAB BLAZERS!
We were in N'ville for the weekend too, not for service, but visiting the family. MoN is only a mile or so from our folks. We were in the bus (SUV) not the MINI though. It's getting close to service time for ours, so MoN is where we'll go too. Great story.
Hey, wouldn't it be too cool for us IF cousin Tom opened a MINI dealership here in B'ham! They could learn how to do it right from the Nashville gang.
MY GOODNESSAll the MON talk.......John, Michael, Jay and the rest of them boys up there gonna get the BIG HEAD, if you all keep this up. I may be ordering an 07, verty from them soon, don't need them heads to big so I can't get thru the front door. Nah really all in all, even if I have spent way to much money with them folks, they are very curtious and professional. I highly recomend them for any MINI needs.
Now, John can I get FREE rubber mats and a discount on the JCW package on that new verty?
It's reassuring to see so few negative comments about MoN. I've only been to 1 stateside Mini Dealer (Had the Alarm installed when DB came off "the boat") and while the alarm works great, they turned my Daytime Running Lights off I e-mailed them the next day and didn't receive any reply. (This was in AUGUST!!) Some of the Rocket City guys have even recommended that I tell someone at MoN what happened and see if they'd be willing to re-enable them for me, I only wish there were a way to charge that OTHER dealer for the work
__________________ Vorsprung durch Gas Geben!! Note: None of the above comments are intended to annoy... anyone.
I thought we would be rescheduled and sent away. They had plenty of cars in line and a dozen people in the waiting area. 
Like a play day for big kids
I was stuck at work yesterday in downtown so I wasn't out an about to wave anyway.
) but I saw what I believe to be some outside on my last visit, I forgot to ask dangit but they had a Mini with "Hank Aaron courtesy car on the rear window 
. HA has never given me bad service (other than the dreaded & common, we will order the parts excuse). I gave Global a try but I found that the grass was not greener there, it was brown & dead instead 
. They did give us a loaner to bring home and we had it for a little over a week.
All the MON talk.......John, Michael, Jay and the rest of them boys up there gonna get the BIG HEAD, if you all keep this up. I may be ordering an 07, verty from them soon, don't need them heads to big so I can't get thru the front door.
I e-mailed them the next day and didn't receive any reply. (This was in AUGUST!!) Some of the Rocket City guys have even recommended that I tell someone at MoN what happened and see if they'd be willing to re-enable them for me, I only wish there were a way to charge that OTHER dealer for the work 
