I did not see yours, alfredo, however i did not go into the showroom. i just stood outside talking to my MA. (the service dept. is actually across the street, so i went to classic just to say hi to my ma and he was outside selling.) mike's car was outside. sorry didn't have a camera with me.

Hey Mike
Went to Classic today to have them look at my tires and I saw your car. It was parked outside the dealer and the tint looked sweet.

Joey that's awesome! Wish you had had your camera with you. :) Thanks for the compliments, I'm jealous that you've seen my car before me! :D

-mike

Thanks for the support guys. And I do love the car, and it was better after I vented this morning, then drove it to work, even with having to keep it under 4500 rpm/95 mph. :D I'm looking forward to driving anywhere I can this weekend just to get closer to that magic 1250 mark.

tcassa - no, unfortunately you don't know the whole story. :rolleyes: It all started with the fact that my MA had promised to let me check over my order before it was submitted so I could change anything (as we all know 99% of Mini buyers change their minds at least once before the order is officially submitted. :D ) Well, this wasn't done, and I barely got the color changed to EB/W, and it was just compounded by the anthracite liner issue. I had gotten over all that, and then everything went sour with my delivery.

I want to stress that I did not ask for the second car wash and the full tank of gas. On her own, the MA promised both of these along with doing the tint as ordered, but neither was done. My husband (who has worked in sales and customer service all his career) put it the best - it is better to under-promise and over-deliver than to over-promise and under-deliver. Because they gave me the expectation of something that I did not think of or request, I then came to expect that it would be done. That combined with the check, the temp tag, and the window sticker was just too much. All had been promised to me the day before (w/o my request). I had accepted their promises and asked for everything to be ready to go by 5:30 as I had a charity function that I had to go to by 7. Instead, with all that went on, I did not even leave until 6:45. I was tired, disappointed, and frustrated.

I also want to stress that I was nothing but polite the entire 2-month saga. This is not my usual modus operandi after I become very frustrated. I work in construction management and despite my most polite requests, sometimes I have had to take the gloves off and get down right angry at subs to get their attention and respect. An unfortunate side effect of this business, and one I don't like to resort to. Had I had this same level of treatment from a sub, I would've let them have it a long time ago.

But anyway, my MA and the financial lady just dropped off my check while I was typing the last paragraph. The MA apologized for the mix up, and as a peace offering they brought two chrome Mini license plate holders (which I did not ask for or expect). I assume they brought because of my comment to the financial lady yesterday when she was putting on my temp tag that they could keep their name plate and if I had another license holder with me, they could've kept their dealer holder, too. :rolleyes:

Anyway, I am about to call the manager and talk to him as he did return my call this morning, but I've been in meetings all morning and just got back at 1 and haven't been able to call him back. I did have a few minutes this morning before he called and I contacted MiniUSA about ordering any future accessories online (which they confirmed I can't do) so I didn't have to deal with my dealer. The rep asked what had happened so I told him the whole sordid story. He said he would pass it on to the area supervisor so they could prevent any future problems. And that is all I can really ask for - I wouldn't want anyone else's Mini joy to be dampened like mine was. :)

Well said speed_racer. :)

-mike

I stand corrected....Seems as though you have had a very rough go of it. I do hope your experiences are the exception and not the rule as far as service goes. I would be quite put out by this time too. I hope you did not take my message as one of dismissing your experience out of hand.

Sorry it ruined your first drive in your new mini. That is a moment everybody should be able to look back on fondly....... Just think.... It can only get better from here on out.

I stand corrected....Seems as though you have had a very rough go of it. I do hope your experiences are the exception and not the rule as far as service goes. I would be quite put out by this time too. I hope you did not take my message as one of dismissing your experience out of hand.

Sorry it ruined your first drive in your new mini. That is a moment everybody should be able to look back on fondly....... Just think.... It can only get better from here on out.

Thanks for the understanding. And no, I didn't think you were being dismissive or flippant. :) I just didn't want you or anyone else reading that to think I was a greedy Yank out to get something for free just for a few botched things. If anything I am too lenient with service people who don't perform to basic standards - whether it's a sales clerk, a waiter, etc... I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, and only start to become peeved when it becomes a pattern of disrespect, which I felt this was.

But now I am concentrating on the upcoming three day weekend and driving as much as I can to put it all beyond me. So I didn't have the hopping up and down, skipping through the dealership delivery experience - as you said it can only get better. Soon to be out motoring....... :D

Speed Racer,

Have you ever named this dealer in these threads?

Please don't tell me it's in Milwaukee... :confused:

Speed Racer,

Have you ever named this dealer in these threads?

Please don't tell me it's in Milwaukee... :confused:

I believe it's Baron MINI of Kansas City.

-mike

Mike - are you going to send Julie a list of dealer programmable options? or has she already asked you about them? Just wondering if I should start making my list.... anyone with theirs that they want to share? :)
by the way, here are some interior pics that Julie sent me today.... :)

Speed Racer,

Have you ever named this dealer in these threads?

Please don't tell me it's in Milwaukee... :confused:

mike is right - it's Baron in Kansas City, so you're safe. :D I'll be posting the latest in Baxter's saga in a minute.

Mike - are you going to send Julie a list of dealer programmable options? or has she already asked you about them? Just wondering if I should start making my list.... anyone with theirs that they want to share? :)
by the way, here are some interior pics that Julie sent me today.... :)

I never received anything from her about dealer programmable options, are you sure that they do that? And did you ask Julie for interior pics? I was thinking about it and didn't want to bother her extra but maybe now I will. :)

-mike

About a month ago, I have asked Julie about that options, and I have submitted my preferences at that time. Not sure if she had kept that in my file, so I have sent her a mail (coincidently that you just asked), part of that was regarding that options, but no reply today. Thought it's her day off, seems not, since Alfredo you have received pics from her today. May be she was busy taking pics for you !! j.k. :D

Ok, so at 5 pm today my phone rings - it's the Mini sales manager at the dealership. I thanked him for having the check sent out to my office, and for the license plate holders. He apologized for Wednesday's problems. I told him I understood they were trying to deliver a lot of cars, but I was still disappointed in the service, and next just recently. So I told him the whole story, from the very beginning on 6/12. When I was done, he apologized again and we discussed the fact that by trying to please everyone, they were less than stellar with me (and apparently a few others from the things he said). He said that the whole Mini team had a meeting with the owner of the dealership and they apparently got their hides chewed. I never called the owner (I have no idea who it is) and with the things he said, I quickly deduced it was not limited to just me, although he did acknowledge my situation was the worst. I told him that I would have rather been asked to wait until Thursday to pick up my baby and had a completely wonderful delivery than try to rush it on Tuesday and become a disaster.

So, he stated they wanted to make up for their problems so far. He offered that next week, at my convenience, they would pick up my baby from work, take him, bath and detail him, fill him up, and return him to me. He also said they would refund the cost of my tint ($200) since that was the reason I couldn't take it originally. I told him that I did not want or expect anything to compensate for my problems as the plate holders were quite nice, but that I appreciated their effort and accepted their offer. Needless to say I was surprised and quite pleased by their offer. He said he wanted my Mini experience to be a good one and I told him that's all I ever wanted. By dismissing me and not addressing the fact that they were lacking in service by offering a sincere apology, I did not have a good experience. I said I wouldn't want anyone else to have a bad experience either, and that's why I wanted to make sure that someone knew about this. After all the agony we go through tracking them and watching every little delay, we need that joyous delivery experience to make the ulcers we got worthwhile. :D

So, all seems to be getting better, and I successfully delivered my old car to it's new owner, and now it's time to get down to some serious fun! :cool:

I wonder how many MA's and Mini dealers look at the website.

When I talked with my MA a few weeks ago about potential convertible roof problems, he said he had never heard of problems.

When I told him I've been reading a lot on mini2.com, he had never heard of this website.

That was kind of surprising...

I would think that MA's and dealers would want to know potential customer concerns, even before they are presented formally.

speed_racer, that's great to hear. I'm glad they made things right with you, and while of course such behavior isn't ideal to begin with, it sounds like they're making a concerted effort to change it for the better. :)

-mike

I wonder how many MA's and Mini dealers look at the website.

When I talked with my MA a few weeks ago about potential convertible roof problems, he said he had never heard of problems.

When I told him I've been reading a lot on mini2.com, he had never heard of this website.

That was kind of surprising...

I would think that MA's and dealers would want to know potential customer concerns, even before they are presented formally.MM - I so agree with you! I have been so frustrated in trying to find out what mods they've come up with for the roof problems and when they started installing said fixes. My MA said that he knew of no problems, thus no fixes... but he stated that he "assumed that Frieda's roof will be the latest & greatest, and we'll just fix any problems that come up." That is so very frustrating to me. It seems like they'd want to fix a clearly documented problem in advance. I don't have time to keep making 3 hour trips to the dealer on something that's already documented prior to delivery. I just wish they'd be knowledgeable and up front about a problem that's reasonable to expect on a new model.

BTW, have you noticed that there's no new red dot progress on the Freedom for over 24 hours? Is she in Brunswick? Will she be in Charleston on the 3rd? Oh my...

Hey ya'll August builds sitting at Classic MINI's lot. I finally received my July build today from Julie @ Classic via Concours Transport. It is sweeet! :D

Hey ya'll August builds sitting at Classic MINI's lot. I finally received my July build today from Julie @ Classic via Concours Transport. It is sweeet! :D

Yeah I saw your post on the July thread, congrats, looks great. :) If only my car had arrived at Classic about 5 days earlier it could have made that shipment, and I would have it! Oh well, it ships out soon. :)

-mike

BTW, have you noticed that there's no new red dot progress on the Freedom for over 24 hours? Is she in Brunswick? Will she be in Charleston on the 3rd? Oh my...


MountainGirl:

Yeah I did notice that, but the WW website shows the Freedom as being In Brunswick, so all is good. :)

MountainGirl:

Yeah I did notice that, but the WW website shows the Freedom as being In Brunswick, so all is good. :)
The WW site now shows that the Freedom has departed port in Brunswick, and both WW and Port of Charleston show her as on schedule to dock in Charleston today. So, our babies will be on US land today!! Hope all goes well & quickly from that point on. My MA says it will then be about two weeks til she's ready for me to pick up. Am not sure why it's two weeks from Charleston, SC, to Winston-Salem, NC, but I'm not going to be pushy about it (yet)!

greystreet - pretty slick car :) any other thoughts/comments about concours shipping? I just can't wait to get mine......

MountainGirl,

Yeah, called my MA today and he told me a week from SC and that's to wisconsin.

So basically, no one knows.

i need a website that I can follow the delivery truck from South Carolina to Wisconsin! :p

:p
Hi all!
I've kept quiet up to now, but I'm so excited now it's so close!

I hope the labor day weekend doesn't delay our cars! Though a few weeks ago I saw a MINI truck driving on the PA-OH turnpike at 1 am ( I think on saturday!) Hope they keep that schedule up.

I ordered form Julie at Classic in Ohio, and she says it should be here next week! She's been really great and even gave me several driving lessons this week, and she seems so super busy (12 hour days too)! There are tons of cars coming in all the time (they are ALL so really beautiful and unique!) and it seems like they really take good care of them, so rest assured those of you in CA, your babies are in good hands!

Quick question:

When in the process did you see an EDD in the OL??

Mine says En Route - my MA has told me 9/5 docking...

does the EDD show up a week before docking??

Just looking for some other experiences....

Quick question:

When in the process did you see an EDD in the OL??

Mine says En Route - my MA has told me 9/5 docking...

does the EDD show up a week before docking??

Just looking for some other experiences....

If you look earlier in this thread I posted my entire log of order status changes, you should be able to determine from there.

-mike

Whoo - Hoo!! Our babies are being unloaded as we speak. I understand that they'll do the processing all through the weekend! HIP, HIP, HURRAH!!!!
:D :D :cool: :cool: :D

Quick question:

When in the process did you see an EDD in the OL??

Mine says En Route - my MA has told me 9/5 docking...

does the EDD show up a week before docking??

Just looking for some other experiences....

Hi Cadbury, my EDD showed up about two to three days before the vessel is docked, in the 'En Route' state at OL.

May I just say by the way, Frankie and Alfredo, ONE WEEK till our cars ship! :D

-mike

Coops,
Like you I ordered from Classic and like you I learned how to drive stick from one of their MAs. I've driven it 500 miles. While I am getting better, I still have not encountered every traffic situation - so my confidence is not 100%. I still avoid the big hill by my house - even though I've pretty much conquered hills already. There's just no room for error on this particular hill. Oh yeah, my left leg is killing me!
Anyway - first impressions: I love driving my MINI through wind-y and twisty and hilly roads. It's like a go-cart. A really fast go-cart. Lousy slow pokes in front of me, can't you see I'm motoring!
Rush-hour traffic? I don't like it so much right now as I am still getting used to it. Give me the keys to my BMW.
I also don't like the fact there are no automatic seats with memory! Yesterday, I took my MINI in for service, they readjusted the seats and I've spent a better part of the day trying to get it back where it was. For a newbie learning stick shift, that's a big deal!
I'm not sure how I feel about the flat tire monitor. It's a good idea, but... I ran over something earlier in the week and even though the tires are fine and pressure's all good, it kept coming on. So I took it in the dealer yesterday and they confirmed the stability of the tires and equalized the pressure in all 4 tires and this morning the light went on again! Sheesh!
I admit I have gone over the recommended 4,500 rpms and close to red-lined once already during this break-in period. I hope I won't regret it later.
One last observation: I should've gotten the HK (though I havent' heard it.) But it has to be better than the standard head unit.

Joey,

Congrats on your new ride! I so glad to hear that you're getting the hang of it and enjoying your motoring experience. Great of Classic to teach us, we're so luck to have them close by. My lessons went well, but I think wearing heels didn't help with the clutch.

The handling is wonderful during the drives I've had with it!

I drive 60 miles to work everyday and am looking forward to spending time in my MINI!