Ok, for those of you that ordered new, what was your experience like? Did your MA give you updates often on the progress? Were there any other perks that your MA mentioned to you? How was the overall experience?

The reason that I ask is because overall I have been fairly pleased with my dealership, but my MA has not called or emailed me a single time as was expected. From what I understand he worked at Saturn for a while and when Flow Mini took over the Saturn dealership he stuck around, so he has only been there 2-3 months. It seems like some people hear from their MA as their car makes its way through production, and maybe the MA mentions things like local clubs or accessories they may like. I just want to see how everyone else has fared in the ordering process. Thanks!

Drew

 

I didn't talk to my MA after I got my VIN. I just kept checking the status online myself.

 

my MA was non responsive after he emailed me my VIN. Only called afterwards to let me know my car's at the dealership. I believe this is fairly normal. This is why they setup mini owners lounge and their free MINIUSA hotline for status tracking.

 

We have been very happy with our MA. He's knowledgable about the cars and the system. He was very helpful in option choices, and keeping the price down. He even let us sign out a new MCS for an hour to play.

 

I didn't order, but I still got a new one. My dealer won some satisfaction award, so they got 4 MINIs at the end of the year. I picked out the only EB one.

I had test drove, and talked to my MA, lisa, for about 4 months. That one day that I decided to go to the dealer, they had the four that I was talking about.

But believe it or not, my MA, lisa, was on vacation! lol! So Someone else took the deposit and delt with the ppw. She did get her share!

FWIW, it was a plesant expierence. I would do it again. (If I didnt have to write the check!) lol haha

 

I liked my MA just fine, but my experience was much like yours. Never heard from him. I knew when my car was due at the dealer before he did.

 

Wow, every single person that has looked at this thread has answered the question so far, lol. I have never seen that , or seen this many quick responses. I must have asked the magic question. :-P

By the way, I got my production number on the night I gave them my deposit. I figured most people had situations like mine, but I wasn't sure if there were a select few that go above and beyond because it sounds like some MA's do a lot more than others.

Drew

 

I don't think I could be happier with my MA. As a surprise, he tried having the exact car I wanted already at the dealership when I went in to order, but he was off by one option (we had only talked numbers up until then). Ever since ordering, he's been great with sending me unsolicited updates on my car's status. He's enthusiastic about the cars and what he does, and it really comes across to the customer. I would recommend him to anybody!

 

I think everyone must be at work, and bored...and posting here instead of ACTUALLY working..I know i am!!! hehe
I didnt like my MA, and to me it is really important to have a supportive MA...plus they messed everything up and had no idea what was going on.
It was cool to track it online though, it made the whole process fun and exciting, even though i couldnt pick my car up once it was at the dealership because the few ppl i needed like my MA, finance person etc. were never there at the same time, i had to do it over a few day

Happy motoring...or dreaming of it while at work!!

 

I havent but i always have wanted to jsut because i cant believe it actually starts my car hehe its so cool and tiny and cute! and PLASTIC

ok a useless post....

 

My MA was good. It was my first new car buying experience and he was really supportive and was patient with all my newbie questions.

 

They may call them "Motoring Advisors" but they are really just "Car Salesmen"

 

Mine was fantastic! Daily updates and lots of emails

 

The first one (03) was OK, but did not track anything.

The second (06 today!)was a friend for three years before he became a MA, and he did not track anything on his own either, but was always available to tell me where my car was. They are pretty busy.

regards,
Red

 

Funny to see this because I considered starting a similar thread. I was seeing so many posts about how wonderful some MAs were and felt I was missing out on something. My MA was nice, but not very proactive/reponsive. I went a few days after my order was placed and even emailed her to no response. I finally contacted her manager who apologized and gave me my VIN and production #/week. I asked about the programmable options and never heard from her about those either. She was nice and was fairly thorough I think, but I wasn't blown away. (I also didn't get any freebies or anything from her like so many others have mentioned on NAM). Oh well, guess its all about luck. At this point, I don't care. I have my MINI and that's whats most important.

 

My MA is Shawni from South Bay Mini in CA. We dealt via the phone and email. She kept me up to date through the various lifecycle of our MCS. Picked up our MCS this past Saturday, everything went just perfect

 

MA? They are new car salesman. Some good, some bad, some indifferent.

I can say this though, ONCE the deal was done ... he didn't want to be bothered anymore EVEN when he didn't complete delivery of items he promised me. I had to INSIST he finish his job.

However, he was VERY knowledgable.

for example he warned us up front:

1. The clutch WILL go early ... expect it right about when the warrant expires.
2. The car WILL eat tires. Get used to it
3. Avoid potholes, new wheels aren't cheap
4. MINI installation is VERY expensive, better to get stuff installed elsewhere
5. Maintenaince is very expensive, better to get extended maintenaince
6. And he warned us NOT to buy some accesories that were worthless and just made MINI money

Pretty honest.

 

I'm on my third car from the same dealership with the last two cars being Mini's through the same MA, Lisa, at Baron MINI. She (and the whole dealership) makes the new car experience very pleasant. I don't know what other MINI dealerships are like, but at Baron, it's like a salon that just happens to sell cars.

I wouldn't be a 3-time repeat customer if they were any less than awesome!

 

I've bought two MINIs from Long Beach MINI in SoCal, where the two MA's, Tony and Matt, work as a team, sharing all the sales commissions. I worked more with Tony on MINI #1 (in 2002), and more with Matt on MINI #2 (in 2003). They were the best experiences I've ever had purchasing cars and I still drop by to visit them, even after all this time. I have suggested them to many, many people.

 

We bought ours at Westchester MINI and our MA, Steve was the best. Regular emails, updates, prompt service, knowledgeable and no ********. Did his best to get us the best rate possible (from BMW Finance), threw in a lot of swag come delivery and always keeps me updated about stuff which he thinks I might get for our MINI.

Oh..he also sent us pics of our MINI being unloaded from the truck!!!!!

 

My MA was REALLY bad with emails. Bad as in not responding . When I asked him about the email he just said something like "well, we get a lot of spam blah blah blah".

Ummmm....well, I have to deal with spam too like everyone else. But at least I respond if someone asks me something

 

My MA is nice enough but no emails or updates. I've always called first. He will call me back but he always seems too busy to stay on the phone longer than 2 minutes. I don't care though, he doesn't have to be my friend, as long as I get my MINI!

 

My MA is a pleasant enough guy, but not at all proactive, and usually not responsive either. Calls and emails are always originated by me, and usually take quite some time to be returned, if they ever are. I've felt a little let down by that, and really hope the delivery isn't a let down too!

 

Never could refer to mine as an MA, because she couldn't advise me on anything. She knew little to nothing about the car. For example, she didn't know if the Cooper S came with a spare tire or not, so she went to ask someone else. The answer she came back with was "no, it does not come with a spare, but if you order the 17" wheel option it will have run-flat tires." I told her I wanted the stock 16s. She told me that the 16s were not run-flats. When I asked her what people do about a flat tire with the 16s she said "I don't know." I picked up the car last Friday and it came with 16" run-flats.

I also wanted to get the Invisi-shield clear bra applied before I took delivery. I spoke with her on the phone about this about a month before my car was due to be delivered. She told me that "MINI does not install those anymore but I will check on a guy that used to do it for us." When my car came into the dealership I asked her about this again and she said "I called him and left a message but he never called me back." I decided to just get it done on my own.

She generally had an attitude like she was slumming with us MINI folks and she really would rather be selling BMWs.

 

my first was pretty good with emails and great fun, but (while enthusiastic) not very knowledgeable about MINIs. i usually knew more (learned here) than she did.

my second was lousy with communication via email, but really good with the phone. (was REAL busy selling cars ). he never volunteered any info on delivery and tracking it was up to me until it hit the port in savannah. OTOH, he DID really know the cars well and his rushed (at my request ) delivery pre-flight was very thorough, and he RAN and grabbed techs to get a few last minute things corrected so i could motor home that night.