Hello all,
I have been patiently awaiting the arrival of my Ice Blue Clubman with MINI Connected and Nav. I placed my order with the dealership on May 14, 2011. I knew it would be a long wait, and was prepared for it.

On June 16, I got a call from my MA telling me they got the allocation for a Clubman w/ Nav, and they'd put in the order. It would be a 2012 model year.

I called to follow up about a week later to see if I could get the VIN number to track the car in the MINI Lounge. My MA then informs me that there was a mistake on the order, but it was too late to make a change. They included all the things I wanted except the HK Stereo. My MA told me it had something to do with package changes, and that there must have been some confusion.

I was pretty angry, especially after having waited so long, that the car wasn't ordered as I specified. I ordered the HK Stereo because that's what I wanted!

The car (with stock stereo) is in transit and will arrive in 2 weeks. They will hold it for me. They called me today, July 7, to tell me they have a new allocation, and can put in an order for a Clubman with Nav and all the things I wanted (including HK stereo).

THE DILEMMA: Should I just take the car with the stock stereo, and drive away mostly happy? OR Should I wait 6-8 additional weeks (groan!) for the car with all the things I wanted??

I'm quite conflicted! Would love to hear people's opinions!!

Thanks all!

P.S.
I am currently driving a 1993 Honda Accord Wagon with deteriorating speakers in the back.

 

I would say to reorder AND get them to discount something. MINI screwed it up, so it's not your fault your car wasn't as ordered. You want it to be right, but now you have to wait--again. If your MA is gracious, I would think he/she would be able to pull a string or three.

You're justifiably pissed.

 

The stock stereo is awful.

 

+1

 

Yeah, reorder it. I hope you can get something thrown in for the trouble and waiting (hope to hear if you can).

 

Just came out of my R56 my biggest gripe was the stereo and they make it so hard to change it out.. So the first thing I ordered on my Countryman was the HK Stereo, the difference is Nite and Day. I know the wait was unbearable but get what you want, the way you want it. Reorder

 

So...either I"m confused or your MA is confused. Either way, I believe that 2012's haven't started production yet...so are you sure that the one coming in is a '12?

Either way, I'd definitely hold out for what you ordered, AND for a discount. Do you still have the paperwork that shows what you ordered? I'd stick with what you ordered and what your paperwork shows. Of course, you're up a creek without a paddle of your paperwork doesn't show the HK and you signed it...

 

Yea I agree re-order and have them get it right. I have a stock stereo and it ain't that bad

 

Get what you wanted. And get some sort of compensation for the extra wait. Some more cool accessories at no cost, perhaps.

 

Get the HK audio!!!! I think it is worth it in the long run.

 

Definitely re-order as others have said, you won't be happy with this BIG of a mistake, let the Dealer be the fall guy on this one.

 

duplicate posting deleted

 

I would like to thank all of you for your quick and heart-felt replies. Thanks for the encouragement!

After much consternation, I have decided not to reorder, but to take the car that's on the way. I definitely could have waited for the new car to be reordered, but one thing kept getting to me: I didn't want my MINI doppelganger driving around. I want to be the Ice Blue Clubman with the black roof and side mirrors...and noone else!!

So, that's what it came down to for me...the uniqueness of my color/model choice (I haven't seen another Ice Blue MINI before, not in person in my area).

If they'd left off the sunroof or the MINI Connected w/ Nav, I certainly would have reordered. Those would have been the dealbreakers. I realized that the speakers were upgrade-able, and that a stock stereo wasn't a dealbreaker for me.

I did a bit of research on the forum about upgrading the speakers, and I will probably do that. If I want to do even more, I can add an amplifier and get some really kick-*** speakers. I would do a modest upgrade, and it probably wouldn't cost me as much as that HK stereo. So, I'll save that $750 and put some of that back into new speakers and maybe an amp. Either way, I'll come out saving money.

For the inconvenience of it all, I did manage to get the dealer to throw in a free set of winter/rubber floor mats and give me a 12% discount on the extended maintenance warranty. So, that's not major, but it's good.

Anyway, my car's on the boat, and will be coming into port on July 15. I will be away to take a class next week, and when I come back, I'll have a new car!!

I hope to post pics soon!

Thanks again, everyone.

 

Hmmmm.....I wouldn't have settled. Aftermarket equipment never fits and works like factory. And I'll bet that after you upgrade the head unit, the amp and the speakers, and add in labor, you end up spending much more than 750. Good luck, though.

And remember, it's not too late to back out, even if you told the dealer it was OK. The bottom line is that they screwed up and didn't order what you signed for. For me, if I want something a particular way, I get it. If it means some extra time or some inconvenience for me or another person/company, so be it. In the end, I'm much happier.

 

martinb:
That's right...my MA made it clear that I can still walk away from this car and reorder...I don't have to make my final decision until it's in the showroom.

It's all good. I'm quite fine with the situation now.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

Change out at least the door speakers, channel swap it and maybe a small powered subwoofer....you won't be hating the standard stereo. It's not as bad as people make it seem, just needs tweaking....and I'm sure even the HK needs some tweaking.

I'm running the standard Boost, Polk Audio speakers, channel swapped, and a JVC powered sub.....did all the work myself....have maybe $350 invested...and will kick the s#!t out of any standard HK system.

The power output of a stereo is very similar to a sports car....it not how much horsepower you have, it's how you use it.

 

Hopefully you're planning on much more in the you-ification department...that's really the ONLY way your Ice Blue/Black Clubman is going to stand out in the crowd. Otherwise, you will probably run into your doppelganger much sooner than anticipated.

 

1. You lucked-out. I ordered the HK stereo, wasting $750. The MINI HiFi in our 2009 Clubman is much cleaner and accurate than the HK in our 2011 Hardtop.

2. Don't go for the extended service. It has little value because of the extremely long service intervals that the onboard computer dictates. Go for an extended warranty instead.

 

+1 on the extended warranty

 

OK, wow. Two recommendations on extended warranty but not for extended maintenance. Will read up on the forum and try to figure this out.

 

Extended warranty is a good idea; extended maintenance is a waste of money.

I understand the dealership is giving you a 12% discount on the extended ***maintenance*** warranty, but it'd be better in the long run to get the 12% discount on the extended warranty.

Maintenance covers oil changes (easy to do!), filters (again, easy to do!), wiper inserts (again, easy to do!) and brake pads (I think!)...even if you're not mechanically-inclined, get acquainted with your local MINI club and you'll learn how to do routine maintenance and save $$$ at the same time.

The extended warranty covers big ticket items (be sure to get a detailed list of what is and what isn't covered) that "go" without much warning.

The reason for not financing an extended warranty is because you'd be paying interest on it, which often negates any savings achieved via the discount.

If you can afford to pay for the warranty upfront, do so...and have it be a completely separate transaction if possible.

If you can't, get the 12% discount promise ***in writing*** and then purchase the warranty just prior to hitting the 50K mark.

Extended warranties are pure profit for the dealership (almost 50% of the price depending upon dealership!) and the salesperson gets a commission on it.

Good luck!

 

Hey Yonkers, I think this "screw up" may be a blessing. You should do what I did.

When I ordered my Clubbie I ordered the base stereo because I had heard the MINI HK system, then I listened to a system in a friend's car.
Holy Crap! What a difference!

I now have a Focal 3 way speaker system with a 175wpc Kenwood amp in my Clubbie that blows away the HK crap. It looks completely stock and was real easy to have installed. Everyone who has heard my system agrees that my sound is far superior to the HK system. Even the guys at the install shop said they were blown away by the sound.

If you are ever down on long Island you can hear it for yourself. The total cost of my system was about what the HK upgrade costs.

Good luck

 

Sounds like something I'd like to do in my '12 Hardtop S. Which speakers? Which amp? How much was the installation?

 

Hugh, I have the Focal 165 V3E polyglass system installed in my Clubby. I had the system installed a along with a 170wpc Kenwood amp. I have upgraded just the front channel and I don't think I'm going to do anything with the back. This is by far one of the two very best systems you can put in this car (R56 &R55).

The other very best is the Focal system that replaced the 165 V3E...What you are looking for is the Focal 165 VR3 polyglass system. I am told it is the only Focal set that will fit. I am told that the magnet structure of the K2 system is too big to fit; the basket and magnet of the Utopia system is also too big; and the magnet structure of the midrange in the Access system is too big. The VR3 system is available everywhere, look at Crutchfield and ebay.

I say "I have been told" because I did not personally try to fit these systems but I had good reason to believe the source in each case.

The 165 VR3 system is not cheap. It goes for between $700 and $900 new retail, depending where you buy. One thing to keep in mind, I have used Focal and JM Lab drivers for over 20 years and I have a couple of contacts who are very close to the company (one friend is a former Focal distributor) Focal can be a bit of a pain in the *** regarding warranty issues if you buy from a non-authorized dealer. This isn't an issue for me but just be aware of the issue. If you look around and bide your time an opportunity to get a set cheap may present itself. I would say that if you get this system you will never feel you overpaid regardless what you pay.

Good luck

 

Getting an aftermarket stereo even a semi cheap one is way better then the bas system and in some cases better then the HK.