Injured MINI: Replacement Parts: Where are they?

[sixfoot6]

Hello all.

My MINI, Sherman, was in a terrible accident last September. Someone ran a red light and t-boned us. All the juicy details can be dug up here: http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthrea...hlight=sherman

I've learned quite a few lessons through this episode. One, however, is particularly irritating:

There is a MASSIVE delay on MINI replacement parts to the USA.

This, to me at least, appears to be quite an issue. Sherman went into the shop at the end of September. Every peice and part was ordered together the first week of Sherman's stay. Slowly... slowly the pieces trickled in. Of course first Sherman had to have his frame bent... and because the MINI is such a new car, this required training to be scheduled. By the time that was done and done, a month later, half the parts had arrived. Worked moved along at a very slow pace. Sherman, however, has no been sitting in the yard just over two months... waiting on what? A passenger seat. ETA on that part? Unknown. Nobody knows.

I *never* considered this issue when purchasing my MINI. 8 months I waited, it never crossed my mind. This is a NEW car. There are no available parts, nor previous bodyshop knowledge. And the demand is so great, it seems, that full factory production is devoted to NEW sales, rather than replacement parts. Should I have bought a Volkswagen? 2 months waiting for a part, and no end in sight. I'm still paying those car payments, still fronting that insurance, and thanks to Mercury Insurance, paying for a P.O.S. rental (to be reimbursed when hell freezes over). And all Sherman needs is a seat.

I apologize for the bitterness here. Sherman was a fantastic friend the month I drove him. And I'm just hoping he still drives straight whenever I get him back. But I've put a lot of time, effort, and heart into this car, and I've only gotten headaches in return.

I've called MINIUSA and lodged a complaint. I believe that replacement parts need to be more of a priority. I believe quite a number of customers, like myself, purchase the car expecting that should it be dented, banged, or broken, parts exist to put it on the road again.

Sixfoot6

[HarryHBMCC]

I'm sorry to hear about your story. Now I really wish they'd written off your car and I'm sure you do too. By the sound of it, you practically could have ordered and received a new MINI sooner, or even sooner if you didn't mind picking one up off a lot.

Paul Mullett, admin of MINI2, recently had his car in a BMW body shop and waited a full month to get it back (see his thread called something like 31 days...).

I assume parts like seats which are being replaced under warranty for problems are even tougher to find.

I hope they get you a seat soon and I hope it is perfect when you get it back, after perhaps the usual return trip or two for final tweaks.

Harry

[Electrc109]

Why don't you find someone that has replaced their seats with aftermarket seats. I would talk to people involved in the SCCA particularly. Best of luck my friend.

[NEMINI]

If its just the passenger seat and everything else is done can't you drive it and just bring it back when the seat comes in? then they could put in the seat and fix whatever complaints you find during the wait all at once.

[sixfoot6]

I'm a little bit suprised this isn't more of an issue to all our enthusiasts here.

If you're in an accident in your MINI, you won't have him back next week. You won't have him back in two weeks. You might not have him back this month. And in some cases, you might not have him back in 2 1/2 months (and counting).

Entire MINI's have been ordered, built, and shipped here in the time that's passed waiting for my parts. Seems maybe MINI is a bit more interested in new sales and not service to existing customers.

Drive carefully.

sixfoot6