R50/53 Your honest opinion about the reliability of the Mini and Mini Service...
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4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 372
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Your honest opinion about the reliability of the Mini and Mini Service...
I got a 2002 MC this April (just hit 60,000 KM) and I've been having electrical problems. Instrument cluster went wacky. Signal lights won't turn on (inside only) locks are unlocking after I lock them. I had to leave my car unlocked because I had to catch a bus to work. I took it to the dealer and get this... first time I went in they replaced the instrument cluster. 2 months later same problems where happening. For some strange reason, they decide to replace the instrument cluster again, after that they found out that it wasn't responding to the body module, so they replaced that too. That didn't work either so they went through the wiring and they are saying it's because of my after market audio system (professionally installed) and water corrosion and they want to charge me for labour about 17 to 20 hours. 
My Mini has been out of my possession for more than a week. Going to get it back today and access the damage to the wallet. But I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach I'm going to get jacked.
I was wondering if anyone had similar experiences with there Mini.
Do you find this car unreliable? Expensive to repair? Shady Mini dealer?
Most of my friends are telling me to sell this car because euro cars just ain't reliable and potentially a money pit.
But this car is so hard to let go. It's my first car and damn it's so much fun to drive. I had plans for further modifications but if I end up spending more money on repairs than anything else then I'm not sure if it's worth keeping...
:impatient I don't know what to do!!!!!
UPDATE!
My Mini has been out of my possession for more than a week. Going to get it back today and access the damage to the wallet. But I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach I'm going to get jacked.
I was wondering if anyone had similar experiences with there Mini.
Do you find this car unreliable? Expensive to repair? Shady Mini dealer?
Most of my friends are telling me to sell this car because euro cars just ain't reliable and potentially a money pit.
But this car is so hard to let go. It's my first car and damn it's so much fun to drive. I had plans for further modifications but if I end up spending more money on repairs than anything else then I'm not sure if it's worth keeping...:impatient I don't know what to do!!!!!
UPDATE!
Originally Posted by Ranzo
(Name(s) have been changed for the respect of the individuals involved.)
Thursday September 16th 2005
Called Mini Crowfoot and spoke to Service Representative (Melanie) and let them know I was experiencing the same problems from last visit (July 27th, 2005) Engine light was on; signal lights will not turn on in instrument cluster and door locks where unlocking automatically when locking the door. Melanie asked me if I thought if it was the instrument cluster acting up again and I disagreed. I believed it was a wiring issue. I dropped of the car later that evening.
Friday September 17th 2005
Melanie called and let me know that they have ordered a new instrument cluster and will be installing it on Monday when the part comes in from Germany. I found this puzzling because this is what they did last time and it did not fix the problem.
Monday September 19th 2005
Called Melanie to see if my car was ready for pick up, she said the technicians needed another day because the part came in late afternoon and was not able to work on the car.
Tuesday September 20th 2005
Called Melanie to find out if my car was ready for pick up, I was not able to get a hold of her. I Spoke to a gentleman from the services department and said they were working on my car and didn’t see any reason why the car will not be ready for pick up. He said he will get Melanie to call me back. Waited till 5:00pm and she didn’t call so I assumed it was ready and I called my friend to give me a ride to Mini Crowfoot. When I got there Melanie told me the car was not ready because they found a problem with the module. She told me she tried calling me at work and on my cell phone but I didn’t pick up. Cell phone history did not indicate any calls from Mini Crowfoot. She said the car should be ready by tomorrow and if not she will give me a courtesy car.
Wednesday September 21st 2005
Got into work next morning and did find a message from Melanie on my voice mail left after business hours (5:13pm)
Called Melanie and she told me the problem was not from the module either. The technicians are now going through all the wiring to figure out the problem. She offered me a free taxi ride up to Mini Crowfoot to give me a courtesy car. They gave me a 530.
Thursday September 22nd, 2005
Melanie called and she had some bad news for me. Technicians found the root of the problem was from the after market stereo system and water corrosion from an unknown source and my car is in the process of repair. She said unfortunately she will have to charge me approximately 17 hours of labor but she will try to work something out with her manager. She asked me to come in so she can show me pictures and give me a more in depth explanation. She also needed the courtesy car back because they sold it the previous evening. I came in and traded the 530 for a 320. Melanie didn’t show me any pictures or gave me any explanation. She said she will talk to me tomorrow about it. Up to this point in time I still did not get a cost estimate.
Friday September 23rd 2005
Melanie called and she told me she had some more bad news. She couldn’t work anything out with her manager and they will have to charge me the full price. The total came to $2,538.69. I was totally shocked. At this point I was speechless. She said she needed the 320 back because they had it booked for a rental on Monday and if I need more time to get the money I can leave my car in they’re underground parking facility. She said when I come in today to drop off the courtesy car she will show me pictures and break down the cost for me. So I got my friend to come with me again to drop off the 320 and to provide a ride home for me. When we arrived Melanie already left for the evening. I was very disappointed. I spoke to the sales manager and he said I can keep the 320 for the weekend. Another useless trip to Mini Crowfoot again.
What are you thoughts on this situation?
Thursday September 16th 2005
Called Mini Crowfoot and spoke to Service Representative (Melanie) and let them know I was experiencing the same problems from last visit (July 27th, 2005) Engine light was on; signal lights will not turn on in instrument cluster and door locks where unlocking automatically when locking the door. Melanie asked me if I thought if it was the instrument cluster acting up again and I disagreed. I believed it was a wiring issue. I dropped of the car later that evening.
Friday September 17th 2005
Melanie called and let me know that they have ordered a new instrument cluster and will be installing it on Monday when the part comes in from Germany. I found this puzzling because this is what they did last time and it did not fix the problem.
Monday September 19th 2005
Called Melanie to see if my car was ready for pick up, she said the technicians needed another day because the part came in late afternoon and was not able to work on the car.
Tuesday September 20th 2005
Called Melanie to find out if my car was ready for pick up, I was not able to get a hold of her. I Spoke to a gentleman from the services department and said they were working on my car and didn’t see any reason why the car will not be ready for pick up. He said he will get Melanie to call me back. Waited till 5:00pm and she didn’t call so I assumed it was ready and I called my friend to give me a ride to Mini Crowfoot. When I got there Melanie told me the car was not ready because they found a problem with the module. She told me she tried calling me at work and on my cell phone but I didn’t pick up. Cell phone history did not indicate any calls from Mini Crowfoot. She said the car should be ready by tomorrow and if not she will give me a courtesy car.
Wednesday September 21st 2005
Got into work next morning and did find a message from Melanie on my voice mail left after business hours (5:13pm)
Called Melanie and she told me the problem was not from the module either. The technicians are now going through all the wiring to figure out the problem. She offered me a free taxi ride up to Mini Crowfoot to give me a courtesy car. They gave me a 530.
Thursday September 22nd, 2005
Melanie called and she had some bad news for me. Technicians found the root of the problem was from the after market stereo system and water corrosion from an unknown source and my car is in the process of repair. She said unfortunately she will have to charge me approximately 17 hours of labor but she will try to work something out with her manager. She asked me to come in so she can show me pictures and give me a more in depth explanation. She also needed the courtesy car back because they sold it the previous evening. I came in and traded the 530 for a 320. Melanie didn’t show me any pictures or gave me any explanation. She said she will talk to me tomorrow about it. Up to this point in time I still did not get a cost estimate.
Friday September 23rd 2005
Melanie called and she told me she had some more bad news. She couldn’t work anything out with her manager and they will have to charge me the full price. The total came to $2,538.69. I was totally shocked. At this point I was speechless. She said she needed the 320 back because they had it booked for a rental on Monday and if I need more time to get the money I can leave my car in they’re underground parking facility. She said when I come in today to drop off the courtesy car she will show me pictures and break down the cost for me. So I got my friend to come with me again to drop off the 320 and to provide a ride home for me. When we arrived Melanie already left for the evening. I was very disappointed. I spoke to the sales manager and he said I can keep the 320 for the weekend. Another useless trip to Mini Crowfoot again.
What are you thoughts on this situation?
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,293
Likes: 2
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Without knowing the car's prior history, this will be a tough one to win. If the "professional install" damaged any wire insulation or connections you may very well be in for an expensive repair. And if this in fact is the problem, why should the dealership or MINIUSA pay for what was someone else's screwup? We modders do assume some risk with every non-factory addition to our machines.
5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 661
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the 2002s are the first year the car was put out by BMW(i would NEVER buy a first year car run). so you are asking for potential troubles with it. i have a 2005 and it has been pretty reliable. since i have had it i have
-had a window go off track
-oil leak in oil pan (to be fix next week at the dealer)
-had both tie rods replaced at 25000 (replaced last week at the dealer)
-the dome light button just popped off and snaped
-belt tentioner needed to be tightend
my 2004 MCS
-had complete transmission replaced at 2000 miles
and thats a 2005, and 2004, i cant imagine what could go wrong in a 2002. did you ask why the previous own sold the car??? these cars usually dont have major problems (that will leave you stranded) but you might be in for some very annoying little issues. i say sell it ASAP (very good resale), save your money at the dealer by not paying for repairs, and use the money and the profit from selling to get a much much more reliable 2006.
-had a window go off track
-oil leak in oil pan (to be fix next week at the dealer)
-had both tie rods replaced at 25000 (replaced last week at the dealer)
-the dome light button just popped off and snaped
-belt tentioner needed to be tightend
my 2004 MCS
-had complete transmission replaced at 2000 miles
and thats a 2005, and 2004, i cant imagine what could go wrong in a 2002. did you ask why the previous own sold the car??? these cars usually dont have major problems (that will leave you stranded) but you might be in for some very annoying little issues. i say sell it ASAP (very good resale), save your money at the dealer by not paying for repairs, and use the money and the profit from selling to get a much much more reliable 2006.
That's a tough nut. The electronics in cars these days are so pervasive and intertwined, any modification to the wiring can get you in deep, quickly. It all depends on WHAT part of the audio they hooked into. It's not like the good old days when you got power, ground and ran wire to speakers. If the audio tapped into the (I/K bus), it indeed could have caused problems.
A possible solution is removing what was added and seeing if the problem persists. But the reference to water corrosion is a bit scary. What water, and what did it corrode? At the interface of the connections?
I haven't had any electrical issues, though they are reported from time to time.
Good luck!
A possible solution is removing what was added and seeing if the problem persists. But the reference to water corrosion is a bit scary. What water, and what did it corrode? At the interface of the connections?
I haven't had any electrical issues, though they are reported from time to time.
Good luck!
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,526
Likes: 1
Originally Posted by Ranzo
Dealership called. Told me it's going to cost me $2,538.69 CAD. Does this sound outragous?!?!
I guess I won't be getting my car back... ever.
How long after the stereo install before the problem occured?
Good luck and yes, they are trying to shaft you bigtime.
5th Gear
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 661
Likes: 0
are you sure it was not ever in a FLOOD. that would count for the electrical water damage. i hope you CARFAXed the car before you bought it. if not im sorry but you deserve it.
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4th Gear
Joined: Aug 2005
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YES! I did CARFAX it. No major problems reported. The aftermarket stereo came with the car when I bought it. I hope I can negotiate the price under $1,000. If not, I'm screwed and I have to find a way to sell her and take a loss. They didn't even give me a qoute or nothing! If I new it was going to be that much I would have just left it for now. I guess I'm screwed.
I appreciate everyones input.
I appreciate everyones input.
OVERDRIVE
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,365
Likes: 2
From: Yinzer in Exile
Do you find this car unreliable?
Expensive to repair?
Shady Mini dealer?
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 607
Likes: 1
From: South of Silicon Valley
Originally Posted by flav
the 2002s are the first year the car was put out by BMW(i would NEVER buy a first year car run). so you are asking for potential troubles with it. i have a 2005 and it has been pretty reliable. since i have had it i have
-had a window go off track
-oil leak in oil pan (to be fix next week at the dealer)
-had both tie rods replaced at 25000 (replaced last week at the dealer)
-the dome light button just popped off and snaped
-belt tentioner needed to be tightend
my 2004 MCS
-had complete transmission replaced at 2000 miles
and thats a 2005, and 2004, i cant imagine what could go wrong in a 2002. did you ask why the previous own sold the car??? these cars usually dont have major problems (that will leave you stranded) but you might be in for some very annoying little issues. i say sell it ASAP (very good resale), save your money at the dealer by not paying for repairs, and use the money and the profit from selling to get a much much more reliable 2006.
-had a window go off track
-oil leak in oil pan (to be fix next week at the dealer)
-had both tie rods replaced at 25000 (replaced last week at the dealer)
-the dome light button just popped off and snaped
-belt tentioner needed to be tightend
my 2004 MCS
-had complete transmission replaced at 2000 miles
and thats a 2005, and 2004, i cant imagine what could go wrong in a 2002. did you ask why the previous own sold the car??? these cars usually dont have major problems (that will leave you stranded) but you might be in for some very annoying little issues. i say sell it ASAP (very good resale), save your money at the dealer by not paying for repairs, and use the money and the profit from selling to get a much much more reliable 2006.
And, at 93k miles, I've been out of warranty for quite some time.
I have found that the MINI dealership is very expen$ive.
Fortunately more and more mechanics are becoming familiar with the car and you don't have to bring it to MINI for general repairs.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 15,382
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I have a long list of things that have been fixed by my dealer.
Not going to get into that list now. But my dealer, well the tech. has always been great.
The car has never failed me, even at -50.
I now have 56K miles in 26 months, and my MC is as strong, or stronger now, as when it was new.
This will be my 3rd Manitoba, as in artic like winter, with my MC. I think I'm done doing the real winter tests for MINI, and plan on motoring a long in my MC
Not going to get into that list now. But my dealer, well the tech. has always been great.
The car has never failed me, even at -50.
I now have 56K miles in 26 months, and my MC is as strong, or stronger now, as when it was new.
This will be my 3rd Manitoba, as in artic like winter, with my MC. I think I'm done doing the real winter tests for MINI, and plan on motoring a long in my MC
6th Gear
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,099
Likes: 0
From: Just around the corner from the Dragon :~)
Originally Posted by flav
i have a 2005 and it has been pretty reliable. since i have had it i have
-had a window go off track
-oil leak in oil pan (to be fix next week at the dealer)
-had both tie rods replaced at 25000 (replaced last week at the dealer)
-the dome light button just popped off and snaped
-belt tentioner needed to be tightend
-had a window go off track
-oil leak in oil pan (to be fix next week at the dealer)
-had both tie rods replaced at 25000 (replaced last week at the dealer)
-the dome light button just popped off and snaped
-belt tentioner needed to be tightend
My 02 is a July build so it's not one of the first, but still an 02 and I haven't had anything major go wrong. I just rolled over 75,000 miles yesterday and it has a few go fast mods.
I've had:
coolant tank seep
inner rear brake pads excessive wear - calipers replaced
hatch rattle (that everyone had)
airbag light x 3 (last repair was 20,000 miles ago).
POS windshield - went PPG 61,000 miles ago
Nothing out of pocket beyond oil filters and cabin filter for the last 2 services I did. No repairs required, no break downs, no check engine light, no airbag, no nothing, just great times tearing up the roads here in Western NC. Not all 02's are junk buckets, we've got a fellow club member with 105,000+ on his 02 and he's loving it!
BTW, my wife's 05 is running fantastic no issues, except the 4 second stumble when first started
After 4 years you'd think they could fix that in the software.
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
#1. RELIABILITY - I too have an 02 Mini Cooper L. The L stands for Lemon. I love to drive it, but it has been a lot of trouble. It was an early 02 (launch edition) and has gone through a transmission, clutch, a fan, many seat repairs, and something was done to the engine before I would take it home because it clicked (I think it was the pistons or something, I forget). All but the clutch were covered by warranty. Currently one of the parking lights keeps going in and out.
#2. NW MINI DEALERSHIP - VERY SHADY. My car had 35,000 miles on it and had no clutch problems whatsoever. I do drive agressively, but I am not new to stickshifts. I was having my new wheels/rims put on and it randomly started slipping out completely making it undriveable. The dealer said it was probably the tranny and would be covered by warranty so it was towed in. 3 days later they told me that the tranny was actually replaced before I bought it (at 25,000 miles) and that it was the clutch and that it was "normal wear and tear" not covered by warranty. At 35,000 miles? You have to be kidding me. They werent kidding and it cost $1400 (#3. EXPENSIVE - $1400 for a clutch?) Then my cooling fan went out and it had to be towed back, this was covered, but somehow in tow/repair a nickel size gouge was scraped out of my brand new rim that I had only driven 20 miles on. I love driving my MINI but I will never buy another 1st year production. I think I have a lemon and the dealer just wants to sell me a new one. Too bad I cant afford it after the $ spent on upgrades and repairs!
#2. NW MINI DEALERSHIP - VERY SHADY. My car had 35,000 miles on it and had no clutch problems whatsoever. I do drive agressively, but I am not new to stickshifts. I was having my new wheels/rims put on and it randomly started slipping out completely making it undriveable. The dealer said it was probably the tranny and would be covered by warranty so it was towed in. 3 days later they told me that the tranny was actually replaced before I bought it (at 25,000 miles) and that it was the clutch and that it was "normal wear and tear" not covered by warranty. At 35,000 miles? You have to be kidding me. They werent kidding and it cost $1400 (#3. EXPENSIVE - $1400 for a clutch?) Then my cooling fan went out and it had to be towed back, this was covered, but somehow in tow/repair a nickel size gouge was scraped out of my brand new rim that I had only driven 20 miles on. I love driving my MINI but I will never buy another 1st year production. I think I have a lemon and the dealer just wants to sell me a new one. Too bad I cant afford it after the $ spent on upgrades and repairs!
Banned
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,756
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Well, because the car is an import. See in this country is very difficult to import a car less than 25 years old without hassles and added costs. Although Canadian spec cars are very similar to US spec vehicles, your car appears to be a "hot" Canadian import. It would be interesting to find out how that car made it to the other side of the 49th parallel with a clean title.
The point I am trying to make that maybe for Americans it would be cheaper to buy a new MINI in Canada and bring it over. In Canada they get Xenons, ASC+T standard. Also the heated windshield option is available upthere (It has never been offered in the US) and you can also get an Electric Blue Cooper, also unavailable in the US.
Next time you go to Vancouver, BC go to a MINI dealer (Like MINI of Richmond) and ask and see how can you purchase a new MINI for export to the US.
Report back.
The point I am trying to make that maybe for Americans it would be cheaper to buy a new MINI in Canada and bring it over. In Canada they get Xenons, ASC+T standard. Also the heated windshield option is available upthere (It has never been offered in the US) and you can also get an Electric Blue Cooper, also unavailable in the US.
Next time you go to Vancouver, BC go to a MINI dealer (Like MINI of Richmond) and ask and see how can you purchase a new MINI for export to the US.
Report back.
Originally Posted by jeffroestobar
I bought it used from a Chevy dealer in a small town in Washington for $17k in early 2003. They knew nothing about the car so I convinced them it was totally bare bones. Why do you ask?
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[size=4]VEHICLE IMPORTATION GUIDELINES
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National Owner Relations Dept.
26001 Lawrence Avenue
Center Line, MI 48015-1231USA: 1-800-992-1997
Customer Center
CANADA: 1-800-465-2001Ferrari North America
Mr. MasoniUSA: (201) 816-2684
CANADA: (201) 816-2684Fiat Auto R & D USA
39300 Country Club Drive
Farmington Hill, MI 48331USA: (248) 488-5600
FAX: (248) 488-5820
CANADA: (810) 488-5600Ford-Ford Motor Company
P. O. Box 43360
Detroit, MI 48242USA: 1-800-392-3673
Lincoln:
USA: 1-800-521-4140Ford-Ford Motor Company Canada
The Canadian Road
P. O. Box 2000
Oakville, Ontario
Canada L6J 5E4CANADA: 1-800-565-3673General Motors
Environmental Activities Staff
Room 12-204
3044 West Grand Boulevard
Detroit, MI 48202USA: (905) 644-5843
FAX: (905) 644-5436General Motors of Canada Limited
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
Canada L1H 8P7CANADA: (888) 467-6853
FAX: (905) 644-5436Harley Davidson
Milwaukee, WIUSA: (414) 343-4056
CANADA: (414) 343-4056Honda-American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
1919 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance, CA 90501-2746USA: (310) 783-3260 1-800-999-1009
CANADA: (310) 783-2000 1-800-999-1009
(Ask for Consumer Affairs)Hyundai Motor America
10555 Talbert Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92728USA: 1-800-633-5151Hyundai Auto Canada
Markham, Ontario
Canada L3R 6H2CANADA: (905) 477-0202
(Ask for Customer Service)Infiniti (Division of Nissan Motor Corp) P. O. Box 47038 Gardena, CA 90247-6838USA: 1-800-662-6200
CANADA: (310) 532-3111IsuzuUSA: 1-800-255-6727
CANADA: 1-800-255-6727Jaguar-Jaguar Cars, Inc.
555 MacArthur Boulevard
Mahwah, NJ 07430-2327USA: (201) 818-8171Jaguar Canada Inc.
#8 Indell Lane
Bramalea, Ontario L6T 4H3CanadaCANADA: (905) 792-9400
Debbie Price Ex. 242Kawasaki Motors Corp
9950 Jeronimo Road
Irvine, CA 92718-2016USA: (714) 770-0400
CANADA: (714) 770-0400Lamborghini
27 Jayson Avenue
Great Neck, NY 11021USA: (516) 829-8694
CANADA: (516) 829-8694
Michael J. GrossmanLand Rover or MGB Motor Cars
4390 Parliament Place
P. O. Box 1503
Lanham, MD 20706USA: (301) 731-9040
(Ask for Scott Schmidt)Manager, Regulatory Affairs CANADA: (301) 731-9040Lexus
One Toyota Place
Scarborough, Ontario
Canada M1H 1H9CANADA: (416) 438-6535
FAX: (416) 438-6136Mazda North American Operations
Attn: International Imports/Exports
7755 Irvine Center Drive
Irvine, CA 92618-2922USA: (949) 727-1990 extension 1114
FAX: (949) 727-6703 E-MAIL: intl.imports.exports@mazdausa.com
CANADA: (949) 727-1990Mercedes-Benz of North America
1 Mercedes Drive
Montvale, NJ 07645USA: (201) 573-2632Mercedes-Benz Canada
849 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4G 2L5CANADA: (416) 425-3550
FAX: (416) 423-5027Mitsubishi Motors of America
6400 Kalella Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630USA: (714) 372-6000
CANADA: (714) 372-6000Nissan Motor Corporation
P. O. Box 191
Gardena, CA 90248-0191USA: (310) 532-3111
CANADA: (310) 532-3111Porsche Cars of North America
100 West Liberty Street
P. O. Box 30911
Reno, NV 89520-3911USA: (702) 348-3000
1-800-545-8039
CANADA: (702) 348-3000SaabUSA: (770) 279-6364
CANADA: (770) 279-6364 Diane RemberSubaru of America, Inc.
Subaru Plaza
P. O. Box 6000
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000USA: 1-800-782-2783
FAX: (609) 488-0485
CANADA: 1-800-782-2783
Patti MickelSuzuki-American Suzuki Motor Corp.
3251 East Imperial Highway
Post Office Box 1100
Brea, CA 92622-1100USA: (714) 996-7040
CANADA: (905) 889-2677 extension: 2278
Bill Collins
FAX: (714) 970-6005Toyota-Toyota Motor Sales, Inc.
19001 South Western Avenue
P. O. Box 2991
Torrance, CA 90509-2991USA: (800) 331-4331
FAX: (310) 468-7814
CANADA: (800) 263-7640Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Customer Relations Department
3800 Hamlin Road
Auburn Hills, MI 48326USA: 1-800-822-8987
CANADA: 1-800-822-8987Volvo Cars of North America, Inc.
Volvo Drive
Rockleigh, NJ 07647USA: (201) 768-7300
FAX: (201) 784-4525Volvo Canada Ltd.
175 Gordon Baker Road
North York, Ontario
Canada M2H 2N7CANADA: 1-800-663-8255
FAX: (416) 493-8754Yamaha Motor Corporation
6555 Katella Avenue
Cypress, CA 90630-5101
Mike SchmittUSA: (714) 761-7710
CANADA: (714) 761-7710
6th Gear
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,315
Likes: 0
From: Austin, TX
I remember in 2003 when there was a 18 month waiting list up here for MINI's that the dealer at Park Place Motors (the Ritzy sportscar dealership with huge markup) told me that people with dual citizanship were buying them in Canada and driving them over and selling them for profit. That is how they got some of their MINI's. They sold them with at least a $5k markup to those who didnt want to wait.
There is one major drawback to the Canadian vehicle. It comes with a different warranty - no routine maintanence is covered. The Chevy dealership told me otherwise and I was pretty suprised when they charged me $500 for my 30,000 mile service.
There is one major drawback to the Canadian vehicle. It comes with a different warranty - no routine maintanence is covered. The Chevy dealership told me otherwise and I was pretty suprised when they charged me $500 for my 30,000 mile service.
