I "built" and ordered a MINI and tracked it ardently on its voyage from Oxford, only to find the dealer goofed the order: the roof (and side mirrors) came body color instead of silver. The car looks strange with silver C pillars and body color roof.

They are offering to paint the roof the color I want in the MINI body shop.

Should I go for that, or should I ask them to order another one?

Do they owe me anything for this inconvenience?

Thanks for advice.

 

Mistakes happen. Be as gracious as you would want others to be about the mistakes you've made. I would let them paint it. Much quicker than reordering. In the factory, all of the cars start out with body colored tops that get repainted to the accent color anyway. Your car will be the same as a factory painted car but with slightly fresher paint on top.

 

They owe you a silver roof and mirrors, nothing more.

 

I would do the same, I like the graciou advice also as we all make mistakes.

 

OK many thanks for the advice.

 

No! Get another MINI.

a repaint will/may hurt resale. dealer has a machine to check paint thickness everytime a car is traded in. it doesn't matter if your car isn't in an accident. they always assume the worst.

plus, if the repaint job is not excellent, a keen eye can always tell a difference (yes, i know there's a blending process)

order another one. you ordered a brand new one, not a brand new-repainted one. i know the wait may be difficult but it's also exciting tracking it.

 

What about the post that said they paint silver over body color anyway at the factory to paint the roof? How can I find out what they do?

To be honest, I really want this car, but part of my reluctance now is the dealer who says "let's not play the blame game". But it's his fault: I have his email claiming he checked over the order twice before he sent it in, and he never had me sign off on it.

I make mistakes too, I'm not trying to be unfair. If their repainting the roof diminishes the value of the car, that's what I want to find out and get some adjustment made on the sale.

 

By the way, I believe the body shop (owned / run by BMW-MINI) plans to strip the current paint off and repaint the roof after that.

 

I am sure if you read your purchase order, the dealer owes you nothing by contract. On the other hand, I would never allow the top to be painted by the dealer. I have owned several body shops and can assure you none of them can completely reproduce factory paint. There are those who will claim they can but it is just not so.

 

Actually that is not true. I ordered the cold weather package and when I got the car it wasn't installed even though it was on the purchase order. They keyed it in wrong at the factory.

They refunded me the money and installed only the heated seats and wiper nozzles.

So yes, they do owe him.

I have to agree with the re-order posts. If you are not happy with the color then do not sign for it. A respray will not be the same quality as the original paint job and can be noticed by someone looking for it.

 

Are you serious? I've been in the automotive refinishing business for 35 years, if the substrate is properly prepped, the topcoat properly applied and baked you will actually have more mils of paint on the roof than applied by the OEM giving you better protection on a panel that endours the greatest amount of contaminates from the environment.
I can't believe the whining here....have them paint the roof and let's motor!!

 

I agree. Have them paint the roof as it should be and install the silver mirror covers and be done with it. Having the dealer repaint the roof is not going to devalue the car.

 

Two different scenarios. The car in question was not painted to ordered specs on a no charge option. The OP certainly has the choice to accept the vehicle as is, with the roof painted, or to re-order. The dealer does not have any legal responsibility to compensate the OP for his inconvenience but may well choose to do so. It was my thought that was the question he was asking.

 

Well, yes, actually I am serious. Factory paint is applied robotically in a paint department that no dealer has the capacity to re-create. It uses the same batch of paint that the side panels were painted with and would go through the same baking process. This would assure the same aging rate and fade rate, the same paint thickness and finish, and a more perfect color match. It eliminates any thought of non-factory over-spray.

Also, by re-painting the roof on a dealership level, it removes the roof paint from a manufacturer's warranty responsibility to that of a dealer's warranty responsibility should there be problems down the road. As you point out, the roof is possibly the most critical painted surface on the vehicle because of exposure. It is a Cardinal rule in the business not to break the factory paint unless absolutely necessary. Not to demean the talents of any particular body painter, having had forty plus years experience as a dealer, the last thing that is going to happen to any car I would buy is to paint the roof before I took delivery.

 

This sounds great, and I really, really appreciate all these posts.

Do you believe the MINI repair shop will do what you say: prep properly etc. -- what is your advice about making sure this is done right? Should I just trust them?

Sorry but I'm very new to this.

 

Ah, then I misunderstood your post. You are correct, either turn away the order or have it painted, they don't owe the OP antying. I personally wouldn't take the order.

 

I think there are a lot of good points here on both sides of the argument. It is hard for anyone to read this and not imagine what they would do in a similar situation. Ron, here is what I would do.

"Mistakes happen. Be as gracious as you would want others to be about the mistakes you've made." Wonderful advice from Johnna! But I would respectfully draw a different conclusion. "Gracious" has its place within the context of a proper business transaction. Ensuring the latter is done correctly to the full satisfaction of the customer does not preclude a sense of grace and civility. You do not owe any compliance with accepting their mistake, nor should they expect you to. Nothing to do with lack of grace - you can handle this with complete mutual respect. Never forget that you are the customer and the job is theirs to correct.

I would not want dealer-added paint splashed over the factory paint - just me. Adding all the extra variables of paint match, prep, endurance/aging/fading patterns - even if it looks good coming back to you from the paint shop that day, it may look "off" a few days later in different light. What would you do then? What if - despite all their assurances, the paint started having problems a year or two down the road, or faded differently? The question of the effects on resale value is a good one, even if you cannot answer it. Regardless of the realities down the road in accepting a roof repaint, you will certainly take full possession of all the ambiguities.

Here is how I would handle it. Ask for the model to be reordered from the factory as you originally asked. Tell them you are sensitive that this is an inconvenience to them as well as to you. Remind them that you are asking for nothing more than what was originally agreed to - the car, fresh from the factory as ordered - and forgive them for the inconvenience of reordering if they will respect that. If they are truly a wonderful dealership, they will know the value in owning their mistake and turning it into a win for the customer. Simple. Fair. Respectful. Therein lies the grace.

They get two big wins from this - they have you walk out a very happy customer and the knowledge they did right by you (and you have a whole forum here watching!). Plus they will sell the car that got mis-painted anyways, and still make a profit. I suspect they'll go ahead and repaint the roof anyways before they put it on the lot.

I think it is wonderful you are sensitive to their side of things. But their job is to provide what you ordered and get it right from the factory without doing body work to change things. If they have a long view of good customer service, they will see this as an opportunity to come through for you by reordering, not repainting. Everyone makes mistakes - it is how we take responsibility for them and correct them that distinguishes our true character. Give them that opportunity.

Lee

PS - I am getting ready to order. I am going to ask my saleperson in advance how a similar situation would be handled should it hypothetically happen to me. I will post his answer here - straight from an MA.

 

You are answering your own question. You are not familiar with the process and you cannot assure anything other than what result they present you with.

It really is a simple answer. Have them re-order the car with the proper specs and avoid any future concerns.

 

OK, I"m asking them to order me a new one. Thanks for all this help. @kidziti I'd be interested in what your MA says he/she would do about such a thing. Again many thanks.

 

 

Very well said kidziti and excellent advice for you Ron...

 

When our cars initially arrive in the US, they are inspected for shipping damage. It's my understanding that sometimes entire body panels (including the roof) are repainted if necessary. I'd let the dealer repaint the roof and install new mirror covers with the understanding that you get to inspect the finish before you accept the car.

 

Any chance you might want a roof graphic in the future? Perhaps instead of the paint job you could ask the dealer to install a roof graphic of your choice.

 

The car has a sunroof so I'll just stick with the solid color.

 

This is true...I found out the hard way that my 2009 Clubman had been repainted(at the port) on 2 panels and no one disclosed it, thus MINI USA bought my car back. MINI USA and Dealer were great about the ordeal, and the only reason I mention is to the OP, order another one. The paint matched for 6-8 months, but one day in the sun I noticed, none of the MINI colors can be exaclty matched other than at the factory.......