My wife's 2009 MCS arrived without the Aero Kit we ordered ($1250.) Apparently the manager forgot to specify it when he placed the order. The dealer first told us that they could install it, but we would have to pay for the labor. The manager told us that when you order the kit from the Factory the dealership has to charge you for the labor anyway. A different guy at the dealership agreed with my assessment that since the Aero Kit is installed at the factory (unlike the JCW aero kit) there is no reason for us to be charged labor. They essentially refused to eat the labor cost. I was eventually able to get them to cut us a deal on a set of R90's to use as summer wheels. But the more I think about it, the more mad I am that they didn't offer to eat the labor and install it for us.

What do you guys think I should do?

 

You are the customer and if you are not happy with deal
walk away from it.
If you do not than it will eat at you every time you look at car.
This is my take and know I would be upset with the car not
the way you want it.
And these cars are overpriced as it is..
Make the dealer eat cost of installing..
My thoughts on this matter..joe

 

I dont know if I'd be taking a car that I didnt order?? You should get your Aero kit either way, sorry..

 

Sounds like they missed that option and somewhere along the way to the car being built so did you. Why not split the difference of the labor with the dealer. good luck

 

My dealer had me sign a sales order specifying every option I wanted on the car before it was ordered (when I made my deposit). They also emailed me a copy of the spec sheet when they actually ordered the car, so I could double check that they had spec'd it properly.

 

Agreed, when we all ordered our cars they filled out these sales orders. If it is listed on the sales order that you signed, and he just forgot to ask for it it is in no way your responsibility to pay for labor. You asked for it, the guy who placed the order screwed up. I'm sure the dealer sells plenty of Mini's....the labor should be just a drop in the bucket for them.

 

If they won't eat the labor, refuse the car and order a new one. Yeah you'll have to wait longer, but you'll get exactly what you want instead of having to settle.

 

Why even have the dealer do the labor on a bodykit install??? Find a reputable paintshop (if not already painted) and have it installed at probably half of what the stealership is asking. I bet you the stealership doesnt even do the paint/install but has a third party do it anyway. Just a thought...

 

would installing it be that hard? perhaps you could even do it yourself... not that you should have to in the first place.

id just order a new one...

 

Without mention the Dealer...where are you from?? Many others may have dealt with the same Dealer and can give you an idea about how trust worthy they may or not be in regards to "eating" the labor and/or making you happy on a "re-order".

IMHO if it were me I would REFUSE the car with disdane and find another dealer who has my (ME/Joe Customer) best interest at heart!!

 

I'd refuse delivery.

I'd reorder from another dealership, if possible.

The dealership might suddenly realize how important it is to eat the labor cost...but then again, perhaps they'll never understand.

On a somewhat related note, did you track production, shipping, etc. online?

 

Agree and post the name of the dealership so that other NAM members can aviod this type of bait and switch!!

 

i very nearly wound up in the same situation. i double checked the sales order. got the email. was bored looking at the spec list in the OL prior to production and saw an item i didn't order and didn't see one that i did. i spoke to my MA who said the guy placing the order just didn't read the sheet right and ordered, basically what he liked in the car. i got it changed and received the car i order. but i know if i went to pick up my car and saw it had the chrome line exterior and no cloth seats i would go absolutely bananas. i mean donkey kong ape *****. throwing things and all.

my vote. hold out for what you want.

 

You need to hold out for the car you ordered. I took delivery of a car myself once that was not exactly what I thought I was getting. The car was great, but it just ate at me until I had to get rid of it. I hope you don't find yourself in the same situation.

If the order sheet specified the aero kit and the car did not come with it, you have a breach of contract, and you would not be bound to honor it (i.e., refuse the car).

Unfortunately, you might not have much of a leg to stand on. If you put down a deposit, and if you signed off on the order sheet (missing the aero kit), and if (during your weeks of waiting for the car) you failed to notice that error, then you are as responsible for the car you received as the dealership is. Take the split and be happy.

Regarding those of you who are saying the dealership should eat the labor, who do you think pays in the long run for the OPs mistake? We do. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? I guess it's just easy to always say it is the big, bad dealership's fault.

 

Like others that have already posted,I would either tell them to install it and eat the labor charge since it was their fault for not ordering the factory Aero Kit in the first place.Or just refuse to take delivery and re-order another '09 MCS.

 

I feel sorry for anyone getting paid minimum wage, working off commission, etc. who has to put up with an immature customer throwing a fit because something didn't work out perfectly smoothly. So, please, whatever you do, don't go "donkey kong ape *****. throwing things and all," as some have suggested.

But that does not mean that you should accept anything less than exactly what you ordered, if you are dropping tens of thousands of dollars on something.

If it's an error on your end, and the papers you signed didn't have the aero kit listed, then I think the dealership is being quite reasonable in offering to order it for you free of charge, but still charging for installation labor.

If it's an error on their end or on the factory's end, then you should tell them quite clearly that it is unacceptable (as you obviously seem to feel that it is) and that they should make it right, or refund your deposit. But really, save your dignity and be mature about it.

 

Someone made a mistake, sort of. There are two body kits. One is installed at the factory, the other installed at the dealer. Which kit did you order?

If you ordered the aero kit commonly shown on the JCW Mini Cooper, then that can only be installed here in the States and you have to pay labor for the installation. They need to install the kit locally because they have problems transporting the car with the lower air dam.

If you order the factory aero kit, then you shouldn't have to pay for any labor because that's installed at the factory.

So if you ordered the JCW aero kit, someone just didn't tell you about the installation charges. In any event, you were not "handled" correctly by the dealer. But, what they're telling you is true, and labor charges do apply.

 

Complain complain and complain more until they understand. While a lot on my car was missing, I didn't have to complain at all. I think they realized they had a 35 thousand dollar car sitting there that I was about to walk away from ...

I ordered an 08.

My service guy forgot ALL of the following:

Wrong seats (wanted leather lounge carbon)
17 inch Web Spokes (had crown spokes put on)
Stripes
no Sirius radio (even after 6 months, i still couldn't get an answer from him ... so bypassed him and went directly to the Service dept. had it installed within a week)
no checkered mirror caps
no checkered rear view mirror cap
no chckered door handle

There might be more. But it has been a while so I might forgot other stuff.

But it was a mess.

All was fixed.

And on their dime.

The only thing I got screwed over on was Sirius radio because by the time they installed it, the price went up a few hundred bucks.

Keep pushing!

 

I have a few questions for you...
Who is making the payments on this car?
Who is stuck with a car that is not exactly what they ordered?
Who at the dealership is charging the dealership to put the aero kit on?
Is the cost of the Aero kit not already built into your sales contract?

Never, Ever let someone intimidate you into something THEY want... It should be what YOU want.

If you haven't already picked up the MINI then let them keep it and remind them that they broke the contract.

If you did already pickup the MINI then drive it back right away and tell them you don't want it since its not what you ordered.

In most states it is the buyers option to return the vehicle if not fully satisfied within X-days.

 

When I ordered my car, my MA logged into his computer and used the same website I used at home to design my Mini. In fact, once I saw he was using the same website, I had him log into my saved Mini and use that to order the car. The order sheet was exactly what I had spec'd since my own saved build was used.

Contract? Did you guys actually sign anything when you ordered?

I never signed anything until I took delivery. When they got the car I ordered, I never considered it "mine" until I gave it a good inspection before signing the paperwork and turning over the $.

If it was me and I really wanted that option, I would order another or insist on them paying for their mistake.

 

+1

Just a thought...the sales and service part of a MINI dealership have separate P&L's so to speak (The one I go to does anyway). This is why the sales people may not want to pay for the install. Sales pay the same labor rate you do.

Just go with a level head to someone who can make a decision and I'm sure something can be worked out.

My car was ordered with the wrong wheels (obviously not a biggie like yours) they just switched them out when the problem arouse.

 

If it was supposed to be the Factory Aero Kit, it would have included some underbody panels that Dealer installs of the same kit never include.

Not normally seen, but should provide aerodynamic advantage and sound reduction as well.

Also would be nice to have the Aero Kit painted at the factory instead of after-market.

If it was Dealers fault and an important option, I would re-order regardless of install 'offer'.

 

...well I ordered my car with the white rims and when I went to pick it up it had the silver ones! Needless to say I pointed it out to my sales person the day I picked it up and he was surprised he forgot. I showed him the ordering sheet and, yup, there it was... white wheels $0. Regardless he was apologetic and promised to get me some new white rims free of charge. I did have to wait a couple of months so they could get a fresh four off a dealership car right off the boat, but I got what I ordered. I'm not familiar with body kits but I did get the rally lamps installed when I ordered and was aware of the labor costs not included. So yeah, I'd make sure what body kit it was and whether people normally get charged labor for it.

 

Bait and switch? Really?

 

OMG... I almost fell out of my chair! Sorry, I thought you should know how funny that comment was.


On another note... I agree with most everyone else. Tell them you're going to another dealer, I'd be willing to bet they'll cave and take the labor cost.