I went to Mini of Mt View, on a scheduled appointment for rear fog enable and DME reset.

$80 to enable the rear fogs (6/10ths of an hour to do it?!?!?),

$140 and hour to do the DME Reset, time billed as needed. But I'm sure it will be at least a half hour.

This really sucks. Letter to MiniUSA to follow.

I told the service manager (Peter Smee) that crap like this is why I only go there when I have to!

If you can't tell, I'm really pissed!

Matt

 

$140 an hour, that is more than our Licensed Civil Engineer, or Surveyor (PE, PS) charges.

 

They can charge anything they like since they have the only machine to do it. No such thing as competition there. I wish some software genius would reverse engineer the computer code and put out something affordable that would give us control of our cars.

Steve

 

Makes me glad I ordered the Rear Fog with the MINI insted of adding later.

 

My dealer wanted $200 to install the iPod interface! The factory install instructions says that it should take 30 minutes to do the install. Folks on the web say that it is an 1 hour install for someone who has never done it before.

This places my dealer's hourly rate at 1 hour = $400.

 

Perhaps call around - when we needed to reprogram we found that East Bay was the least expensive ($75 for the mandatory half hour charge). Still not cheap, but everyone else was markedly more pricey for the service.

 

drive the extra hour round trip. This just sucks. and to hear the BS that I got from the service manager, I asked if they could do both tasks at the same time (it's the same tool that gets plugged in) he gave me some BS line about problems they may find.... Even though the car drove in!
I've never been very happy with the service there, but my only choices are to spend more time and effort. They are the closest to me, by a significant amount.....

One time, Peter tried to tell me that the on board computer that was off by over 30% in milage was within spec! They ought to be slapped silly!

Matt

 

they're up to $140/hr???

 

True, you shouldn't have to. And if BMW/MINI didn't let their dealers get away with anything -any ignorance, bad service, bad treatment, bad advice, random pricing etc - under the guise that they are all independant franchises not under the parent company's control, then you wouldn't have to because the service depts would be equally reliable and educated. But they are not and its a crap shoot for us owners. Took me an hour to get to East Bay (that is w/o traffic), and kills my day to do it. Same for the BMW, which we've taken to Weatherford since, so far, they have taken care of it the best and not actually harmed it in service, which had happened at other dealers.


Best of luck with it all

 

Wife just had to run her '01 Lexus RX300 to the nearest Lexus dealer for a "check engine light" and a couple of other lights on the dash. Her car is WAY out of warranty with ~91K miles. She works in the Arlington, VA area which is about 360 miles from home, and I didn't know any Lexus dealers in her area. She picked the nearest one.


Turned out to be Phoanka Lexus in Chantilly, VA. She called for an appointment and was told they don't make appointments, but their service department was open seven days a week from 5:30am to 11:00pm.


Let me say that again - seven days a week from 5:30am to 11:00pm! Any MINI dealers out ther with those hours? Don't think so. I believe in this case that BMW/MINI could learn something from the Lexus people...


edit: Come to think of it, maybe Lexus(es) break more often than MINIs and they NEED their service departments to be open 17 1/2 hours a day!

 

I called around to find out how much dealers will charge me for installing a JCW intake. SF BMW-MINI charges $155 per hour. The more pleasant response was from Concord MINI's SA who cheerfully told me installation would cost $309. Since SF BMW-MINI told me they won't honor the warranty for the cost of labor for a part installed by another dealer (but they will cover the cost of a part if it is faulty) I decided to ask an independent shop (Bay Bridge Motors) who told me the installation might take up to 30 minutes (at $80 per hour). Now I am awaiting another part so I can go to BBM with my laundry list of stuff to do. And the person on the phone seemed even nicer than Concord MINI's SA. And, thanks to Eric Rowland, my iPod adaptor still works.

 

MINI of Mt. View really doesn't have a clue as to customer service. I've made appointments for specific work to be done, and after dropping off the car and waiting all day they call to say that the part isn't in stock. I would think that if they knew, a month in advance, that someone was coming in for a driver's side mirror they would put one into stock.

I guess all of our money is helping to build the 3-story garage going in next to Allison BMW. I heard that they'll be hiring 30-mechanics and open 6-days a week. I wish they'd dole out a little of that money across the street at MMV.

 

Lexus' break more then MINIS?

Ah, no

I've had more things wrong with the MINI in the first year of ownership then in seven years of Lexus ownership. It's not fun to drive but it's definitely reliable and troublefree.

 

Edge Motorsports in Dublin is also a good shop to consider for Mini and BMW work (non-dealer/warranty work). I don't have the slip in front of me, but as I recall, with a NAM discount, the JCW intake install was even less then $80.

 

What effect were you expecting from the "DME Reset"? BTW, the actual amount of time to perform the above is well under 5 minutes.

 

I will drive the 2.5 hours to East Bay MINI before the 2.5 Hours to MofMW, I hated Allison BMW when I had my BMW, and would NEVER deal with MofMV, nothing but horror stories. Now I drive 2.75 hours to Bob Smith in Calabasas, and get treated like a king!

 

I don't know much about the jcw intake. Does it require any type of electrical work for the flap?

 

Does your dealer at least include a "free" tub of this when you have a service call?



Might not be a bad idea to throw some in your glovebox next time you need to go in for service. At least we know that SM doesn't stand for Service Manager, but Sado-Masochist.

 

Hope you realize I was saying that tongue-in-cheek.

With 91K + miles on her RX300, I have to say that it's built like a tank. But it's not as fun as "Sam" by a long shot. I think MINI does need to work on its service, though, by reading what some of what you guys have gone thru...

 

When I called in to see if the car was done, Peter said it took almost no time and was no charge! They even cleaned my car. Peter did say that he has to quote the scary labor rate, and that many times they've had to undo bad work to do what the person brought the car in for. So I'm a happy camper....

I'll post another thread on this....

Matt

 

I left my tongue-in-my-other-cheek.

 

SF MINI $155/hr???

btw, I had BBM tap into the fuel pressure for my boost guage, that took them 20min alone to do... (I wasn't charged a full hr rate). I had already pulled the tubing through the firewall and mounted the rest of the stuff, I just couldn't do the tapping part. I'd recommend BBM for those up in their area.

My local BMW independent shop in Sunnyvale cleared up a SRS light, it was only a fraction of what the dealer would have charged.

They had a MCS in for a clutch replacement, <50,000miles, cost? ~$1100.

 

It cost me $50 (1/2 hour min) to have my rear fogs and alarm activated, I was given a cup of Starbucks, AND I got some free swag (a hat that I have since lost) while I waited all of 15 minutes... They also replaced a clutch under warranty, had me in a MCC loaner, and didnt even protest once about it. Of course, that same dealership franchise (Momentum) has the absolute worst body shop in town.

 

..that's kool!!

 

Thanks, eval, for recommending Edge in Dublin whom I will try after BBM (I can get to and from BBM on BART--they offered to drop me off or to give a loaner car).

Thanks, aminicooper, for confirming BBM's service.

Off topic: I saw a black/black with red-black seats MCS parked at SF BMW today. It has gloss black A&N wheels (A&N wheels?) with silver rims and 215/35-18 Nitto tires. Nevada plates. Mean (and slightly goofy) looking.