Lemon mini to be bought back???

[FastJeep]

My sister has a 2006 Mini Cooper S she ordered from teh factory. It now has about 1500 miles on it. When she had about 450 miles on it, it broke down as she was on the freeway. I guess it just shut off and wouldnt start again. So it spent 5 days at the dealer and they couldn't really figure out what was wrong with it. My sister wasn't sure but they said they replaced some sort of faulty ignition wiring... That was about 3 months ago. Fast forward to a few days ago now with 1500 miles on it the car did the same thing. When my mother called the local dealer the guy she talked to said they will buy back her mini and put her on the top of the list for a new one. But today they talked to them again and they are telling her that if she does this they will make her pay for the miles she put on her mini (about $700 worth apparently) and the payments she made on it will not count towards the new one. Have any of you guys had any similar problems with your 2006 minis? She took delivery sometime in June, maybe early May. Also what do you think about the offer from mini? Anyone work for Mini and have any opinion on the situation? She is very frustrated as her last car a 99 jetta was a lemon and always had problems and she was so excited to get a new car so that she wouldn't have to deal with anything like this. Thanks for the help.

[FastJeep]

anyone??? I was hoping to get some opinions from the mini community.

[Greenie1]

I'd go in the garage and create merry hell.
Customer is always right etc etc.
Why don't you name and shame the garage and post up thier details on here.

[Razzputin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Greenie1 (original)

I'd go in the garage and create merry hell.
Customer is always right etc etc.
Why don't you name and shame the garage and post up thier details on here.

don't you think? First we need to know if it's a lease or not. Sure sounds like it since they want to charge her for mileage. If it is a lease then the contract would likely specify that sort of thing (I'd hope). If it was a purchase/lease then I would assume the lemon law is in effect either way, but might have a different outcome if it's a lease (those leases are tricky sons-of-guns). If it's not a lease the car dealer should put her on top with no penalty and put what she's made for payments towards her next car and, if they are client oriented, put her at the top of the list.

[Greenie1]

er....NO!

[krazy88]

I don't know what the 'lemon laws' are...yet.

But I would agree with Razzputin's reply....and a little showing of disappointment with the car to the dealer wouldn't hurt as well. So if y'all want to make some "merry hell", do it reasonably.

At the minimum take at least the buy back offer.

Stuff like this, and reading similar 'horror' stories here and there make me a bit nervous as I'm waiting for my '06 to arrive this September.

[FastJeep]

I should have specified, it is NOT a lease. She is financing the car through mini (from what I have gathered.) They gave her a loaner mini for the time being while they check out her current one.

[iceckid]

I purchased a 06 mcs from razmussen and it left me standed two days later. They replaced the fuel pump and it now has about 1100 miles on it. It had broken at around 300. I would not accept having to pay for miles on a new ordered car that had broken down twice on you. Contact Miniusa if you have to and raise a stink, if necessary just get the money back on go somewhere else. So far my mini has been working fine and I am hoping my problems were just a fluke. The Oregon lemon law as i understand it is, if the car is in the shop for more than 30dys or for the same problem 4 times within a year, then you can either get your money back or another car. Make them treat you right.

[FastJeep]

interesting that her mini is from rasmussen too. Supposedly she is on the top of the list now and does not have to pay for anything and her payments are going to count for her new mini.

[1notenough]

I've been going through a simular problem with my 04' Pontiac G.T.O. Two paint jobs, three steering wheel replacements, four door panels, four kick panels, transmission popping out of second gear & grinding in reverse, complete instrument panel replaced twice, and one 6-speed manual gear shift knob shaft sheering in half!! All before the first 10,000 miles. Stick to your guns, don't give an inch( the sweekey wheel gets the grease) and you will do fine. Putting a call in to a good lemon law attorney will not hurt one bit. After 2 years, and 16 visits to the dealership, they are buying the car back, returning $3,500 to us, and paying all mileage along with lawyer fees. Now waiting for my WORKS GP and the service that comes with it!