JUST TO LET ALL KNOW:
I BROUGHT MY '03 S IN FOR SERVICE @MINI OF NYC.
LIKE EVERONE I HAD THE COOLANT LEAK AND WINDOW SQUEAK.
I ALSO HAD A BANGING SOUND WHEN I RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE, AS WELL AS A VERY WEIRD BRAKE FEEL WHEN I FIRST STARTED DRIVING WHEN THE CAR WAS COLD AND PARKED OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT.
THEY JUST CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW THAT DIRT AND RUST HAD GOTTEN ON MY PADS AND WERE MAKING THEM STICK & IT WILL COST ME 2.5 HOURS LABOR @$100 AN HOUR.
LIKE ALL OF YOU ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW I SAID OK WARRANTY, THEY SAID NO IT'S YOUR PROBLEM, I CALLED MINI OF AMERICA AND SPOKE WITH A REP., HE SAID BECAUSE IT'S NOT CAUSING A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IT'S NOT COVERED.
I SAID THE BANGING SOUND IS NOT A PROBLEM? MAYBE IN YOUR WORLD, BUT IN MY WORLD A BANGING SOUND COMING FROM MY PARKING BRAKE IS A PROBLEM & SINCE IT'S NOT MY FAULT IT SHOULD BE COVERED.
HE SAID HE DOESN'T THINK SO, BUT HE WOULD CALL THE DEALERSHIP & LET ME KNOW .
ANY HELP FROM ANYONE WITH THIS PROBLEM PLEASE LET ME KNOW :???:

 

All you can really do is keep after the guys and try to bump it up to the regional manager or as high as you can get. (using the caps lock would help too )

I once had a GMC truck that had the cotterpin come off (or was never put on at the factory) one of the castle nuts in the suspemsion. This allowed the nut to come loose and caused a noise. They finally tracked it down and wanted to bill me saying that since nothing broke, it was not a warranty fix. After I reminded them that if it had broke on the highway, they would have had a lawsuit on there hands and surely some injuries or fatalities from the wreck that insued, maybe their best interest was to go ahead and cover it. They came around.

 

I had the exact same problem with my brakes, and have heard of at least two more people that had the same problem. The fix requires dissasembling and cleaning all the brake system. It was not covered under warranty and I paid over $150.

Without defending MINI, I didn´t argue it because this seems to happen when you drive on bad roads (which I do) and a lot of dirt and dust gets in the pads. I really isn´t MINIs fault

On the other hand the rattles should be fixed at no cost

Just an opinion

 

>>I had the exact same problem with my brakes, and have heard of at least two more people that had the same problem. The fix requires dissasembling and cleaning all the brake system. It was not covered under warranty and I paid over $150.
>>
>>Without defending MINI, I didn´t argue it because this seems to happen when you drive on bad roads (which I do) and a lot of dirt and dust gets in the pads. I really isn´t MINIs fault
>>
>>On the other hand the rattles should be fixed at no cost
>>
>>Just an opinion
Would it be unreasonable to think that BMW would have, as part of there durability testing, drove the car down a dirt road?

There are hundreds of other vehicles being sold in this country that don't have this issue. I guess repeat business dosen't translate into German very well. I am really sick of the idea, that they all do it, it the users fault not ours, etc.

What a short sited bunch of arsholes they have working in customer service, simply amazing. :evil:

 

I was told EVERYTHING was covered, if I blow the clutch, they replace it. They told me when they do the brakes they replace rotors and all that they do not turn rotors just replace them and it would be covered.

Did you check the dealer ratings? Is there another dealer close to you? Sometimes one won't and one will do it under warranty.

Earl

_________________
SCURVES

 

yah, everything should be covered if it was not abused (which i
doubt you did).

I would write a formal claim to MiniUSA claiming fraudulant sales
if they keep this up. My sales guy clearly stated that during the
warranty period, all wearable parts and maintenance fluids, etc
are ALL covered.

My sidebrake does not BANG when i release it...wat you got
there is a probably a defect.

 

>>I was told EVERYTHING was covered, if I blow the clutch, they replace it. They told me when they do the brakes they replace rotors and all that they do not turn rotors just replace them and it would be covered.
>>
>>Did you check the dealer ratings? Is there another dealer close to you? Sometimes one won't and one will do it under warranty.
>>
>>Earl
>>

I don't think MINI will cover a burnt clutch unless its a manufacturer's defect and I've never heard of a dealer covering rotors unless it's also a manufacturer's defect

 

I just had my rear pads and rotors replaced at 15k miles under warranty. The service guy said that "it looks like you have been doing some e-brake turns". and I was like wtf? I never did but anyways they were metal to metal. I did do some auto x in vegas but there is no way that could have contributed to that. He also stated it was the first time he had ever replaced the rear brakes first.

 

I blew my clutch out driving eariler this week. It was at about 20% for the past 3 days. I had to drive it to and from work. I called MINI AAA today and talked to the MINI guy about towing my car. He asked my milage and so forth. Then asked what the problem was. I told him the clutch gave out. He said "Oh, that is covered by the warranty so we will send a truck right out to pick your car up". I then called the dealership and they said it would be ATLEAST 10-12 days until they can even LOOK at my car. Talk about BS! I Cant go 2+ weeks without a car, but im going to have to...
-yeagy

 

There are two morals to these stories.

1) Service satisfaction, and warranty claim servicing in particular, is entirely dependent upon what dealer you use. Some truly suck (MINI of NYC has a horrible repuation!!) and border on the criminal. Others are truly stellar (MINI of Peabody, MA is a notable winner).

2) MINI Customer Service is a total crap shoot. Sometimes you get one answer, and satisfaction. Sometimes a different owner with the same problem could get a totally different answer and no satisfaction. Training for these folks is either non-existent or really crappy. Keep trying, you might get the answer you want/need.

My own experience is curious. I've had a number of things replaced on my 2002 MCS (never a clutch or brakes), and often my dealer finds "problems" that I wasn't even aware of and fixes them with no questions asked other than "We found ______, do you mind if we fix it under warranty?" :smile:. All under warranty, I've had the sunroof replaced, 2 coolant bottles, various airbag parts, boot latch, rear wiper motor, and probably a couple of other things I'm forgetting. On the other hand, I once tried to get them to replace my wiper blades as part of routine maintenance...and was told "no go" we don't do these. But other folks on NAM have reported their blades routinely changed for free. :???: Oh well...the MINI blades stink anyway [shrug]

 

Another fine job from the SERVICE DEPARTMENTS??? at the MINIUSA dealerships. :???: If its not a BMW its not getting top notch service.

 

^ Actually, there's no real reason to believe that it's all that much better for the BMW side of many of these awful MINI dealerships. And just think how pissed you be if you were getting crappy service on a car that cost twice as much.

...or how stupid a consumer you'd have to be to put up with that.