[RickB]

I have been eagerly-awaiting, as we all have, the delivery of my new MINI. Owners Lounge reported the car would be delivered last Thursday, and miniusa told me it had been; why no call from the dealer? Because while they were unloading it, they dropped one of the truck ramps on the freaking roof, that's why!!!!
Here are the two options toward which I'm leaning: Go ahead and take delivery of this "new" car, order another one, and hope to sell the first one at the currently-inflated market price (I'm seeing Coopers advertised at $23,000-$24,000, so I should be able to get $30,000 for an S?). Or, don't take delivery, and just wait another four months (assuming they'll bump me to the top of the order list) for an '03?
I really don't want a car that has been damaged before I even have seen it. I'd get no discount due to the damage, and would have to accept the car as if it was new and perfect. If it looks perfect after repairs, do I go ahead and accept it? Of course, it has a black roof, so even the slightest imperfection will be obvious. Maybe they'll throw-in a white checkerboard decal for free? Maybe I'll track-down the truck driver, and kill him? Maybe I'll run screaming out of the office? What to do?

[ezrally]

Sell it? Ss are down to 23K in latest Autoweek, so I wouldn't bother selling it.
Get the dealer to reorder a new one w/o much wait. Most dealers have alot of Ss on-the lots now-have them figure it out!

[Sejanus]

What kind of damage are we talking about? That would probably be the deciding factor for me. A repaint job I could probably live with, heavy dent send me a new car.

[Ady]

Sorry but i would wait for a new one, its a new car and i would mine un-molested and factory fresh. Just my opinion

Ady (R50)

[KenL]

I would ask for a new car but in the meantime take the damaged car from the dealer to use until the new one arrives. It was their fault, why should you suffer?

[EBMCS03]

Yikes... serious, its their fault. have them sell it on the dealer floor when they repair it and let u take the next order for antoher S. Ya it will be another wait which will be hella painful but i dont think i want a damaged car no matter how good the fix is. Deep inside I'll know it wasnt perfect. thats just me tho.

[RickB]

The car should be repaired by the end of the week. At this point, I don't even know how much damamge was done. If the damage consisted of a "dent", and it has been perfectly repaired, I'm going to go ahead an take delivery. If the repairs included glass replacement, or anything that indicates structural damamge, I'll wait for a new car.
I work at a law firm; one of the attorneys tells me I have no recourse beyond what the dealer has offered, while another tells me I should demand "damages". I don't really know how I've been damaged, but I feel about like the gal who found a dead mouse in her bottle of maple syrup.

[cooper4us]

I would not take delivery of that car! In fact I would not touch it with a 20 foot pole!.

If the roof had to be repainted as part of the repairs (It doesn't sound like it was a small 6 inch dent that can be repaired by Dent Wizard)your car will suffer a serious drop in resale value as it is considered to already have accident related damage.

Remember that to repair the roof the probably had to take apart the entire headliner trim....ouch! not pretty.

Demand a new car or ask to have your deposit/downpayment/cash, etc refunded in full to you.

I repeat, do not be fooled into accepting this car at any price or under any circumstances!!!!!!

[monica]

Reorder 2003 and be grateful that your dealer was straight up with you, most aren't and lots of people take home cars never knowing that their car had been damaged and repaired.

[RickB]

I called the body shop. The manager said that what they are doing is repainting the roof, because it was abraded by a mis-placed strap. He said that a large proportion of new cars receive minor damage during shipping, and that I am actually better-off than most owners of "new" cars, because those have often been repaired under less-ideal conditions ("On the dock", as he characterized it), and the owners never know the extent to which they have been repaired (when I asked if they had a MINI Cooper there for repair, they answered, "the yellow one?"; mine is DS/B). Also, he guaranteed that the finish would be superior to the factory paint, and on par with BMW or other high-end car, and that their work has a life-time warranty. I think I can live with secretly knowing the roof was repainted.

[xplode]

i have to agree, don't accept the car. i can only imagine how difficult that decision is to make - any other regular beige car would have been a lot easier, but here's a car that you hate to wait for, and that you have to wait for. going through it again sounds like a pretty bad deal, but i have to say it's probably the sober thing to do. your resale value is down, there's no reason you should have to pay full price just because the dealer knows he can get it (if not from you, then someone else).

at least sounds like your dealer is being straight with you, probably they will do their best to get you a replacement as fast as possible?

what's also annoying is that someone else is going to walk in off the street and pay full price for this poor cooper s, not knowing that they're getting damaged goods.

[cooper4us]

Quote:

Originally posted by RickB
Also, he guaranteed that the finish would be superior to the factory paint, and on par with BMW or other high-end car, and that their work has a life-time warranty. I think I can live with secretly knowing the roof was repainted.

Sorry that is pure BS. He is lying to you as they are eagerly doing everything possible to unload this already damaged car onto you. There is not a single body shop that can ever duplicate bodywork to exact factory fit and finish standards.

Stick to your guns and demand a new car!!! Don't be afraid is YOUR MONEY, NOT THEIRS!!!!!

When the roof paint job begins to peel off and bubble/chip within a year or so, then at that point you'll regret having accepted the car as is. Don't do it...Think McFly, Think!!!!!


Once you knowingly accept the damaged goods you are relieving them from any legal responsabilities under any consumer protection acts!!!!.

Demand a new factory fresh 2003 or take your business elsewhere, is that simple!

[MoonPie]

I concur with the general consensus. ...As hard as it is to wait...walk away and go to another dealer. (Just replying to your question...) Go with your gut.

Get the car you ordered, in the condition you orded with the specs you ordered.


Let us know

[RickB]

While my gut tells me to wait, my practical side also tells me that the body shop guy is right about one thing for sure: That there are plenty of people out there in "new" cars, some of those people on this list, that have no idea that their car was repaired before they took delivery. Their new car is no more new than mine will be, but they don't know it. I'll wait until I see the car, and decide at that time. Thanks to everyone for the advice.

[Clutch Cargo]

Question: Do dealer repairs like this one get posted to those databases that you can search by VIN when you're thinking about buying a used car? If they don't, then it won't affect the resale value. "Real" value maybe, but not resale value unless the repair job is visibly imperfect.

[cooper4us]

Bodywork repairs, even if they look perfect to the naked eye, will be easily spotted by a trained used car appraiser by just passing his fingertips above the car's surface.

Aftermarket paint and bodywork will unfortunately have a negative impact on the vehicle's resale value, regardless of the extent of the repairs.

True, some vehicles are damaged during transport but not all of them have bodywork done to them, pleeease!

There is a difference between a broken tailight cover or piece of glass and a car that has suffered body and paint damage requiring more extensive repairs.

If the dealer is willing to discount the loss of value from the price of the car due to the roof damage, then that would be a different thing to consider, but if the dealer still wants full price for the car and the damage has been disclosed, go elsewhere. I have never seen bodyshop work that equals or even remotely matches factory finish.