i smell lemon on this mini i would want a new car even i have to wait

 

This is most likely who Sexual Chocolate is

 

Sorry you are having issues. That is not fun, especially after waiting for so long for a vehicle. Hopefully the dealer will make it all right in the end. I tend to be someone whol overlooks a lot of things so I will be bringing my super-detail-oriented husband with me to take delivery and let him do the inspection!

 

Thanks for all the support. Thank you LadyGodiva. That is exactly where I got the name. I was thinking of naming my car that once everything was done. Wow and that other video of Mark Henry, well that is just Scary. . I was really happy to see all the responses. I am planning on taking the car on Wednesday to the dealership once I get off shift so I am bring a list of things I want done and I am not picking up the car until it's ALL fixed. So far they have been very friendly and willing to help but no results yet so we shall see after the holiday weekend. As for me, I will be collecting money at the firestation for kids with MS. Its funny watching the rich people pretend to look for something in their car so they wont have to make eye contact with us as we walk in between cars. Those that drive crappy, broken down cars are the ones that give 5 and 10. Weird Huh? I did see a bunch of Minis and one Clubman.
Have a great weekend and be safe out there.

 

I will keep you guys and gals posted. Think positive. Its hard when you are OCD about your cars. You should see my mustang. LOL.
Thanks

 

Good luck! Hope you'll get good results.

 

Well here is the latest update. I took my car in on Thursday to the dealership. I paid for the checkered roof graphic and they quoted me $400 dollars for installation!!!!!! I had chest pain. I told them to fix the rest of the problems first and then we would discuss the roof graphic later. They fixed the dent on the first day and then the emblem. I told them about the bonnet stripes and how they had been stained by the cosmoline and they said they would see about it. So friday went by and they were going to fix the clubdoor window. So I was going to pick up the car on saturday after work. I was upset about all the problems and I told them that I wanted to speak with the manager on saturday. When I showed up saturday morning, they told me they would have to keep the car till monday due to the hurricane and that the window still hadn't been totally fixed, the glue had to cure. So they gave me a loaner till monday. So we shall see what happens tomorrow. I did see the dent work, pretty impressed. I think I am going to get my graphic and go somewhere else. 400 beans is ALOT of MONEY, for windex and some wiping down. What do you think?

 

I dunno, but $400 does not seem that much for that kind of work.

I see graphics, add-ons and other "cosmetic" enhancements costing a lot of money, and that does not include installation. Just my opinion.

It seems they are trying to do right and that they are competent [based on your comments.]

So bear with and eventually your MINI will be perfect.

I had recently ordered a $400 accessory for my MINI and they sent the wrong item. Had to work over the past 30 days to get the correct accessory and have to hassle with sending back the other item. But in the end I realized that there was nothing else either "side" could do. They wanted to do things right and correct the mistake, but fixing things required my being patient and understanding. Sheet happens.

But now my MINI has the correct item and I am happy about that. The hassles are a memory, soon to be forgotten.

 

Oh... and they better fix the stripe, a grease / perservative stain is 110% unacceptable.

 

YIKES, that seems like alotta cash!

UGH, how frustrating. What did you get for a loaner? anything good? Let us know what happened!

Well that is very good news, as that is extremely important!

 

They did give me a rental for free. I got a Honda Accord. Not a bad car, just not my style, but I am impressed with the V6 powerplant. Well I am waiting for the call from the dealer that my car is ready.

 

They gave you a Honda and not a MINI?

UGH.

 

Well I picked up the car today. The car was at the dealership an extra day because they forgot to change the bonnet stripes due to the cosmoline stains. They had forgotten. So I picked it up today and they could not find the car. We had to wait 20 minutes while they searched for it. Then they brought me the wrong car, I couldn't help but laugh. I also felt bad for the guy, he seemed pretty lost. When I finally received it, I was filthy. The interior was disgusting, foot marks on the door and doorsills. But they did give me a coupon for a free car wash once they fix their car wash area. I hope you can pick up on my sarcasm. When its all said and done, they did fix what they had to fix and from what I can tell, they did a pretty good job, once you get passed the dirt. So tomorrow, I am planning on doing a pretty thorough detailing job.
Oh and I am waiting on the checkered roof to come in. They had received one for a white roof convertable. Bad luck I guess.
Hope that is the last of it for me.

 

Does that $400 quote include the roof flag and its installation?

I think it is incredibly unprofessional the way you've been treated, with them not even making the effort to return your MINI in clean condition! A letter to the owner of the dealership telling the whole story is definitely warranted.

 

Car dealerships are like anywhere else, filled with many, many incompetent people, or people who do "C" work at best.

I took in my BMW 740i with a fuel leak in the engine compartment. Was dripping gas on to the pavement. When I picked it up they said it was all fixed.

Got it home, parked it, smelled gas, it was still dripping fuel.

Took it back in, they then fixed it.

The flagship BMW could have caught fire and exploded, killing me and my passengers.

The dealership did not act alarmed or concerned about putting me in a deadly situation. And they did not apologize for not fixing it the first time and wasting my time.

On washing your car, I tell dealerships to NOT wash my cars. I don't want some minimum wage, punk kid washing my car and putting scratches in the paint. And I don't want those miniature washing machines beating my paint to death.

When I told them not to wash my car, they did anyway. I was pissed, they also scratched my paint. But I had no proof they caused the damage, so I was stuck.

Wish I could have had your incompetents failing to wash my car. Implicitly you wanted a wash and did not get one; I did not want a wash and got one. Go figure.

 

The way the dealership operates is a reflection of the owner. In other words, a letter to the owner is going to fall on deaf ears.

The better tactic would be to send a well-written letter to MINI USA exposing how poorly one of its dealerships does business.

MINI USA will come down on the local dealer or at least ask questions. Not that it will ever happen, but the contract Bowen MINI USA and the local dealers give MINI USA the right to pull a dealer's license if in MINI USA's opinion the local dealer is damaging the brand or whatever.

If enough complaints come in about that local dealer, the owner might actually try to improve his operations.

Also, MINI USA can impose lesser penalties if it chooses to do so. For example, if MINI USA gets an allotment of 3000 extra MINIs for U. S. distribution, MINI USA could cut back how many the local dealer might get if in MINI USA's opinion the local dealer is blowing it.

So a letter to MINI USA, tattling on the local dealer is the better strategy. Heck MINI USA might give him some nice gifts as an apology.

 

I disagree. The letter is also an important paper trail that Sexual Chocolate should begin compiling in the event he has a lemon. He should absolutely cc: MINIUSA, too.

 

I hope that coupon doesn't have an expiration date. From th looks of the quality of the dealership, sounds like they wouldn't honor an expired coupon and then say it's not their fault that they didn't get their car wash fixed in time.

Oi vey.

 

I was not aware that THIS MINI owner, the OP, was trying to get his car declared a lemon. In fact, none of the issues he complained about come close to the car being a lemon.

I guess everyone could send letters to start to document a potential lemon case, but seems that receipts, etc. would be more telling on how long a car has been in for repairs, etc. Besides, letters from the OP would not add to the proof that other hard evidence would trump.

Even if a letter was required at this stage, most lemon laws require the letter [only one need be sent] to be delivered to the manufacturer, not the local dealer.

But you bring up a good point. He should send his complaint letter to MINI USA with a CC to the local dealer. Not the other way around.

 

Based on other incompetence, I would opine that the value of that coupon for a car wash is NOT worth the paper it is written on.

I can see it now from the OP:

"I took in my flawless MINI to get that free car wash, using the coupon. My car came back with all kinds of scratches in the paint. But the dealer told me that unless I have proof of the car's condition when I dropped it off that I am out of luck. Help NAM members, what should I do?"

 

OH

MY

GAWD!!!

I agree that a letter needs to be sent to MINI USA and CC the dealer. I am so fired up for you that I could write the letter!

Seriously, I cannot believe the way this dealer has handled the situation. I'm so sorry you've had to deal with this nonsense.

 

I'll write the letter, for $600 an hour, that is. Should only take me about six hours.

 

I would not let the dealer wash the car if you car about its finish. When I pick up a new car, the dealer is directed not to prep it.
It is the only way I have a chance of having a pristine paint job.

 

I haven't really been thinking about the lemon law thing. And it didn't occur to me to write a letter because even though it took a long time to get everything done, it did get done. I just expected a higher quality of service since it is a BMW dealership. The floormats were filthy so that means they never put the white paper on the floor. The seats didn't have any plastic on them either, which they seem to only do on the Beamers. I honestly feel bad writing a letter because I really dont want the service manager, who has been extremely nice, to get the backlash from the letter. I could always give him props in the letter. What do you think?

 

Oh I agree with the washing of the car. I wouldn't want them scratching the paint, my OCD would definitely come out. The interior is another story.