Yes, I am not a fan of Brecht's pricing for their cars, but I had a very good service experience with them this morning.

I showed at 10 minutes before my appointment, and waited in my car. My assigned SA was busy with a customer, so one of the BMW SAs came out to help and then wrote up the estimate.

It was just an oil change, but they got it done in 30 minutes. I barely had time to check in with my office, browse through the junk in the parts area and sit down before he came to get me.

Yeah, it was a $108 oil change, but it was fast and the service was very good.

 

I've alwasy had great experiences with Brecht. Thier service and sales staff have been most helpful and friendly. The two SA's Courtney and Scott ahve always beeen wonderful to us, Scott is relocating and is no longer there, but I'm sure whoever is the replacement will be great.

 

I just bought a car from Brecht 3 days ago. 2007 Mini Cooper S hatchback at MSRP.

 

That is good news! Well, good for you, but bad for Brecht. I guess people aren't jumping at the chance to get the R56.

Did you have to haggle to get MSRP, or was that their going rate?

 

i have always had great service at brecht.

good to hear others are as well

 

I usually get not so marvelous service. The work gets done nicely but just getting in is still a pain. I just got my oil changed. I had my appointment. Upon arriving I was told that the SA on my paperwork was a BMW SA and it would be changed. Then I waited by my car for 15-20 minutes. Sure only on MINI SA was there but there were plenty of BMW types just looking. They did ask has anyone come to help me yet. They asked but they didn't do it themselves.

 

Well, to be more specific, I "ordered" the car through them. I didn't go home with one :( But the salesman I worked with was really straight forward, his name was Sean. In the beginning he told me that usually they order the car with some product, like Lojack or Permaplate. Towards the end of the "deal" I basically said... "Look I'll be honest with you, I was hoping to get this car for MSRP, no product". He said if he got me the car for MSRP would I order it today? I said yes (why not? ). He came back, said it was fine, and that was that. Calls me up the next day with a production number. Overall great experience

 

I too am a brecht fan but they are jumping on the wagon for the "lets rip off the mini owners" and start chraging them all for "mushrooming". I went in for a warratny repair. The part was not in so they rescheduled me for 2 weeks later. Came back and dropped my car off. Went to pick it up and they told me they would not do the work and by the way, you have mushrooming and, oh yea, here is your $5000 estimate to have THEIR body shop fix it. WHAT ********. I have several local mini owners who leave near me and they too got the "mushrooming" sales pitch. Too bad becasue Brecht has a monopoly here in San Diego. Brecht senior was awesome. Use to see him all the time at BMWCCA and IMSA/NASA events with my 2002s. The sales guys at mini are all cool though. Congrats on getting the new R56 at list price. Thats great for S. calif.

 

My how times have changed! Back in 2004 it was +10% on MCs and +15% on MCSs +Lojack, etc if the car was already on the lot. Even calling in favors only got the mark-up down to 7.5%.

 

Yeah.. Looking around at the cars on the lot, they seemed insanely marked up. I didn't even bother trying for one of those. Instead, I just ordered my own.. which I think is the way to go for the best price, if you can afford to wait a couple months.

 

Ordering is the only way to go. MSRP still bothers me on these little guys but I paid it. You and me create the market. I would go to a dealership that has been upfront about MSRP from the get go. If they keep changing their policy, what else are they hiding or will the change in the future. Santa Ana wanted to charge $4-$5 grand over MSRP in early 2007 and were courting me after I ordered through Amanda at Southbay Mini saying there are magically selling cars at MSRP like they were doing it all along. But make no mistake, I don't necessarily trust any of the dealerships just certain people.