Living in central VT, I'll have to drive to MA or CT to get my MINI, but will I be able to take it to my local BMW Dealer for service???

I'd hate to have to drive (motor) 3 or 4 hrs to get my new MINI serviced... :???:

Any comments, info ????

Thanks!

John in Montpelier, VT

 

I was told from a MINI BMW rep that only dealers who sell the MINI are authorized servicing agents for the cars. So you can only take it to these dealers for service. It does really stink for people who don't even have a MINI dealer in their state!

 

I've been told by a fairly reputable source at my local BMW dealership that a BMW dealer can service a MINI...but it won't be free. Only MINI dealers can get reimbursed for that 3/36 free maintenance plan. That said, I'd call your local BMW service department first and confirm with them, knowing you'll have to pay their labor rate for any work you have done, warranty or otherwise. After all, BMW and MINI parts come from the same parts department and warehousing system....

 

The answer to your question is no. The fact that you can take it to a BMW dealer and get charged mean nothing. You can take it anywhere you like and get charged. After all it is your car. If you want it serviced ie. free warrenty work you will need to go to a MINI dealer. I have 40,000 miles on mine and travel around 380 miles round trip for service. No big deal. Lets see ... that is twice in two years, but I knew that going in. Would I do it again? You bet.


Motor on

 

I really wish that BMW/MINI would make some sort of consideration for those of us who live great distances from a MINI dealer but have a local BMW dealership.

Right now, my plan is this: If I have a problem with my MINI and can possibly limp 100 miles away from home, I can call Roadside assistance and have them tow the MINI as a "trip interruption". I will then get the added benefits of a free rental/loaner and compensation for my meals, etc while my MINI is serviced. Apparently, they will also have to return my MINI to me at my convenience.

If enough of us who lived far from the dealership were to do this, maybe MINI would find that it might be cheaper for them to allow a local BMW dealership to service our MINI's and we would not have to drive several hours for service.

 

That's not even worth the effort What's the point of the warranty and the maintenance agreement if your going to do that? Besides it'd probably be cheaper to go to an independent European mechanic than to let a BMW dealer pick your pocket for warranty work...

 

I was wanting a quick oil change once and had a filter but not the time to change the oil. I called the local BMW dealer and they said this. "We are not allowed to turn a wrench on the MINI." That's what they said. If it was true, I have no idea. I do know that that certain BMW dealership did put in for a MINI dealership but was turned down.

 

There's a lot of those, BMW of Arlington in Arlington VA was taking deposits, and had up MINI banners and they got turned down...

 

The question was: can a BMW dealer service a MINI. The answer is: yes they will, but as I said, you will pay for it. I didn't say it was a good idea.

 

When I picked up my MC yesterday I was told only Mini can do the service since they are trained in Mini service not BMW. I have the same problem the Mini dealer is 120 miles away but a BMW dealer is only 35 miles away

 

You could always move. I hear there are homes available in the Greater Boston area. Plus, Randy Webb (Webb Motorsports) lives in Colorado and Eric Savage (Helix) in Pennsylvania, if you prefer a change of scenery.

Seriously, Get the Bentley repair manual due out in September. Find a competent local mechanic and forgetaboutit.

 

My mini dealership shares their service station with BMW...so its obviously
able to service both mini and bmw, but usually it is very booked so must
make an appointment even for an oil change...and they ask you to wait
1.25 hours. dohh..

 

When I got my first Launch edition MC, I drove down to Houston in July 2002 and that was in the days when Texas had no dealership yet and I came up on my first oil/filter change while I was there so I went to the local BMW dealership and while they were VERY surprised to see a Mini Cooper pull up to their service bays, they were very nice and accomodating by doing the oil change after talking to my technician at our dealership here in Vancouver BC.

 

changing oil is not hard. i mean, if you follow all directions, it will take about an hour if all goes well. i like the idea of making mini toe the bill for traveling all that way

fight the power!

too much rage against the machine mp3's on my drive to and from cleveland...

 

I know of at least one instance where a MINI can be serviced at a BMW dealership that doesn't sell MINIs.

BMW of Honolulu and MINI of Hawaii share the service Dept on Oahu but MINIs that are bought and taken to Maui can be serviced under warranty at BMW of Maui. There is no sales dept for MINI on Maui.

Such is not the case for servicing on the big island of Hawaii or on Kauai.
They would have to ship the MINI over to Maui or Oahu for servicing.

So it all depends.

If you are going to pay for servicing to be done even though you have a warranty then:
Go to a shop that is competent and close-
Buy the parts from Classic auto campus for cheap-
Download and print all the How to dos from NAM on what applies to you-
Consider doing it yourself or find a MINI club with a DIY program
Make good friends with a MINIAC who sleeps with a wrench in one hand
Mod the heck out of your MINI- No fear