Hey gang,
After going on the Mini Cooper web site, I put in a number of Zip Codes to find Cooper dealers. Wow, they are far a few between. There are BMW dealers, but only a very limited number are listed as Mini dealers.

Can I order a Mini from any BMW dealer, also will any BMW dealer service the Mini?

Thanx

 

No you have to use a mini dealer.

 

Thanks. Does that include service?

 

As far as I know. I have to drive 1.5 hours( Sarasota) to mini but have a 3 BMW dealers in 30 min. Maybe some will work on them but not warranty stuff from what they told me.

 

Now that's a real Bummer! I'm not prepared to drive over 100 miles, each way, to have the Mini serviced. Looks like I need to do some re-thinking.

 

Once you have it, you'll be more than willing to drive 100 miles for service In fact, you may be happy for the excuse!

 

But think of it another way. It really only needs to be services by Mini every 15,000 miles that means very few trips to the mini dealer.

 

I'm about to order and it's probably 100 miles for me to travel, too. If it was more than once per year (I don't put on a lot of miles) I'd probably reconsider.

Hey Schatzy, do you get service at HC or Peabody? I'm not hearing much good about HC's service and it's further from me. They do give you a loaner, though, unlike peabody where you have to rent a car if yours has to stay.
Did you see my "Getting Impatient" post? I went to see Rich Tran yesterday. Nice guy. Definitely remembered you!

 

I drive 200 miles and have been doing it for 4.5 years. Fortunately, I love to drive my car. Unfortunately, the 2004 MC I had required quite a few trips. Here's hoping my new 2009 MCS is a once a year trip. BMW not only will not service, they don't carry any parts, nor will they order them for you. At least last time I checked, that was the case.

 

Isn't it a mini thing to give a loaner if it's in the shop and you make an appointments? I have been to a few shops around the country and they all offered one to me.

 

The loaner deal is dealership specific - not all do it, alas. Always good to ask ahead of time. I have heard of some that will only give a loaner if you bought the car through them, too.

I am very fortunate to live pretty close to a MINI dealership. With my first two MINIs, I really only recall going there for oil changes and once or twice of little under warranty things. With my Clubman, I have had to go back and forth a bit - until they finally were able to fix a seatbelt warning light issue. Have to say that if it had been a 100 mile trip, I would have been very unhappy.

 

Crazy! Oh well my mini service still has been 1000% better than our VW service was.

 

I am hoping that if I incur any warranty issues that they will not be urgent and I can hold off until I have a couple things I want them to fix/look at.
Of course, I am really hoping that I have absokutely no problems at all!
I guess depending on what it is might dictate whether I use the dealr that's further away (30 min further) to get a loaner or the one that would make me rent a vehicle but has a better service reputation.

 

I have had great service at HC in sales, serivce and parts. The one time my car had to stay there they gave me a loner (had it four days) but not the type of loaner some others have had at other dealers. Mine was base model.

No experience with actual service at Peabody but my pre purchase experience there was horrible to the point that i will never go back there even if it was the last Mini Dealer on earth. Sorry to say. Many others have had good experiences there though with both sales and service.

No but I will go look now.

 

That's exactly what worries me. No matter how much you like driving a any car, it's a royle PITA having to drive 100+ miles (each way) for service, and hoping they get it right the first (or even the second) time.

 

I'm in the same boat as MBX5....70mi from here to the nearest dealer. Yes, I could have bought almost any other car and kept it local....but then I wouldn't have a MINI. It's a labor of love?

P.S. I am headed there today to buy oil and filters for my post break-in oil change.