My co-worker used to run a Subaru, Mazda dealership in 2002-2004. He said that Subaru's policy was "if there isn't a Subaru dealership within a 50 mile radius of the customers home, Subaru will recommend an alternate shop to perform the warrenty repairs".

Has anyone heard of this with MINI warranty repair?

Our closest MINI dealership is 3.5 hours away.

--
Mitch & Sherry

 

Never heard of that with MINI or BMW - they don't even want to provide the necessary technical information for any repairs/TSBs/recalls to outside shops and, I believe, are among those actively fighting the "Right to Repair Act" (see more info here: http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/05/...ves-forward-2/)

 

It is extremely rare but I have heard that BMW dealers will work on MINI's (oil changes but nothing that involves hooking up the computer. This is EXTREMELY RARE and not the norm.

 

MINI Dealers = MINI Warranty Service. Nature of the Beast.

Only 3.5 hours away? Just ask the motorers from Alaska who have to take their MINIs to Seattle or Portland for warranty and other work.... JB

 

I heard that this was allowed, so long as the nearest MINI dealer was more than 100 miles away, 92 wasn't enough for me to ge tmy tires rotated, even if I would have paid the BMW dealer their $80/hr service rate. I think the dealer even freaked when I had my MINI in their parking lot.

 

to drive 100 miles for service is just outrageous... at least mini's good about giving out loaners...

 

Most MINI dealers around here do no offer loaners even if they do for BMWs :(

 

Yeah sure, when I went 92 miles each way (did this once on a almost blowout RF) I may get a riduced wait but NOOOOOOOOOO loaner, or even a rental or ride to a movie theatre offered. Thankfully I'm now 30 miles away from my dealer and they'll give me a ride to local places or provide me with a enteprise rental (MINI loaners seemed to be resverved for those getting extensive work like new tranny) and the BMW owners 5 series and up.

 

Most dealers will give you a loaner if you bought your MINI from that dealer. D&R told me that when MIB is in for maintenance they will offer a loaner but it may not necessarily be a MINI.

And from what I read here more than likely it will be an automatic. Might be fun to try a MCSa some day if offered!

 

My dealership does loaners but you need to schedule them ahead of time and sometimes that will delay your service visit for a few days. I have always gotten a MINI but they are always MCa and they seem very undepowered when trying to get on the very busy highway leaving the dealership. I also had a very worn MCCa one time this past February and the lack of rear visibility scared me witless pulling out or changing lanes. I'm hoping to get a stick MC one time to see how that drives. I'm about 30 miles from the dealership but at least the dealership is on the way to work with only a slight side trip out of my way.

 

Then don't buy a MINI. If someone buys a MINI, they had to know how far the nearest dealer was