Is it just me or do owners find their experience at New Country MINI in Hartford to be disappointing?

I've dealt with them since 2002 with two cars and lately they seem to lack interest in sales, in service, don't return calls, and so-on.

 

I think they are owned by Penske. I have dealt with New Country since 2005 and I can concur with your scenario.

 

I think this attitude is common with MINI dealerships in general. I've had the same experience with two NJ dealerships. If these salesman actually made an effort they could easily talk me into trading in my 2008 for a 2010. They don't even come out of their comfy offices when I stop into the lot to look at the new arrivals. Not like the old days when you had to ask the sales people to leave you alone. And as far as e-mails....I'm not sure they even read their e-mail.

 

I believe New Country has a particularly bad rep here in the Northeast.

 

Add me to the list of customers who are underwhelmed by their behavior. The laid back attitude may be appreciated when you don't want to be badgered, but is frustrating when you need information. They still owe me a T-shirt and hat from my car purchase 2 years ago.

 

I would agree. Before my most recent purchase, I attempted to purchase from both dealers in CT as well as from Towson MINI in Maryland.

The message from all three was that they didn't care whether they sold a vehicle or not. When I pointed-out this impression to the Sales Advisor at New Country, his response was "We prefer to let the cars sell themselves."

 

While MINI dealers are still sparse, I see no reason in this economic climate to be off putting. If you don't like the "feel" of a dealer find another. Even after a bit of an issue with my purchase (ordered an 09, got a 10 that wasn't worth leasing $$$), I'm still happy with MINI of Peabody (MA). The staff was pleasant and management was willing to work with me to get me the car I wanted.

 

I just posted the below in a few MINI forums tonight. I am extremely frustrated with New Country. They have a "captive audience" mentality, knowing that they draw CT people who find MINI of Fairfield County too long a drive. I am fed up with the wishy washy lack of commitment on loaner cars and the reticence to share important warranty info about MINIs. I learn about glitches, problems, etc. from these forums, then I have to nearly prove to the service people that I'm having a problem before they fix it (case in point, the intake manifold on my 09 MCS let moisture in and it froze a month after I picked up the car in November of 08).

Once the 3 year included maintenance is over, I'm taking my MINI to my Nissan dealer, where I also take my 22 year old Nissan. They service all makes and models and are a joy to deal with.

Each time I go to New Country (I bought my MINI there), there are no familiar faces. I drive from New Haven and each time I ask for a loaner (which was a very important factor in me buying a car so far away) it's always a "gray" area. Geee...not sure if we have one...gee...we share them with BMW...gee....no one returned their loaner cars on time. What???! People don't return the loaners on time? Isn't that called THEFT? I am going tomorrow for my annual service and I'm fed up with the place. I feel like I'm being "played" by New Country. No one ever reaches out and tells buyers of any issues with the cars--I have to find out on the MINI boards about things covered under warranty. I wouldn't know about them otherwise (warping chrome hood scoop, intake manifold letting in moisture that freezes in winter, timing belt tensioner causing "death rattle"). Tomorrow I may have to get a rental car from a rental agency nearby instead of a loaner from NC. This is a major hassle. I don't care if NC reimburses for rentals. NC should have a supply of loaners just for MINI and not to be shared with BMW. The whole BMW/MINI thing is a sham anyway, as no BMW dealers will service MINIs, hence the captive audience that New Country has.
New Country knows how owners feel about them; I think they just don't care. They're one of only 2 MINI dealerships in CT but experiences like these drive customers away. I know I will not be a repeat New Country customer.

 

ust a note to add some detail:

about a week and a half ago, I read of the timing belt tensioner issue ("death rattle") on the S models and asked to have that done also, in addition to the oil change and replacement of my warped chrome hood scoop. NONE of these issues would I have known about had it not been for the online MINI forums. All of this is covered under warranty. When I asked about the tensioner, I asked how long it'd take and the service advisor said 4 hours or so. I asked for a loner, she said as of now there were no requests for loaners so that was good, but that they "share loaners with BMW" and also "people don't return loaners when they're supposed to". She suggested I call the day before to confirm loaner availability. I couldn't reach the SA all day. I finally got a return call at about 5:45 pm from the SA and then the "travel coordinator" over in BMW. No loaners available; I'd have to get a car through Enterprise and get reimbursed from NC. That's complete BS. To explain further, I requested a loaner WEEEEKS in advance when I went up for my first annual service last year. Same thing. They are so vague about loaner availability that it's damned unsettling. I'm never sure if I'm going to essentially be stranded in Hartford. Loaner availability was a crucial point in my deciding to get a car from a Hartford dealership! I knew I'd be driving up from New Haven, but they assured me there'd be a loaner. I'm ticked. I dropped off my MINI on Monday at noon and it's still there. I left two messages today for the SA (a different one that the one I booked the app't with; he's friendly but never available "live") and so far nothing. I really don't want to drive up to Hartford in Christmas Eve traffic. *sigh* Apparently, they're replacing the timing belt (the tensioner issue lets it stretch beyond specs, supposedly).

Thanks for letting me vent. I'm very frustrated.

 

I wonder just how many loaner cars they have in their inventory.

 

Dunno who owns New Country, but according to Penske's site it's not them.

I know Penske owns Inskip in RI, which is a WONDERFUL dealership.

 

With regard to my recent servicing, I got the car back after two days (12/21 to 12/23).

The second day, no word at all. I left loads of voice mail messages for the service advisor I'd been dealing with. This was Dec 23rd and I wasn't nuts about driving up to Hartford on Christmas Eve so when I got no reply by late in the day I called the NC general number. The woman was on the "BMW side" so couldn't tell me if my car was done but I finally asked about my service advisor. Turns out he was NOT IN THAT DAY! I left messages all day for a guy not working! I phoned the one advisor working that day (the "BMW woman" nicely told me who was working on the MINI side) and I got a call back about an hour later, saying the car was done. By this time it was about 2 pm or so (luckily I was not at work and could scramble up to Hartford) and I drove up to Hartford in heavy pre-Christmas traffic in my rented Chevy HHR.

I then returned the rental Chevy HHR to Enterprise and they gave me a lift to NC where there was no one to be found at the desk in the showroom, even after I rang the bell three times. I went down the hall and found the service advisor who wasn't working that day. Huh??? It turns out he stopped by later. Confusing? I agree. He gave me my paperwork and took one of the two copies of the rental car invoice from Enterprise and said I'd get a reimbursement check. I did, in fact, receive the reimbursement check but beware: NC doesn't reimburse for the optional insurance on a rental.

The best part of the experience: the guys at Enterprise. They deal with NC so much that nothing phases them. I called them multiple times to tell them that I needed the car another day, then I thought I'd need it a third, then called back and changed it. LOL! They said it was nice of me to call; I think it's only proper courtesy. I only wish NC would learn the same.

To be frank, provided my Cooper S has no more of these weird issues that MINI warranties (but doesn't inform us about) such as: replacing warped chrome hood scoop, replacing intake manifold so moisture doesn't freeze in winter, and replacing the timing belt tensioner (actually they replaced the whole belt in my S because it had stretched out of spec) I will likely forego the last annual service included in the car's warrantly. Dealing with NC is just not worth the free oil change and wiper blades.