Following is an email that i sent to MINI through MINIUSA.COM.

I do not know what to do with my car.

it has 29000 miles and is 16 months old, so that it assume i will not be eligible to Lemon Law.

Please advise what i am supposed to do.

thank you in advance

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I am the owner of 2007 Cooper S. I leased my car in April 2007. The problem is that i have been having too many problems with this car.
I am just waiting for my lease to be up.
Since April in this year, i have been to the dealer service for six times for engine problems.
IT is SIX times!!!
It is almost "once a month" routine now. It is not acceptable at all. I have never had this kind problem with my previous cars.
I really loved MINI and waited 4 months to get it, and now only thing left is DISSAPPOINTMENT.
My mini is in the shop again. It has been SIX days. I finally picked up a mini loaner car today after driving a cheap rental car for six days. I am not paying my money every month to drive a rental car or a loaner car (if i am lucky).
This car is wasting my mileages (back and forth to the dealer), money, and time. Finally they are going to dis-assemble the engine and put a new engine for me.
I am not happy at all even though i have a new engine. Think about it. In addition i do not even know how long it will take to repair it at this time.
I cannot believe that a car like MINI is wasting my MONEY and TIME. Even though they change the engine, how do i know that it will not cause any further problems? No more trust on mini now.
A 16 months old -car with 6 repairs!!! I feel like i have been totally ripped off.

 

To be completely honest, you should be more constructive in your email. State the problems you've faced, what the dealer said in response and what you expect MINIUSA to do for you.

Just my 2c

 

That sucks man. I have owned my Mini for a year come this December, and I haveent had one problem with it. Strange, but I do agree with MiniBAH that you should be a little more specific in your email.

 

which is it?

 

Some people use the term "own" rather loosely. But obviously he is leasing the car. I agree with the other posters that the letter to Mini USA should be more factual and less irate. (I think everyone would be ticked off if there were so many engine problems but that doesn't get you anywhere).

The OP should be thankful he leased the car rather than purchased it. If he likes the mini and thinks he was unfortunate to get a lemon he could suggest to Mini that they take the car back if he will sign a lease for a new one.

 

+1
And use formal prose. The grammar and rhetoric are too casual and careless. You're better off making yourself appear rational and able to articulate it well. What's written just comes across as an unintelligent rant.

 

There doesn't seem to be any structure to the complaint. The car has been in six times but none of the problems are listed. I would take a stepwise approach and list each problem with details of what was done by the dealership.

Clearly you are upset and rightly so. However, writing the letter as you posted it will not help you at all.

 

The OP also states they are getting a new engine so if that fixes the problem it is just a matter of trust things won't happen again. we all hope nothing will happen but it does. As others have stated the letter to MINI needs to be factual with a timeline and details of what has been done, including getting the new engine, and give a conclusion with what resolution would be acceptable. Then you negotiate from there. Hopefully it was only a 2 or 3 year lease.

 

You should rewrite the letter without spilling out your emotions. It is distracting. You should state the facts with the dates the car was @ the dealer and what was done to the car. You should tell them what you think would be a reasonable compensation to you for loss of your time in the car. Waiving a months lease or two shouldnt be that big of a deal. Be professional and direct and to the point in your letter. Spilling your emotions in a business letter will usually get you no where and makes it difficult to decide what you really want that is reasonable.. It appears that if MINI is replacing the engine, they are trying to correct the issues. Good luck to you!

 

Hello Jino. Here are some pointers.

Item 1: Sending an Email through mini.com will not produce results.

Item 2 : Look up the contact address for consumer complaints in the owners manual and send them a certified letter. You may enlist the help of a friend to write a concise albeit all-inclusive one page business letter. Here is a how-to:

Item 3: First identify the reason for contacting them and do so in one sentence only.

Item 4: Follow with a complete chronology/time line of the events starting with the purchase date and ending with the last dealer visit.

Item 5: Do not expand on the nature of the technical problems as Mini USA can bring up all the detail on your car for each time you took it in for repairs. Just list the dates that you took it in and picked it up and a one or two word description of the reason.

Item 6: Attach all dealer service invoices. Ask the dealer for copies in case they are missing. Cross reference them to the list of dealer visits in Item 5 by date.

Item 7: Identify what it is that you are asking for and do so in no more than two sentences. In closing ask to meet with the Mini USA regional service manager should there be yet another reason to take the car to the dealer.

Best of luck to you and don't hesitate to ask for help. We are all in this boat together and we must help those in need.

 

+1

Although you are angry and frustrated, that is never the approach for getting positive results. Take your time, state your case dispassionately, and say what reasonable relief you expect. Attach proof. Don't rant.

Since it is a lease car, you might not fit the lemon law of your state. However, you might still get a different car. Since they are replacing the engine, it sounds like they are being responsive in working with you.

I know it sucks to have problems, and working civilly will most likely yield the desired results.

Take it from someone who is in the business of persuasion.

 

Hi,
Have someone write the letter for you, you will get a better reply...No Offense but its very scattered.

 

Everyone gave good advice; hopefully the OP will keep it in mind before he makes another attempt at corresponding with MINIUSA.

It's too bad the OP had already sent the email prior to posting on NAM.

 

My understanding of your letter is that they are in the process of putting a new engine in it for you and your complaint is that you don't have confidence in it. What do you expect them to do for you? Your message doesn't make it clear what you want.

Have some patience. See how the new motor works. Take care of it, and break it in properly.

 

What's been the problem with the engine?