bellybean...that sucks!!!!! good luck with your cabrio top!

I'm very confident that appointment issues will get better once they open up the MINI side of the service department. Silly thing is, they could fix it NOW by just fixing their voicemail system. If no one answers the phone, you HAVE TO know the ext number of the person you're calling. All of my past service advisors are all gone, so I don't know who to dial...AND, the dial-by-name doesn't work either! So you're only choice is to dial * to leave a message...but guess what?!?! Hit * and it'll take you right back to the "please dial the extention of the person you are trying to reach, or press 1 to dial by name or press star to leave a message" um...ok, i guess I'm right back to where I started. Pressing zero takes you to a general mailbox which I've already left a message!!!!

 

Last time I had a crappy service at the dealership (July) I received a followup call from Leeza Barbosa. I don't know if this is her direct line (597-1225), but she told me to call her directly if I ever needed anything from the service dept. She seemed pretty eager to help, and did mention that they were "trying" to make things better.....yeah right!

 

Thanks for the contact...I'm going to file that away, because it's looking like I'm going to need something.

 

Thanks countrymini...i didn't get through to them either this time. All I need is for someone to answer the phone OR return my call. I'm really hoping to get an appointment for this saturday!

*crossing my fingers*

 

my finger crossing must have worked...someone returned my phone call today! better late than never! i have an appoinment on friday. now i'm crossing my fingers that I don't have MAJOR issues, but if so, I totally don't mind driving around that X3 again!

*crossing fingers* again...

 

Sometimes service needs a little prodding with these problems. Bring a printout of what other dealerships are doing. If the dealership name is in the printout, that is even better. In my dealings with MoH, I found that they weren't always up to date with the latest happenings on the MINIs. If you give them additional info, it helps. Also, having 6 hours time difference from Hawaii to the MINI tech center doesn't help.

 

Thanks for the tip...I'll do that. They haven't been receptive as of late, but maybe I can get a miracle!

 

To update on my top issue, they will replace it, thank goodness!
They found the service bulletin, so the parts are on order, and it will be replaced ASAP.
Thanks, MINI of Hawaii!

 

Congrats on getting a new top! Persistence does pay off!

 

So last week my driver's side window decides not to roll down anymore. Luckily it did drop a little so I can actually close the door when I am inside. I called Kathy at service, but found out she's not the Mini advisor anymore, but Jenny is *lucky me*. But Jenny was busy so Kathy setup an appointment for last Tuesday. Went in saw Jenny told her about my window problem, also told her my rear wiper would go on when I turn off my car, AND that morning my tire monitor went on. Its like the Mini knew it was going to get service so might as well bring all the kinks out. After I told Jenny all my problems, she saw I don't drive my Mini as much and threw in a oil change. Ah so sweet! So caught the shuttle to work got a call around 2pm from Jenny saying my car is ready, so she sent a shuttle to pick me up. Got there, saw Jenny, she said they fixed ALL the problems!! They changed out the window motor, changed module for the rear wiper, tire pressure off on 1 tire, reset all tire pressure(aftermarket rims too) and they did the oil change. Paid nothing at all, got a rose from Jenny. Went home happy!! Over all servicing has been great for me, the car gots it's little problems but I still love.

 

--Wow you didn't have to pay anything AND you got a rose? What a deal! Sounds like they're doin better over there. Hope they keep it up.

--pyratio

 

yeah maybe its my charming good looks......yeah right!! Well like I said they've been good all the times I went there. And they don't scratch my rims.....that's what I have my wife for!!

 

WOW! Miracles do happen!!! Many Many congrats!!!!!!

 

Got MCS teched for the Aloha 500 BMW driving School at BME on 9/10. Alf at BME (formerly shop forman at BMW) finds slight play in right front wheel- He diagnosis it as worn right inner ball joint.

Take car into MINI on 9/14 and explain what Alf found and requested replacement of inner ball joint. Also request installation of seat part that has been on hold for me from last time in shop. When i pick up car, MINI advises me they do not have part that was on hold as its now a stock item so they released the one on hold- but they have none in stock- have to make another appt. They had 2 technicians look at wheel play & ball joint is fine but play is due to torn control arm bushing ( a wear item not covered)- want $430 to replace. I pass on install but buy control arm bushing for $34.

Call Gerard at Motorwerks same day & make appt for installation of control arm bushing-- but tell him story of Alf's diagnosis from Aloha 500 tech session. Bring car in today-Gerard calls at noon says it is indeed inner ball joint (easy diagnosis) that was causing play not bushing. Amazingly MINI actually had inner ball joint in stock & it was installed at very reasonable cost and fixed the wheel play issue.
Have call into Al Roberts to ask why the dealer can't diagnosis a simple ball joint issue correctly, even when they are given the info.

The customer service and mechanical skill of the service dept at MINI of HI that i've received since Jan 2003 delivery of my MINI never ceases to amaze me.

 

just stopped moh and checked out the mini service dept. pretty cool extension of the mini showroom. found out that we supposedly have our very own technicians, according to one of the mini SA, i believe it's mike. and the other i think is jen. anyways, supposedly, because we have mini technicians, for the most part mini servicing is only available m-f? saturdays is available, but must be specially requested?

i'm guessing that because we only have a few mini technicians, they can only split so many days of the week among them, and therefore, saturday is left out.

anybody else serviced their car recently, and particularly on a saturday?

 

i can vouch for no-saturday. my mini is being serviced (again...) has been there since last week. on friday i was told they wanted to keep it longer to do more testing...so when i called them on saturday to check status of their testing, i was told they weren't working.

jenny the SA is awesome! i really love the service. they've been getting all 5s from me lately.

 

Weird, I've got an appt this coming Saturday... My driver side window isn't working!
Gr!
:impatient

 

the window thing, eh? i think a number of the '03's have had their window motors replaced or some other thing like that. i had both sides on mine replaced under warranty.

i got an appt. this friday for my 2nd service and hopefully the jcw suspension. will do the night dropoff thing on thursday and probably p/u saturday a.m., as i won't get back into town til past 7 p.m. friday.

so...who should i trust with my keys? kohu, if you're working that sat., i'll give you the green light to test'er out.

 

I have an appt on Sat to have the Alarm activated at 7:30.. Jenny said no Mini techs on Sat, but BMW can do the activation...

 

I wonder then, who is looking at my car and what is going to happen to it?!?!? impatient:impatient

 

gotta be a BMW tech... what time is your appt???

 

8am... I gotta get up early on a Saturday.

 

i wish i can do something anything to my MCS...still in the body shop, hope it's only 2 more weeks...

 

Well...I was there at 7:30am... took an hour and $103 dollars for activation.... the issue is they didn't reprogram all my other options, like DRL and windows down via fob...even though I asked them to make sure all was like I had it...

so I took it back about 9:30 and they took care of that issue in 15 mins... I had my MA, Robert, make sure all was program like it was suppose to..He ran back there an took care of business pronto...!!!

 

My experience for almost 3 years of ownership is the dealer rarely gets any service item done correctly or completely the first time.