I have to say, I’ve got nothing but praise for them and I wanted to share my experiences with you lot :) Though I know of people who seem to have nothing but problems with them..(David :p)

I’ve dealt with them both at the old showroom (bought 2 cars from there) and at the new showroom (waiting to pick up the Dooper) over the course of just over 3 years now.

I first went to the old showroom on the Convertibles launch day, was only learning to drive at the time, but told them I’d be back ;) Little did they know I’d still be backwards and forwards every couple of months to see what’s what in the world of MINI :p

In March 05 I went back having seen a MINI ONE on the cherished site, wasn’t quite in my price bracket, but they had knocked £500 off that by the time I left….The sales manager at the time let me take the car out for a test drive and I came back and signed the paperwork :D The following week I picked it up, having had a couple of bits fitted and everything was perfect!!

I then had my first dealings with the service dept. with a funny noise in the engine bay, a recall, the airbag light and a brake fluid change :) They were excellent on all occasions, couldn’t fault them at all!

It was then I bought my next MINI, and during the six weeks of waiting I was kept informed of anything I needed to know and when the car was going off to the body shop for the roof etc…again I was dealing with the then sales manager. I picked the car up, sparkling and shiny from the showroom, complete with a big red bow on top :D Fantastic service all round, not just from the manager but from the other sales guys too! Top job!

A couple of weeks later Specialist Cars moved to their new place, very snazzy and funky compared to the old section!! :nice:

I went in just after that to have a look around, as you do :D :p Soon after this though the sales manager left :( he’d been fantastic…funnily enough after a few months he was back and working in the BMW showroom, and he has also helped out with a couple of things relating to my car since :) Again top job!

My car went back for the side skirts to be fitted, and by now a couple of the guys in service dept knew me, again excellent service.

On the launch of the R56 in November 06, I was invited along to the preview night, and a couple of weeks later when my car was in having the CD changer looked at, I was given the keys to a new Cooper S for a test drive. At the time the new sales manager didn’t really know me, so I was very appreciative of being handed the keys :)

During 2007 I went in numerous times to have a look round, and my car went back for its first service, I was kept informed and called when the car was ready to collect, I think then was the first time I went to see about the R56 ;)

At the beginning of September I went back again, to have a serious talk about what I was going to do, I was handed the keys to a Cooper and 40 minutes later I returned after a good drive. The following week I did the same with the Dooper, and it was then that I placed my order. I didn’t have to pay much of a deposit as it was so far away that the car would arrive.

I went to the launch of the Clubman and took out a Dooper Clubman for a slightly longer test drive than I should of :o (sorry :p) but no-one said anything when I went back in :)

In between time I’d been back in a couple of time to alter the spec of the new car, as the salesman knows only too well :p

In January this year I was allowed to take a Dooper for 24hrs for a ‘proper’ test drive, I even washed and refuelled it before I took it back! :o

I was called when my new car arrived and went to see it a few days later, everything was arranged for what I wanted done to it, and I was taken to see it again yesterday :D

Yesterday my car went back for a leaking engine mount, the receptionist was a bit rude to me when I originally called to book it and refused to believe I knew what was wrong with my own car :rolleyes: Anyway I put it down to her just being a receptionist and left it be...
My courtesy car was waiting for me when I arrived and I was told I had it for 2 days while mine was sorted, and at no cost, she also walked around the car to show there was no damage.
I was called at 5.30 to say my car was fixed and ready and I could go and pick it up, I explained I was at work and couldn’t get there until after work the following day - not a problem.
Went to pick up my ickle MINI tonight, and hand back the loaner, everything had been sorted under warrenty and there was nothing to do except sign to say id handed back the other car :)
Again, I couldn’t fault them, great service, and kept informed with my car :)

Everytime I walk into the showroom, I’m always greeted and made to feel welcome, they all know me by now, and tend to know I’m a little on the ‘crazy’ side when it comes to my car :D

Doubt they will ever read this :p but wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone that I have dealt with at Specialist Cars Stevenage (both sales and service) over the years, you’ve been brilliant and I wouldnt go anywhere else.

Special thanks to Ian, Jason, David, Nigel and Darren who have all played a part in either the Dooper order or previous cars :) (only spoken to Dawn once) oh and Stacey for doing my new reg yesterday.

And thank you to the old sales manager, Manjit, who helped me get my hands on my first and second MINI’s :D and who has also helped me out with other things since :)


Sorry about the overly long post, but I felt they deserved a mention :) I know some of you may have had problems with them, but everyone has different experiences.

I’m picking up the Dooper in 16 days time, and cannot wait! :red:

Sounds like some dealers are actually doing a proper job & keeping some of their customers happy!

Glad you're happy Jo & roll on to DDD (Dooper Delivery Day!! :D :D )

Sounds like some dealers are actually doing a proper job & keeping some of their customers happy!

Glad you're happy Jo & roll on to DDD (Dooper Delivery Day!! :D :D )
Ooh I like that - DDD :p :D

I
Yesterday my car went back for a leaking engine mount, the receptionist was a bit rude to me when I originally called to book it and refused to believe I knew what was wrong with my own car :rolleyes: Anyway I put it down to her just being a receptionist and left it be...


Don't worry it's not you, they're always like it! :hmph:

Don't worry it's not you, they're always like it! :hmph:
She is the only one ive spoken to thats been rude though :confused: and when I phoned back the 2nd time she was perfectly ok ;) :)

She is the only one ive spoken to thats been rude though :confused: and when I phoned back the 2nd time she was perfectly ok ;) :)

Probably too busy the first time, filing her nails! :rolleyes:

Don't worry it's not you, they're always like it! :hmph:
Couldn't agree more!! Can't fault the sales guys, especially Nigel, but speaking to anyone in Service is like pulling teeth :rolleyes:

Just had a courtesy call from Specialist Cars to check that everything was ok with my car since I picked it up on Wednesday :)

I have to say, I’ve got nothing but praise for them and I wanted to share my experiences with you lot :) Though I know of people who seem to have nothing but problems with them..(David :p)


oooo, just seen this thread. Ill save my comments till after my tea ;):p

oooo, just seen this thread. Ill save my comments till after my tea ;):p

I think this will be one long post! :p

I think this will be one long post! :p

Well it doesnt have to be. I could sum them up in a 4 letter word ;):p

Im beginning to think its only me that actually gets on well with them and has no problems at all :p

So, Specialist cars Stevenage.

So i booked my 2006 Cooper Park Lane in because of a coolant leak, a very clunky clutch and some streaky window rubbers. I took it in on Tuesday the 5th, and they said they would give me call back once someone had looked at the car.

I got a call about 4.30 telling me that they were going to replace the clutch and flywheel, replace the window rubbers, and that they had located the coolant leak - Brilliant!

So i went to collect the car on Thursday the 7th having had all the work completed, upon arriving and speaking to one of the service personnel i was told that the old clutch was completely knackered and that was the cause of the clunking clutch. I was then given a leacture by the service guy saying that i should go easy on this clutch or else it will burn out again (car has done 50,000 miles) and Mini will not replace the clutch again under warranty.

So when i got home after taking it easy to give the clutch chance to bed in, i checked the coolant level which was well below the minimum level which i was less than pleased about, but thought nothing more of it. So in the morning i checked it again and the coolant level had dropped to the bottom of the header tank.

Immediately i rang up SC and they said to bring the car back in ASAP and they would have another look at it for me. So within the hour i had dropped the car off, to then be told that the car may not be looked at until Monday. But i left the car there, calling every 30 mins or so to see if they were working on it yet :p

So i then got a phone call on the Monday to say that they couldnt find any leaks, so i could come and collect the car. So i got the car home and parked it on the driveway. The next morning i checked the coolant level again, and it had dropped about half an inch overnight. :angry:

At this point i was fed up, so my Dad called the next morning asking to speak to 'The leader of the Circus' After explaining the problem to the Manager i was told to bring the car over so he could have another look at it. So i took it over, and he asked everything they already knew about the problem.

I then got to speak to the technician who initially worked on the car (for the clutch swap etc) and he told me that the clutch was hardly worn, but that the flywheel had cracked (not what i was told on collection)

So whilst i was over a nice chap said he would put it up on his ramp and see if he could find anything - which he couldnt. He then asked if i would leave the car overnight, at which point i said No. I had already lost the car for nearly a week. and demanded a courteousy car, which they agreed to try and arrange :D, but i have to run it on my insurance.

Since then the car has left some lovely large puddles of coolant under the car.

So my car is going in on Saturday the 23rd, at which point they are going to hand me the keys to a 57 plate R56 Cooper :).


Apparently they have booked it in for a week, so maybe they are finally learning that they need to fix this problem now.

If they had fixed the leak the first time i would have been pleased with the service (apart from them saying i couldnt have a courtesy car initally), but its gone down hill fast since. Although im getting to know everyone on the service department quite well now :p

Anyway everybody, my longest ever post on M2 ;)

At least they are sorting (fingers crossed) it for you David and giving you a courtesy car (albeit on your own insurance) :)

At least they are sorting (fingers crossed) it for you David and giving you a courtesy car (albeit on your own insurance) :)

Yeap :),

Not at bad as Elms Bedford :p

I just thought it would be nice for them to do something without having to do so many trips/phone calls :rolleyes:

Somethings good come of it though, i get to drive an R56 Cooper to see what they are like, for a few days atleast. :p

Just rang SC after dropping my car off on Saturday and hearing nothing.

They havent been able to fix it yet, and im keeping their car over the weekend, yet failed to occur to them my cover note runs out on Saturday and the R56 was only booked with me until Friday.

When i reminded the woman about the insurance she replied ' o well you'll just have to extend it then'

Stupid people.

I dont get it :p

I saw your baby today ;) :D Ive been in the workshop you know :o

Lol, went to see Phil doing my roof this morning, was allowed to drive over in my car, go through the big gates, drive round the back, was amazed how big it is! :D I abandoned my car round the otherside and went in the workshop, the salesman let me stay there on my own and told me how to get out when I was ready to leave :) As far as I was aware customers arent allowed beyond the gates :D hehe :D

How many pieces was it in?

I tried to have a look around the back and it doesnt look that big, but if you look along through the viewing window it goes along for ages.

Lets see some pics then ;)

It is big, you cant really tell from the window, basically the workshop runs the length of the building with ramps at the entrance end and then valeting bays at the other. Round the back they have more valeting areas and a car wash thing, its jam packed with brand new cars at the moment! :cool:

Well today I collected my new Dooper from Specialist Cars :D

All was well until the handover when the Ipod connection refused to work :( The car was taken over to the workshop to be re-coded, but 10 minutes later I was told that wouldnt work and that it would need the now faulty unit replacing :eek: :( I was nearly in tears at this point as my new pride and joy was broken before id even set my hands on it!!

I was given the keys to the sales managers Cooper S Clubman to use while waiting for a phonecall to say my car was fixed :)

Just over an hour later, the car was ready, top job Specialist Cars!! I dont blame them at all for the problem, its just one of those things afterall was tested the other day and worked fine.

A huge huge thank you to Ian and Jason for getting it sorted out so quickly. :)

I'll be back soon im sure :p

My Dad just spoke to SC, the part needed for my car which was due to be delivered saturday has fallen off of the face of this planet (unfortunately) and they dont know when the part will be in now.

So now ive got to drive the R56 (which i hate) for a few days longer.

Service manager said he cant recoup the costs of the courteousy car from BMW as im under 21 - UNLUCKY!

If its the Thermostat that they are waiting for then it could be a while as they have been (and looks like still are) on back order ;) A friend of a guy at work had to wait 2 weeks for one to arrive.

And anyway I thought you liked the R56 last week? :confused:

Spoke to Chris at Derek Woodmans today and he said they are on back order and arent even in stock in Germany.

I did like it, yet now ive spent 10 days with it, and the novelty has worn off, i dont like it, it doesnt excite me in any sense, and the build quality is fairly poor in places. I also think the first gen Minis are better looking.

Had a phone call first thing this morning saying my car is ready for collection :D

So tomorow i shall be collecting my car :D:D:D

Specialist Cars have excelled themselves this time, and have managed to totally **** me off :mad: I am so arrrrrrgh at the moment!!

Took the car back over this morning for some sort of answer as to why my side skirt was still broken. At this point the grille is broken again and the skirt can be pulled away from the car as the clips are broken! Yet when it went in it was only the grille that was broken :rolleyes: Spent a while in the showroom explaining to the salesman that I’m not very happy, to be told ‘well actually there is a problem with the side skirt’ :confused: Sorry? I know nothing about this?? Turns out the skirt was broken when it was fitted in the first place by the bodyshop!! :mad: Why did they not bother to tell anyone? Why was it not picked up when the car came back from there, and before it was delivered to me? Why was I not told on delivery of the car? :mad: :rolleyes: On Thursday when I went to collect the car I was told to go straight to the service dept, but with the courtesy car ending up being hit on the way there I went to sales instead as I know them and I was in a bit of a state, but if i'd gone to get the car myself then service would have told me.

Anyway, apparently it had already been bought up as an issue in a regular meeting between various top bods.

The salesman phoned the workshop to see if there was anything that could be done this morning, bearing in mind they have only a few staff in today. I was told to take the car over and they would have a look.

Right so, over to the service dept. I go, at this point still reeling from the fact I had never been told about it being broken already. Spoke to one of the guys in there who had the cheek to turn to me and say ‘oh well, you never came over here to collect the car yourself so we couldn’t tell you’ :eek: :mad: I soon answered back with a ‘well, there is a perfectly good reason for that’ :rolleyes: (which by the way it turns out he already knew about so why say that to me!!!) I also said to him ‘I don’t expect my 3 week old car to be broken’ :rolleyes:

In the end he gave in and took the car into the workshop, and guess what? They replaced the clip that was broken (not sure if they replaced 1 or 2), errrr so why could they not do that on Thursday, rather then just leaving it? Did they think I wouldn’t notice or what? Afterall having had the car for 7 hours, which put me in a courtesy car, which ended up being hit????? :mad:

The end result is that the grille is still broken, and I’ve got to have a new side skirt. Luckily the salesman understands that I want the car to be right and not keep having to go back over there! I did have a little moan that both of the dealer fitted accessories (the side skirts and the iPod interface) had broken and its not right! :rolleyes:

So now I’ve got to wait and see whether my car has to go over to the body shop to be sorted, or whether it comes back to Stevenage to be sorted, whether I will have another loan car is another thing, so we shall see!

To be honest I still don’t have a problem with sales, they seem to want to help me and have always been helpful, but the service lot have really annoyed me (yet they’ve always been so helpful in the past!) Am I not allowed to want my 3 week old car, which cost me a hell of a lot of money, to be right? Because at the moment that is how it feels!

That's awful Jo. Especially after all of the good service you have had in the past. :(

Hope it's sorted soon for you. :)

The sales / aftersales thing is always a problem in my experience (and god i should know), Jo try n look at it positivly, they have identified the problem and are going to rectify it. a whole new skirt should sort it once and for all. You should write to the dealer principal about your experience while you're waiting for the part and demand some recompense (think about what goody's you'd like :). because i know thats what would happen here and you may get somewhere , like perhaps them giving you some money back as what you bought weasnt fit for purpose when you took delivery (as they knew it was broken) .

The sales / aftersales thing is always a problem in my experience (and god i should know), Jo try n look at it positivly, they have identified the problem and are going to rectify it. a whole new skirt should sort it once and for all. You should write to the dealer principal about your experience while you're waiting for the part and demand some recompense (think about what goody's you'd like :). because i know thats what would happen here and you may get somewhere , like perhaps them giving you some money back as what you bought weasnt fit for purpose when you took delivery (as they knew it was broken) .
Ive already got the contact details of one of the owners of the company (was given that for a different reason) so that may come in handy if they dont play ball ;)

We've been having some problems with Specialist Cars service - Gone back twice for things that they've done to the car!! Think the Mini is now going elsewhere in future :rolleyes:

We've been having some problems with Specialist Cars service - Gone back twice for things that they've done to the car!! Think the Mini is now going elsewhere in future :rolleyes:
Aparently there has been a bit of a change around of staff over there which seems to have caused the problem. Unfortunatly for them, Specialist Cars name as a whole in the motor trade seems to have a bit of a bad reputation!