Jalopnik reports. This anyone here?

 

Roflmao

 

I wouldn't even be mad with a letter like that

 

Any one who says MINIs don't have a mind of their own don't have a mind.

 

"The repair will take approximately two days to complete...."

Everything that is done at the dealership takes two days apparently, even if it's their own fault. While the letter is a tad funny, two days is way too long for them to correct their mistake.

My CEL came on....I was told two days to diagnose. So, I diagnosed it myself. Caught a flat and they didn't have my RF's in stock (I have insurance so the replacement tires and rims are free)....two business days to get them in.

They leave off paddle shifters that should have been on your car when delivered....two days, maybe more. Screw the scheduling process, you should be the dealership's primary focus. AND......You should have them throw in something "extra" for all this trouble

 

deleted double post

 

or accept that mistakes can happen and be happy that MINI is a company that will have a sense of humour and personalization with the letter, and get it fixed for you.

some car companies wont even do that.

 

Not only would I not be mad, I'd keep the letter and show it to my MINI friends. Mistakes happen. Bet the dealer will give a loaner! What's two days, compared to the length of ownership? Schedule it when you don't need the car for a while. Pfffft... Why have a burr up your butt?

 

The burr is most often not an optional thing.

 

LOL gotta love MINI

 

Well, "two days" is probably drop off car, drive away in a loaner, pick up car the next day (based on my experience with my dealer). The "reprogramming" is a time-consuming ***** (as I learned when I got a replacement comfort access key).

 

An interesting take on resolving this...pretty well done, IMHO.

In contrast: I was cross-shopping new Turbo Beetles in the fall of '11, one new model issue (there were a few) is that they didn't have one or more gauges for the Turbo-model-only 3-gauge cluster. Solution: no cluster provided at all, credit $150 or so on the sticker. That's it, done, hands washed of the matter. People were p!ssed, but too bad.

 

MINI uses an interesting tactic here. The letter's humor immediately de-escalate my temper effectively. That's unusual for even someone like me, who is easily irritated by stupidity.

 

Dealer will give you a loaner only if they are available. Around these parts (Northern NJ) you may have to wait 2-3 weeks before you get a chance to get a loaner.

The only way I would be mad at this situation if this was the first time I noticed that something that I paid for (steering shift paddles) were not installed on the car.

All things considered, Mini screwed up, but is trying to make it right. It will cost the customer time and effort to become whole, so the dealer/MiniUSA better throw in some goodies on top to make it right.

a

 

Still can't understand why anyone would order the automatic.

Sorry, they just suck the fun out of the car.

BMW needs to step up to a DSG like VW has... They are a LOT more fun to drive.

 

Lets not do this again. Some people like/need/want an automatic transmission. You don't like it, don't buy one but don't start with the "manual is better" ********. I have just as much fun in my auto R56 as you do in whatever you drive.

 

Exactly

 

Having driving both cars as stick/auto... I have more fun.

 

Love it...........cool.

 

They had me at 'concomitant'

 

Obviously to each his own, but if you want a serious competition car you would be selecting drastically different features (no automatic, no sunroof, no zenons, no AC, no passenger seats, no interior) then what most of people on this board would deem desirable for everyday use.

For many, slushbox is one of those highly desirable features.
Not because it is faster or more fun, but because it's essential for sharing the car with the better half, commuting through downtown NYC, etc.

Compared to a dual clutch transmission (DCT), a slushbox is no more or less fun.
It shifts a little more slowly than manual (in the hands of an above-average driver), which shifts a little more slowly than DCT.

But unless you are racing for prize money - it hardly matters!

a

P.S.: Yours trully - recovering manual tranny snob
P.P.S.: Yours trully - recovering RWD snob

 

But that's the thing, it's not all about you is it? You're welcome to your opinion, but just because YOU have more fun in a manual doesn't mean others have less in an automatic, it just means your definition of fun is different.