This is a bit of a long story but I will try to make it concise and to the point. As some of you know, I got my CM back in September. I was thrilled with it...I'd been waiting 22 years to get a Mini and it truly was my dream car. Fast forward to May and it's been in the shop at least 5 (maybe 6?) times since January. It was in once for a temperature sensor gauge replacement which prevented the car from starting (fixed) and it was in the rest of the time for an oil leak which NEVER ended and sometimes got worse after coming back from the shop. In addition, it was in the last time because the hand brake stopped worked. I'd lift up the lever and it would fall back down.

After the 5th time being in, I felt like I was being jerked around by the service team and their reason for the oil leak was that the gasket sent to them wasn't exactly the same shape as the one put on the factory and that resulted in the leak...but then they went on to tell me that everyone Countryman across the country was having this problem. Which, to me, is not a valid excuse. Their solution this last time was to make some grooves in the oil pan, load it up with sealant and basically prevent the oil from leaking onto the floor. The service rep agreed that yes, eventually it would fail but either way, it was the only thing they could do as the part wasn't the right size. Also, the service rep told me that the reason that the parking brake wasn't working was because "I had to release the button in the handle of the e-brake for it to lock." I was completely floored. They thought I didn't know how to use the e-brake! So, around this time, the service manager got involved, told us that if I wasn't happy with the car, he'd help us to "get out of that car" and into something that would make me happy.

Around this same time, I got a customer service survey in the email asking how my service had gone. This was the first survey that I'd seen in all of the times that I had been in and I decided to fill it out. Keep in mind that this survey clearly stated that they wanted to know whether I was satisfied or not: " Hopefully, every part of your experience went smoothly. But to help us make sure we met or exceeded every one of your expectations, we'd love to hear any feedback, good or bad, you might have. So, if you wouldn't mind taking just a few minutes to answer our Customer Experience Survey, we'd be extremely grateful."

I filled out the survey and put a 1 in the rating section for my satisfaction due to the fact that they asked my opinion and the service rep had admitted that they still hadn't fixed the problem - just put a temporary fix in place. A few days later, the service manager called my boyfriend, told him that the survey results had gotten him into trouble with the regional service manager who was there because of my survey and that because of my survey results he (the service manager) didn't feel very inclined to help us anymore. A few days after that, I got another email asking if my survey issues had been resolved and to feel free to contact the general manager of the shop. We emailed him back, described the situation and have heard nothing back from anyone at this point. Complete radio silence.

So, if you're still with me, my question is this: what do I do now? The original service manager indicated that he was willing to help us out and work with us to take this car back due to all the problems. I don't see how answering a survey (particularly one that asks what was bad) changes anything.

I think, for me, the worst thing about this entire situation is that I was completely ready and willing to be a MINI owner for life. I volunteered to be in a TV commercial for the local dealer with my car, wore MINI gear day in and day out and was so excited. At this point, I'm not even sure I want another MINI if I'm going to be treated this way.

 

How far away are you from another dealer?
Things are very wrong at your dealership.
I seriously doubt if you are the only customer having difficulties.
Wow!
So sorry you are going through this and I hope that you can get your problems properly taken care of soon.

 

I'm about 20 minutes away from the nearest dealer. The next nearest is 1 hour away, but it is owned by the same auto group, same service manager and same general manager.

 

This is just my opinion. You have to be nice if you want something done to your favor.

 

I'd contact Mini's regional office and tell them EXACTLY what you told us. This is not typical Mini service/treatment.
My Mini dealer (Motorwerks) literally sweeps the floor in front of you as you enter, they treat us like royalty and if there is ever an issue it's addressed promptly & directly. (They value that CSI =customer service index survey)

Good luck & don't lose faith in Mini.

 

How can I find out the address for the regional office?

 

Try These:
1-866-275-6464 or MINI.assistance@askMINIUSA.com
or
Customer Relations & Service
po box 1227
Westwood, NJ. 07675-1227

 

A couple of Options. Call Mini headquarters (same number for tracking the MINI build process, I just don't know what it is off hand) and ask to get the regional service manager involved. Staying calm and stating facts as you have done in your post should fet results.

Sad to say, but with this many return trips for an oil leak, you may be close to meeting lemon law requirements. I think it takes 4 trips for the same issue and your oil leak may be close to that.

Sorry about your poor experience with the CM. For what it's worth my 06 Cooper S is still going strong at 80k miles and the CM has been flawless at 5 months and 8k miles.

Hopefully all your issues get resolved and you can return to being a happy motorer.

 

All other Countryman have the same leak? What a liar! I've been active on this forum since before we ordered our car and never heard another owner complain of this. In many states (not sure where you are) you have to send a letter to the manufacturer giving them one last chance to fix the car before you can file a claim. If your state has a similar provision, send the letter. It will get the attention of the proper people at Mini. And mention to them who the person is that told you this lie. They certainly do derserve to get in trouble! One other thing, please give us the name of the offending dealer so the rest of us can avoid them, thanks.

 

I agree that you may fall under the Lemon Law if your state has that provision.
You've been told by the dealer that a serious problem with your new car isn't fixable.

Something is seriously wrong at your dealership.

Just a little thing in the midst of your larger issues, but unless your boyfriend owns the car with you I can't see why the service manager discussed this with him. I'm married but the Mini is my car and the dealer doesn't talk to my husband about it out of my presence. It's just good practice and customer service.

Good luck and I hope that you get this resolved satisfactorily.

 

I thought lemon laws were for problems that kept the car off the road?

Doesn't sound like an oil leak would qualify for this.

Besides, I don't think the OP wants another car, she just wants her car to work properly and for the dealer to treat her right, something she and everyone else deserves.

So, to the OP - no one has the right to treat you badly and while the dealership can refuse service to anyone, I highly think the GM and MINI would not look kindly on one of it's employees doing that to a customer that bought a car from them.

Time to kick it up a notch.....

The thing you have to do is take the emotion out of the equation and just deal with the facts, you've made numerous trips there to get your car fixed, if the dealer can't do it it's time to get MINI involved. I can assure you ALL CM's do not leak their oil on the garage floor, their excuse is total BS and they need to fix your car right.

If you haven't already, I'd ask for a meeting with the GM of the dealership, and then lay out the facts - 5 trips to fix the same problem, still not fixed, BS excuses from the Service Mgr and now he says he won't be inclined to help you again in the future - his explanation please about why the dealership would treat a paying customer that way?

If the dealership cannot fix your car, why haven't they gotten a MINI rep in to see about it post haste?

And so on....

Good luck and let us know what happens, OK?

 

This is the link to the New Jersey Lemon Law brochure:
http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/ocp/lembroc.pdf

It clearly lays out the process to follow if it comes to that.
It even contains a sample letter to send to the manufacturer should you decide to make a claim.
As an "unfixable" oil leak substantially impairs the value of your new car, I believe your car falls under the law. I am not a lawyer. This is simply my lay opinion.
Hopefully it won't come to this, but you may want to look over the information now in case you decide to make a claim later.

Please do keep us posted on this.
Here's to a happy resolution to Ladybug's troubles!


Edit - My mistake, I thought you were in NJ. I hope that you don't have to go the Lemon Law route, but the law is there to prevent this kind of thing. $30K is lot of money to me and a huge investment. I accept that new cars have "bugs" to work out. My car has had a few and my dealer has taken care of it every time. I consider that reasonable and good. It's unacceptable that a bug like an oil leak can't be fixed, not on a new car.

 

This wouldn't happen to be Mini of Morristown, would it? Sounds very similar to the situation I had with them and my CM. The sales rep (definitely not a Motoring Advisor) had no idea what she was talking about when she answered my questions about options. When the car came in and I asked the sales manager about missing and wrong equipment (per the sales rep's description,) he didn't want to be bothered. After that I had several service issues, waited weeks for a part (they ordered the wrong one), had one service issue that they couldn't solve (told me to come back if it gets worse), and was given a loaner with a crack across the full windshield which is illegal to drive in NJ. Within the first three months I had a list of complaints long enough that I called MINI corporate. The best I could get with corporate was a low-level customer service person who took all my complaints and said thanks. When I talked to the Morristown GM a couple of months later, neither the sales manager or MINI corporate had bothered to tell her there were any issues. She offered to discount my next MINI by $1000 if I came back in a couple of years. Needless to say, I now make the long drive to another dealer for all my service needs, and my next MINI may be a FIAT.

 

wow, sorry to hear.

Thats really some ******** with the surveys though. I was disappointed in my last service, and got phone calls and emails about surveys coming and a pass is a 10. I purposely avoided filling it out as there was no way to give a 10, but didn't want this kind of future either.

 

+1 or whatever on calling the REGIONAL manager level.

I suspect that all you have to tell them is that the local dealership threatened reprisal after receiving a bad survey score and the regional manager will probably just say "I see" and things will change very quickly in your favor.

 

Just finishing a quick thread review; there's some good advice there: contact MINI corporate; talk to the GM in Bedford; look into the NH lemon law (http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/d...-law/index.htm -- which certainly seems applicable in your case).

I know MINI of Peabody shares ownership w. Bedford; what's the dealership that's an hour away? Herb Chambers in Boston?

Personally, when I need to go to a dealership for service my regular mechanic has referred me to Inskip MINI, but that's down in Warwick, RI, and would be over 2 hours from you. (My experiences there have been generally satisfactory, but not blow-me-away positive.)

Ultimately, if MoB continues along the same path, I think the Lemon Law is going to be your best bet.

 

http://www.dealerrater.com/

Also, contacting MINI Corporate and/or working on a Lemon Law case with an attorney.

 

Have everything documented for future proof. If you have the work order that states this can not be fixed then it will be a hard evidence.

Good luck.

 

My post was not as clear as it should have been, When I suggested sending the "last chance lemon law letter" I did not mean to infer the goal was to get the car replaced...the goal is to bring to Mini's attention that you are not getting acceptable warranty service. If you have a viable claim under your state's statute (and it sounds like there's a good chance you do), what it will insure is that you get the involvement of a service representative from Mini. Mini does not want to go theough the expense of defending a lemon law claim (especially when the car can obviously be repaired without great difficulty), and the threat of such will motivate them to resolve the problem. Clearly it's time to go beyond the dealer. Sounds like you have been more than patient, and now you have a dealer who blantently lies to you and and refuses to service your car as provided under the warranty.

 

I am not one for getting govenment agencies or lawyers involved in my personal business, but that's just me.....

She should not have to do any of this, I think if she sits down with the GM and calmly explains exactly what she's told us, she should get immediate action. Amd i do not believe their story about "they all do this' (no, they don't) and or "we don't have the right gasket" (then get one - even if you have to take it off another car!)

She shouldn't have to do anything more....

My MINI dealer has been terrific and I know most have said the same about theirs, I don't know how this got so messed up, but I really believe a calm recitation of the facts to the HMFIC should get your car fixed once and for all.

Let us know what happens, OK?

 

I also have a fantastic dealer.
Stories like this make me really grateful for that.

Who wants to go through the Lemon Law claim process?
My guess is not many, but it's a good thing that most states have made provisions to protect consumers.

The OP shouldn't have to do anything.
She should be happily motoring in her new Mini CM.
Unfortunately that's not the case.

IMO, something is terribly wrong at the dealership.
The regional manager supposedly knows about it, yet he didn't get the issue resolved, if the Service Manager told the truth to the OP's boyfriend.
The SM threatened to not help her because of a bad customer satisfaction survey?
Wow!
If the customer is dissatisfied then you work to rectify the problem.
You don't take it out on the already unhappy customer via a message through a third party.
I really wonder if the regional manager was ever involved.

I don't understand why the dealer can't just fix the car?

The OP was an enthusiastic supporter of the Mini brand and is exactly the kind of customer that Mini wants to promote their brand.
It sounds to me like all she wants is for her car to be fixed.
I hope that Ladybug is soon repaired to her satisfaction.
I also hope that Mini can repair their relationship with her and regain her confidence and trust.

 

MNILAUREN, I know exactly how you feel and I have a feeling your Service Dept is treating you this way because you are a woman! I am married and I have been buying my own vehicles (sometimes w/o my husband) for the past 32 years and there are a few dealers and service departments out there that think you don't know what you're talking about and try to pull the wool over your eyes. Evidently getting older in age has made me "wiser" - I have owned 5 MINI's since 2003 and I too got the run around when I knew there was a problem. I gave the service manager one chance to remedy the problem, and if he failed I went directly to Corporate with a detailed synopsis of what the problem was, what was said, who said it, etc. Corporate was very professional and courteous and I "did" get my problems fixed. I have since changed dealerships and wished I would have made the change sooner as there was a 100% difference in both the sales and service areas. So start docmenting your problems and give the service rep one more chance - if he fails forward all your info to corporate. Good Luck!
MsBrit

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. At this point, I'm going to take the advice here and try to find out the contact information for the Regional Manager and Corporate. Then I'm going to send out letters to them. I'm very disappointed by how this has been handled.

Thanks for all of your advice! I'll let you know what happens.

 

Good luck, Lauren; we'll be keeping fingers crossed for a happy outcome!

 

Lemon Laws work! I am proof. The car does not have to be out of service for a protracted period, just the problem must get fixed within 5 visits/18 month here in the state of NY. Keep accurate records and contact the main MINI corporate site. You will be assigned a case number and case manager. To note: this did not happen to my MINI -- but my Pontiac Solstice.

Good luck! And, don't give up...... when you are 'right', justice will be served if you don't allow negative people and circumstances get in your way.