Well I don't work for BMW...I'm 19 and serve at a restaurant I've been at since 16 and a full time student

This may be my big problem though is that I am so young that they think they can blow me off. Plus I don't really go and get really authoritative and tell them how I want things to go.

So who thinks I honestly, truly am in the right line asking for a buyback/trade-in?

I plan on speaking with the dealer that is replacing my clutch and then my local dealer and see what can be the best deal. Every time I stop at a light and can hear that whine or put my window down and hear clicking or let out the clutch and feel texture or change into 3rd gear and hear a thud (which could be reproduced on dealer cars ) I just get more and more upset about the situation. What really sucks is I want to be put into an automatic because, like others on here, I do not have any faith in the weakest point, the clutch assembly. I figure the paddles should hold me over and keep me happy enough, even though I love shifting through the gears. Man is this all sooo annoying

 

Thats sucks...just ordered an 09 JCW and I always get worried when I read a thread like this. Maybe its time to make some real noise at your dealer...good luck

 

I was set to meet with the Factory Rep tomorrow (Monday) regarding the heat still in the driver footwell even after the bulletin was done to insulate the heater core pipe.I got a call yesterday (Saturday) from the Mini service dept. that the rep is no longer working for Mini and rescheduled my appointment for October 2nd with a different factory rep.

 

Any opinions on what I should say to the dealer? I am going in today after school (more time away from concentrating on my studies ) to have a talk with the dealer.

 

I feel the act same way. I've been thinking of trading my car in...have had unfixable suspension problems...jcw installation didn't fix anything. I'm at 10,000 miles in 5 months. The dealer only wanted to give me 23,000 for my MCS. I said no deal.

 

Yeah I kinda got a rediculous offer too...quite unfair but I am working on it...I would think you could lemon that if they have not fixed it after 3 attempts no?

 

Lets just say I am not a happy camper. Luckily I am working on it, but the dealer sure tried to make more money off of me Told them I am looking for a buy back/replacement and they simply offered me 16.5K for the car!!! 16.5K!!! what an insult that exact day was 1 year from the day I ordered it so the car is only 11 months old and I paid $21K! MINIs do not lose value like that and they should not treat my case like a trade-in (except mine kind of has lost a lot of value because who wants to buy an 11 month old car with a list of repair-work already? My issue to deal with? No way they need to step up and realize they cannot make money off of this...they need to REALLY work on the customer service side over finances sometimes, although I think they need to all the time). This is the failure of a product not a person bored of their car looking to get a new one. I simply want a replacement car that I refuse to pay more money on. Like I'm going to spend more money on a car that is no different when my plan was to keep the car wayyyy past warrantee and maintain myself. So the heck to see if my defective car is gunna cost ME money

Oh and while I was in, I had look at the few issues I was having. Turns out it is the water pump for a second time

 

what dealer?

 

Woops ment to PM that...I want to keep the names out of the public a little just while things are being worked out

 

Dang. You were 20 a few posts ago. Wish I had that problem.

Got a Carmax nearby that you could get an offer from? That's what I did with one of my cars. Had a 2005 Subaru Legacy GT in Atlanta (purchased from Carmax) and had a great dealer that took care of everything even though I didn't buy the car there. Moved to SC and there was only one Subaru dealer locally and my one experience with them convinced me that I would not be able to rely on them. I sold the car back to Carmax solely because of that and only lost $2000 for the year that I had owned it.

 

Yep just turned 20 today actually

Yeah I was thinking about that maybe, but MINI honestly needs to step up and pay for their mistake...why should someone else suffer with a defective product. It should be the sole responsibility of the manufacturer

 

Happy belated birthday!!

I read through this post, and I'm so sorry that you are having such a hard time! Have you heard back from MiniUSA yet? Although keeping the thumb screws secure on the dealership is a good idea, make sure that you keep MiniUSA in the loop as well. A lot of continuous racket to both dealer and corporate ends may yield better results. Keep the wheel squeeking!

 

Thanks

Yeah I'm waiting on a call back from BMW of North America. They are looking into it for me know and should get back to me soon. I'm not backing off because I should not pay down the road for their mistake. Well see what all happens

 

Checkercoop: Can't you Lemonlaw that car now? I'd look into it with all the days of repair/out of service your car has seen in 11 months. I doubt whether the dealer would think someone 20 years old will press the issue, otherwise they wouldn't have made you a lowball tradein offer on your car. A recent poster somewhere got a tradein price of 90% of his purchase price and I think his car was older than yours.

 

Well I am getting closer considering it will be on its second 3rd water pump (this will be the second attempt to fix it), but I need 3 attempts to lemon. It hasn't been out of service since I cannot get a loaner so I am stuck taking it in, diagnosing, driving home, waiting for part to come in, drive up, then wait to have it installed. BS IMHO. I guess I could try and get an estimate of time it should have been in the shop had I been eligible for the loaner I was never told I could not use when I had 21K in my hand

Yes my age is definitely playing a disadvantage, but luckily I have some help and I have full intensions on taking it all the way. I have steps planned for whichever part falls through.

Personally, I would really laugh if the water pump failed again in a year and I could lemon and the dealer was forced to give me 100% back I would literally be laughing to the bank, and then to another MINI dealer because they would not get my money again

 

Are you certain that to fall under the Lemon Law it has to be the same failure three times?

 

Depends on the state. I do not know the one in FL.

 

Here is an online copy of the Florida Lemon Law.

Link:http://www.800helpfla.com/lemonlaw.html

Plus all cars get a Lemon Law Handbook for your particular state that you live in when you buy a new vehicle which is required by law.

 

Yeah has to be the same thing unfortunately, but it makes sense as you could return a car for just a few things. But I do think its a little crazy you have to have the same problem attempted 3 times. That is a lot and sucks when every piece of the car falls apart just once. There should be a limit to how much can go wrong to a car. I am really so disappointed in customer service If they had really went out and been the company they are supposed to be and just do whats right and make the customer happy, then everything would have been great, but now I may have to take legal action This really sucks

 

Did someone already ask about Florida's lemon law? I know you would qualify in both Alabama and Tennessee.

 

Seriously? What limits have I hit that would get me lemoning it?

So, everyone, I'm not crazy right? Like I do have an outlandish list that deserves taking this even into legal action since they just want to blow me off?


Oh, by the way...BMW North America left me a message and told me that the dealer told them a buyback wasn't necessary, so again, nothing they can do

 

http://www.800helpfla.com/lemonlaw/d...html#question3Note that it said clumulative and not consecutive.

 

Trust me I definitely have hit 15 days, especially with this clutch repair coming up. But since I am 20 and cannot use the loaner till I'm 21 I am stuck driving back and forth diagnosing, waiting till part is in, then waiting while they install it. I am sure their is something that can let mine use estimated days out. But I have one more person I need to contact before I go to the furthest limit.

 

Read the Lemon Law. Take a piece of paper and list the conditions you need to meet to invoke the law. Then next to each item write down the each part of your experience (e.g., days in the shop, each incidence of repair, etc.). If your list of items satisfies the law, you've got a case.

The go back to the law and pay particular attention to the requirement for notifying the dealer. You don't want to get caught by some statute of limitations deal that ends your Lemon Law coverage because you didn't follow the notification process with respect to timing or form.

I'd take that simple table, with whatever notification document you may still need to make, to the dealer and ask them what they can do for you. You tell them you know they've been trying and you really don't want to invoke the law, but you would like a reliable car and it doesn't seem to be on the horizon with your current ride.

Any lawyers out there want to add or amend this advice?

 

When I was 19 a dealer tried to pull the same crap that they couldn't give a loaner to anyone under 21. I asked for the general manager and yelled at him because if I was old enough to buy from them then I was old enough for a loaner because they sure didn't say anything like that when I was writing the check. You should definitely be dealing with the GM. At a car dealer the greasy wheel always gets greased, you just need to make more noise. I got the loaner and my car fixed