I need some help guys. When I bought my MCSC last year I was FORCED to pay about $600 for "glass etching" from the dealership. This was not offered to me as an option. I special ordered my car and when we sat to talk finances, I wasn't even told about the etching. I had to review each line item because there was extra money put in somewhere that didn't match the number I'd calculated before I got there to pick my car up. When I found that the extra money was "glass etching" I was told that the car had ALREADY been etched and I didn't have a choice, I HAD to pay the fee if I wanted to proceed with buying the car.

This is an unfair business practice. I've already tried to deal with the dealership on an individual basis. They refuse to offer me any compensation for an "option" that was added against my wishes.

I need to know... has anyone else been forced into this? I'm not going to discuss my plan of action here on this site, but I would really like to know if anyone else has experienced this. I spoke with someone who has advised me to ask around to see if others have been treated this way.

When I tried to fight it, I was then told "your insurance company will give you a discount for this." I asked "is it on the chassis or any part of the car that can't just be smashed out?" They said no, just on the glass. I called my insurance company right there in front of the dealer and they said that was ridiculous, someone can just smash the windows and the serial number is gone. "That's what the VIN is for... to trace a vehicle." No discount.

Anyway, I'm going to do something about this. It's time the consumer stood up and stopped being taken advantage of.

All I'm asking is for you to email me if you experienced this. If you're interested going forward, that's great. If not, you'll hear nothing more from me.

I don't know about you, but I don't have an extra $600 I care to just throw blindly at a car dealership. I already paid plenty enough for this little care that has been in the shop four times in the past year.

I love my car. But ya know... looking closely, I don't even see a serial number on any piece of glass!!

You can email me here, or at NemoMINI (at) mac (dot) com. Or, you can visit my homepage for more information.

I'm not trying to do anything malicious, underhanded, or wrong. I'm simply saying "this isn't right. you can't treat people this way."

 

The glass-etching idea itself isn't bad. It makes your car much less attractive to thieves that plan on re-selling the car overseas or in Mexico, since it forces them to replace all of the glass, which cuts into their profit margin significantly. However, if the car's just going to be "chopped", it doesn't mean much to the thieves, other than not being able to sell the glass along with the other parts.

Regardless, your dealer shouldn't have forced the option on you, especially considering that $600 is pure robbery. You can order do-it-yourself VIN-etching kits for as little as $15-20, and the process takes about 15 minutes.

I don't know if you have much in the way of legal recourse, since you took delivery of the car. I am curious that you can't find any of the etchings, though - the process kind of loses some of its effectiveness if potential thieves can't see that the glass is marked.

 

PS - The link to then entry on my homepage is:

http://web.mac.com/bryen/NemoMini/Jo...S_ETCHING.html

 

FWIW, they used the 'hard sell' technique. It sucks, but it happens.
If it ever happens to you again (or anyone reading this thread) simply refuse to pay for any 'option' which you did not specifically request. They'll b!tch and moan and make any manner of threats, but in the end if you say "I don't pay for this or I don't take the car" and they'll fold. Of course, they know that you're fully invested by that time and not likely to walk, but the only way to deal with it is to refuse payment.

Note: if you have indeed paid for this 'service' at least make them show you where it was done. If they can't (and it SHOULD be readily visible!) you should get medieval on their @$$ and demand a refund for the dollars paid for a service not rendered.

Good luck!!

 

If they cannot show you the etchings, they may be routinely cheating other customers as well, and it could be grounds for a class action lawsuit.

 

It all depends on the contracts you signed. If you and the dealership signed a purchase contract for a car w/o etching and the price reflected that, then you have a strong case against the dealership - they are legally required to deliver the car with the equipment specificed at the price on the contract.

If, however, the price and equipment was not stipulated in the contract or there was no contract, then there was no binding contractual relationship in place when you took delivery. In this case, you were negotiating the car, its equipment, and the price AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY. And if you agreed at this time to buy the car with the etching, then you have a weak case. Your recourse if you couldn't reach an acceptable negotiated agreement was to walk (and get back any deposit of course).

As others have said, they probably would have caved if you had made a fuss. It's the oldest trick in the book to slip in extra high-profit options and "packs" in the finance mgr's office when the customer's defenses are at the lowest. When I'm in there, I'm at Defcon One and make it clear that if there is any monkey business, I'm ready to walk.

But you didn't make a fuss and you're out $600 for something that should have cost $100. Cheap life lesson. I'd move on.

If they did nothing for the $600, then I'd go in an raise holy hell.

- Mark

 

There is always the better business bureau and the local TV stations investigation team.

Bad publicity is what a dealership fears the most.

markjenn is right though. You really need a contract spelling out everything that you wanted. Probably something you signed when you placed the deposit for your car.

There would be no leverage with BMW/MINI NA as they consider all of the dealerships to be independant operators and in control of their own actions.

The glass etching should be readily visable on all pieces of glass. If you can not see it they need to show them to you. This might be the best thing for you. You could go back to the dealership with a "friend" and ask them to show you where the etching is. Your "friend" would of course be an impartial witness, perhaps from the local TV station invetigative reporting team to document the dealers actions.

This sort of thing is a fairly common amoung car dealerships to pad their profits. It is a dirty little trick. You should have refused the car and had them reorder your car as specified in your contract. Unless of course they could show you, in writing, where it was in your contract that the etching was specified. No BS that it is something that they do to all cars they sell. If it ain't in the contract, you do not have to pay.

Too bad you have taken it off the lot already. Getting a refund is going to be more difficult.

Good luck.

 

Wife went to pick up her '07 Toyota 4Runner a couple of months ago. The dealership tried to pull the already-etched-glass charge on her. Without a word, she stood up, walked out of the "business manager" office, and got in our old car (2000 4Runner that was inbound as a trade-in). Before she got the keys in the ignition, the business manager, the salesman, and the sales manager swarmed the car ... no $650 surprise charges for her!

Needless to say, she did the final bargaining on our '07 MCS JCW order last week. What a gal.

 

Keeper.

 

They did this to me on my dodge truck ,the etching is very easy to read ,if you cant see it they did'nt do it .It was only $250 I told them they should have asked me first and then let it go .

 

Complete rip off! The vendor that supplies this service to the dealerships does not charge even close to a few hundred dollars for this service.

It's been noted several times, but I'll restate it... The numbers should be visible on the glass. If they are not I'd surely push for a refund. Don't let them tell you to bring it back to the dealership to have the service installed either. They can get their money back from the vendor who apparently didn't complete his work other than charging the dealership for this service. It happens!

 

I have this on my Explorer. I bought it used and it was already marked. I even have markings on the insides of some of the body panels as well. 600 seems a bit extreme especially since you were not given the option. I do agree with Korby...if you cant see it....i am not so sure they did it. You can read mine clearly on the glass.

 

Doesn't matter how long you waited for your car, if the deal is different or if they are forcing you to pay for something that was not discussed WALK AWAY!!! I know that it stinks but that is what you have to do. Most people would just (as you did) pay the money for the service but you should have been out of there so fast. A hard lesson indeed. I say that all you can do is call the BBB and use your voice in warning other mini folk about this dealer. Hmmm, I wonder if you can find a good outlet where you would have a large pre-mini owning audience...

Also, a lawsuit is not very practical, you will spend WAY more in lawyer fees and such.

 

You should make sure they haven't added anything else. It's pretty common for them to add things like Wheel Locks.

 

small claims court..

have her explain it to judge judy..
if you didn't order it and was not on the original order invoice.. it was bait and switch

i bought a new car once.. "not mini" and went to sign the papers and they had added "special paint and fabric protector"
for only $ 699.
yea..
i told them to remove it.. they laughed.. i walked.

got the car that evening without the fee.

 

A law firm may be interested in pursuing it on their own for a class action lawsuit. Individual consumers often don't much out of a class action, but the law firm can do very well.

 

Good lordy, $600 for glass etching? Glass etching as in wiping a acid solution over a number stencil on all the glass surfaces on your car?

To those who are thinking about getting it done, please check with your local police department first. I had mine done for free at a local NYPD precinct. Took only a few minutes. I even got official NYPD paperwork to show my insurance company and I got a few bucks off my premium. The serial number is also registered with the NYPD.

 

So, why would we want out already clogged court system MORE clogged? Oh, and to top it off a law firm making money off of victims.

Are you a laywer?

 

What a load of crap! I remembered AAA used to offer "free" glass etching of you vin on all your glass and on top of that, they gave you a discounted rate for doing so...

You should've told them to keep the Mini and go somewhere else for business...

 

Making money for myself isn't the point. The point of the lawsuit is to make them STOP doing this to consumers. I don't care if I make a dime... but it seems the only way to get businesses to stop doing bad things is to hit them in the only place they care about... the bank account. If I could just say "hey, stop doing this, it's not right"... and they'd stop, that's all it would take for me to be happy. But yeah, it would be nice to get my $600 back. LOL

 

Ahem.... NemoMini, you may want to update this thread with the info you posted this morning on your site.... The principal is the same, but the offense is certainly less aggregious. Other posters have advised you that the best way to deal with it would have been to up and walk. For $199.00 they probably would have beat you out the door to cancel the charge.
Your lawyer may have a harder time getting a sympathetic Judge, arbitrator or jury to act on a class action suit so limited. The person who would most likely be willing to look at this would be the consumer practices rep in a State, City or County Attorney's office. I believe that most places regulate auto dealers and a proven pattern of fraud or deceptive practices should be on their radar.

 

Wish I knew which dealer you bought the Mini from. I bought my MCS from an individual who bought it from Mini of S. Atlanta (Hank Aaron Mini). I haven't been to either dealer in Atlanta, but I did email HA Mini about buying an accessory. My only replies were emails and a couple of phone calls from the dealership trying to get me to buy a new Mini. Shhheeeesh!!

I got tired of BS car dealers years ago. Now, I only buy from individuals.

Whoever the dealer is, I hope that you clean their plow!!!

gaminis

 

Don't take this the wrong way... just some general thought on your topic. All for the greater good I hope...
After reading your web page I think you might want to sit down and do the maths and figure out exactly what you paid.
For future reference it is advised that people have the paperwork written up in the finance department and then take it home to look at it. Most dealerships will balk at the thought of someone doing the math at home and will probably resist. I've done it buying the last two cars, and both whined. I just told them if you aren't trying to screw me, then you have nothing to lose. If you are... we have a problem.

It's disapointing that people don't ensure that they aren't getting ripped off when buying a car. It's the second largest purchase you'll have next to your home. You have every right to understand what you are paying for.
When I go to finance I tell them that I'm paying for three things: The car, tax and title transfer. Those three things are very easy to add up. Any other charges are invalid. (Paperwork fee, dealer prep, sealing, etc)
Personally I like to just get the finance my self, or pay cash. That way you just have them sign the title, and pay for the car. You can then take care of the tax title and license on your own. Then you only need to add one number... the agreed upon price of the car.

Good luck and I hope you get somewhere with your suit. Next time you'll know.. and maybe won't wait so long to realize you had an issue with the paperwork.