The A/C (amongst other things) went out in my (6 month old) car on Monday, and I made an appointment to take it in this Thursday and get a loaner car.

Turns out that the A/C hose was installed incorrectly at the factory, and a hole was rubbed in it by the transmission. (?)

Anyways, the hose is backordered for 7-12 days or so and my dealer made me give the loaner car back. Thus, I'm to drive my own car without A/C until the hose comes in and I'm able to get an appointment.

It is supposed to be over 100 degrees all week, and I commute 120 miles day. SUCKS!

Think it's a little unreasonable to not have a loaner? Thoughts?

 

I would complain...maybe if you tell them you will send them the medical bill if develop heat stroke.....but seriously, it does seem unreasonable not to give a loaner if it is that hot (here in the northeast we can only dream of hot sunny weather)

 

Does not sound right. Did you talk with the service manager?

I once got a Porsche Cayenne loaner for over 3 weeks when the Porsche dealer temporarily forgot they had my car. I put on over 2500 miles on it and had a great time. I had to enquire about my car before they found the paperwork. They did not say anything when I gave it back to them.

 

That doesn't seem right. I'd call MINI USA

 

Not having A/C is not a "Driveability" issue, therefore you Dealer was not obligated to give you a loaner until the part came in. IMHO

I've had a loaner over an extended period 'the weekend' due to the dealership not being able to start on my car until 3PM in the afternoon after I had dropped it off around 9AM.

 

Even though it sucks, you're probably right.

The loaner contract indicated that I had to return the car within 24 hours of "completion of work". I guess I could have pushed the envelope and not returned the car since it wasn't actually completed...but I DO plan on having to do business with this place in the future.

Still, I'd like to expect better service. :(

(i miss my soulless toyota)

 

While dealers typical have a car loaner policy, I think it can be said it is not set in stone. In addition some dealers may have a more customer friendly policy than others. In most cases, the service manager can help with an out of policy approval.

Two months ago, I brought my car in for issues with the windows (does not automatically go up and down when the door id open). I do not view this as critical function for running the car or for safety. The service advisor volunteered to give me a loaner even though I did not ask for one. Perhaps he has seen me far too often as I know all the service advisors there on a first name basis. I only live 1 1/2 miles from the dealer (about 5 minutes at the most) and he knew it.

 

I certainly think that no A/C when it's 95+ degress is a driveability issue. That dealer should be ashamed of themselves. This is about customer service and if they are requiring you to bring the loaner back then you know what you are worth to them: zero. This is an issue that the dealer needs to take up with MINI for installing the A/C hose incorrectly.

 

Not 100% sure what our dealership's policy is but when we had the "S" put on...long story....and the tint job done, they provided my wife with a MCS auto as a loaner for the day. They could have shuttled her but they insisted that she be able to get around during the day. Kudos to Sandia Mini!

 

Did you buy your MINI from this specific dealership? If not, then you are lucky to even get a loaner.

I bought my brand new MINI in Texas (live in Florida) and the closest MINI dealerships will not even let me have a loaner! If I need to get any warranty work done, I have to RENT a car ... and it's NOT a MINI. And it's not like I bought the car somewhere else to save money... I paid MSRP... I paid to fly to Houston to get it and I paid to drive it back (total about $800-$1000). But these dealerships have their "policies" . In my experience... MINI USA is NO help regarding this issue. They cannot make a dealership loan a vehicle to you. Doesn't seem right, does it?

 

Yep. The car in questions is the second new car I purchased from the servicing dealership within a 10 month window.

Supposed to be 107 today. I think I'll stay home.

Should be a LONG two weeks.

 

Well that bites even more then! 107?!? I bet there will be lots more of these guys over the next two weeks! Maybe your best shot would be to talk to the General Manager... skip right over the Service Manager. What's worse? Sweating your hoo-hahs off for two weeks and getting angrier each day or having a discussion with the GM about your loyalty to that dealership and your unhappiness with the current situation? And if it ends up that you don't get anywhere with that... you can always sit on a SHAM-WOW! (Yes, trying to end on a lighter note... but it really helps! )

 

Do dealers read NAM? I'd like to think I would, had I a dealership.

 

That doesn't sound right! I didn't even buy my Mini from Cincy Mini (bought it used in NC) yet everytime they've worked on it I've had a loaner for free (just pay for gas) until it's fixed. It used to be BMW's they'd loan me, now it's other Mini's...but they've never once complained...it can sometimes just be a couple weeks before they can set up an appointment where I can get said loaner. :-)

 

Good idea.

Bottom line is that each mile I drive their loaner car ends up costing them money. If my car is sitting in their service lot not making service dollars, they won't give me a loaner. FWIW, they billed MINI $56 for my single day loaner. I had to sign that invoice.

On the other side of the coin I don't have anything reasonable to drive and I'm not a happy customer. Unfortunately, this is the only dealer nearby and they know it.

 

MINI does not have a "loaner policy" ... or not one that I've been aware of since buying my first MINI in 2002

Dealers have a loaner policy. Dealers may provide loaners ... or NOT. B4 I buy a car it is one of the questions I ask. Many dealers who provide loaners only do so for folks who bought from their dealership. Some loaners are cars the dealers sells .... IOW you bought a MINI and you get a MINI loaner. On the other hand a dealer who promised a loaner for my MINI took me to ENTERPRISE and I got a Lincoln Town Car ... hey it IS a loaner. One dealer was also a Toy'ta dealer and my loaners were usually Toy's ....

Back to the beginning. Loaners R a DEALER thing ... NOT a MINI thing (unless there's been a very recent change)

MINI dealers were originally closely coupled with BMW dealers so if you R getting BMW loaners I'd say be very very happy .... or realize they R trying to sucker you in to the showroom....

 

Our dealership is owned by the same person who owns the BMW dealership right next door! I HAVE wandered over there (as that's where the finance dept is) and the stuff on the BMW side of the house makes one's pocketbook hurt!

 

I know that dealership but I bought my car there. They were very clear... If I decided to purchase from MINI Orlando and have work done @ Ferman I would not get a loaner.

Have you considered trying Orlando or is that (awful) drive unacceptable? Maybe you will have better luck with the new dealership in Ft. Myers?

Just tell them you lived in TX when you bought it and you promise them your future MINI business (wink wink).

 

MINI USA does have a policy that dealers have to follow and every new loaner car that a dealer has is reported to MINI; MINI restricts the amount of loaner cars a dealer can have; from what I have seen this number is never high enough to meet the demand on the service department. This is why most dealers restrict loaners to people who bought the car from them, it is an easy way to try and gain dealership loyalty, and helps cut down demand for loaners.

Good dealers will provide you with an Enterprise car, when they run out of MINIs or you did not buy your car from them, with a minimum of the first 24 hours covered by the dealer. MINI USA has nothing to do with this and that expense comes directly from the dealers pocket.

Also Capt_bj is correct dealers do not have to provide loaners at all if they do not want to. If you get a MINI that is a car that came out of the dealers inventory. If you absolutely love that particular car wait a year or so and it will probably be sitting in the lot for sale as a used car. I would also agree that if you get a BMW loaner consider yourself lucky; it is not unheard of but generally the dealers like to keep the two seperate and also like to make sure that they have enough BMWs so all of the BMW customers can get a BMW loaner; if you want that kind of service be willing to shell out the $$. It may not seem fair but the person who brings in their $100K+ 7 series or any M series car always seems to drive out in a BMW loaner.

MINI USA does not micromanage the loaner programs and leaves most of the rules/policy up to the individual dealers. So, complaining to MINI that you did not get a loaner will not get you too far. MINI just restricts the number/type of cars a dealer can have and how much time they are allowed to be kept in service and some other stuff that affects only the dealer and not the customers. Your best chance is to talk to people at the dealership and hope that they are willing to work with you.

rrcaniglia:
Some dealer employees do read NAM, now if they do anything about what they read is all up to the individual. Rumor has it that BMW/MINI USA also troll the boards, but I have not found anyone that can 100% confirm or deny that, so take it for whats it worth.

 

I would have been pissed. Complain is always best. Doesn't hurt to try and get the loaner until your part comes in. In my old RSX, I had a loner car for 2 weeks waiting for a part to come in.

 

Thanks for the suggestion... and I probably should take my own advice and talk to the GM of Fields.

Our first MINI was purchased new in '05 from Tom Bush in Jacksonville. All of our service was done at Ferman because it was closer. Victor used to work there and it was good. Victor always gave us a loaner even though we didn't buy from them... they just "appreciated" getting all 5's on their "report cards". So I could deal with that. Victor is no longer there. Unfortunately last year when I took the '05 MINI in for a service (one time good will warranty repair), it was SO dirty and disgusting when I got it back. It appeared that it had been left open and there was black dust that had a few water drops (like it started to rain) and I later learned that the sticky stuff on the seats and things on the carpet were mouse litter!

Our 2nd MINI was purchased in 2008 in Houston. None of the FL dealerships had a 2008 Cabrio with my requirements... and unlike my 1st experience with Tom Bush MINI where they actually looked for one for me and brought it in from another dealership... none of the dealerships close by would even do a search. So I searched all over the country and the only one I found was in Texas.

Prior to my purchase in Texas I had talked with someone from the Downtown/Orlando MINI (Fields). I didn't take names... but I did ask about loaners from them, explained that I was looking all over the country and discussed my concerns about "what if" I bought from another state. I was told that they usually loan only to people that buy from there... but since they did not have what I wanted and since I had purchased a 530I from them in late 2006 it could definitely play a big part in getting a loaner. (And I will say that the buying experience with Field's BMW in Winter Park was probably the best and easiest experience we've ever had!)

So my plan was to drive all the way to Orlando for service visits/warranty work due to the fact that I was still very upset about what happened at Ferman. From memory, when we purchased the 530I in Winter Park there were MINIs all over at that location. I remember signing papers for the 530I and seeing all the MINIs lined up in their parking garage (Can actually still see them on Google Earth! Yes, I checked because I thought I was losing my mind. ) So... I thought that THEY (BMW and MINI) were together and that would help it not be a problem. Guess they moved.

First service visit to Orlando MINI and I dealt directly with the Service Manager. He said I couldn't have a loaner because I didn't buy from them. I explained the conversation I'd had with someone from Field's before purchasing the MINI in Texas but I was told by him that there were no exceptions. "But I'm part of the Field's Family!"... nope. "Well, what if I just moved here from another state?"... nope. No exceptions. And THEN I was told that the LOANERS are paid for by the SALES PEOPLE... and that's why there are NO EXCEPTIONS.

BUT... I can drive 4 hours one way to Tom Bush MINI in Jacksonville and they give a loaner even though I didn't buy this 2008 MINI from them. And I would like to say that Brian and Joe up there are great! Joe had mentioned something about the Ft. Myers opening but that it wouldn't be for quite a long time. And I am due for my first scheduled service in the 2008 in less than 150 miles. I would like to drive to Jacksonville but the husband thinks that is stupid. I just like going where there is good service without a bunch of crap.

I apologize for the rant... just wanted to give a brief overview. This stuff gets me all crazy. And the thought of "Trolls" makes me laugh! I sure hope they're out there! Dealerships should definitely take note of how buyers feel about them. Great service goes a long way!

 

So it looks like dealer collects for loaner from MINI USA on Warranty Work.

You should certainly have been offered a loaner for that AC Hose defect repair, until it was fixed!

Not just for your comfort, driving around with your A/C System 'open' could cause future problems,
be sure they install a new receiver/dryer (filter) as well.


New MINI Dealer in Fort Myers! Any idea when that might open?

That would work great for me. Bought at Ferman, my MA is now running their Volvo Dealership.

I have never been back, did an early (1250 mile) oil/filter change myself (super easy job) and now approaching one year and 3000 more miles since that DIY service.

I had been planning on another DIY to save that all day trip back to Ferman, even though I now qualify for a free oil/filter service from MINI.

Fort Myers would be local for me and I would not even expect a loaner for that service, but I would if I ever needed Warranty Repairs.

 

Wow your experience with Orlando Mini is very different than mine. When I had issues with a delay in getting my new one (not the dealers fault) delivered I talked to the GM at Mini. He was most helpful and told me to call him again if I ever had any problems. I have always found them to be very helpful, in fact I live about 30 miles from Ferman and drive to Orlando (80 miles) to buy and have service done.
When I was looking for my new one Larry did look for me. But since the initial IY's were all alike or special orders, there wasn't anything out there that met my requirements. I did try Ferman since they are so close, but their trade in offer was not what I wanted for my car. That's when I decided to order from Orlando. Buying from them ended up saving me ~$2K for the exact car.
But I understand your feelings. I would be very unhappy if I were in your situation! Go ahead and rant, we do understand.

 

It is one of the new dealerships scheduled to open in the next 18 months as mentioned here. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/22/b...o-meet-demand/

Not sure of the exact timing.

 

Thanks, there had been rumors a year ago, first 'official' word I've seen.