So, after the Build configurator got updated today, I'm miffed at my MA...

On 10/23, I finally made the order based on my MA hounding me non-stop to get in and get it done to take advantage of the "Not Normal" discount. He also waived the $500 order deposit because it's my 2nd MINI.

He had overbooked himself and I was his last appt of the day... actually, it was well into the evening... None of the 2013 specs were up, so we had to peice together the car using what was available on the BMW/MINI build program that the dealers use.

I wanted the alarm... Not for the alarm, but more for the heartbeat light. He went through the build numerous times, but in a rush being almost 9:00 or 9:30 PM, he somehow left it off. Because I mainly wanted it just for the heartbeat alarm light, I wasn't too upset... I figured it saved me 500 bucks and maybe I could get them to program the light into the software to make it flash when the doors locked... Keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

More important, I told him from day one that I wanted the tunnel spokes.. He tried setting it up during the build and insisted that they were no longer available. I thought it was pretty odd that they would completely just drop a wheel out of nowhere on a simple yearly refresh, but he insisted. So I went with the Anthracite which are okay, but I don't like them as much as the Tunnel Spokes... Now, on the website, it shows that the tunnel spokes are availble for $100 dollars extra which I would have been more than willing to spend.

My question is if anyone on here thinks there's a way that they could charge me the extra hundred and just switch out the antracite 5 star spokes for the tunnel spokes.

I honestly feel like it was a rushed situation and I can overlook the alarm, but the wheels was just a case of him dropping the ball.

I'm kinda disappointed with him considering he's my MA for the 2nd time and we've know each other for about 6-7 years now... He was on the phone with me constantly before I place my order..., ever since the order was placed, I should prolly put his face on a milk carton because I haven't seen or heard from him. He's really hard to reach and hasn't been very helpful on getting me tracking info, VIN, updates, etc... He just keeps telling me 30 days from port to port... My guess is that he will appear out of nowhere once it's time to tally up the accessories.

I'm just irritated... I really feel like I should have been able to get the wheels I wanted from the start. He's the one who insisted that I get there that night at 6:30 and then we didn't even get started on my order until about 8:30 because he was placing an oder with another customer. I spent 2 hours watching TV and test driving other MINI's while he finished that up. It was an obvious oversight on his part since he was rushing to get out of there.

Thoughts?

 

They don't have your money, right? You are parting with a serious chunk of change, you should get what you want. You are not being a prima donna or an a-hole to ask for this to be corrected. It is not a difficult fix. I would simply leave him a message that you see that there was an error made and would like it to be fixed before you will take delivery. He'll call back and if he doesn't talk to the dealer GM.

 

Get the car you want. Life's too short.

 

Wheels seem like a pretty easy change, I don't see why they won't be able to deal with this for you. Just be nice about it.

 

Tell him, when it arrives, that you want those wheels and the alarm, (or at least the blinking light) and that you won't be paying any extra for it. If he doesn't agree, walk away. And certainly tell the GM about it, just like you told us here. Your order is NOT a commitment, check your paperwork. It is a 'purchase option' and is going to be negotiated again when the car comes in... by him... because he will want to add options and extended warranties. You also have the right to negotiate. Look at the paperwork! Unless it is significantly different than the two MINI dealers that we have purchased from, then you are not committed to that car.

One other idea, if you want to get it done now, is to write out what you want, and your request for further info, and CC his GM on the email.

Good luck!

 

They woun't have any trouble selling it.


Maybe they get so wrapped up into the digital aspects of closing a deal, we all just eventaully become numbers to them.....instead of people.

IMO, grab a couple of Coffee's stop over and see him instead of calling. Now days we devote way too much time texting and leaving messages/emails, effectively removing ones self from the personal service side of the deal.....

 

We configured a CM with the help of our MA and put that configuration on an allocated car in their order sequence. We did it based on what we could read because, at the time, there were few CMs on the lot and many options couldn't be viewed or tried. The car came in, we drove it to check it out, and decided on the spot several changes we wanted to make if we were going to keep the car. So we handed that car back to them and sat down to order the car we really wanted.
That car arrived and they proudly rolled it out - it had the tunnel wheels and we wanted the anthracite spokes - we felt so strongly about it that it was a deal breaker for us. They went off to talk, found a set of wheels, and an hour later the car came out the way we wanted.
I don't know what has to be added to support the alarm option - I suspect it has to be built in from the get-go. These other issues can be done without it being a big deal, however.

I agree about contacting your MA and copying the GM on your issues. In the long run, they want you to be a satisfied customer and they'll do what they can to make it so.

 

End of October at the Not Normal Sale i ordered a 2013 CMS.
i wanted the tunnel spoke wheels and the MA said they were not available for 2013. i ordered the black alloys. when i saw the new 2013 configurator with the Tunnel spokes available for $100, i called my MA to ask about this. i would have paid the $100 for them cheerfully. She said the ONLINE configurator was not correct and that they haven't been able to order any tunnel spokes for 2013's. i am picking up my car tomorrow and i will ask about this again. seems like they could easily switch the wheels with a car on the lot, but she said the wheels are on the window sticker options and they would not be able to print a new window sticker reflecting a wheel change. at this point i guess i have to believe her, but it also pisses me off that they appear to still have these wheels available and i couldn't get them!

 

They can definitely switch wheels if they want to. I accidentally ordered the anthracite tunnel spokes but wanted the anthracite 5-stars. The dealer swapped them from a different car to mine for no charge.

 

It's very persuasive to be sitting there, looking at the proudly rolled-out car for you to drive away, and you are shaking your head saying that you just can't see yourself in that car with those wheels...

 

There's only one car on the lot with the black Tunnel spokes and they said they couldn't do it because of the Maroney sticker on the other car showing that it had the tunnel spokes.

 

I'm pondering that.... TBH tho, after seeing my car last night, the 17 in Antracites look really nice. Also, the tunnel spokes look like they stick out from the wheel some all the way around and I worried that they might be a lot easier to get curb rash.

I might use other negotiation tactics to see about getting some free accessories... Right now, I' have the tunnel spokes and the misquote on the extended maintenance in my corner.

 

Told me the same thing...

 

Here's my story. The short version...

I ordered the checkered cloth seats with my MA and when the car came in, the stock leatherette seats were on the car. I found this out 2 weeks before I thought I would be picking my car up. It was definitely their mistake.

I figured they could swap the seats out, but the dealership would not work with me. So i had to make a decision...reorder the car and wait another 2-4 months or accept it the way it is. I reordered, waited, got the seats and made they pay for the upgrade while taking about 1k off the bill.

I'm glad I waited.

 

mine had a few issues - came with silver wheels - ordered black ... they swapped them with another on the lot... I didnt want the license plate holder on the bumper and they did it before they realized ... they swapped bumper skins with another black one... seems like they should be able to work out your issues

 

Curb rash is a big part of why I wanted the 5-stars over the tunnel spokes.

 

I've curbed my tunnels twice parallel parking in SF. Wish the right side mirror tilted down when in reverse like most BMW's for the past 10 plus years. Very helpful as I have not curbed the 330cic in ten years and the 650i in four years. True that the BMW's are more or less garage queens compared to the CM, but it's zero curb rash over 90k miles on the BMW's vs. two hits in 15k miles on the CM.

 

I picked up my CMS car yesterday. I brought up the wheel issue again with the MA and the manager. They both stuck with the same story, no tunnel spokes have been able to be ordered on Countryman 2013. The last tunnel spokes they saw were on the ChiliRed Editions they got in late October. I showed them the online configurator that we mortals are looking at and they seemed genuinely surprised to see that tunnel spoke option for $100 as they haven't been able to order them through their system. What is also curious is that if the website has not been updated, the tunnel spokes would be there as a Standard choice and not a $100 option. The manager thanked me for bringing this to his attention and said he would tell his Regional manager about the discrepancy. I really like the people at this dealership and feel they were telling the truth as they know it. I asked again if there was any way they could switch my wheels, but that was not an option. The black wheels looks great. I am very happy with it. Maybe I should have asked for some thing else