BMW/MINI were first to offer iPod integration (at a reasonable price) and now its priced as an expensive aftersale add-on that ignores the impact the iPod has had on how people listen to their music. It is absurd that so much labor at the dealer is required to do it as an add-on.

The only sensible thing is to make it a factory option and be done with it. People shouldn't be distracted with diddling their iPods while driving - make it easy for the 70% that own iPods and leave the AUX port for the rest.

I'm sure the MAs trying to help jmelrose would have to agree here. Have them screaming and yelling through their channels to get this off their plates so they can concentrate on selling cars!

This should be a built-in feature by now!


Repeat after me: BUILD IT IN! - BUILD IT IN! - BUILD IT IN!

 

Seems MINI is throwing their dealers some bones. The install charges for the ipod adapter, cd changer and even mud flaps are outrageous for the work that actually has to be done. Seems that reliable installers charge about 1/3 what the MINI dealers do.

 

Well, considering the number of hours they have had to spend on MY iPod install, at $575, and around $300 for the hardward alone, they're going to end up paying the installer about $10/hour on this.

If they don't have it back to it's original state by next Friday, I can reject it under FL lemon law... and I'm considering it at this point. Time will tell on this I guess...

 

Got my car back today and they fixed the voice recognition!

 

Great... glad to know *I'm* the lucky one.

(I'd post more of these: but I'm guessing the point is made.)

I gotta keep my sense of humor, right?

 

Car still sits at the dealership. Nothing more to do but wait for this part. Boy I hope it fixes it.

I have been in touch with MiniUSA's sales manager, and he has been helpful, at least insofar as he has asked how things are going and hasn't sounded too annoyed that I contacted him about this. I just wish there was some way to get this sped up so I can get back in my car!

I did mention that there was no way I'd get the Sirius until I was definitively assured this situation couldn't happen again. If they can't give that assurance, then that's one sale they've lost for sure.

So now I'm thinking they are going to send me the CCC with the defective voice recognition software... I just know that when this part is in, it won't be over. I'm not that lucky.

 

I've been told that my MINI should be ready sometime Monday, day 13 after it went in for a software transplant and scratch repair. Yes, both the sat/nav and the iPod adaptor were available late, starting in March, but it really seems incompetent that MINI would sell these devices and not have in place some means of installing the correct software in the car.

Trying here to emulate the patience and good humor of jmelrose, but it's getting more difficult.

 

I agree. I wonder if these problems are what caused the delays to begin with and them MINI decided to just let the dealers deal with it.

 

Heh. Patience and good humor are typically not my strong points. It's a rough situation, as I'ld love to go into my dealership and rant and rave, but I know that 1: it won't help and 2: it's not their fault. At least, I don't believe it to be, unless someone didn't know what they were doing in the first place and then opted to blame it on the big bad corporation's technology.

However, even if that is the case, I'm sure it is being deeply regretted at this point. I'm sure I've taken up way more time in that service bay than the cost of the install. It was less than $200 for that, plus the hardware. For them at this point, that's hte best case scenario. If it doesn't work, they give the money back and then it's all for naught. I suspect I'll get it comp'ed for my troubles. It has to be embarrassing to the dealership and MiniUSA.

Even my loaner got a "what a great car" compliment today, and all I could do was shake my head and say, "you should see my REAL Mini." He looked confused, and I drove off... it was very bittersweet.

At any rate, i am being pretty blunt with those who are dealing with all this at the dealership and in MINI USA, and I've let them know by email if the car isn't ready in a week, I will have to lemon law it and look for a different car that I will be able to have in time for my drive north on the 25th. Everyone's aware of the time constraint, and that there is plenty of time to meet it or come up with a way to keep my business. It's up to them now what they want to do, I guess. I believe I'll be back in the car by Wednesday, I really do.

I did say in my email to the dealership and the MiniUSA Sales Manager that I wanted this to be the last trip for service issues, and what I don't believe to be a coincidence, I called today to check on the car late in the day (my usual time) and they were replacing the rear bumper protection strip because it had a couple bubbles in it. I noticed and hadn't said anything, as I told my MA I'm picking my battles, but I was glad somebody realized they probably need to have the car perfect when I get it back.

All I can do it wait, but it doesn't mean I can't plan. Right now, I'm planning. I hope plan A works out to be what we can go with. I'll keep updating the blow-by-blow account. I'm not sure who's gotten the bigger black eye at this point though, me or the iPod adapter.

 

I missed something in this lengthy thread: why do you have to have it by the 25th? In the big picture it's obvious that Mini USA didn't have their stuff together regarding the iPod/Nav interface, and should obviously not offered it (the iPod thing). Nobody would have cared at all, especially for what they charge for it. But they did offer it and fell on their face much to good custormers like jmelrose's dismay. If I were them I'd refund his $$, restore his car's Nav system, and throw in about a grand's worth of perks for his trouble and call it a day. They have to make at least 4-5 grand on a 30k car. The MA makes 25% of the profit usually. There's more than enough to go around for a major screwup like this. That's just my 2 cents worth.

 

Regarding my need for it by the 25th:

Specifically, I'm a summer camp director in northern Wisconsin, and, like it or not, the kids are coming! And the staff! and the cooks... you get the idea. I'm in Florida now. I planned my trip up this year to be a wandering road trip up the east coast, then west, to Wisconsin. Booked all the hotels through Priceline or Hotwire, or whatever those sites are that get you great prices but don't try to change anything or you lose the whole sum... starting the night of the 25th.

Also, really, if it takes 3 weeks to sort this out, I'm not sure I'm interested in owning a car that wa so badly broken. The question then becomes what do I do for transportation, and I guess I'm going to hope that we will have all that worked out soon. I emailed Mini USA (the Sales Manager, not customer no-service) and the dealership and they know what I need done and by when. I do believe it'll work out, I just wish it would do so faster so I didn't have to worry about if it'll work out! :impatient

 

I'm confused about something. Does the problem with the I-pod adapter and NAV system cause the car not to run? Typically when software is designed, critical functions are partitioned so that failure in one system doesn't bring the whole system down. Imagine what would happen to a commercial airliner if a sw glitch in the nav system affected the flight control system. Does the failure of the nav and i-pod interface cause the engine to not run? If so that is an extremely poor sw design. If not and the engine and everything else will run fine but just with no nav, and if you otherwise love the car, you might consider taking it on the trip, disabling the nav, use an aux connector for the i-pod, grab a map and go. Tell the dealer to have it straightened out when you get back.

 

The module that doesn't function controls:

SatNav
ALL audio: radio/ipod/aux/CD/sirius (someday maybe)
bluetooth
probably other stuff I'm not aware of.

I was told the upgrade was also upgrading the transmission... I don't know if that system was effected, but I would guess not. They have had to move the car and it seems to be running fine.

But, in short, I'm not taking a car without even a radio, nor over $3000 in options nonfunctioning. Just the way I roll. :-) If I am going to travel all the way to Wisconsin in it, and then have to "live with it" for 11 weeks, it's going to be comfortably. I didn't spend $40K on a car to just "get by." To be honest I usually fly up, but I wanted to take my new car on this trip, which was why I planned it this way.

I also don't believe I should be lowering my expectations at any point in this. I should have reasonable expectations, and I believe I do, and I've communicated them. I think I have reasonable expectations for when this car should be back to me (2 weeks), and if they can't I'll start over again, maybe with a Mini, maybe not, unless they know for a fact that couple extra days will make the difference, but guaranteed the car will be functioning. I doubt they'll be able and/or willing to do that. And, if that's the case, so be it. I know that for the amount they'll be refunding me, I can rent a car for quite a while if I need to wait for another.

I expect my next update to be Tuesday, based on if MiniUSA gets the part in on Monday and overnights it to the dealership for Tuesday delivery and install. I still have a really bad feeling about how this will all turn out, and it is literally costing me sleep. A thought that keeps coming back to me, and others have pointed it out as well: does one really want to start a relationship with his/her car on this kind of note?

On the upside, I bet I get a free keychain out of it.

(Ironically, I ordered an 07 "I have one and you don't" T-shirt, which came in this week. I'll at least enjoy the cruel irony of turning down the shirt not due to fit, but due to it being a lie, should it come to that.)

 

I've followed all your threads here, on mini2.com and I am so sorry for your misfortunes. You're probably tired of all the post with well-meaning but somewhat hollow statements of condolences.

I took delivery of my car four days ago. I love it, but the voice command button doesn't work. Many other people have reported this same problem. I'm SO nervous to even call my dealer about it to get it fixed. I'm almost ready to suck it up and live with it for two months, let some others trailblaze, and then let me cowardly swoop in get get it taken care of.

 

Thanks BludyL. Some people HAVE had luck, I guess I'm just an unfortunate one.

Truth be told, I'm not 100% certain the PROCESS is flawed so much as possibly some service techs aren't as familiar with the process on the R56 as they could be. The service manager suggested, in a roundabout way, that my car may have been hooked up improperly when the work was first done, causing the problem to at least some extent.

I dunno how much stock to put in that, so I'll just leave it at: my car still don't work, I didn't do it, and so long as it gets fixed I'll be happy and fine and sing Mini's praises. I can promise that everyone who knew I was getting a new car, and I work at a school... it's a LOT of people, if it comes to pass that I return the car, well... there's no chance any of them will be interested in getting a Mini. All I did the last 7 months since I ordered was talk about what a great car it will be. For the whole thing to end with me Mini-free will speak volumes.

But, like I keep saying, time will tell, and I am trying to be an optimist.

In the meantime, I'm going to take the loaner out for a drive, and I may swing by the dealership to visit my zombie-ized MCS!

 

I understand, I hope it all works out.

 

I have never seen a profit over $4k on a new MINI - and most MA's dont get 25%! At least I dont!


But, I feel real sorry for JMelrose and all his troubles! Stupid IPOD! I am staying on top of it, and we should have him up and Motoring this week! Talk to you later JMelrose!


LT @ DTMINI

 

If you don't have the ipod, the fix should be easy. I have the same problem and the software download fixed it. Is there really no command to turn off the radio?? There's none listed in the manual and the obvious commands like "radio off" "cancel radio" are greeted by a "say what?" (sort of) response. Also, when I first use the vc button, there is a very long lag before I get a beep. After the first time (after start) it works fine.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you the nicest, hardest working, and most patient MA in the business... Larry.

And, honestly, I'd say that no matter what status the car has... If you're in Florida, he's the guy to go to, no doubts. Glad to see he's keepin' an eye on this thread. He definitely IS staying on top of it.

And now, back to work...

 

Nice endorsement! I don't know how much they make on Minis, but about 15% is typical profit margin for cars at sticker price. When I sold cars my commission was 25% of the dealership profit on that car. Sometimes I had to split that with another salesperson, depending on who delivered the car, took the order, etc.

 

Well, nothing HAPPENED with the car today, but I did get a call from the regional manager that the part was in the hands of Fed Ex and should be delivered tomorrow or Wednesday. It was supposed to be delivered today, and for some reason needs to be "reclassified." I don't get why.

I still have a bad feeling about this part doing what its supposed to do, I don't know why. I think it's that every time I talk with the Service Manager, I never feel very reassured, but that's more a bedside manner issue, I suppose. On the upside, I could be back in my car tomorrow, and that obviously would be great. Colea, did things finally work out for you?

Anyone want to place bets as to whether or not the iPod will actually work once this CCC part is replaced?

 

My computer was sent for "reprogramming". It came back non-functional - i.e. "burnt" or "dead' whatever. So - don't jinx it. All the best - though (but brace for impact).

MMM

(P.S. mine less than 3 months old - is rusting in the dealer's lot. More than 30 days in the service dept. You all know what that means, no? Just... have a backup plan).

 

Wow. I just threw up a little.

 

I bet the new part does not fix the iPod interface with the Nav, but that the Nav will work just as it should from the factory with voice, etc. But for your sake I hope I'm wrong of course.

 

I'm ok with that... there's an Aux in port that has worked great so far. Sadly, I really did want the Sirius and was considering putting THAT in the Aux In if the iPod took.

sigh... it's too bad this has become such drama. I'm getting some great private coaching by a NAM member on the Lemon Law and my options if things don't get fixed, however, so at least I have some ideas at this point on what I can do if the CCC transplant operation isn't a success. In a way, the more I plan for the worst, the more certain I am that the CCC transplant will be a success. Kinda like how carrying an umbrella will keep rain away.