Amid all this hysteria over a lousy half tank of gas, has anyone bothered to find out WHY they're not doing a full fill?

The assumption in here seems to be that the deal is a cheapskate.

Perhaps it's not a permanent state of affairs. Maybe they're having an issue with their supplier. No one has posted the reasons.

They could have the best service department on the planet, great staff. Your Mini will always have the best care there is, but no free tank of gas?

That's like not going to the Mayo Clinic because you won't get a free bathrobe or something.

One thing is apparent to me, is the prevailing attitude that the dealer should be kissing butt for your patronage. Any business should make reasonable efforts to please their customers, but there is no pleasing the Self Esteem Generation it seems.

 

I think bad press on not filling up the tank is exactly what needs to happen. If this isn't nipped in the bud now, other dealers will adopt it. JUST like the now standard DOC fee of $150 or $??. Why should we pay a doc fee? That should come out of the dealers end in my opinion as well. Years ago I could negotiate it away. Today no way.

Non-full gas tanks on delivery of a new car should not be tolerated in my opinion.

 

Well I sold my car today, the one the mini is replacing. The buyers drove over an hour to pick up the car. After we went to the notary I should them around town and got them something to eat. I sold the car for $6,400. You might just think we are nice people, but I sold them a product that I stand behind. How can I, a 25 year old, see this and a dealership can't? The answer is respect. I hope the dealership will offer me a soda or bottle of water when I pick my car up, I think that used to be an unwritten rule too.

 

when i bought my mini back in october..all i got was 10$ in gas put into my car..thats all they were allowed too..i wouldve been happy with a half tank!

 

If thats the standard, I think its just bad business to not do it, especially with Main Line Mini right down the road(well, practically). I'm picking up my Mini from Otto's in September, and I really hope they get their act together by then.

My MA is throwing in free mats, but now I'm afraid they will just give me regular ones instead of the S ones.

For those warning off saying something about their dislike of this, A customer should not have to fear bad service by voicing their dislike of Otto's penny pinching on gas.

I fully intend to buy more Mini's in the future and if I'm not happy, I'm taking my business down the road.

 

Otto's threw in the "S" mats for mine when I picked it up. If you asked them for "S" I'm sure you'll get them.

 

I just said can you throw in mats. But I'm getting an MCS, so I just figured.

Think I should double check on that, or will it be a given do you think?

 

My dealer charges a "delivery fee" of which I am sure that the gas comes out of. Most car dealers aren't operating in the red, and a couple thousand dollars a month in fuel probably wouldn't be the difference in profit and loss. Top the tank guys, it will leave a your customers with a warm fuzzy feeling and they will continue to spend their dollars in the service department where the real money is made.

If your Mini dealer is the only one in town what do you do then, you cant very well drive 3 hrs to get minor service done. Some MINI dealers are the only game in town and might take a little more leeway.

 

I would call them and verify that you want the "S". Better to make sure through communication not assumptions.

I have been happy with them so far and as I said in one of these earlier replies, I'm not the type to pass judgement on them for only giving me 3/4 tank of gas. I'll make up my mind when it really counts with service. So far so good.

 

Since no one else made the attempt, I called Otto's. They have a gas contract with Sunoco for x-number of gallons a month. They have been reaching their limit, and Sunoco has been limiting the amount of fuel available.

Remember, it's not just new sales they're supplying with gas, but also the demo fleet and their loaners.

 

That's still not going to stop the flame throwers. Glad to see somebody got to the bottom of it.

 

Agreed. It looks to be a temporary situation that a few people got shorted by. Chad, the sales manager says it's normally their policy to fill the tanks, and if the OP had come to him about it, he would have made sure they got a full tank regardless of the issue with Sunoco.

 

First, I think it was a nice idea to call the dealership - thanks for clearing that issue up. It makes sense, and I'm glad at least one dealership has a policy to fill the tanks when possible.

BUT, I'd have to disagree with your quip about the butt kissing...I don't think any of us were looking for a butt kissing. Considering how much we're paying for the cars (and not all of us are lucky to own porches as the "second car"), it would at least be a nice touch to drive away in your new car, knowing that this dealer really gives a crap about customers and what the customers think about them.

If nothing else, and the dealer is in the situation this one seems to be in (info as a result of your call), then give the new owner the OPTION of paying towards a full tank and taking care of it FOR them. It's NOT a happy feeling to have to hit the gas station within the first ten minutes of driving away......trust me...been there TWICE already.

 

Your posts are near impossible to read, seems the idea of quoting is not working for you. Can you show me the sarcasm in my previous posts to you? I can show you the arrogant and out of line attacks when you disagreed with someone. It's unproductive and not conductive to a community feel.

You feel it's your right to get a full tank of gas with your new car, I disagree. Please refrain from causing so much drama over a simple issue.

 

When my dad bought his Yukon the Sales People went over the top. While we did paper work, one of the other Sales guys went and got us something to eat. No DOC fees. Free Tank of Gas (Yukon is a hell of a lot more to fill then the mini) I think that little things like that are what make people come back.

 

I don't care what their excuse is. It is called adapt and overcome.

 

Works both ways.

 

drama? i was stating my opinion! Am I not allowed? Seems like there are many on here that felt the same way.
unproductive, to community feel....

 

^seems sarcastic to me

[quote=greystone;2359364]Wow, your arrogance comes through loud and clear. Read your own post again, you claimed they are making 80-100k *profit*, that's clearly not the case.
^ If you read the post you would have read that number was thrown out there based on a (supposed 2K profit) which I used to add to the aprox $20 per car gas that someone else posted.

Do you really think Mini dealers need referrals at this point? They have essentially no stock and significant queues. [/quote]<more sarcasm

If you read all my previous posts (the ones before you responded to) youll see I had no problems, nor arrogance with anyone in her. could it just be the way you are replying to me that has something to do with it?
i would say your cheap shots at me are whats unproductive to the community, not my responses to them. im just sayng......

 

x uh oh x, your point about the dealer filling up the rest of the tank at your cost cant be done. (if the sales manager told Gromit801 the truth) .

per what he was told, Otto's is only allocated a certain number of gallons per month.

 

Frankly, Gromit, I don't believe the explanation Otto's gave you. Unlike the 70's there is no gas shortage during this current run up in prices. At no time during this current 'crisis', has their been a shortage of gas that I've heard about. And if MINI has used up all their allocation, don't ya think Sunoco would be glad to deliver some of that gas that the Ford, Chevrolet, Buick and Hummer dealers haven't been able to use this month??? Doesn't make sense.


Plus, since we are in the middle of the month, I find it hard to believe they have "run through their allocation". This would sound more plausible if we were at the end of the month.

Finally, if this was the real reason, why wouldn't a good business explain this to their customers up front and avoid having all this negative publicity? Doesn't make sense to me. I still think its just a "penny wise, pound foolish" decision.

 

two things:

i have bought cars from both ottos as well as the acura dealer across the street. when i bought my Acura, it didn't have a full tank. I didn't even notice it at the time, but the salesman ran out and asked if he could hitch a ride to the pump with me so that he could top it off.
Ottos doesn't have onsite gas tanks or pumps. they guve the car prep guys gas cards that they use to fill the cars up.

Just as how you don't have to ration your monthly gas, neither do they.

Oh, and:
And yes, I do think that anyone I give $20k + should be kissing my but for my business. I think that part of the problem is that people have just come to expect crappy service. I think that it is a generational thing here - I am absolutely sure that if i asked my dad that his feeling would be twice as strong.

 

Hmmm, No onsite pumps. And they use gas cards.

I'm sad to say, but it looks like the person at Otto's with whom Gromit spoke, may have "misspoken". I know they are a car dealer, but there is a first time for everything.

But, to be fair, maybe the Sunoco Station down the street has had enough of Otto clogging up their pump lanes while they fill up new customer's cars and have told Otto "NO GAS FOR YOU!"

 

[quote=richs10;2360716]Hmmm, No onsite pumps. And they use gas cards.

What's so hard to believe about no onsite pumps. I know of at least 20 dealers and NONE of them have pumps and tanks, especially in the state of PA. The laws for having in ground tanks and pumps are all too much for ANY dealer to deal with, which is why they use cards and contracts to local stations.

 

[quote=mini_muddeatr;2360720]
Well, the way my brain works:
- If there are no on-site pumps, there is no on-site Sunoco delivery of gasoline each month.
- If there is no on-site delivery of gas each month, there is no allocation issue, and they didn't run out of gas this month.
- If there are no on-site pumps, then filling each new car at delivery is done at a local gas station.
- Generally, when I pull into my local Quicky-Mart to fill up, the attendant says: "Hello, Steady Customer!". When I had him my credit card, he says: "Thank You, Come Again!"
- He has never said: "Hey you! You're buying too much of my gas! Don't let me catch you here again!"

My Conclusion: Otto's story doesn't wash. Just my own opinion.