So I bought a used 2011 MCS in mid June. The next day I realized the car didn't have an owners manual. I called my sales rep and she agreed the car should have had a manual. She said she would get one in the mail for me ASAP. A week later and no manual I sent he and email to see if maybe she just forgot or something. She has yet to return a single email since.

I called a different dealerships service department and they quoted me $90 for a manual! I was just going to buy one until I heard that. I have the soft copy from mini.com, but I still feel like I should receive what I was verbally promised.

So I opened a BBB complaint concerning the issue. Do you guys think I should have just sucked it up and bought a manual since the car was used?

 

Wow, this might be the tamest complaint MINI has ever had to deal with. I hope your car does better than mine and that's the biggest issue you have.

Personally I didn't go to the BBB when I had issues that the dealership didn't help with, I wrote a letter (two times for two different issues) to MINI headquarters and they have always helped me out. It always fairs better for you in the end to try and be as patient as you can when dealing with MINI, don't ruin your relationship with your dealer so soon, you may need them sometime in the next 3 or so years while you're under warranty!

 

My SA is really great but horrible at getting back to me. I know they're a very busy dealership and stuff slips through the cracks. When I'm actually there I get great service, but my call return ratio is atrocious. I just shrug it off and drop by when I really need something.

I think the BBB route is a little extreme, and probably fruitless. Go in and speak to someone in person, politely.

 

Yea, I thought I might be burning a bridge here. But there's a more reputable dealer the same distance from where I am now. So I figured I would go there in the future.

I did forget to mention I emailed MINI directly and never got a response there either. I'm thinking that because I bought used I'm a little less of a customer to them.

 

Every dealership is different, but I bought my MINI with two months of factory warranty remaining from a Toyota lot, and MINI Victoria bent over backwards to get everything I might need done finished before the warranty expired, provided three free loaner cars even though they normally charge, and even guaranteed a good will repair on a nagging tranny issue if it went south post-warranty.

 

The BBB is there for a reason, for consumers to file complaints. That being said, the chance of BBB taking any action is probably small.

I wouldn't worry about burning any bridges here. You're the one paying them the money here. Now that you paid your money for the Mini, they could careless. The Mini sales people aren't the known for quick responses. There are some that's pretty good. But most of them are pretty sloppy and arrogant.

I thought you can download the manual if you log into the Owner's Lounge...have you tried that?

 

You're no less of a customer because you bought used, I bought a 2008 in 2010 and they have fixed everything I've thrown at them (my repairs covered under warranty amount to almost the value of the car). MINI takes awhile to get back to emails, I'm pretty sure there is a phone number that you can call, that might get a faster response.

 

I do have the pdf version of the manual. I just felt a real manual should have came with the vehicle. Especially a 90 dollar manual.

I've handled some very small issues through the BBB in the past. Even with non participating companies. Once I had this catalog company sending me two catalogs a week for the previous owner of my house. They just refused to stop sending me these catalogs. As soon as I involved the BBB the CEO called me and I never saw a catalog again.

I'm just tired of seeing customer service get worse and worse every year. I guess with all these comments saying involving the BBB seems a little harsh, I might try to retract my claim.

 

$90.00 for a manual for this years car...sheesh! Mini has advertising pamphlets that are larger than the manual and they GIVE those away!

 

I feel thats a bit over the top for a manual. I would have made some more calls to the dealership, i am sure you would have gotten your manual. The BBB is not what it used to be and i don't think your dealer will be contacted by anyone from the BBB.Plus you say you have a down loaded copy, sounds like your good to go. save the BBB for real problems...

 

Have you tried calling the sales manager or dealership manager? I would try that route before contacting BBB or MINI Corp. $90 for a manual is crazy - I'm glad I put my manual/folder in storage so It doesn't get lost/stolen before I return the car end of lease!

 

I probably didn't go through as much hassle as I should of calling people. The dealership is 2 hours away so I couldn't just drive up and deal with this.

Anyway, apparently you can't retract a BBB complaint. So the official answer to this thread is yes, I'm a jerk!

 

Deweys, No, you're not being a jerk. Unfortunately, you're dealing with someone who is unresponsive and I hope he gets a kick in the pants and is instructed to start doing his job. Not having a manual to send to you is not an excuse to not call and say, "We don't have one, but it has been ordered for you."

I hope this is not a reflection on the service department and the way the dealership is run.

In this time of high unemployment you would think that people with a job might appreciate that fact.

 

My suggestion is to write directly to Mini Customer service, and cc to the named president and CEO about your matter and send it all certified. Be nice but lay out the problem. Include all the dealership info and what was promised and not received.

I had some problems with a car I purchased and this was the only way I got a real response and afterwards, the dealership was alot nicer to me.

Maybe they got a phone call from the big wheels in the company to take care of this customer. Its worth a try ..............................

I

 

I would try the Service Manager or the Sales Manager. I work with a lot of dealers and from what they tell me, most try to resolve issues to keep their clients happy.

 

The BBB is a joke, they side with the companies who pay the 'protection' money... oh I mean subscription. The BBB is not a government agency and has so power to do anything other than ask the company to resolve the issue.

Now if you ever get the online surveys from MINI/BMW then that would be a way to go.
My MA where I bought my MINI and an SA at a different dealer where I recently had service done both begged me to answer only 100% positive to ALL questions.
My MA said it would be better for them to just blow off the survey as it would be better for them than answering any question with anything less than 10 or 100% positive. They both asked me to contact them personally to resolve any issued before doing the survey.

 

Actually I got a call from the general manager of the dealership two days later. My manual is in the mail now. So from this experience and past, I believe the BBB is pretty effective.

While I still feel like I escalated this a little too high, at least I got my manual I was told I would receive.

 

I don't think calling BBB (though I wouldn't have) is as much over the top as this suggestion. No offense but writing a letter to Mini Customer Service AND the president of the company for a manual?? I think that's way over the top. It was a used car and Mini probably won't be as responsive as talking to the general manager.

Like CausticOne said, going to the GM usually works the best.

Good luck with it.

Mark

 

Opps, didn't see your response... glad you got your manual, next time, try an easier approach. Drive to the dealer and whip out a flame thrower, I'm sure someone will help you.



Mark

 

Definitely impatient. Like kat1689 said (to paraphrase) MINI and the dealership have bigger fish to fry, in terms of keeping some of these cars on the road. It would have been nice to notice the missing manual before settling on a price, and then either deducting it from purchase price, or have the promise of a new manual in writing on bill of sale. But that's not the first thing I'd be focusing on with a pre sale inspection, either. I'm sure they are not trying to blow you off. Bad customer service, perhaps, but in this day and age I've come to expect that.

 

Glad this is closed for you. But still, it's a lot of hoops to jump thru for a manual. They should've just gave it to you in the first place without all this stress.

 

the MINI dealership was wrong to promise you a manual then not deliver or return your calls. that being said, HOLY *****. you went to the BBB because you didn't get a manual with your used car?!

99.9% of the time i fall on the side of the consumer. i had bigger issues with my MINI dealership when i bought my NEW car, but like a reasonable human being, i worked it out with them. it did take a raised voice phone call to the service advisor, but it all worked out. i am disappointed that it happened and i don't use them for service now, but i handled it like a rational person. you went straight to some higher authority who you thought was going to turn the screws on the MINI dealership until they gave you a manual. i'm surprised you didn't threaten them with a lawsuit.

at least put your big girl pants on while you are waiting to grow a pair. what a joke. and for everyone who is saying to send a letter to corporate, SERIOUSLY?! i bet one phone call to some bottom rung person at corporate would have yielded a free manual.

 

Someone could close this thread. I got my manual :D and it's about a 50/50 I'm a jerk. So there's really not much left to discuss. Thanks all.