I picked up my new F56S back in the beginning of December. I was very excited about it, as it was configured to match my old R53, with the exception of cloth seats and no rally lights. When I drove it home, the ride seemed firm, but not punishing. I thought to myself that the ride was pretty good with the stock runflats, as compared to my R53 with non-runflats. Over the course of two weeks, and 500 miles, I drove it around with a grin on my face, in and around NYC with the crappy roads it's known for. Overall, the ride was firm, but certain bumps (like speed bumps) seemed to be unduly harsh, much like my R53, to the point where it felt like there was no suspension at all. Around that time, I also noticed that the car seemed to be sitting rather high in the front - not level, but higher in the front than the rear. I measured the front and rear wheel gaps and heights, and compared them, and of course, found the front to be higher. I even looked up the MINI specs, and measured the front height using it, and found that the front sat 1-1/2" to 2" out of spec. I thought that maybe the suspension had to settle since the car was new and tried not to worry about it. But it kept bothering me. I researched about new suspension springs settling over time, and tried to placate myself that it was going to happen with my MINI, even though the consensus was that new springs typically do not settle. I also read about shipping blocks being left on delivered cars, but dismissed that immediately, as I thought "no way it could happen to me". I ended up losing so much sleep because of how the car looked with the front sitting so high, I decided that I would make an appointment to bring the car in to have it looked at - maybe the wrong springs were put on the car (F54, F55 springs instead of F56?). All I knew was that the front was out of spec, and the dealer would have to do something to correct it.

(see pic # 1)

One day after Christmas, I was again measuring the front height, and was poking around by the wheels and noticed that the dust boot was pushed in on one side. So, being OCD as I am, I went to "pop out" the part of the dust boot that was pushed in. To do so, I had to lift the dust boot to get behind it with my fingers - that was when I noticed some blue and white plastic discs surrounding the shock piston. WTF? I lifted the boot some more, and said to myself "holy sh**! They left the shipping blocks in!".

(see pic # 2 & 3)

I immediately went to get my floor jack, and a screw driver, and pulled out (6 in total) shipping blocks from both sides of the front suspension.

(see pic # 4)

After removing the blocks, I remeasured the front height, and "bingo!", height was in spec. The MINI now had its typical forward rake that it's supposed to have (with equal wheel gaps front & rear). The ride became SO much better, even with the stock runflats, not even close to the harshness of my R53. Bring on the speed bumps!

Moral of the story:

Make sure they remove the shipping blocks when you pick up your new MINI.


** CLIFF NOTES: **
Picked up new F56 in December. Rode hard, and sat high in front for 500 miles and two weeks. Found out dealer left shipping blocks in front suspension.

 

I highly recommend collecting this write up, with pictures and send to Mini Corporate. Make usre your have this in their records if problems in the future. I would believe there would be no problems, but it protects your back if so. If nothing else, they owe you an apology.

 

Yep. I sent an email with pictures to the motoring advisor, and general sales manager of the dealership back around New Year's Day. Chose not to send it to corporate to allow the dealership to respond first. Got an email response from the MA apologizing and saying the the sales manager was going to reach out to me, which he did. Spoke to him on the phone, he apologized profusely, and told me that he spoke to the tech who did the PDI. Tech was new, and admitted that he missed it, and never checked it off the inspection checklist. Supposedly the tech felt bad and offered to call me and personally apologize. Don't know if they reprimanded him or not. SM said that they would try to somehow make it up to me, and that the MA would be sending me a box of MINI swag to make me feel better. (Would have preferred some discounted accessories, but whatever. The point of the email was to make sure they knew about it and that they would make sure it wouldn't happen again. [This is what I get coming from a quality control position in a manufacturing plant LOL.]) In any case, it's been two weeks since I spoke to the SM, and I haven't heard "boo" from the MA, nor have I received a box of swag, so I guess it wasn't THAT important to them to make me whole.

 

It's also making me seriously consider switching dealerships for my next MINI purchase. I'm central to two MINI dealerships, and I WAS partial to this one prior to this happening.

 

Stay on them and keep reminding them. They probably checked the box that they talked to the customer and everything is OK. If you don't remind them of their screwup they'll likely forget all about it. Do it diplomatically though and it might result in better/more swag.

 

Stuff happens, glad it wasn't a big issue. In any case if I was running the store I'd have sent you some kind of gift/reward for being a good customer and you would have had it in your hands within 24 hours, probably sooner. When I had my own business errors got fixed as soon as humanly possible. The longer it lingers the worse the impression is.

Two years after buying my Countryman used from MINI of Portland I noticed that I didn't have the tow hook and also my wheel lock key was broken. Sales manager fixed both issues on the spot while I waited.

 

I've been on the fence whether or not I should remind them. I kinda feel that I should not have to, and that it's not in my place to do so if they genuinely feel like making me whole. But, if they choose to forget to follow up, I can call them out to any other of their customers who frequent this site by posting their name, which I have not done yet.

 

That's why I suggested you remind them "diplomatically" before going with the nuclear option.

 

I like the nuclear option, but yeah, gonna have to think about my diplomatic approach LOL.

 

I only have one dealer within 70 miles and have a good relationship with them. I try to treat them well and they've done right by me with my R56 and F56. They've made a couple of minor mistakes over the years, but have corrected everything without a hitch. I get good service and discounts from the parts department too and won't jeopardize that by going Old Testament on them for their first screwup. It's not like they're waiters that can spit in your food if you give them a hard time, but I'm sure they could make your future appointments less convenient for you. YMMV

 

This are installation blocks, they protect the shaft during spring assembly.
Should have never left the factory with those on.

The PDI tech wouldn't know about those.

 

Respectively disagree. These blocks restrict suspension movement and allow the vehicle to be tied down tight during shipment, and prevent bouncing during the voyage across the pond, which could lead to the vehicle breaking free in the shipping hold. Dealership admitted that their PDI tech missed it, and that he did not check it off the PDI checklist. (If it was a factory issue, I'm sure they would be quick to pass off the blame to the factory, as opposed to admitting fault.)

 

Actually it is normal for BMW and MINI to ship cars with shipping spacers. It was always part of the PDI to remove them.

Heck I remember when I worked at the dealer and we had a car in and found the spacer in it from 11yrs prior.

A couple years ago I had a guy at the Dragon have me do something and I found them in his car still and it was like 5 yrs old. They were smashed and wedged in there still, but had to fight them out. Often wonder what those people think when they drive it after owning it with them installed for so long.

 

I'd stop by the dealership and when they ask you "Can we help you?", just say your there to pick up your "Swag Bag". Should not be a an issue and you won't come across as an a-hole. Remember to smile!

 

+1 I have seen it happen on MINIs time to time and on the pre-inspection, they missed to take those out. Get some swag for the trouble, keep the blocks as an exclusive MINI rare part

 

 

Sooooo, after listening to everyone's advice here, I held off on the nuclear option, and went with the diplomatic approach. After a couple of gentle email reminders and one returned package because of a mis-shipment to the wrong address, I finally got my box of swag from the dealership. In the box was a 1/18 scale die cast of a black F56S, a MINI baseball cap, a zippered first aid kit, a heavyweight canvas MINI shopping bag, a couple of MINI branded microfiber cloths, and a nice apologetic note. All in all, I'm satisfied with the outcome. Would have preferrred not to have any shipping blocks left in at all, but at least the dealership tried to make it right.