Dealers have contracts with local stations. That contract is for X amount of gas. A lot of stations will tell a dealer if he is buying to much gas because in the end the station is looking for the car off the street customer who stops in and buys a soda, coffee, etc.

 

And if the dealer does have on site pumps (some dealerships do... though not all) they probably fill their underground tanks only every so often and have contracts with certain companies to come by and have them filled.

Everyone has a budget to live on, including businesses. I think that it is important to keep that in mind especially now when everyone's looking for a way to tighten the belt a little bit.

 

It is just a poor practice, and it is tacky. How would you suggest I adapt and overcome? If they would have told me when I gave them my $1000 that I would not be receiving a full tank of gas I honestly would have thought about going to Main Line Mini. I want a dealership to kiss my butt. They need to earn me as a customer, and should want me to leave happy and satisfied with the transaction.

Now I am not one to completly pass judgement, so when I pick up my mini, I will expect a car with all of its fluids topped off. If they are not I will politely ask why, and we will go from there.

And thank you for taking your time to contact Otto's.

 

Our relationship with oil is changing. Free gas is not free for anyone.


Had a business lunch with a guy from a fuel distribution company, he was really down. They are going out of business.

 

There is a possibility that he was telling gromit the truth.

Last week a friend of mine told me that there are stations that have a limit upon fill up, she was trying to remember if it was 70 or 80. She said the reason was that gas is one of the first things that thieves who steal your credit card do, fill up. Supposedly if you reach that limit you have to wait several days before using that card at a gas station. It was also mentioned that its not just a station rule but a law.

So, if this is true and is a law, it is possible that even though they may have gas cards, they only get a certain amount.

The other possibility is Sunoco gives them a cheaper rate and only so many gallons at that rate. Though with gas cards that might nix that possibility.

 

It is not law. It is the credit card processors (visa/mc) own regulations for 'your protection'. Set to $75 for most places, going up in some places since many vehicles cannot fill their tank for $75.

 

Well for one, the customer could ask to speak to the sales manager about the gas.

Chad told me he knows the OP in this thread, and they never said one word to him about the half tank, AND that they got $500 bucks knocked off the price of their Mini! Then they come on here about a half tank of gas?

 

wow, thats even more disheartening.

Gromit, Did the sales Manager say he read the post or did you tell him? and if the first,

Chad, I want some perks if you ve given $500 off the op's mini. My MA told me that they can't cut me a deal , when I asked about it for when I went to add $4500 worth of extra options.

 

When I called to verify the gas thing, I told him about the thread. After we hung up, he read it, and called me back later.

If he's correct about knowing who the OP is, this isn't the first car they've bought from Otto's, so they got something akin to a good customer deal.

If she'd come to him about the short gas, he'd had made it up in someway, like a card for a full tank later for example. He knew nothing abut it until this thread.

 

Wow, according to Chad, the OP got $500 off the MSRP. Boy, the OP really took that poor dealer for a ride. (Actually, IF THIS NEW INFO IS CORRECT, the net to the slick OP would be about $475.00 since it would cost about $25.00 to top up the tank)

And, BTW, is "Chad" the same guy who came up with the "Sunoco No-Gas-For-You Mystery Delivery" to the dealer with no pumps? This is getting good! It"s like a puzzle! Great way to spend a Sunday!

Unfortunately, Hunsingeruk, it looks like you don't have the sharp negotiating skills that the OP has. But don't feel bad, because this alleged discount to the OP from Otto's is the only one I have read about lately. EVERYONE here is either paying MSRP or even more for their MINIs.

 

rich, did you notice that part about the Mini not being the only car they've purchased from Otto's? When a dealer has a long standing relation ship with customers who have previously bought more than one car from that dealer, they usually get discounts. Pretty common.

 

In defense of the OP, the above is what she wrote. She was not talking about herself or even her husbands mini but her husband's coworker.

Rich, no one said about sunoco dropping off gas to no fuel pumps. however, it was said that they get gas from sunoco which is across the street. And that they get x number of gallons to buy from them per month.

 

Gromit (BTW, I really like that name!), I don't mean to be a PITA, but if the purchaser is a good, longstanding, repeat customer of the dealer, I would think that would be all the more reason to treat them with even more care than a new, first time customer. If your gonna change to a 1/2 tank, don't do it to someone who has always gotten a full tank on delivery in the past.

Something else that bothers me is that Chad apparently said that the issue did not come up at delivery. Yet, in the OP's original post, the OP said:
When he asked about it, they said that's all they were allowed to give him.... So it seems it did come up (at least according to the OP).

I just keep seeing holes in the dealer's version and, to me, it seems the explanations keep shifting. But that just might be a bias on my part. Overall, it just seems like a bad business move on the part of the dealer. Just my opinion.

 

Well if I dont get a full tank I guess I will have to ask for Chad then.

 

Just wanted to let everyone know of the great experiance I had at OTTO'S today. They are the best dealership I have ever delt with and this is my 7th new car and I can't count how many used. Also, just to let everyone know. I GOT A FULL TANK OF GAS.

 

LOL
Congratulations!
Enjoy the car!

 

I am the guy everyone is defending/bashing. I'd like to get a few things straight. I waited 2 months for my new baby to arrive, and I paid full MSRP with approx. $5K in options. I was very happy when delivery day arrived and was not about to let a 1/2 tank of gas get me down. I did recoil a little bit when my MA told me that this was their new policy, but I did not want to dwell on it, and I did not ask to talk to the sales manager about it. If that makes me a "pushover" then so be it.

Overall, I am happy with my treatment from Otto's. My MA was great and I have no complaints about her. When I got the survey, I gave the MA a score of all 5's, but I did note in the comments field that I thought the gas policy was a little "Penny wise but pound foolish". When Otto's received my survey, to their credit, they sent me a note offering me a full tank of gas.

After I heard about this thread, I called and talked to Chad and told him I was not that upset by the whole thing. Mostly I got a kick out of all the hubbub! I did however express my opinion that having paid full MSRP just to get stiffed for a 1/2 tank of gas was a little bit puzzling. Especially since he talked about how his job was managing individual relationships. This seems a rather poor way to start a relationship.

He explained that the policy came about as a result of the owner's trip to Germany to pick up BMW, whereupon he received only a 1/4 tank of gas. He decided what was good for him was good for us. Applying the cultural norms of Germany to American consumers is a mistake in my opinion. And if the post by 2008 Cooper S having received a full tank at delivery is an indication of a reversal of policy, then maybe Otto's now realizes that too.

So far I love my new Mini Clubman, and I now look for excuses to drive.......I've long since burned that 1/2 tank and look forward to burning many more tanks with Otto's support the whole way.

Well done to us all.....Otto's included!

 

If they institute any cultural norms from Germany, let it be Beer in the movie theaters! Oh and assigned seats in movie theaters as well, I hate waiting in line and then have to run:P

Thanks for adding to the thread.

 

Mmmmmmmm......beeeerrrr!

 

Wdaleh,

I'm glad to hear your enjoying your Clubman and that Otto's may be re-evaluating their interpretation of German hospitality. It's a great car! I recently reached the 1200 mile break-in period on my PW Clubman and now hit the Sport Button right after the Start Button and "drive it like I stole it" (love that expression!)

Enjoy and Happy Motoring!
Rich

 

I'm glad to hear Otto's is saved. Not that I have any idea where it IS even, but no matter.

And as far as the German hospitality goes - I'm all for it...but what this guy (the owner of Otto's?) didn't realize/take into account was the PRICE of gas over there!!! I left in November, and it was about $5 PER LITER - not gallon. While I was very peeved to get fumes in both my MINI and my husband's BMW (while we were in Germany), I can understand how costly it could be from an economic perspective. Just not an interpersonal/customer-relations perspective.

Let the hub-bubs roll....

 

That's a great point that I (and obviously, Otto) missed!
THE PRICE OF LITRES VS. GALLONS. Big Diff!

 

Or maybe conserve money for the new location he's adding to his empire 15 minutes away:P

 

Richs10,
I read your post and almost blew iced coffee out my nose. I can't stop laughing! That expression so perfectly sums how driving this car feels. My last car was a dud and I often said it protected me from myself. Now I am totally in the danger zone.....like my neighbor told my wife, "I see Dales still trying to get that thing on two wheels"! Anyway...if the cops try to pull me over.....I may just hit the gas......just for the chase!!!!

 

I bought my MINI at Otto's back in November '06 and when I went to pick it up, I remember my MA telling me that she had just filled it up earlier that morning. I also got a $50 gift card to the boutique, which I promptly spent all of and more.

I've had good experiences with Otto's overall, but this certainly does not help my view of how they're run. MotML not too far away used to have a less than stellar service reputation, but since have made an obvious effort to step up their service. Not to mention there are a couple other dealers all within 1-2 hours of Otto's as well. It just doesn't make sense to tarnish customer relations ESPECIALLY with all of the competition from other MINI dealers in the area. (Not to mention other car dealers in general.)

I give Otto's two thumbs...uh........uh.....DOWN for that one.