[normalizer]

Without starting another thread on the value of the John Cooper Garage Works kit, does anyone know the current status of the kit showing up in the USA?

The last I heard it was supposed to be here any moment but the dealership knows absolutely nothing about it here in Nashville....


What's the cause of the current delay, and when is it expected to be released for sale in the states?

[MGB Boy]

I can't really add any insight, all I can say is "I feel your pain". I've been bugging my dealer since March, I'm giving up hope of having it done in time for the Mt Washington MINI rally on June 21 (back in March, that seemed like a perfectly plausible thing). It went from "on sale world wide April 2" to "May" to "end of May" to "beginning of June" to ??? As of last Friday, my dealer had no ETA.

MINIUSA has shown a disappointing consistency in being late late late with everything, every step of the way. Makes it a little comical whenever any new date for anything comes out. Reminds me of Shirk Brothers Construction in "The Money Pit"; How long will it take? About two weeks!

-Ricardo

[pkowski]

Had a scheduled install of the Works package to my 2002 MCS on 6/10. Keeler Motors Latham NY called and cancelled no delivery of the Works to this dealer yet. Has any USA dealer taken delivery and installed yet?

Anxiously waiting

[MGB Boy]

Quote:

Originally posted by pkowski
Had a scheduled install of the Works package to my 2002 MCS on 6/10. Keeler Motors Latham NY called and cancelled no delivery of the Works to this dealer yet. Has any USA dealer taken delivery and installed yet?

Anxiously waiting

I'm anxiously waiting for a kit from the same dealer as you. Keeler have told me I'll get one in their first batch, but they still don't know when that first batch will arrive...

-Ricardo

[S2000&CooperS]

No kits yet at MINI of Richmond. I was told yesterday there are 800 kits on backorder .

[mikehome1]

Have you noticed the works kit on ebay.

[mvalant]

Here is the link to the works kits:

eBay works kits

[MGB Boy]

Quote:

Originally posted by Max
800 on backorder? wow. that'll take em 2 years to deliver Number 800 then? at 400 kits output per annum?

And that doesn't take into account their UK and worldwide orders.

Methinks ther'll be a lot of very disappointed peeps then.

Some questions (to which I have had few answers so far):

1. When u get your polished JCW head, who owned the head before you got it and how many miles had it done?

2. If you really insist, will JCW give you back your old supercharger, cylinder head and exhaust?

3. Where do all the original superchargers, cylinder heads and exhausts go to? (the ones they take off your car?)

I do think we should get some answers, don't you?

lol

For crying out loud would you give it a damn rest, Max, you're a one-note tune. We've all heard it. Move on.

Although, out of curiousity, what leads you to think there will only be 400 kits per year, MINIUSA is planning on 1800. And why do you think the replacement heads are used?

-Ricardo

[gt4pete]

Each dealer will receive one kit to be put on a Demo Cooper S. After that kit is alloted, the kits will be placed on backorder until such time that a STOCK (not a couple of orders) can be supplied to each dealer. So calm down and stop whining.

Whining does not make the kits come any faster, calling MINIUSA is pointless as they have absolutely no control over how many kits they receive, only how they are distributed. And the process I have seen so far is as fair as can be asked for. Save the customer service line for those whose problems can actually be solved.


Answers to the previous questions:

1. The head is new. By law, any part that is remanufacturered must be disclosed to you prior to it's installation.

2. You can "really insist" by paying the $1000 core charge on top of the $4500 and you can keep your cylinder head and supercharger (or $500 for one or the other).

3. The exhausts are chucked as scrap metal (saving that 50lbs of scrap is beyond me). The superchargers and cylinder heads will be sent back to BMWNA for examination and refurbishing for use as warranty parts and/or sold as reman'd units to dealers, unless you pay the core and keep it. And NO they will not go back to the factory to be installed in new Cooper S's (cause I know it's gonna be asked sooner or later). The myriad of laws that would be broken by doing that one would take a year to compile.


I'm beginning to wonder if my discussions about this kit with customers in the showroom and reading here on MINI2 are dealing with milk on the floor, or parts for a car.

[bigbaddaboom]

Sorry a repeating post.

[normalizer]

MINI of Nashville called and the kits are here, at least mine is.... gotta schedule a time to take the car in, and come up with the cash of course....

[MGB Boy]

Quote:

Originally posted by gt4pete
Each dealer will receive one kit to be put on a Demo Cooper S. After that kit is alloted, the kits will be placed on backorder until such time that a STOCK (not a couple of orders) can be supplied to each dealer. So calm down and stop whining.

Whining does not make the kits come any faster, calling MINIUSA is pointless as they have absolutely no control over how many kits they receive, only how they are distributed. And the process I have seen so far is as fair as can be asked for. Save the customer service line for those whose problems can actually be solved.

...


I'm beginning to wonder if my discussions about this kit with customers in the showroom and reading here on MINI2 are dealing with milk on the floor, or parts for a car.

Nice attitude, Pete.

-Ricardo

[Ken NYC]

Still waiting here in NYC, dealer said give him two more weeks.

With some kits now showing up, there seems to be some reason for hope.

Just to add to the rumour mill, the guy I ordered it from said there would be only 1000 kits for the US this year.

[Andy@Ross-Tech.com]

[macncheese]

Why does their logo have a surfboard?

[SCA]

Just got a call that my JCW kit is in as well. Was first on the dealer list and it's the only one they have so far.

Will be scheduling the install for early next week.

BTW, definitely dig the JCW surfboard logo. Especially since I'm a surfer and a MINI nut.

Will post impressions of the upgrade once I get it done.....

[gt4pete]

Quote:

Originally posted by MGB Boy
Nice attitude, Pete.

-Ricardo

Traditional customer response.

Try something other than complaining. I spend all day listening to it hoping that a real enthusiast might come in and be able to process what I'm saying without moaning.

I keep a very even keel, even when I'm hearing for the 200th time about how MINI is taking forever to get the kits out and that is somehow my fault (when a small motorsport house is producing this kit that could very well leave much to be desired).

I'd tell you to omit the thank you for the info, but I guess there wasn't one in the first place.

[gt4pete]

Quote:

Originally posted by SCA
Just got a call that my JCW kit is in as well. Was first on the dealer list and it's the only one they have so far.

Will be scheduling the install for early next week.

BTW, definitely dig the JCW surfboard logo. Especially since I'm a surfer and a MINI nut.

Will post impressions of the upgrade once I get it done.....

Sounds like a few dealers are foregoing the parts bulletin and just installing the one they get on a customer's car.

I can't say I blame them. If our dealer installs it on a Cooper S demo, of which we have a hard enough time holding onto one of. It'll be a waste since probably about 5% of the people who drive that car will actually end up with a kit.


By the way, I'm not really that down on the kit. It's just dealing with this attitude of entitlement and whining that continues to poor out with this kit is really starting to wear out a guy that's been around the MINI brand since day one. I love the car, I put 17k miles in my first year with my S (with a 5 mile commute). I just need to vent a lil, thanks.

[normalizer]

Umm, first I've heard of this.... what part's bulletin are you speaking of? Are they doing something they aren't supposed to by setting my car up with the kit that just came in?

Quote:

Originally posted by gt4pete
Sounds like a few dealers are foregoing the parts bulletin and just installing the one they get on a customer's car.

[MGB Boy]

Quote:

Originally posted by gt4pete
Traditional customer response.

Try something other than complaining. I spend all day listening to it hoping that a real enthusiast might come in and be able to process what I'm saying without moaning.

I keep a very even keel, even when I'm hearing for the 200th time about how MINI is taking forever to get the kits out and that is somehow my fault (when a small motorsport house is producing this kit that could very well leave much to be desired).

I'd tell you to omit the thank you for the info, but I guess there wasn't one in the first place.

With all due respect, I hope your customer service skills come off better in person than they do online, otherwise they need some work. Your job is to keep an even keel, okay? Your job is to deal with customers asking the same question 200 times. If you don't like that, you should probably find another line of work. When a customer who has already dropped $20K plus comes back and says they'd like to drop another $5K-$6K with you, they deserve a decent response. MINI has dropped the ball on getting this kit out in a timely manner. Whose fault it is (JCW, MINI Corporate, whomever) is of no concern to the customer, that's an internal problem for you to deal with. You are the face of MINI as far as the customer is concerned. Coming online and lashing out at the MINI owners and enthusiasts here (i.e. the sort of people who make your paycheck possible) isn't the best solution, is it?

And the "real enthusiast" slam was just childish...

-Ricardo