[coopercharged]

Hello everyone. I'm now in a bit of a dilema. Snows Mini in Portsmouth (yes I've named them) has just put me right of finishing the deal for my Cooper S. I gave them my deposit in January and I'm about to spend another £17 500 in cash. The easiest deal ever, I wanted the car, he didn't even have to sell it to me. No finance I have the cash sat in my bank account.

It started with them not sending an invitation to the launch do, then I had a letter about finance saying someone would phone to offer a great deal, No Phone call. I had to go to them to find out when my car would be delivered, again no phone call.

Are you seeing a pattern developing here? The car was due on the first of October. I still hadn't had one single phonecall. I wanted to PX my Golf so I thought I'd better go and see if I could sort that out. They couldn't give me a price but wait for it, said they would phone on Monday and guess what no phonecall. While I was down there I thought I'd check the delivery date, confirmed for the first of October.

Phoned them today to find out what was happening Apparently the car isn't due for the first of October they don't know where that info came from, there was no appologies for the lack of info or phonecalls and to cap it all they would only give me £200 for my 1991 Golf gti 16v that is in Immaculate condition. Is it because I'm young and like wearing jeans. I'm now 95% sure that I'm cancelling with them, which is a shame because I really wanted the Cooper S. The thing that really worries me is that if they can just blank me like this before I hand over the cash what's it going to be like if I have a problem with the car. What do I do, Stick it out, Try another dealer or go and blow the money on something else? Help!

[Martin L]

Stick it out, I think you'll lose your deposit so close to delivery
Once you've got the car just take it to another dealer in future.
Unfortunately there are good dealers and bad ones

Sell your golf privately as £200 is an insult

Good luck

[coopercharged]

Thanks for that Martin, Yes I thought £200 was an insult as well, you couldn't buy a decent metro for that, no insult to metro drivers. The thing is though after all that why should I give them another £17 000, they haven't exactly earned it?

[mainlinemenace]

If the car is still spec changeable then you should be entitled to ur deposit back, however even if it isnt they should have no probs selling it and should return ur money.

[MICKEY]

I be inclined to tell them were to put their MINI,
I'd try another dealer, and I'd write a Snotty letter to the Manager of the dealership and MINI UK.
As you said why give them your money for treating you like a piece of dirt.

[Minty]

Quote:

Originally posted by Martyn
If you want the best MINI service, go to Wollaston MINI in Northampton.

Have to agree with you there Martyn, really top blokes!!

[coopercharged]

Mickey, the letter was exactly what I was thinking. Does anyone know the address of Mini UK and someone high up in the company to write to. If I can get my £500 deposit back I can then go to another dealership. On another note I popped out in my lunch break to a VW dealership and a Ford dealership who would give me £1100 and £1000 respectively for my golf which is what I think is a fair price, they both said £200 was a joke.

[SoggyCornFlakes]

I was going to suggest you went to another dealer and suggest Wollastons in Northampton. Looks like Martyn has already beaten me to it and Minty seconded the motion, we'll I'll give them the third vote of confidence.

Don't forego the MINI adventure due to one lousy dealer, get a good one and enjoy the experience.

[coopercharged]

Thanks guys.

Wollastons sounds like the kind of dealership the rest should take note of. All I need now is my £500 back so I can start my Mini adventure again, Help with mini UK details would be great.

[AntH]

Give them a chance to redeem themselves. Send a firm (not rude!) letter to the MD of the garage listing all your concerns. cc it to MINI customer services (and make sure they know you've done it!). Say you look forward to their reply in the next 14 days. Things may improve! You may get a few extra's as an apology.

Get the car, and take it somewhere decent for servicing/warranty work. Don't wait another 8 months just to get at them - they will sell the car tomorrow (possibly for much more dosh)! Inspect the car thoroughly, though, before you take delivery.

There standards are below par - Godfrey Hall in Shrewsbury ALWAYS ring me back - even if its just an enquiry about the motorshow!

[paddlefoot]

I'd be loathe to part with any money to a dealer who is that incompetent. I had the same issue with my original dealer and switched to Milcars (thanks MartinL)

If you REALLY must have the car - buy it off them and when BMW ring you for their after-sale surey - give the dealership a big fat ZERO on all counts. They will not get any commission from the sale then.

[coopercharged]

Well, it's happened. I've cancelled the car, so after 9 months and £500 I'm back to square one. They phoned today to try and get me to reconsider (yes, I couldn't believe they phoned me either!) They upped the PX to £500 which is close to what I would have accepted, but still no appollogy. To be honest they took all the excitement away from buying a new car so they would have to do more than that for me to change my mind.

So my Mini Adventure is well and truely over. I'm not sure what I'm going to buy now, it wont be a Mini, but I've got plenty of time to decide. Thanks Mini 2 for keeping me sane over the months.

Have fun everyone!

[flipper]

Quote:

Originally posted by obehave


Why are you bailing on buying a really nice/fun car because of a lame dealership? Others have pointed you to a great dealer, go with them. I'm finding out the dealer I bought my car from pretty much blows. Am I going to sell my Mini because of this? Heck no!!
You're letting the crap people of the world win by folding.
Unless you have other reasons......

He is bailing out because he's been f@@@@d about by a c@@p dealer who doesn't give a damn about customer care.
Why should he have to wait another nine months!

I still cannot understand why you bother with dealer trade in's. You should be able to find a private buyer for a reasonable golf. Dealers don't want your old car, that's why they offer next to nothing.

Poor dealer service should get slammed by BMW/Mini