Greetings to another loaded question!

Given the numerous dealers in Chicago I have a few questions for those in the know.

1. Which is the best overall dealer?

2. Which is the most knowledgeable dealer for new purchase?

3. Which has the best service?

4. You should definately avoid............(fill in the blank)

5. Which is the best dealer to go to if your car has been modified?

Thanks for you help,
Force

 

patrick

 

i concur

 

Well, I haven't checked out other dealers, but I'll give a holler for Patrick as well, they've been treating me well; as they have my Dad (he has a bmw, my "ma" is actually his bmw guy.)

 

they're all about the same.

go to the one closest to you.


although I will have to give the nod to Patrick simply because when I was looking for the MINI slippers as a bday present a few months ago, they were the only parts dept. that had them in stock

 

when i ordered a year ago, Knauz was the only dealer with every model available to test drive. MA was great, delivery on schedule, everything was smooth. 10.5 months with mcs and i've had no problems so reason to revisit--can't comment on service yet.

 

I have had service at both Patrick and Bill Jacobs, and I would have to say Bill Jacobs has the best. If for nothing else because they offer Saturday hours.

 

Patrick gets my vote. See Kevin M. He has sold me 2 Mini's in two years and if he is still around I will be looking to him when I order my 3rd, 4th, 5th......

T Monk

 

seems like they all do:

Patrick Hours
Service:
Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday Closed

Bill Jacobs Hours
Service:
Monday - Thursday, Saturday 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday Closed

Knauz Hours
Service:
Monday - Thursday 7:30 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday Closed

 

Excellent! Last I knew Patrick didn't, but that has been quite a while ago. I am glad to see they are all recognizing the fact that not all of us can drop work to come visit the dealer. Good job guys!

 

I recommend Patrick.

 

Thanks everyone. It seems Patrick had the most thumbs up!

I will pay them a visit.

Force

 

Honestly you can't go wrong with any of the dealers in the Chicago area.

 

I like Patrick..good service, usually pretty fast.

My only question, how come there isn't a dealer in the city!

 

I bought mine at Knauz, and had my 10k service there also. I am not excited by them. They did not have anyone to explain what was done to my car, V.3x software etc.

Also when I bought the car I did not realize untill I was on the highway that the steering wheel was misaligned, and they had closed, and I had 350 miles to drive home, and did not honor fixing it at my 10k service a year later.

So I may try Patrick at my 25k service. Why 350 miles for service? Chicago is more fun than Detroit! Actually the closest dealer is in Wisconsin across Lake Michigan.

 

We just ordered out Mini about 2 weeks ago from Partick. So far, so good. We liked them!

-Chris

 

Kevin @ Patrick I'm going back to him for my second MINI in a couple of years.

And their MINI service dept (Adam, et al.) is great as well! Check out this thread and in particular this post.

Totally agree.... both Kevin and Adam are really great.

 

bought my MCS in chicago then moved to FL, nobody has touched the service I had at Kanuz, a place in ATL came close, maybe. can't wait to get back home

 

shucks, called Patrick yesterday to setup a performance
alignment appointment for my G35C (has aftermarket sus components)
and they said they no longer do non-MINI/BMW cars.


booo~!

oh well...

 

I've only had experience with Patrick and they have been outstanding...

John my MA and Adam in service have gone out of their way to make me feel even better about my purchase and make right even the smallest problem.

I owned an Audi before and Patrick puts their customer service to shame.

 

I love my '05 MCS, but regret I bought it from Knauz.

I arranged the purchase entirely via email with sales manager Erik Lee.
(His price was higher than all others for my spec -- when I asked him to break down the prices, he told me the price of the MFSW had come down, and gave me the same MSRP price the other dealers offered. Sure, MSRP prices vary day-by-day )
I took public transportation from Madison, WI to Chicago to pick it up in Oct 2004. The salesman delivering for Erik couldn't show me how SatNav or cruise control worked, and didn't know where the towing hook is stored.
NAM has provided more technical support than dealer. Too bad NAM can't score my commission.


I previously asked Erik Lee several times for all the programmable memory options, and got repeated assurances that an inventory of the options and programming would be done at delivery.
If I hadn’t hammered for it, programming wouldn’t have happened at all.
And, after waiting 30min for attention from their “too busy” service department, I was supposed to consider it going out of their way to program my MCS or inflate my tires equally.
When Service did show up, the mechanic tried to tell me that my chosen options were already programmed without plugging in anything to check.

In response to these complaints, Erik Lee mailed me a towing hook, rather than simply telling me where mine was stored.
Beyond a 2nd towing hook and refusal to admit my delivery was poor customer service, Knauz and MiniUSA has ignored these emailed and snail-mailed complaints about delivery.

Patrick services my MCS.

I wouldn't give Knauz my current mailing address, much less a recommendation.

 

Hey guys i see you praise Patrick MINI and the service dept. how are they on warranty and honoring it with parts like EBC greenstuff pads, intake, exhaust, swaybar (all the common stuff to make the mini even more fun)

P.S. I have an '05 that i did not buy from them but they are closest dealer to Crystal Lake.

 

snappy- they have the right to refuse warranty work if the mod you put on
has any relation to the factory component breaking. for instance, don't
expect rotor coverage if you use greenstuff... or struts blowing if you
have lowering springs... or bearings failing if you have aftermarket
wheels/tires. if they are willing to work with you, great! but don't
expect them to.

 

Thanks, common sense goes a long ways I think though I will go ahead and do the intake and pads. Your right they shouldn't honor that kind of thing.

 

in any case, just talk to Adam and see what he is willing to do as far as working with you.