Boned By Everyone!!!



Boned By Baron And Others As Well!


Well, I was giddy as a ferret, but all of that has changed, boy I have been boned all the way around. First on my shipping. I too was originally booked on the Falstaff to leave on the 14th, but I got bumped by another boat the Ingolstadt two days earlier. I thought that this would be great. NO! It arrives yesterday on the 30th two days behind the Ingolstadt that left two days prior. Now once the car finally arrives at Baron I'm told that I cannot pick up the car on Saturday because the tech dept is closed. Then I'm told that I can' have it Monday - Thrusday either. That I can have it 7 days after it arrives on next Friday Aug 5th. However here comes the FUN part IT'S NOT THE CAR I ORDERED!!!!! My car was to be MCS CR/W with RED Door panels and DASH. If you guys have not seen a Mini with body color interior it just knocks your socks off!!!! Mine has a regular color interior. This is my first new car. This car is going to put both me and my wife in the poor house.... I could have got the car off the lot in OK city which is closer and they ALWAYS have at least 35 to 42 Minis on their lot. Baron has only a demo car. BUT NOOOO I wanted to special order my car so that it would be just the way we both wanted. Now I can either accept a car that I did not orderand I would save a whopping $250!!! WOOO HOOO Pays for NOTHING!!!! Don't waan bankrupt the company there Mister Big spender!!! or the sales manager said he could order me a new one and it would be here in about two months. Gee lets see 4 months plus 2 hmmmmmmm that's six months!!! Plus knowing my cursed luck it would be twice as long as that I have no faith in any of these people. I am also told that some of my floor mats are not in yet because they are having a hard time with the "S" logo on it.. GIVE ME A BREAK! WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!?!?!? Then futher more I'm told that I'll have to WAIT another three months for the Dinan parts to come in!!!!! THIS IS INSANE!!! I can and will not recommend Baron Mini to anyone! I guess others are having good luck with them, but I'm being messed around with at every turn and I'm sick of it. *SIGH*

 

Hmm - if everything else about the car is right with the exception of the interior bits, I'd work a deal with the deal to install the red door panels and dash, either from a car in stock or new MINI parts, whichever works best for all involved.

Not to try and defend a dealer I know nothing about, but I don't think they have any influence on the shipping, and you can't deliver a car - any car - without a full checkout. That's just life, not the dealer.

Either way, sorry to hear about your troubles - it sucks when a plan doesn't come together, but I'm sure that with some patience and polite negotiation, you can get it worked out. Good luck, and let us know how it works out!!

 

Nope, sorry to say but the sales manager already told me that the parts can not be added on. It's either as is or another "two" months... Those were the options that I was given. With my luck the two months would quickly turn into another four...

 

Then I'd take it up with the GM (general manager, not General Motors!) and MINI USA - those parts CAN be and should be changed out. Even if the sales manager has an over inflated sense of self worth, he's just another flunky in the totem pole - he can EASILY be overridden. Of course, a lot of the negotiating power you have depends on if your MA hosed up the order, or what - if you can prove that what they're selling you isn't what you ordered, well, then need to make it right. . .keep after 'em, damn the torpedoes, stay the course, etc. . .

 

Give Julie at Classic MINI a call and save the hassle of other dealerships!

Sorry you have had such bad luck.

Once you get your MINI, you will be so happy that you will forget all about this nonsense!

If you are really mad and want to settle the score, many states have a law which allows you to return a car after 3 days and get your money back. Take delivery of the car and then drive the maximum number of miles allowed by law and then give it back to them. It will make it much harder for them to sell a "new" car with a couple hundred miles on it.

Check your state laws first though!

 

Um, its not really that hard to change them out...... That is stupid, the dealer just doesnt want to loose any profit. If it is MINIUSA's fault, there would be no problem, but if the car was ordered wrong by the dealer, it is their problem. Do you have a copy of the spec sheet that the dealer used to order your car? Perhaps there was a mistake on the dealers part.

 

I had this happen to me with a BMW (a long time ago) and because I had to wait so long after it was ordered I accepted it. One nice thing was that after I ordered the car and made a down payment the dealer gave loaned me the same model car to drive (but with an automatic and in a different color).

If your dealer made the mistake and the car that arrived is not the one you ordered then I think they should give you a loaner MINI until the one you want arrives. From other recent posts on NAM it seems as though inventory has been building up at MINI dealers. Perhaps customers have better bargaining power now. Make a fuss. Don't give in (easy for me to say). Good luck.

 

I say get the car you REALLY want. If doing the above things don't work, like getting MINI USA involved, then it would be better to wait until you could find one at another dealer that has all the options you want or order from another dealer. Notice, I keep saying "another" dealer. If you've already waited four months you must have a vehicle to use until your MINI gets here and it would be better to not think every time you got in your car that, "this is not what I wanted."

Good luck. The car is AWESOME and it'll be worth the wait.

 

It's good that you guys understand my plight. I will be on the phone early in the A.M and I'll be after my loaner car until "MINE" comes in...

 

I'd talk to Baron again. The sales manager MUST be mistaken on thier "inability" to replace the dash color. I mean, they sell and install the JCW dash for christ's sake! The proof is even evident on their '04 demo MCS! Bring this up with them. If they give you any sh*t about not being able to get the part, just order it from Classic MINI, then make Baron instal it for free in adition to the $250 refund for your trouble.

This is completely unlike Baron. I'm suprised and appauled to hear about them trying to shaft you like this. My MCS is on order through them, so this issue concerns me. Keep us posted on the outcome. Good luck.

-Bryan

 

Buddy, I think it's just YOU. My experience with Baron has been nothing short of spectacular...and I was able to pick up my MCS the day after it arrived. Personally, I think there's something else going on here, and it has nothing to do with Baron Mini.

 

Why does it have to be him? Just because your experience was good you assume everyone's is? I've had good and horrific experiences at the same dealer (not Baron).

Bad S... that sucks, but unfortunately s**t happens. And it happens to everyone equally. This was just your turn. Make the dealership fix it and if they won't, go elsewhere. But make sure you let them know that you're willing to do that. If an area has only one dealership, they may take for granted that you're always going to deal with them. Educate them.

 

Sad is word..

 

After a couple of phone calls today it was finally hashed out and it was made all better. I will leave out some of the grisley details to make it short, but Baron and the staff came though after all 100%. A few words of advice though folks. You have a voice, don't be afraid to use it. I could have just meekly said "okay" and then I would have either had another 2 months to wait or have gotten a car that I would have never been satisfied with. In short Baron and the very helpful staff there did come through and the parts were ordered today and they will already be on the Mini once I go this Saturday to pick it up!!! All is well in Miniville!!

P.S Customer service lives on! Thank you guys for your support!

 

Congrats on the success (if troubled) story! Good to stick to your guns - why special order a car if you don't get what you ordered??

 

Nice to hear that they are taking care of you. Will be looking forward to hearing your delivery story and seeing some pics

 

Great to hear!

Out of curiosity, who is your MA?

 

 

I'll be glad to tell you because he totally kicks butt! His name is Gabe and he really did care about my problem and he got it fixed ASAP!

 

Good job Gabe

 

Not surprised... I bought my car from Baron and Gabe was very nice and a straight shooter. He's not just a SA, he's a real MINI enthusiast (as well as a F1 enthusiast, which always says a lot in my book )