I recently had a few things done at MINI North Scottsdale: rear bumper cover replaced (by body shop), passenger door hum/buzz/rattle fixed, and aux kit installed.

Upon taking delivery of my car, I noticed that there was gunk all inside the driver's side door and on the seat(s), like whomever drove the car didn't wash their hands or bother to clean up the inside of my car. :eek: :eek:

Now I have also noticed that the passenger side window squeaks when going up or down, and there is a 'thunk' when launching from a stop. At first I thought that the 'thunk' was something in the map pocket, but I removed everything from there and it's still happening. So something is rolling around loose inside my passenger door. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Needless to say, I am really steamed at MINI North Scottsdale. :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Does anyone have similar experience with MINI North Scottsdale? Any advice on what to do?
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Peanut EB/W MCS, 16" white wheels, HK, Sensing doodads up front, Lapis/Magnesium/Patina, DSC, Xenons, Fogs, Climate, Cruise

I just got done with my first oil change there. As many MCO members know, I've turned into a Zaino head and take great pride in hand washing and waxing my car. I knew that MINI North Scottsdale had an independantly run car wash just behind it that they send all cars they service to it after the service. When I arrive just before 9AM this morning I asked the paperwork guy to be sure to indicate that no car wash was to be done. He wrote no car wash on the work order. I signed the paperwork. Then I was greeted by the new MINI Service Advisor Mike Reeves. I also told him not to wash the car. We discussed breifly why. I offered they could vacumn the interior if they really wanted to, but he said it was all or nothing. I told him, then don't vacumn the interior and don't wash the car. I would detail it myself later on. I had nearly 1200 miles of motoring fun over the last 5 days and didn't have a chance to give it a good detailing, so needless to say it was a little dirty, not much, but some. So when I picked up my car, the antenna was sitting in the passenger side foot well. I jumped out of the car and saw they had washed it. I'm not mad they washed it, I'm steamed that they didn't follow a customer's request!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :mad:

SCoop, I'm sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience. Mine pales in the wake of your concerns. I posted what just happened to me today so others can see that maybe this isn't a limited experience.

The MCS that pulled in behind me was explaining to Mike Reeves that they just had their windshield replaced. After Mike was done with him, he tended with me. I joked with him how I also had my windshield replace. He looked shooked! :eek: I asked why he appeared to be shocked and he replied that he hadn't heard of any issues with windshields on the MINIs. WHAT!!

:razz:

Chow!

Donna :razz: :razz:
donna@dcmetrominis.org

definitely call miniusa and file a complaint about the dealership.. then call them and yell at them :wink:

I know exactly how you feel. I have been in there for service many times. I have a rap sheet at that dealership, they don't like it when I show up. I am so fed up with their service there. My car has the stumble issue, and I have decided to pretty much park it and not drive it . All they can say is sorry and we are working on a fix (heard thatfor 5 months now). Plus I had a problem with my door once and we traded cars at my work. When they dropped off my MINI I had no gas and there was hay in my engine bay and radiator. Just want to let you know that you are not the only one and feel free to rant to us all. :wink:

Thanks for all the support everyone!

I just spoke with Lori Reynolds in Customer Relations at MINI North Scottsdale.

When I ran down the list of problems, after the third one she said, "There's more?" To which I told her about the fourth, fifth and sixth, etc.... She seemed very supportive and said she'd talk to her boss about the issues and get back to me. (she took my number for what it's worth.) She appreciated my [relatively] easygoing manner about all of it.

I hope that this gets me some results. If it doesn't, I'm going straight to MINIUSA next.

I also updated my dealer review, subtracting 2 stars. Unfortunately the dealer reviews won't allow active links, so the url to this thread is in longhand. [Mark, I know you're busy with your lawyers and all, but could something be done about that?]

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http://members.roadfly.org/SCoop/SnoopyTiny.gif My MINI makes me want to do the happy dance!

Very sorry to hear of your troubles. Very sorry.

Dominic, I told them not to wash my car too and they washed it! idiots!

Their cashier line is an absolute joke. Everytime I'm in there people are frustrated and angry that it takes too long to get anything done.

I used to have an Acura and would go to Acura North Scottsdale and they were ALWAYS, prompt, would fix little things with no hogwash "additional charge" and would always call me back after my service.

I had to put in two calls to Sean Moen to get him to call me back and that took 4 days.

Pathetic. My brother's BMW dealership in KC (where I bought the car from) is an example of a well run BMW setup. They took care of me and the car extrememly well in the first week of my questions about this and that and fixing all the little things. They really were patient with me. Here, they want to charge for this and that and to be honest, WE ALL KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR MINIS THAN THEY DO!!!

There's talk of another mega dealership like North Scottsdale to commence construction in Chandler very soon with the same array of dealers....if that's the case, we may have another place to take our minis too!



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http://www.seriousjazz.com/images/aw/minisig.jpg

>>Very sorry to hear of your troubles. Very sorry.

Thanks for the sympathy, Hafid.


>>Their cashier line is an absolute joke. Everytime I'm in there people are frustrated and angry that it takes too long to get anything done.

I have also experienced this frustration. Last time I was there, I finished the deal with the body shop and didn't have to go through the cashier line.


>>I had to put in two calls to Sean Moen to get him to call me back and that took 4 days.

Unfortunately Sean Moen is extremely overworked. I had a conversation with him one day when Peanut was in for service and it took HOURS of waiting around to get her back. In that time I would pester Sean every so often. He mentioned that he usually works 12-14 hour days, so as much as I dislike it, I understand that he's not going to be on the ball. They REALLY need to hire more help there!

>> WE ALL KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR MINIS THAN THEY DO!!!

Agreed! Yet another reason that MINIUSA and BMW/NA should keep their customer base happy. There have been times that I've mentioned something in passing to a service rep and he had no clue what I was talking about.


>>There's talk of another mega dealership like North Scottsdale to commence construction in Chandler very soon with the same array of dealers....if that's the case, we may have another place to take our minis too!

If that's true, is it going to be owned and run by the same people? I hope not... I used to really like MINI North Scottsdale, but now it seems that their service is deteriorating quite a bit. Being able to get service in Chandler would make my life easier, since I'm usually going to visit family in Tucson when I make service visits. Better yet, let's see a MINI dealership in Tucson!

Lori Reynolds actually called me back this afternoon! She has spoken with her supervisor and he was pretty shocked at the [lack of] service I got. She put in a call to the body shop guy (Monte) and will follow up. She mentioned that he is supposed to give me a call, and she will call me back to make sure that he has. So far, so good.

I also sent an email to MINIUSA Customer Relations. Got a somewhat canned response that basically said to take it up with my dealer.

I'll keep you all posted.

>>I just got done with my first oil change there. As many MCO members know, I've turned into a Zaino head and take great pride in hand washing and waxing my car. I knew that MINI North Scottsdale had an independantly run car wash just behind it that they send all cars they service to it after the service. When I arrive just before 9AM this morning I asked the paperwork guy to be sure to indicate that no car wash was to be done. He wrote no car wash on the work order. I signed the paperwork. Then I was greeted by the new MINI Service Advisor Mike Reeves. I also told him not to wash the car. We discussed breifly why. I offered they could vacumn the interior if they really wanted to, but he said it was all or nothing. I told him, then don't vacumn the interior and don't wash the car. I would detail it myself later on. I had nearly 1200 miles of motoring fun over the last 5 days and didn't have a chance to give it a good detailing, so needless to say it was a little dirty, not much, but some. So when I picked up my car, the antenna was sitting in the passenger side foot well. I jumped out of the car and saw they had washed it. I'm not mad they washed it, I'm steamed that they didn't follow a customer's request!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :mad:

Dominic, I completely agree! For what it's worth, when I had the aux kit installed I told everyone I came in contact with that I didn't want the standard installation, but wanted the cable to come down between the downtubes. They listened to me on that one, or I'd be even more upset.

I think that they wash all cars coming through as a matter of course. But every time I've gone in for service, they've asked if I want it done. Why do they ask if they're going to do it anyway? And why was your antenna inside the car? I've seen their wash facility, and they do it by hand, not through a roller-brush machine. I don't know why your antenna would have been detached...?

>>I think that they wash all cars coming through as a matter of course. But every time I've gone in for service, they've asked if I want it done. Why do they ask if they're going to do it anyway? And why was your antenna inside the car? I've seen their wash facility, and they do it by hand, not through a roller-brush machine. I don't know why your antenna would have been detached...?

They hand dry, but it goes down an automated wash "tunnel" if I remember correctly. They also of course vacumn. My interior needed a good vacumning and at least it got that. :roll:

I emailed both the service advisor and the service manager there the link to this thread. I hope they took the time to check it out.

>>Lori Reynolds actually called me back this afternoon!

I reamed MNS pretty well when MINIUSA called me to see how my service had gone (months ago).
MNS left a message on my work phone to tell me how concerned they were that I was disatisfied. The message asked me to call back.
I've tried at least six times and have yet to get through! :razz:
I suppose I will try again when I reach my 10K service.
I'll also assume they will wash Chester no matter what I request. :mad:

I've written them off. Our Honda dealer treats us like royalty each and every time, even when we bring in our Nissan!

btw... two fellows at work (Z3 owners each) have wanted to buy MINIs and have told me how disappointing the MINI customer experience has been compared to their BMW experience downstairs. One has bought (for his wife! yeah right!) and one is on the fence.

Wake up MNS.

They now have a special little form they have to fill out for the car wash, so without it, they don't do it, and they have to ask now.

On a similar note, I recently took in my MINI for an issue that was resolved, but something else got screwed up in the process... but I got a call from the dealer or somewhere the other day asking if the service was good. Obviously I said no, there's a different problem, relating to their fix. The caller then told me "well, we wanted to let you know that you'll be getting a call from MINI asking you about the service, and wanted to let you know that they have changed their grade standards...on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 is still the best, but a 4 is basically a failing mark. Just wanted to let you know!"

um, okay. so even if the service were good but not great, we fail them, and they're obviously a little scared of the MINI reports on their service, otherwise they wouldn't bother to call and inform me of this...

>>They now have a special little form they have to fill out for the car wash, so without it, they don't do it, and they have to ask now.

They didn't yesterday (that is Tues Aug 6th 2003). My car went thru without one of those forms!!!

interesting - last thursday they asked and had to fill out the form. maybe it's rarely used.

Okay, so here's the latest in my particular saga:

They are now going to do the right thing. They apparently monitor roadfly. Or at least one person in their organization follows it.

After posting on roadfly and here, I called and spoke to Lori in Customer Service, as mentioned above.

I then got an email from the general manager of BMW/MINI of North Scottsdale. It seems that someone in the organization saw my post on roadfly and forwarded it to him. He's very nice, and we've been back and forth a couple of times on the issue.

Then I got an email from the body shop manager (finally!), after the general manager had forwarded my post to him. He said that he'd asked his staff if they knew anything about the scratch and came up negative. I didn't really think that anyone would come forward; anyone who tries to cover up an oops isn't going to admit it when there's no proof. But he's agreed to fix it anyway. I think we'd have both been happier if he'd gotten back to me in a more timely manner, and not after having several people breathe down his neck!

So all is well. At least so far... we'll see when I get my car back from them again! This time, I will do a very detailed inspection! :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Peanut EB/W MCS, 16" white wheels, HK, Sensing doodads up front, Lapis/Magnesium/Patina, DSC, Xenons, Fogs, Climate, Cruise

Although I haven't had a need for the service department Iam certainly cautious of Scottsdale touching my car now. :???:

>>Think I'll try this one:
>>
>>1) Buy one wax pencil
>>2) Write on front windshield "DO NOT WASH"
>>3) Shoot laser beams out of eyes and scream like a crazed banshee should the car come back washed.
>>4) Blow up the dealership
>>5) Go to jail happy that a menace has been removed from the world
>>
>>:wink:

LOL :mad:

higurney you crack me up!

if you need help demolishing the dealership, let me know. I've got some cammo gear I've been dying to try out!

:smile:

I think it's good they're reading at least one of these sites. However, if they go look at the dealer rating on this site, they'll see a lot of 5 stars for their service and dealership when we know that isn't true.

I've just been very disappointed the both times I've been there. The most frustrating part is that they just don't know as much about the cars as we do and that I can't stand waiting in line at the cashier.

Does anyone else find it highly annoying that we have to rent from Hertz? At Acura, they always gave me an Acura loaner car. At my brothers dealership, they always give out a 3 series or Z3 as a loaner - EVEN IF YOU DRIVE A MINI!

I shouldn't complain too much, I really do love this car. I mean REALLY love this car.

haf :smile:

ps. I say tomahto :wink:

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http://www.seriousjazz.com/images/aw/minisig.jpg

<rant> You guys have only had to go there a couple of times. Imagine having to go a couple times a month, and when I first got my MINI I couldn't get a rental car. Try sitting in that boring dealership for hours on end. And I think we shouldn't have to pay anything for the rental cars, not even the gas. They don't fill up my MINI when I get it serviced, so why should I have to pay for their gas!!! Especially when we switched cars here at my work and my needle was below E! Why should I be punished for having to drive so far to get my car serviced. </rant>

You know I have a speaker rattle in my passenger door. I'm wondering if I can fix it myself too. I don't feel like paying $5/day for gas frankly :smile: