No Mini for us..

I ordered my dream Mini 1st of September and the car was built less than two weeks later.. I was very excited following its every move (tracking the shipping vessel etc. other hardcore stuff). Car finally arrived to the dealership on 4th of October. I went to the dealership and the car looked absolutely fabulous! Then the fiasco started..

Wahoo_shoe and others were getting extra $1000 off from their negotiated price, so of course I was expecting to get the same since this was an incentive from MiniUSA for the buyer. I was asking to get this incentive, but my motoring advisor kept repeating "That's not going to happen." After arguing for a while, MA admitted that they had already punched the car as sold last day September, probably to make their sales figures to look better than they were in reality and/or get the trunk money from the factory, and therefore the car is not eligble for any incentives from MiniUSA.

I had to use my connections to find out that also the factory warranty had started on the day the car was punched as sold! My MA didn't disclose this information. I was so upset that I decided to walk away from the deal.. I don't want to do business with dishonest people or companies, who try to scam their customers in order to get more profit.

Now they have bought a car from the factory, which they cannot sell as new since the factory warranty is running and technically they are the first owner. There is no way to get the car to be marked unsold.

I'm so disappointed at the moment.. I spent more than two months of my time to configure, order and follow the car's voyage across the sea to the dealership for nothing. I think I'm not going to order another Mini, at least not this year.. It is just too much of an effort for me.

Wahoo_shoe & Hemisedan, it was great to have you around! Hope everything goes well with your Minis!

 

huh. I thought no one could see the ships outside of the general area around a port... my ship hasn't reported GPS position since leaving the UK coast on the 3rd...

 

And wow ORM that's terrible.

 

Orm, so sorry to hear that! :( Had you put down a deposit? Was there any hassle getting it back? Is there another dealership you could work with? Best of luck to you...

Tracking ships: Hemi once they're beyond coastal range of AIS you can track them via their weather reports. Expect them to start a day or two after they're beyond coastal waters (I suspect they also don't report reliably when in heavy weather). Here's fedora's site: http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shi...html?call=SLKU

 

Dodgy: I got the deposit back in full. That is one thing the dealer did right. It is not possible to get the exact same car as dealer trade, since it is already marked as sold and not part of inventory anymore. I feel sorry for the next guy who is planning on getting that car with the already started warranty and the scam the dealership might try to pull. I tried to work with another dealership, but currently there is no similar car available in the whole States.The only way to get a car with the same specs would be to custom order, but then it would not be here in time for the October discount from MiniUSA.

 

I'm stunned that they won't negotiate and meet the price you need. They seem to be losing a lot more by holding onto the car. Whatever you do, complain to mini USA in writing and by phone. This dealer needs to be reported as they damage the brand with these tactics. Mini needs to know they may have lost you as a customer. Sure, the dealer lost your money, but this brand relies on customer to customer marketing and they know it.

 

Man Orm, I was hoping you would get helped out. That's terrible that the dealer got that, since technically it's not sold until you sign the papers. I got lucky, MINI of Sterling did a GREAT job and they exceeded my expectations. Not even a hassle about the MINI incentive, and I didn't even know about it! Your dealer was too busy trying to make numbers and look good, while screwing a customer over. They were too high on their horse to not just give you the $1000...now they have to eat a spec-ed car with a dwindling warranty...all for $1000?

I'm so sorry, you were right there with me tracking and our MINIs probably had so much fun with each other. I guess we shouldn't have hoped they came in early

I agree with 3rd..MINI needs to know a dealer did this. AND SOON. The dealer is now going to sit on a car, didn't do something ethical, and now tarnished the MINI brand in your mind. I'd be surprised if they didn't bend over backwards for you and either give you a better car, or extend the $1000 off for a new order.

Put down your foot Orm, it'll be worth it

 

ORM, sorry to hear about your ordeal. It's definitely disappointing but you did the right move by going with your first instinct - walking away from it. It's shady of them to booked your mini as sold b4 you signed the papers.

What is this $1k incentive you guys are talking about? Is it the $1k off of msrp or from negotiated order price? I don't see any mini October incentives from edmunds....

 

I'm so disappointed at the moment.. I spent more than two months of my time to configure, order and follow the car's voyage across the sea to the dealership for nothing. I think I'm not going to order another Mini, at least not this year.. It is just too much of an effort for me.

Wahoo_shoe & Hemisedan, it was great to have you around! Hope everything goes well with your Minis![/quote]


ORM: I know that you feel used, abused and probably several other things, but hey you know that you have the answer. You know Maria, as you have told me, she is unlike, just about any other car salesperson. She can, and will work with you, and you know it. You know that you love the Mini, so don't let one bad dealer ruin it for you. In other words, DON'T LET THEM WIN. Period. Get something you want and like, Maria will help you, either with a dealer trade, or going back to an order again. As for the Mini discounts. Don't you think that just because they offered discounts in October, that they will have similar offers in November and December? Right, they will. The car market isn't exactly sizzling right now, and they want to get the new 2011's out there for others to see, on the road.

So, my advice is to not give up, don't let the bast***s beat you. Go for it and if you need to talk, let's get together on the phone. Keep it positive, guy, you deserve it.

 

Thanks for the support everybody! I just spent this evening writing to MiniUSA. I don't know if I can post about that other than privately in the future. Now I am waiting for their response.

Hemi: Maria is great. She has been trying to be supportive and helping me out the best that she can. No luck on finding another Mini with the same specs. However, it is not just the Oct. Mini deal, I also have a trade-in and its value continues to drop everytime I call a dealer, it seems. At some point it is just not reasonable to trade it in anymore (also my own buyer for it is not going to wait forever).

All the best to you all.

 

My order went into production today. I hate the waiting.

 

What did you order? Are you replacing your GTI?

 

my ordered mcs is on the boat - eta 11/3

 

I ordered black 2011 MCS, auto, prem, cold, xenon with black housings, chrome line int

 

Good work, enthusiast!

Hey cccplus
What ship are you on?

I'm on Volans Leader with est. Arrival on 10/27...
But then a haul up to sf.

 

my mcs is on the toledo

enthusiast, that's a great order mcs you have there

 

Once it's "born" I get a VIN and I can track it right?

 

it has to be loaded into the ship in order for you to track it on the shipping website.

 

You can track it for about one day out of the port of exit. Mine is in the middle of the North Atlantic, I believe, but haven't been able to do an actual tracking since Monday. It's just cruising along at 18 knots per hour. Lil Guy is on the Fedora, New York port at 07:00 on October 18th.

 

I know! I hate the 'x days since last gps report'
But hey. We know where they're going. It's all just busy work.

 

You're right, the waiting sucks, but like you said, we know when, or close to it, it will be in port. You guys on the West Coast, definately do have a longer waite, though. Mine left on the 10 and should be in Baltimore POE on the 20th. 10 days, but still seems longer. But, in saying all that, I now think back that it was ordered on 9/8 and it doesn't seem so long. Another week or so, and it will be in it's own garage in Iowa.

 

That's awesome. Tell you what though: I've said it before, but even with the additional travel time, ordering from here makes you appreciate the panama canal, not just for this, but for naval commerce in general ( coming from the atlantic anyway)

 

ORM

I am sorry to hear that your dealer treated you so poorly. Some dealers try to take advantage of your excitement by playing games to make you pay more money for your ordered MINI. My friend Lynn's first Clubman order also fell apart at the dealership. She was so pissed off that she didn't want to order another MINI until the following year. I talked her into ordering another Clubman the following weekend at another dealership. I told her she can't let the dealer upset her. By not ordering another MINI, the bad experience will eat away at her for weeks or months to come.

I strongly suggest you order another MINI immediately, so you have something good to look forward to.

 

UAL_KINGPIN: My thoughts completely. She has a buyer for her Honda, so go for it. Maria might have a couple of ideas on that account, as well. Shucks, lease a car until it comes in. Lot's of possibilities. The other way, IA wins.

 

I hope she's still popping in to read out of habit.
And I'd love a buyer only Honda, ha! Man, I'm goi to eat my shorts on trade in.