one thing fer sure: anthracite heads, me included, are a passionate lot.

no one else understands...

 

Not true I understand compleatly. There are very few color combinations where both headliners would work, for example if coopdys interrior is black on the silver car anthracite would be the only choice. In my case with the brown and black trim either would have worked. Im sure if anyone new it wasne't avaliable they simply would have chosen a different color combination. MINI needs to back up their dealers and customers otherwize there sales will drop off, not something anyone can afford in the current market conditions. It's much easier to keep a customer then to get new ones. Those dealers that take the take it or leave it attitude will eventually go under. Those that try to make things right are looking for the repeat business.
BTW my missing chrome is slowly comming in piece by piece.

 

Update: We chose door #3 - take as is with kit later. The financial stuff was already set up and I wanted to get the Mini thing out of the way so we could focus on Hurricane Ike recovery issues. For option #2 we could have had a week 43 (next week) build but delivery would have been just before Thanksgiving. November will be a stressed month even without this.
So there you have it. Everyone stand by........the reports of the AH kit install will start posting in 3 or 4 weeks, if we are lucky.
PS We rejected #4 also. The Kia only has light gray headliners.

 

Moe - I think that is the wisest choice - welcome to the community! We're here to support you. We've got a couple of people in the dealership that were affected by the issue.

 

Are you sure about not choosing #4, you can maybe have a liner retrofitted . For what it's worth, I too would choose #3. Let us know how things progress for you and now you can enjoy your MINI sooner!!

 

So Krut, since you are the closest we have to a Mini representative on this thread, is Moe-Jiller's report on the options being offered by Mini correct (or at least the first three)?

 

Haven't seen anything on our internal systems other than what's already been discussed. Moe-Jiller's response is accurate.

 

I spoke with MINI USA this evening and evidently they just issued a corporate memo that they will provide a rebate for the cost of the headliner as well as giving those affected "special gifts" to be determined by MINI USA. Not sure how this will sit with people, but as of now, that is the word from MINI USA.

 

Thanks for the update. Lola looks gorgeous! Beautiful NFR/B, and the interior rocks!

 

Well, I have great news! Hermione arrived at my dealer today. And yes, the HL is missing, but my dealer will order the Anthracite HL and exchange it once it gets here. Can't tell you how happy I am. They just offered that as a solution and that works great for me. I will pick her up Wednesday and go back once the replacement arrives. I'll even get a loaner. BTW, it should only take about 3 hours to replace everything. At least that's what my MA was told.

 

Just an update on the headliner situation.
As you all may know the factory in Oxford ran out of the clubman anthracite materials. These part will be on back order for atleast a month. Any self respecting dealership with issue you a "we owe" on these parts and install them when they become available.

 

MiniStupidFun and Krut, is Oxford still out of the anthracite headliners? Or will you not know that the shortage is over until cars finally arrive at your dealerships with AHs? This started with Week 36 builds (my week), went into 37, 38, and 39(?) ... and beyond? Just wondering, as the longer the factory's out, the more will have to be shipped from Germany and replaced at dealerships. Egads. This could take a while.

Nonetheless, I'm absolutely loving my Clubman, AH or not. So stunning! So fun!

 

*bump* Until new Clubmen start arriving with their AHs, it might be good to keep this on the first page.

Stopped by the dealer today. They still hope to receive the replacement headliner in the next couple of weeks. Apparently locally I'm the only one thus far affected, or at least determined to go through with the replacement. They have been very supportive through all this, and understand perfectly why I'm insisting on having it done.

 

I got a recall notice in the mail today. My '09 JCW may have 16" brakes instead of 17" as designed. Sounds like the factory is being pushed. It means a lost day and driving 200+ miles to dealership to inspect and correct. Wish I could figure it out myself. The Brembo brakes are awesome now, if they are wrong, could they be any better?

 

Tancred I feel the same way. Was able to take a look at our Clubman over the weekend and I still think that the Anthracite Headliner really adds to the look of our Mini. We'll be picking her up Wednesday and then we'll just have to see how long it will take before the HL comes in.

 

The dealership will be able to tell if your MINI is effected by the Vin #, thus saving you that trip.

 

get out a tape measure...

 

That seems simple enough, why didn't I think of that?

 

Tried the VIN number question, if the factory doesn't know, the dealer doesn't know which car they mistakenly put the wrong size on.

 

I'm still going round & round with my dealership on the Anthracite Headliner issue. They appear to be playing dumb, and just refunding the $250. Their argument is that Mini USA has not told them that the problem exists, or how to fix it. (lame excuse) My Clubbie will actually be here around the first of the month, but now that it's on the ground in South Carolina, we can confirm that the AH is missing.

Anyone have any luck swaying a dealer to do the right thing instead of taking the easy way out?

 

My dealer assumed (and correctly so) that they would just "owe" me the AH and install it when they get it. Told me it would be a day or so to install. In fact, that was the day I bought it...then I went back for mats last week (they owed me them too) and they said the headliner should be in "sometime soon" and that they'd call me to set up the appointment.

 

As a Week 36er, my Clubman was in on the very beginning of this situation. My dealership has been helpful from the start, even before they received the notification from MINI in early October that this was a system-wide issue. They initially thought it was just a singular factory error. As soon as he saw the wrong headliner, my MA said, "We'll replace it at no cost to you." Ditto the SA and the manager. No hedging, no excuses, just an attitude of making it right -- I like that.

When I stopped by the other day, after apologizing profusely once again for the problem (even though it's not the dealer's fault), my MA volunteered that "You love your MINI now, but when that darker headliner comes in it's gonna look sooo much better. You'll be glad you waited."

 

If they were watching football at the MINI plant, they'd better not be fans of Newcastle or Tottenham! Manchester United fan all the way!!!

 

We decided to take the refund and our dealer bent over backward to apologize and threw in some nice accessories to boot. After living with the car for over 2 weeks, I love her just the way she is. I think that the standard HL works fine mainly because I have the cream line interior and the sunroof, so it is really only a teensy bit of HL anyway. If I had a different interior, I might have opted for the swap out. Either way, my dealer handled it very professionally and was willing to do what it took to make it right, which is all you can hope for in a situation like that. Hopefully the dealers that are not being as accommodating will step up and do the right thing.

 

Wednesday we got to pick up our Mini. While we were at the dealership, we did check out clubman with the Anthracite HL. That Mini had very dark tinted window and had piano black trim. We really didn't like it very much. To much of a cave like feeling.
We gave ourselves 2 days to decide on the HL issue and ended up taking Hermione just the ways she is. I'll get some other things with the $250, perhaps a nice new red suitcase.