Wrote an email to Mini regarding the nonsensicle nature of their cars.
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Studio City, CA
Wrote an email to Mini regarding the nonsensicle nature of their cars.
So I decided to write Mini because of the nonsense they've been putting us through as customers. Realistically, I'm not expecting much to come out of it but I definitely am tired of dealing with the consequences of their poorly built machines, no matter how much I love my car. 
Mini's response:
Any my final email back to them:
Let's see what happens.
Hello,
I am honestly so disappointed in your cars, both as an enthusiast (soon to be ex-enthusiast) and as a driver. I remember purchasing my first Mini, a 2003 R53 Cooper S, and being so happy to finally own the car I had wanted for so long. When it came to reliability, I thought "hey, it's owned by BMW, what can go wrong?" I couldn't imagine how wrong I really was. Besides having to replace my supercharger at only 38,000 miles, have my CPU reflashed at 38,500 miles, have my supercharger replaced AGAIN at 39,500 miles, and have my complete SRS system replaced three times throughout the course of me owning the car, the problems I dealt with were unfathomable. Seriously, the car was such a pain in the *** to own, it made me weary of buying another.
But then I saw that you guys had changed the car completely, almost as if it was a complete transformation! The garbage engine built in Brazil was now built by Peugeot, and the chassis was redesigned to be more comfortable and more reliable. So I took the plunge and bought my 07 R56 Mini S and thought I'd be problem free. Wrong again.
It was only after I joined a MINI forum (whose name I will not disclose) that I realized how many people actually have problems with their cars, and how many Mini owners quickly regret their purchase only a few thousand miles after buying their cars. Where do I honestly begin?
First of all, the nonsense I've dealt with the turbocharger oil line not having a heat shield is probably the stupidest mistake I've ever seen. Seriously, you guys pay millions of dollars for engineering and yet you guys couldn't think of wrapping a simple oil line in $10 worth of thermal wrap? I'd expect more from a company owned by a German manufacturer that takes pride in the quality of their cars. Then there's the issue with the timing chain tensioner. My car is making that annoying rattling noise that could eventually lead to my engine being seized, so now I have to dish money out to have that fixed. I cant even imagine what other problems I may run across, and I'm currently thinking about selling my car and getting as far away from BMW and Mini as I can and never coming back.
And to make matters worse, your company writes off these problems as normal, as if they happen to every car. Considering I've owned several luxury German cars (including an E90 328i which I had absolutely no problems with, and an E60 525i which was a blessing), I don't understand how you guys can see past these problems. People post horror stories of calling your terrible hotline and dealing with the same run around scheme as everyone else. You make these blatant claims over the phone, and then you completely dismiss them when it comes time to hold true to your word on warranties. You should take pride in what you make, but unfortunately you're a company that solely looks after numbers.
Recently, I've had 10 of my close friends decide they wanted to buy a Mini S after sitting in mine, four of which opted for the JCW edition, and two others who wanted to invest in the JCW Coupe when it's released. I made a strong attempt to make them rethink their decision and made them go the route of a Subaru if they wanted a fun car to drive. I wouldn't want to put the burden of owning a car this hasslesome on anyone, let alone my friends. That means I've easily stopped you guys from making a cool $480,000 from people who WOULD have bought a Mini had it not been for your terrible customer service, your horrible sales representatives, your shady company practices, and your **** poor craftsmanship on cars that should be built like their European counterparts.
Honestly, I have no idea what you guys are thinking over there. You failed me as a customer, you've failed the world as engineers, and I'm honestly hoping your reputation catches up with you and you eventually run out of business. At the rate you're going, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened within the next decade. As if 10 years of putting holes in people's pockets wasn't enough, another 10 should be a blessing.
I used to look in awe at people who owned Mini's and was severely jealous of the cars that they drove. Now I look onto them with pity hoping to God their car isn't one of the many that falls apart shortly after leaving the lot.
I'm sure I'll be speaking to you guys shortly, my car is rolling on 40,000 miles in a few hundred miles and I'm sure you guys tucked away a surprise maintenance appointment deep under the bonnet to keep me coming back to help keep your pockets full. I stopped going to the Mini dealership to help stop you guys from making as much money as possible in my attempts to salvage my last few months with this car before I sell it and buy something far more reliable.
Thank you again for the headaches, the heartaches, the annoyances, and months of income I wasn't able to enjoy because your car swallowed my wallet and everything in it.
Companies like you give GM a good name.
Sincerely (and hopefully never again once I sell this car),
Arvin Arakelian
I am honestly so disappointed in your cars, both as an enthusiast (soon to be ex-enthusiast) and as a driver. I remember purchasing my first Mini, a 2003 R53 Cooper S, and being so happy to finally own the car I had wanted for so long. When it came to reliability, I thought "hey, it's owned by BMW, what can go wrong?" I couldn't imagine how wrong I really was. Besides having to replace my supercharger at only 38,000 miles, have my CPU reflashed at 38,500 miles, have my supercharger replaced AGAIN at 39,500 miles, and have my complete SRS system replaced three times throughout the course of me owning the car, the problems I dealt with were unfathomable. Seriously, the car was such a pain in the *** to own, it made me weary of buying another.
But then I saw that you guys had changed the car completely, almost as if it was a complete transformation! The garbage engine built in Brazil was now built by Peugeot, and the chassis was redesigned to be more comfortable and more reliable. So I took the plunge and bought my 07 R56 Mini S and thought I'd be problem free. Wrong again.
It was only after I joined a MINI forum (whose name I will not disclose) that I realized how many people actually have problems with their cars, and how many Mini owners quickly regret their purchase only a few thousand miles after buying their cars. Where do I honestly begin?
First of all, the nonsense I've dealt with the turbocharger oil line not having a heat shield is probably the stupidest mistake I've ever seen. Seriously, you guys pay millions of dollars for engineering and yet you guys couldn't think of wrapping a simple oil line in $10 worth of thermal wrap? I'd expect more from a company owned by a German manufacturer that takes pride in the quality of their cars. Then there's the issue with the timing chain tensioner. My car is making that annoying rattling noise that could eventually lead to my engine being seized, so now I have to dish money out to have that fixed. I cant even imagine what other problems I may run across, and I'm currently thinking about selling my car and getting as far away from BMW and Mini as I can and never coming back.
And to make matters worse, your company writes off these problems as normal, as if they happen to every car. Considering I've owned several luxury German cars (including an E90 328i which I had absolutely no problems with, and an E60 525i which was a blessing), I don't understand how you guys can see past these problems. People post horror stories of calling your terrible hotline and dealing with the same run around scheme as everyone else. You make these blatant claims over the phone, and then you completely dismiss them when it comes time to hold true to your word on warranties. You should take pride in what you make, but unfortunately you're a company that solely looks after numbers.
Recently, I've had 10 of my close friends decide they wanted to buy a Mini S after sitting in mine, four of which opted for the JCW edition, and two others who wanted to invest in the JCW Coupe when it's released. I made a strong attempt to make them rethink their decision and made them go the route of a Subaru if they wanted a fun car to drive. I wouldn't want to put the burden of owning a car this hasslesome on anyone, let alone my friends. That means I've easily stopped you guys from making a cool $480,000 from people who WOULD have bought a Mini had it not been for your terrible customer service, your horrible sales representatives, your shady company practices, and your **** poor craftsmanship on cars that should be built like their European counterparts.
Honestly, I have no idea what you guys are thinking over there. You failed me as a customer, you've failed the world as engineers, and I'm honestly hoping your reputation catches up with you and you eventually run out of business. At the rate you're going, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened within the next decade. As if 10 years of putting holes in people's pockets wasn't enough, another 10 should be a blessing.
I used to look in awe at people who owned Mini's and was severely jealous of the cars that they drove. Now I look onto them with pity hoping to God their car isn't one of the many that falls apart shortly after leaving the lot.
I'm sure I'll be speaking to you guys shortly, my car is rolling on 40,000 miles in a few hundred miles and I'm sure you guys tucked away a surprise maintenance appointment deep under the bonnet to keep me coming back to help keep your pockets full. I stopped going to the Mini dealership to help stop you guys from making as much money as possible in my attempts to salvage my last few months with this car before I sell it and buy something far more reliable.
Thank you again for the headaches, the heartaches, the annoyances, and months of income I wasn't able to enjoy because your car swallowed my wallet and everything in it.
Companies like you give GM a good name.
Sincerely (and hopefully never again once I sell this car),
Arvin Arakelian
Hi Arvin,
Thanks for writing into MINI USA. I am sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction.
Our engineering and design teams are dedicated to creating vehicles that move today’s consumers and their demand for enhanced utility and more versatility. Customer feedback plays an integral role in improving product design and development. We appreciate the time you have taken to share your thoughts; your sentiments will be heard.
The MINI Customer Relations and Services Department is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time. You can reach us at 1.866.ASK.MINI (275-6464).
LET’S MOTOR.
Stefan Spenthoff
MINI Customer Relations and Services
Representative
866.ASK.MINI (275-6464)
Thanks for writing into MINI USA. I am sorry to hear of your dissatisfaction.
Our engineering and design teams are dedicated to creating vehicles that move today’s consumers and their demand for enhanced utility and more versatility. Customer feedback plays an integral role in improving product design and development. We appreciate the time you have taken to share your thoughts; your sentiments will be heard.
The MINI Customer Relations and Services Department is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time. You can reach us at 1.866.ASK.MINI (275-6464).
LET’S MOTOR.
Stefan Spenthoff
MINI Customer Relations and Services
Representative
866.ASK.MINI (275-6464)
You know, I don't really want your apology because that's not what a manufacturer is supposed to do. When I had an issue with my ML320's power steering pump, Mercedes understood that it was a factory defect and replaced it with no questions asked. When the timing chain tensioner goes out on a Mini, everyone at the dealership acts like it's not they're fault. But I can list SEVERAL videos on YouTube, Google Videos, and other websites where the "death rattle" (as it has come to be known on Mini Forums) is prevalent on any R56 Mini. It's not even funny anymore, some people are so fed up they're willing to do a lease swap and ruin their credit just to get out of the bottomless pit of debt that their Mini has put them in.
How about trying this instead. FIX the problems you've created, and stop arguing with the customer when we're trying to show you the problem. When your factory techs take our cars out, stop writing them off as "problem cannot be witnessed" and giving us our cars back broken, and then having them fail on us when we're driving. Stop making us pay out of pocket for problems YOU'VE created. If the Mini worked right the first time and quality control wasn't an issue, you would save MORE money in the long run than not.
Look at Kia for example. They offer a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty. They know that if ANYTHING goes wrong with their products in those 10 years, they'll be responsible and lose a ton of money in the process. So they make sure their quality control is perfect so that they don't have to lose money in the long run. Copy them instead.
It's no wonder you guys have ranked dead last in quality control on every survey taken since the release of your cars. You guys don't even bother trying to raise yourself up the ladder, you're quite content knowing your cars are terrible and selling them anyway.
Stop apologizing and fix the problem. A leaking damn is not an issue right away, but in the long run it could lead to failure. I think your damn started leaking ever since it came out in 2002, and you guys are certainly on your way to failure if it's not fixed.
Thank you.
How about trying this instead. FIX the problems you've created, and stop arguing with the customer when we're trying to show you the problem. When your factory techs take our cars out, stop writing them off as "problem cannot be witnessed" and giving us our cars back broken, and then having them fail on us when we're driving. Stop making us pay out of pocket for problems YOU'VE created. If the Mini worked right the first time and quality control wasn't an issue, you would save MORE money in the long run than not.
Look at Kia for example. They offer a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty. They know that if ANYTHING goes wrong with their products in those 10 years, they'll be responsible and lose a ton of money in the process. So they make sure their quality control is perfect so that they don't have to lose money in the long run. Copy them instead.
It's no wonder you guys have ranked dead last in quality control on every survey taken since the release of your cars. You guys don't even bother trying to raise yourself up the ladder, you're quite content knowing your cars are terrible and selling them anyway.
Stop apologizing and fix the problem. A leaking damn is not an issue right away, but in the long run it could lead to failure. I think your damn started leaking ever since it came out in 2002, and you guys are certainly on your way to failure if it's not fixed.
Thank you.
or a Fiat,
or an Alfa,
or a Chevy,
or a Ford,
or a Citreon,
or anything else Italian,
or Land Rover,
or a Jag,
or a TVR,
or a Lotus,
or a Lancia,
I literally could go on all night naming companies whos cars have problems...
And most of the brands I've listed have some of the most desirable cars in the world.
Also, obvious troll is obvious.
or an Alfa,
or a Chevy,
or a Ford,
or a Citreon,
or anything else Italian,
or Land Rover,
or a Jag,
or a TVR,
or a Lotus,
or a Lancia,
I literally could go on all night naming companies whos cars have problems...
And most of the brands I've listed have some of the most desirable cars in the world.
Also, obvious troll is obvious.
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 72
Likes: 1
From: Milwaukee
^ Spend $4000 in parts and countless hours over 18months replacing "necessary" components at the 100k mile mark on a car who's blue book will be lucky to hit $7k.
I sold my 400awhp Audi to rid myself of the Anxiety of driving that machine. The modifications did not cause the head or hear ache - it was OEM materials with very VERY low maintenance intervals and obscene paths of getting at things. (IE: Timing belt on a 1.8T)
The MINI is a lego car compared to the B5 2.7TT platform.
I sold my 400awhp Audi to rid myself of the Anxiety of driving that machine. The modifications did not cause the head or hear ache - it was OEM materials with very VERY low maintenance intervals and obscene paths of getting at things. (IE: Timing belt on a 1.8T)
The MINI is a lego car compared to the B5 2.7TT platform.
2nd Gear
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
Now I won't be able to sleep at night. My car is 'awaiting transport' right now....my first MINI..a Countryman. I had hoped it would be a sturdy little car....had no idea it has so many problems. UGH
Great letters though. Good luck.
Great letters though. Good luck.
There are plenty of people who have no problems with their MINI. Including one fellow who is probably up to 400-500k miles by now.
Also, OP in your first paragraph you are erroneously blaming MINI for a failure of 2 superchargers... Infact, the supercharger is made by Eaton(one of the most prolific OEM supercharger manufacturers). Yes, it is strapped onto a MINI. No, it is in no way a reflection of MINI.
Also, OP in your first paragraph you are erroneously blaming MINI for a failure of 2 superchargers... Infact, the supercharger is made by Eaton(one of the most prolific OEM supercharger manufacturers). Yes, it is strapped onto a MINI. No, it is in no way a reflection of MINI.
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6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,097
Likes: 8
From: Knoxville, TN
There is no doubt that Mini's are not as reliable as a lot of other makes out there, particularly in the first couple years of each model. I noticed that the OP bought 2 of the original years for each iteration. My father and I both own 2006 Minis, mine an S JCW and his justacooper. I've had to replace the clutch flywheel and upper motor mount under warranty. They went ahead and replaced the clutch while they were in there. THis happened at around 28k. Out of warranty I've had to replace the bypass valve at approximately 34k. My dad's cooper had a cylinder head go bad just after the warranty expired, but Mini replaced it without charge because he had had a misfire code prior to his warranty running out on the same cylinder that was bad. Since then he has had to replace the battery at about 45k.
None of these items would probably go bad before 100k on a American or Asian car. VW/Audi doesn't have a stellar reputation and even BMW and Mercedes have dismal reliability rating from Consumer Reports.
The way I look at it is that I have bought a unique, if not flawed, car and will enjoy it till the point when I don't feel like putting more money into it.
Of course there are many exceptions. On boards like these people tend to discuss problems with there cars. What you don't read about is the many customers who have had a relatively trouble free experience. Hopefully you'll be one of them!
5th Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 917
Likes: 1
From: SF Bay Area
I have to agree. I am on my 3rd MCS sold the other 2 for more than I paid for back in 04 and 05 both had around 18K. My current car has 51K and have to say the stack of receipts for work done on the car pre and post warranty is scary. I'm ALMOST afraid to drive the car hard. The last car I owned that came close to the MINI was my 1991 Civic Si which I bought new and drove the crap out of even then clutch lasted till 110K brakes till 70K and other than oil changes and tunes ups nothing else was done. I honestly think the 90's was an end of an era for car quality.
OVERDRIVE
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 8,233
Likes: 128
From: San Francisco
Also, OP in your first paragraph you are erroneously blaming MINI for a failure of 2 superchargers... Infact, the supercharger is made by Eaton(one of the most prolific OEM supercharger manufacturers). Yes, it is strapped onto a MINI. No, it is in no way a reflection of MINI.
Following that reasoning, MINI (or any other car manufacturer) need not take blame for anything, because virtually the entire car is assembled with parts from outside suppliers.
You know I am glad you sent them an email stating that you are disatisified with MINI/BMW. It shows that you expect a car to be unbreakable and that nothing will ever go wrong with it. Eventually and does not matter what you drive problems are going to arise, yes your problems started earlier then they should have. Yes MINI is owned by a German company but it is still British built and everyone knows British cars have problems. The grass is not always greener on the other side. I have had American, Japanese, and European cars and they all have their quirks. Not everyone has problems with their MINIs. It just seems like those who have the problems have all of them. I have has issues but, nothing that the stealership didn't fix or I didn't fix myself. I hope you find something you like and will meet your expectations.
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Studio City, CA
First of all, I misspelled "dam" in my first letter. Thought I should get that squared away.
Second of all, I'm not expecting my cars to be bulletproof. I had my R53 for nine (9) months and had to replace nearly the entire engine. In 9 months of driving a car normally everyday along with taking it out to the canyons once, I shouldn't expect to see it fall apart like that. I had my 02 ML320 for five years and it ran beautifully. That car made me believe that Benz was an indestructible company and any product they made was a blessing. I owned an SVT Focus and that was bulletproof as well. I had an SLK32 AMG that had some issues with the transmission that were covered under warranty, but even after flooring the gas pedal through every other traffic light for a year, the car didn't so much as cause it to sneeze let alone have the supercharger need replacing. I could go on and on. I'm not expecting perfection, I'm expecting a car to run like a car should run. My neighbor has a Lotus Exige S that she absolutely pounds on. She has a new supercharger installed along with a plethora of other modifications, and it hasn't had any problems since she's got it. My friend has had his Countryman for two years and already needed to have the turbo replaced, not to mention his flywheel. And he's a conservative driver, he drives like a senior citizen. I want my car to WORK and not have me worry about it if I decide to chirp while shifting into second gear every once in a while.
As for the parts car manufacturers use on their cars, it certainly is their fault if the part is flawed. If I had the option of using a supercharger that costs just a little bit more but is a whole lot more reliable, than I would. Especially as a manufacturer of luxury vehicles. A couple hundred dollars when purchased in bulk doesn't make THAT much of a difference considering the mark up on these cars post production makes up for almost everything they spent building it. One option that would cost $100 aftermarket costs $800 through Mini. My buddy has a supercharged Cobalt SS and hasn't even needed to replace his pully, but I've heard horror stories of the R53's pully cracking and needing a full supercharger replacement. That's sad, especially from a company that carries the same branding as BMW.
I've owned A LOT of cars in my day, and I'm only 24 years old. I love cars. I absolutely adore them. In the future, I certainly hope to own a Porsche (which I will expect to run into problems with) among my BMWs and Mercedes. But will I ever be willing to deal with a car like this, especially after the issues I've dealt with having owned them? And it's not like it's even a matter of buying these cars used and dealing with problems, Mini's have problems even when bought new! Are you kidding me? NEW?! My only conclusion from this is that Mini only produces cars on Mondays and Fridays, with the occasional Wednesday car if everyone isn't hungover enough to come into the factory from their busy 5 day weekends. Seriously, get it together.
And for the record, if I wanted to troll this forum I'd have come in here saying I haven't had to had a single problem with my Mini since I got it. Trolling generally means I'm instigating, but 90% of the people in here have certainly dealt with similar issues as me in their time having owned the cars.
Oh, and the first model year argument is nonsense. The 2011 Mini's STILL have problems, and yet they've had 4 years to sort them out.
Second of all, I'm not expecting my cars to be bulletproof. I had my R53 for nine (9) months and had to replace nearly the entire engine. In 9 months of driving a car normally everyday along with taking it out to the canyons once, I shouldn't expect to see it fall apart like that. I had my 02 ML320 for five years and it ran beautifully. That car made me believe that Benz was an indestructible company and any product they made was a blessing. I owned an SVT Focus and that was bulletproof as well. I had an SLK32 AMG that had some issues with the transmission that were covered under warranty, but even after flooring the gas pedal through every other traffic light for a year, the car didn't so much as cause it to sneeze let alone have the supercharger need replacing. I could go on and on. I'm not expecting perfection, I'm expecting a car to run like a car should run. My neighbor has a Lotus Exige S that she absolutely pounds on. She has a new supercharger installed along with a plethora of other modifications, and it hasn't had any problems since she's got it. My friend has had his Countryman for two years and already needed to have the turbo replaced, not to mention his flywheel. And he's a conservative driver, he drives like a senior citizen. I want my car to WORK and not have me worry about it if I decide to chirp while shifting into second gear every once in a while.
As for the parts car manufacturers use on their cars, it certainly is their fault if the part is flawed. If I had the option of using a supercharger that costs just a little bit more but is a whole lot more reliable, than I would. Especially as a manufacturer of luxury vehicles. A couple hundred dollars when purchased in bulk doesn't make THAT much of a difference considering the mark up on these cars post production makes up for almost everything they spent building it. One option that would cost $100 aftermarket costs $800 through Mini. My buddy has a supercharged Cobalt SS and hasn't even needed to replace his pully, but I've heard horror stories of the R53's pully cracking and needing a full supercharger replacement. That's sad, especially from a company that carries the same branding as BMW.
I've owned A LOT of cars in my day, and I'm only 24 years old. I love cars. I absolutely adore them. In the future, I certainly hope to own a Porsche (which I will expect to run into problems with) among my BMWs and Mercedes. But will I ever be willing to deal with a car like this, especially after the issues I've dealt with having owned them? And it's not like it's even a matter of buying these cars used and dealing with problems, Mini's have problems even when bought new! Are you kidding me? NEW?! My only conclusion from this is that Mini only produces cars on Mondays and Fridays, with the occasional Wednesday car if everyone isn't hungover enough to come into the factory from their busy 5 day weekends. Seriously, get it together.
And for the record, if I wanted to troll this forum I'd have come in here saying I haven't had to had a single problem with my Mini since I got it. Trolling generally means I'm instigating, but 90% of the people in here have certainly dealt with similar issues as me in their time having owned the cars.
Oh, and the first model year argument is nonsense. The 2011 Mini's STILL have problems, and yet they've had 4 years to sort them out.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,166
Likes: 402
I feel your frustration, and agree that your experiences are undeserved, unwelcome, and unsatisfactory.
It bites that so many folks seem to fall victim to unreliability with the Mini line of cars, and I hope like heck that the management team will step up to the plate and protect the image that they have so successfully created.
Their challenges do appear to include initial design quality (design defects that make it into production - e.g. the 2nd gen tensioner), problem management (e.g. leadership in correcting post sale issues), and dealer consistency (e.g. folks here report from great to terrible).
Your point about the ability of word of mouth anecdotes to hurt sales is well taken I think, and should Mini remain on the fragile ground that it now apparently occupies then it seems exposed to flattening volume and brand erosion.
Kind regards,
Charlie
It bites that so many folks seem to fall victim to unreliability with the Mini line of cars, and I hope like heck that the management team will step up to the plate and protect the image that they have so successfully created.
Their challenges do appear to include initial design quality (design defects that make it into production - e.g. the 2nd gen tensioner), problem management (e.g. leadership in correcting post sale issues), and dealer consistency (e.g. folks here report from great to terrible).
Your point about the ability of word of mouth anecdotes to hurt sales is well taken I think, and should Mini remain on the fragile ground that it now apparently occupies then it seems exposed to flattening volume and brand erosion.
Kind regards,
Charlie
Or a VW! You hit the nail on the head! (same company except the VW's require you to buy $1000+ dollar tools to do things like check the fluid level in your transmission! I actually like wrenching on things which is why I have a mini and also a KTM quad that I know are both high strung. It has to be known that high performance vehicles can be like this. His problems were beyond wrenching though. Seems like his dealership failed him as well, mine is always understanding and caring with high levels of customer service. Sorry to hear you are leaving mini but I do not totally blame you! Good luck!
4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 493
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte, NC
Bull-crap. My 2011 MCS has been bulletproof, by far the best new car I've ever owned including the 2007 Civic thats parked next to it in the driveway. I sure haven't seen or read anything about 2011's having all sorts of problems. But thank you. You've inspired me to e-mail BMW/MINI today to let them know that as a Mech Engineer with 35+ years experience I appreciate the high quality product they produce.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 2
Just a note that communications from customers that include works like "***" and "stupidest" are likely to elicit a less than favorable response. I speak from experience, hehe.
There must be an alternate contact at MINI other than their usual customer service? Otherwise your complaints will likely never be heard by anyone of importance at MINI or BMW.
There must be an alternate contact at MINI other than their usual customer service? Otherwise your complaints will likely never be heard by anyone of importance at MINI or BMW.
Last edited by walk0080; Jul 2, 2011 at 09:46 AM.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 2
Bought the first run of a car once (2000 Ford Focus ZX3!!) and never again. That is why I am considering a 2012 JCW as opposed to waiting for the possible 2013 re-design.
That is why leasing is so attractive. Lease for 3 or 4 years, do the minimum maintenance wise then give it back. If any problems arise they will be covered under the warranty.
I always lease EXCEPT for my JCW but I am glad that I bought it. I have had so much fun modding it. I never would have done any of these things to a leased car.
My car has been pretty much problem free except for a few cosmetic issues. No issues with the engine, clutch or transmission. The few issues that I had were addressed by the dealer.
And while we are bashing BMW lets talk about the extremely poor quality of their audio systems and the use of run flat tires, which we all know really suck, give a poor ride and are expensive to replace.
Did I mention that I like my car??
I always lease EXCEPT for my JCW but I am glad that I bought it. I have had so much fun modding it. I never would have done any of these things to a leased car.
My car has been pretty much problem free except for a few cosmetic issues. No issues with the engine, clutch or transmission. The few issues that I had were addressed by the dealer.
And while we are bashing BMW lets talk about the extremely poor quality of their audio systems and the use of run flat tires, which we all know really suck, give a poor ride and are expensive to replace.
Did I mention that I like my car??
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2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Studio City, CA
I'll never lease a car, it's just throwing away money imo and you get no equity at the end of it. At the end of a buy, you at least have a car to bargain with or sell for a down payment. At the end of a lease, you're just poorer than you were when you started.
As for the email and language, I fully understand. But at one point, you're going to drop less-than-favorable words in your frustration as you talk to them.
Oh, e-tough guy. That's cool, bro. How long have you owned your car? I've owned two Mini's, you've barely owned one. I'll talk to you in a year and 30,000 miles. 
As for the email and language, I fully understand. But at one point, you're going to drop less-than-favorable words in your frustration as you talk to them.
Bull-crap. My 2011 MCS has been bulletproof, by far the best new car I've ever owned including the 2007 Civic thats parked next to it in the driveway. I sure haven't seen or read anything about 2011's having all sorts of problems. But thank you. You've inspired me to e-mail BMW/MINI today to let them know that as a Mech Engineer with 35+ years experience I appreciate the high quality product they produce.
4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 314
Likes: 0
From: Annapolis Md
There are plenty of people who have no problems with their MINI. Including one fellow who is probably up to 400-500k miles by now.
Also, OP in your first paragraph you are erroneously blaming MINI for a failure of 2 superchargers... Infact, the supercharger is made by Eaton(one of the most prolific OEM supercharger manufacturers). Yes, it is strapped onto a MINI. No, it is in no way a reflection of MINI.
Also, OP in your first paragraph you are erroneously blaming MINI for a failure of 2 superchargers... Infact, the supercharger is made by Eaton(one of the most prolific OEM supercharger manufacturers). Yes, it is strapped onto a MINI. No, it is in no way a reflection of MINI.
After reading this over again and realising that you are on your 2nd MINI, I find that your complaints are no longer warranted. You choose to come back to this manufacturer and you knew well and good that there was problems. e Yes they are 2 different generations but that should not have swayed your purchase descion as your email sounds like it should have. If you don't like it then get rid of it and move on. there are all kinds of cars out there that will fit your needs. But just remember the most reliable cars are not always the most fun and vice versa.
