[jtpryan]

This is a letter I submitted to the MiniUSA customer service, am I right about this? This is my first new car buying experience. Jen is a customer service rep I had received email from before.

Jen,

Well, good news, bad news. My dealer, Mini of Peabody, received my car already. They notified me last week. I couldn't express my excitement, after 51 years, my first new car. Cleaned out the garage, got the financing, planned a weekend of motoring, drove the family nuts.

Then the dealer calls back, everything is in order: S, Dark Silver & Black, All three option packages, bonnet stripes, lookin' good....except.

The interior is leather, not the leatherette I ordered. But he says he can swap it out. I say, OK, 'cause I just can't afford the $1250.

Today I get a call from the owner. The salesman was wrong, they can't swap it out because of the heated seats in mine. I ask him if he can move on the price of the Leather, he says no, I will have to get back in line and start my wait all over.

I cannot tell you how this has soured the deal. I spoke nothing but good things about the car and the company, now I feel like it's the same thing as any other car, the dealers. This is the reason I have always bought from private owners, and I was hoping this would be a different experience. Is all this image you're marketing just that, marketing?

Now I'm in the position that if I pay the money, I feel screwed. If I don't pay it and wait 2-3 months more, I feel screwed. If I just cancel the deal, I'm REALLY screwed 'cause I love the car. So, anyway you look at it, I, the customer loses, and it's not even my mistake. The dealer said it is entirely the fault of the sales person. So, when you think about it, Mini as a company is screwed. The demand is high enough that he can turn the car right around, so I have no leverage.

This is why I'm writing you. Hopefully somebody there can present a solution to save the situation.

Sincerely,

Jim Ryan

[Sejanus]

I think you are entirely justified. It is their mistake, they should give you the car and eat the price of the leather. But then as a customer I would say that. It does certainly seem like they should offer you something to sweeten the deal either on this car or on ordering another one.

[Cape Cod MINI]

Are you sure it was MINI of Peabody's mistake, or did the MINI factory make the mistake? If the order was put in wrong you should have noticed it in the MINI owner's lounge. Did you ever check your order on the OL? If you did and it showed leatherette on your order you should have recourse.
I specifically had them print out and fax me a copy of the order they submitted so there would be no mistakes.
I'm really surprised and disappointed that MINI of Peabody wouldn't admit to the error and eat it. That's bad customer service. Principle and ethics are more important that a crummy 1200 bucks.
Best of luck getting it resolved.

[jtpryan]

Thank you for the reply. The owner said quite clearly that the sales person put the order in wrong. I never received a production number or a copy of the final order. In fact the car arrived 1-2 months EARLY! I was extremely excited. Then this happened. I have heard nothing back from my letter to the corp office.

The owner, Martin, is taking full responisibility for the mistake, but he still wants me to pay for it. I even offered to meet them halfway on the cost and they refused.

Jim

[Little Bear]

NH MINI Motto: "Leather free or die."

Tell 'em to make it right or deliver another car. Just remember, if they have a list, it would be easier for them to just let you go. Don't let 'em bully you!

[jtpryan]

Well, I worked it out with the dealer, he came down a little and I bit the bullet on the rest. I finally took the attitude of my wife "get it now, you could be dead and buried by October", I love her...

Anyway, all I did yesterday was look for reasons to drive. This is the most fun and exciting thing I have ever owned since buying my '64 Healey 3000 in 1974 (still have it). God I love this car.

2 glitches: The passenger (right) heated seat doesn't work, the 2 lights on the control flicker when pushed, but don't go on. And the airbag light came on just as I was leaving the dealer yesterday. But as it was Saturday they didn't have anybody to look at it. The salesman saw it and did say that this has happened in the past and is easily rectified. Anyway, this is what warrenties are for.

But, I couldn't leave it there, I had to go.

The response everywhere I went was amazing. A bit hard to drive on the highway, 'cause everbody pulls up next to you to stare, or tailgates to see what it is.

Gotta stop typing, gotta go drive...

Jim
DS/Black/bonnet stripes -S-

[Gary Cooper]

Do heated seats come only with leather???I am not sure
please let me know
Gary Cooper

[MGB Boy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gary Cooper
Do heated seats come only with leather???I am not sure
please let me know
Gary Cooper

Nope, they come with the Cold Weather Package regardless of what seating surface you have...

-Ricardo

Right now things are a little one sided. Demand exceeds supply on both the Cooper and the "S". So, dealers can treat customers any way they want and mostly get away with it. Hopefully the time will come when supply and demand are more in balance and dealers are more concerned about customer satisfaction. I'm aure we customers will remember who treated us well and who did not.

In the meantime, I find it amazing that a "world-class" company like BMW would allow this sort of thing to go on. It just doesn't fit.