I know I am going to get bashed for posting this but understand the only reason is to let Mini customers know that repairs they are paying for at Mini Georgian or after talking to Mini Canada may have been a warranty repair.

Georgian Mini Cooper in Barrie tried charging customers for work that should be covered under warranty. This happened twice to me. Once for rust repairs and just recently for a power steering pump at a cost of $1600 plus tax. I had the power steering pump replaced under warranty at Mini Vaughan with no issues. What is strange is I have a email from Mini Georgian in Barrie saying my car has no warranty/ recall for power steering pump and a second email from Vaughan Mini stating that yes the power steering pump is covered under warranty.

SO BE VERY CAREFUL DEALING WITH MINI GEORGIAN IN BARRIE or information from Kelly at the head office for Mini Cooper Canada AS THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS AND ONLY CARE HOW MUCH THEY CAN CHARGE YOU.

IF you had a power steering pump replaced at Mini Georgian or anywhere else you should call Mini Vaughan to verify that it is not on the warranty recall. My car us 8 years old and was covered.

See below correspondence with BMW CEO Mr. Reithofer email (norbert.reithofer@bmw.de):

#1

Hi Mr. Reithofer:

I regretfully having to contact you again regarding the service I have encountered by my closest Mini Cooper dealer (Georgian Mini) in Barrie Ontario Canada. As stated in prior emails I am a true and true Mini Cooper owner and am a lifetime owner hopefully. Mini Georgian is trying I feel very hard for me not to continue owning future Mini Coopers as I just had to AGAIN travel 360 Kilometres (90 Km's each way 180 X 2 days) to have my Mini Cooper serviced at your Vaughan Mini location in Woodbridge Ontario instead of my local Mini Georgian dealer that is about 4 km's away.

Mr. Reithofer this all started when I was having issues with my power steering on my Mini Cooper and did a little research (google) on Mini Cooper power steering problems. I noticed that my car might be covered under 150,000 or 10 year warranty. I phoned and asked Georgian Mini if my car was under warranty for the power steering pump and was told as you can see in the attached email from the dealership that "no warranty left on your vehicle and it does not have any recalls regarding this issue".

Mr. Reithofer just because of pass dealing with Mini Georgian regarding warranties or recalls as they just seem not to care about their customers only how much can they make off of them I contacted Vaughan Mini Cooper to enquire with them. After taking with Ashley at Mini Vaughan she advised me without me saying anything about warranty/recalls that if the problem is the power steering pump then it will be covered by warranty and if it is only a leak them it would be my cost. Please see attached email from Mini Vaughan.

So Mr. Reithofer why do I have to travel 360 Km's over two days (mini Vaughan did not have power steering pump in stock) to have my car serviced under warranty when I contacted Mini Georgian who has the same info on my vehicle as Mini Vaughan does but advise me that the power steering pump is not covered. If I did not follow up with Mini Vaughan it would have cost me approx. $1600 plus tax to replace a part that is under warranty. How many other customers have been taken advantage of by Mini Georgian in this manner.

As of now I am afraid to take my Mini Cooper To Georgian Mini for so much as a oil change as all they seem to care bout is how much they can make off me bringing my car in and no regards to how to treat a customer.



#2

Mr Reithofer:

I just received a call from your Canadian office by a rep named Kelly. She informed me that there is no recall to the power steering pump She started out stating that we have talked before and that "she had talked to me about previous complaints" (previous rusting issue covered by mini's 10 year rust protection) indicating that I am a constant complainer. Kelly was under the understanding that the power steering pump would not be covered as it does not have a warranty under my vin!!!!!!

I asked if she even read my concern and she said yes. When I mentioned that the pump was already replaced she quickly back tracked on what she said to me. I ask her then why in my letter did I mention why I had to travel over 360 km's to have my power steering pump repaired she advised me "I thought you drove down for two days to have a consultation regarding it being covered by warranty"!!!!!!!!! You have to be kidding me that someone would do that and it indicates to me that she just figures I am a difficult customer and I would do something ridiculous like this. So your senior employee dealing with customers with the already perception that they are wrong and she seems to take pride in being right and letting me know that. She was 100% percent wrong telling me that it will not be covered under warranty and as stated was shocked to know it was already done. So how much did she look into my concern before she called me?

Again, my original questions were not answered as Kelly was too quick to just verbally attack me telling me that she dealt with me on previous complaints and that this concern regarding the power steering pump I was wrong also and as in her words it will not be covered by warranty. I don't like the word complaint as it is more of a concern. I guess Mini Canada Reps calling them complaints are all on the defensive and not dealing with customers concerns in a bias manner.

I am so frustrated by this treatment I could just sell my Mini as I do not want to have dealings like this every time. But on the other hand that is silly talk as I love my Mini and I guess the relationship now is a abusive one. Every time I deal with Mini I get treated poorly and I keep coming back for more. So it is my fault for coming back every time but I love my Mini too much not to.

All this just makes me sick to my stomach in how I am treated every time.

Awaiting your response and please do not hesitate to contact me should you need further clarification on any manner.


Again you can bash me but all I want to do is give Mini owners a heads up when dealing with Mini Georgian in Barrie as they may pay for work that should be covered by warranty. Hopefully if you have had work done you can get your money back.

 

Thanks for the heads up! I don't know why someone would bash you, but I won't!

 

Mini Canada just got back to me and stated that the repair was done as a "courtesy gesture" and that there is no recall for my vehicle? Wow I guess I was lucky even though Mini Vaughan did not mention this to me as a courtesy repair (very strange as it was $1600 plus) and did tell me it was a repair done under a "recall campaign"?

So again, just be aware if you need a power steering pump replaced as it should be covered under Mini's recall campaign.

My car is a 2006 and was covered at one dealership (mini Vaughan) but not Mini Georgian.

Funny thing in letter sent to me they said feel free to go to Mini Georgian and work with the management to have your car serviced. If I would have done that I would be lighter in the pocket by about $2000. No Thanks.

Good Luck!!!!!!!

 

Their wording could be different than what they use in the U.S. The campaign here is called something along the lines of "Customer Satisfaction Campaign" or "Extended Service Campaign". The word 'Recall' isn't used unless its something that is required by the NHTSA. So, in a way, they are telling the truth about there not being a 'Recall'. It's all a game of words.

But thats not to say they shouldn't have covered it, under the Extended Service Campaign. Thats the fishy part.