That's more like I figured... I was just pointing out the absurdity of their claim. My guess is that Sam's hands (and voice) is tied. He's probably been told to NOT say a word to anyone. When management issues those type of instructions, lame excuses usually follow....

 

so, does his impact wrench check the torque too? And it wouldn't vibrate out in 7 miles, even if just put in finger tight....

But it's what I'd expect to hear....

Matt

 

Everyone in the service dept should be fired.....close down the department until properly trained individuals are capable of running that service department.

This is not the first time I have said this and I am sure it will not be the last....I will never show up to any MINI event that involves Tate. I look for dealers that have a complete package...good sales and good service. I am thinking that my next MINI will come from Checkered Flag MINI...

 

Your finger you probably get sheered off.

Don't settle on this one Katie, this is BIG and TATE needs to have MINIUSA get involved big time on this one.

 

Really, once the bolts are put back in a torqued properly, the work is fixed. The rest of it is customer relations (where they seem to have fallen short) and some internal training, that wouldn't be noticable to someone on the outside.

The only real way that this could have happened in such a short distance is if the service guy put the bolts in but didn't turn them at all. This is possible, as I"ve done the same thing to keep the knuckle from falling during suspension work. The fact that no one owned up to this is dissapointing to say the least.

The bad work can be re-done, not un-done. But other than fixing it for free, and giving a loaner, and being nice to the customer, there's really nothing for Tate to do now......

Notification of the proper people (Mini USA so they know what's up, BBB so they know there's a business with a problem etc.) is an excellent course of action, but unfortunantly, I think there's not much more to do other than taking your dollars elsewhere.

Matt

 

as soon as I can get to the copy shop and post office, letters and pictures are going to the BBB of MD, MINIUSA, BMW of NA, Tate, Consumer Protection Division of the State Attorney General's Office of MD, The Capitol (Annapolis newspaper), The Baltimore Sun, and all the local TV stations.
We'll see what happens...

 

don't forget Seven on your side... :-)

 

you mean channel 7?

 

Yes, Channel 7. They have a feature where consumers send in their complaints and if it makes for good news, an investigative reporter goes out and confronts the bad business. I'm not sure if people get paid for their stories or not, but at least other consumers know of the issues.

 

composing, revising and printing letter of complaint: 2 hours
making copies of evidentiary pictures(in color), complaint letter, collating, folding and stuffing 10 envelopes: 1 hour and $28.
Sending 5 envelopes certified return requested: $4.88 each
Sending 5 envelopes first class mail: 68 cents each
Spending 20 mins in the post office waiting in line and filling out return forms: a PITA

Bringing the fear of god to Tate: priceless

10 letters with pics went out today. We'll see what comes of it. I'll keep y'all posted.

 

Excellent Remember ... the squeaky wheel gets the grease!

If more people were pro-active about their bad service experiences rather than just whining about it in a public forum that nobody cares about ... the better service would be for everyone!

Best of Luck and lets here the responses!

Maybe MINIUSA will send you a nice form letter and some MINI Mints

 

oh goody...can't wait

 

Indeed. I never sent the letter I wrote after my horrible Tate experience. I still have it though, in case I get that twitch in my finger...

My not sending it was because I try and not let my anger make decisions for me, and sometimes it makes me a bit too passive with big issues.

Example: Truck broken into in California last week, $2k is damage/theft, $500 deductible gone from my pocket. I just shrugged it off, and went on as if nothing happened. Whole family today commented on "how well I was taking it". I guess I just feel "I got screwed, nothing can be done about it, so it's not worth worrying about."

I'm rooting for you though K-dawg. Woo woo woo!

 

So far, I've only heard from the state's attorney general's office. Since no mediation is required and I wasn't injured or killed, all they can do is send a letter to Tate, stating I registered a complaint against them with the SAG's office.
Stay tuned..

 

a bit.....Matt

 

get out the micrometer

 

Tate Mini should be shut down all together. The stories i've read and heard in the years since i've owned my Mini and my on personal experience have more than proven their incompitance.

The franchise should be given to a dealership with better reputation and qualified staff.

I would love to see the list of unsatisfied customers from Tate Mini. Maybe a classaction could be brought against Tate.

I remember when i first got my Mini and joined NAM in early 04 i was reading threads about how at least three or four people were taking delivery of their brand new cars all with the same scrach on the same fender (as if Tate was simply moving it from car to car). Not to mention other stories of poor service or work having to be performed more than once or simply Tate not knowing what was wrong or how to fix problems other dealerships nation wide were solving and making right.

I say BOYCOTT Tate all around, sales, service, parts, etc. If you have a Mini or are thinking of buying one go somewhere else. It is time for Tate to feel and understand the repurcussion of their pathetic service, customer relations and ethic.

Simply....do you want to roll the dice and hope what happened to Katie doesn't happen to you next time you go in for service, or is peace of mind worth a few extra miles out of the way to get the job done right at a dealership or shop with a far better reputation.

I am saying NO to Tate.

 

Hmmm... I am (was?) planning on buying a mini from Tate. Should I be concerned?

 

But maybe if you take them a copy of this thread they'll give you a discount to get the sale!

For sure, it does seem like they have more than their share of unhappy customers.

Matt

 

I chose them because they ARE giving me a big discount in comparison with most dealerships and the sales people are very nice....

just thought I'd ask if anyone had any specific bad experience with sales...

I had a pretty weird experience with Otto's Mini in PA on the other hand...

 

Sales seems to be pretty on par, just don't get any service done there. I have heard that MoT will honor service work with a MINI loaner. Most dealerships will only give you a MINI loaner if you purchased your MINI there.

 

True - Look here for my MoT service experience. Long story short - they rock.


-Paul!

 

I have no beef with Tate sales, but buying from them just validates their overall attitude. Just my 2 cents..it's a free country.

 

Ok, I'll move ahead with the purchase then.

I usually stay away from businesses that don't treat customers right, but as you know finding an 06 with the right specs is not easy, and even less with a great discount. Besides, I've heard bad things about Sterling as well, and my experience with Otto's was pretty weird (they pretended they had sold the car so I could not buy it...). I hate about 95% of dealerships, so I might as well just do what is best for me... besides, Towsons, which seems to have a good rep, does not have the car I want.

I'll do the service at Towsons though... I have a friend that lives close by so I'll just need to arrange to spend time with her that day

 

In last week's 'Bowie Blade' Tate had a one page Ad. Their slogan, "We're known for our repeat customers"