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Dealer Ratings (BMW - Mini)

132K views 296 replies 221 participants last post by  LukaT 
#1 ·
Hi guy's & girl's - After having a few discussions on information from dealers - I'd like to start a thread with information about your dealer (i.e. service, information given and overall performance) - Hopefully we should be able to find a good dealer for everyone to use wherever you are based pending we get enough feedback - I suspect there is a number of dealers that use this site - so I would take all information with caution.

My dealer is Vines of Guildford - Although I have had a few problems regarding the car, the information given to me by Vines has always been spot on. I've found that they will generally no about new products and services. They also rectify any problem with my car generally within a week, not to sure if I will buy from them next as Park Lane is nearer to my location and apparently they are owned by BMW.
 
#3 ·
My Dealer is Rydale Central (Bham) - Big thanks to Steve Vaughan, who handled my misshap with my first MINI quickly, arranged the replacement with no fuss & also gave me a loan MINI FOC for 8 weeks. Then personally delivered my NEW replacement MCS to my home at 8am Sunday morning (80mile round trip). All in in all great Dealer experience & cant speak high enough of Rydale Central!!

UNLIKE - Robert Stern & Cotswold BMW (jenny)who did'nt follow up my earlier enquiries - there dip out I guess as she let a paying customer walk out the door to spend his £17k elsewhere!!
 
#6 ·
I've found Bavarian in Belfast no probs. My Dad has bought some cars from them in the past and had no trouble (and has the new Five on order with them), and I've found them great so far (I've got an S on order). I'd recommend them to anyone. I've also had dealings with John Clark, Aberdeen, and found them great as well.
 
#10 ·
Ashely: Sorry, should have made myself clearer in the first post. I have found Bavarian great in all my dealings with them thus far (returning calls, getting me a loooong test drive organised, ordering, etc), and I have ordered a Cooper S with them, with delivery mid-Nov. Infact, I'm moving to England in Nov, but I felt the service was so good that I'm getting a car from then, rather than a more convenient dealer in England.

I have no experience with their service dept ("and long may it remain!", as he touches wood), so I can only comment on the sales end of their operation.
 
#12 ·
Hi All, I bought my MCS from Park Lane and would give them the thumbs up...although the salesman I dealt with could not give me any detailed info about the factory supplied MD player.:confused:

Because of some minor issues (glue on passenger seat squab and a windscreen trim that would never stay in place), I unforunately took my MCS to Specialist Cars, Luton (more local to where I live). The 'technicians' managed to gouge the visible surface of one front seat back, but still refitted it hoping it wouldn't be noticed! The shroud trim around the seat base was also damaged because it wasn't refitted properly - big gaps; stress marks in the surface due to lugs out of position, wires hanging loose. It took weeks for them to resolve, with incorrect parts being ordered etc etc.

Therefore I DO NOT recommend Specialist Cars of Luton.:mad:

My 1st service is due shortly...so can anyone recommend a caring dealer in the Herts, Beds, Bucks area?
 
#13 ·
Anyone got experience of Victoria MINI / BMW in Harrogate, North Yorks? One of their MINI staff seems to have left leaving only one overstretched guy!

Just placed my order there for a Cooper S, Indi blue, white roof with MOD target, Chili pack, visibility pack, Satellite blue/black half-leather, alloy patina, extra guages and spots! Hoping for delivery mid-December.

:indi:
 
#20 ·
Bad rep for Robert Stern then?.

I think some dealers have a sex problem, blokes seem to get by pretty well, but my daughter seems to get a you do'nt know what you are talking about sort of attitude when she goes in with any of ours, I on the other hand get treated very well at Demon Hill, Robert Stern, Oxford Mini, and Cotswold.
Other posts in different threads seem to indicate similar "attidudes" elsewhere in UK and USA
 
#21 ·
Hmm. Tricky one Ashley. You'd think people would be up for getting together some variety of overall dealer listings, so it would be easy to "boycott" dealers who give poor service. But maybe some people just havn't seen the thread? I wonder do any of the moderators have any thoughts on the matter? I certainly thought it was worthwhile to give my two cents, even though in Northern Ireland we don't have tons of choice in the dealers. I just thought I'd give some praise where praise was due. But you'd think people would be happy to expose dealers with poor customer service, etc in one location for everyone to see and refer to. Would having it as a sticky maybe help?





PS: I'm sitting at work with my little Tesco's remote control Cooper S. Its a bargain at £9! Comes in DS too!
 
#25 ·
**** Lovett (Bristol)

Just a quickie.... Was originally going to buy my MC from them, and went as far as putting a deposit down, then inspiration took hold and I phoned a few other dealers not quite so local, but close enough, cuting a long story short i managed to source the same car but with 4-6 weeks earlier delivery with another dealer.

Fair enough i thought not all dealers are created equally, they obviously sell their quota quicker than others. So after re-placing my order with L J Irvine & Sons in Bridgwater i wanted to do some modifications to it, pre-delivery, to which Tony Nichols at L J Irvine & Sons, was only too pleased to do (Cheers Tony) i wanted to add front spots, L J Irvine & Sons wanted £299 expensive but what the heck, then i thought about **** Lovett (Bristol), gave em a call and they wanted £357.00 for the same thing !!

The moral of the story is, whilst **** Lovett (Bristol) have fantastic service, first class sales people and a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere - they aint cheap!! Shop around.
 
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