[Banana Panceyette]

It's well time for a rant about the sheer incompetence of Belfast's main MINI dealer, Bavarian. I ordered my new S 10 weeks ago, and I ordered the Aero grill to be fitted, along with Alcanatara Works seats.

I was told that there would be a wait on the seats as they would have to be ordered specially. No problem, grand, I'd just book the car in when they came in.

A day before I was due to pick the car up, I got a phonecall from Bavarian to say that it was not possible to fit the Aero grill to standard S bumpers, to which I replied that it was indeed possible, and I actually referred them to mini2 to look at the fitting guide.

When I picked the S up, they had only fitted the top half as they said they weren't prepared to cut anything to make the lower grill fit. So, a niggly problem possibly, but one that I was (just about) prepared to live with.

The next thing was: bonnet stripes. I decided I fancied the standard MINI black stripes with white pinstripes, and after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, the dealer assured me that if I took the car to the guys they used for this stuff, they had a set in stock and would fit them there and then no problem.

When I arrived at the graphics place, the dealer had in fact got it wrong, and they only had the Cooper stripes which wouldn't fit. The graphics place bent over backwards to help, and they fitted a set of plain black ones to tide me over. Again, a niggly problem, but it's starting to mount up now.

And we come to today. Bavarian phoned me a week or so ago to tell me the seats were finally in and I could get the S booked in to get them fitted, and that they'd sort the stripes at the same time. I had the MINI at the dealer's at 10 am this morning, having been told that they would take 4 hours to fit. As I start work at 2, I said fine, but I'd need a lift to work if it was going to take longer.

I'd agreed to meet Nylo for a coffee, so I was killing an hour in the dealer's before we were due to meet when I got a phone call to say that they wouldn't be able to fit the seats today as the ECU needed reset as there were no side airbags fitted to the new seats. Would I come back another day please?

No, no and no. Was quite determined that the car was not leaving there until the seats were fitted, so I said as much. To which his reply was, he could lend me a loan car for work, but unfortunately I'd have to sign forms. Fine, I said, as I'm still sitting in your building, that's easy. Went round to see him, and he said that they wouldn't be able to fit the seats today, they'd need at least a day and a half to do it.

How can it take them an HOUR to realise that the ECU needed reset? And why on earth would it take a day and a half to do it? All in all, I'm really, REALLY hacked off with Bavarian, and although I have heard bad reports from others about their service dept, I was prepared to give them a chance, but there's no way I'll be buying anything more from them. Nothing, absolutely nothing, has gone according to plan, and I'm almost scared to leave my MINI with them- they honestly don't seem to have a notion about what they're doing.

Oh, and the bonnet stripes? Service guy didn't know anything at all about them, and could I leave the car in at another stage to get them fitted?!

[nylo]

You starting to believe me now?!

What convinced me to go 30 odd miles further up the M1 was when I enquired about Works suspension in Bavarian, and I got a blank look and was asked, "Works...suspension? Is that, like, springs, or what all's included?"

I think you forgot to mention the fact that yer man was taken aback when you said you wanted your old seats back too.

Muppetry, and it's no wonder you're hacked off.

[KPKalle]

Too Beemer oriented these people

[nylo]

It's not even that, Karl. As I said, I've started going to a MINI dealer 30 miles further up the road, and they can never do enough for you. Really know their stuff too, the difference is remarkable!

[Banana Panceyette]

Quote: Originally Posted by KPKalle (original)

Too Beemer oriented these people

It's so true

The showroom is in an entirely different building, I get on really well with everyone in there but the service dept is a completely different matter - they seem clueless when it comes to MINIs and more to the point, they just don't care

[gomera]

I also have had enough of Bavarian service dept., I now travel to Portadown to get any work done, seperate mini mechanics & service advisors who are very helpful.

[Banana Panceyette]

To top it all off, they gave me the wrong bonnet stripes for a second time

[nylo]

You would have thought they'd be bending over backwards to keep you sweet atm

[Banana Panceyette]

Quote: Originally Posted by nylo (original)

You would have thought they'd be bending over backwards to keep you sweet atm

Never - think I've finally seen the light

[nylo]

Well, they certainly made a mess of this whole sorry episode unfortunately

[nylo]

And how long did it take to get the seats fitted in the end? A couple of days, wasn't it?

[Banana Panceyette]

Quote: Originally Posted by nylo (original)

And how long did it take to get the seats fitted in the end? A couple of days, wasn't it?

3 days

[AidenL]

They do sound like a shower of eejits