I just wanted to get back to all of you who kindly responded to my questions here and let you know that if it hadn't been for your input I might have been "snowed":
As I mentioned earlier I had what seemed to be about three clips come loose that were holding on the right, front, black plastic wheel arch. I called and was told I needed an appointment. I declined. Next I called and left a message for Brett D., the designated MINI service fellow - no reponse. Then, not to be thwarted, I called the Parts Department and spoke to a very helpful guy named Jeff (not the head of Parts Jeff, but another person by the same first name) who said he could fit me in and suggested Saturday - much to my surprise and happiness - he also checked that they had the clips and said to come up at 9AM on Saturday the 13th.
This morning upon arrival, I am told that "We don't usually do service work on Saturdays" after I have just explained that Jeff told me to come up. This person says "Well, OK, since he told you." and goes to get a Tech person. They go out to look at my car. He comes back in and says that the Tech guys says "Your car must have been hit or you hit something...these clips never break off or come loose." Needless to say I was not pleased. I exclaimed incredulously "WHAT?!
I have never been hit or been in any accident - where are the marks that would show this? I also happen to know that this has happened to other people and their service departments have fixed it on the spot when they just dropped by unannounced." The poor guy repeats his response and says it "can't be covered under warranty" because of what the Tech guy says. I asked him "How much money are we talking about here?" Knowing full well that this is NOT expensive. He then says "Well, since you're that upset about it we'll fix it but I'll have to take it up with Management on Monday." I told him that I, too, would be happy to take it up with Management. He disappears.
By now I am really fuming. This is the kind of behavior that gives MINI a bad name - and this is NOTHING compared to what GMINI and others have had to deal with - it's just plain old bad business.
Parts guy reappears and wants me to sign a statement that says I refuse to pay and that the Tech guy says my car has been hit. I told him I'd only sign it if I could write my own statement on it and do - completely refuting Tech guy's supposition. This poor "messenger" then tells me he has to do this otherwise "they'll take it out of my pay check"? Great policy - and good customer service, eh?
About 30 minutes or so go by as I sit reading about the hell that's happening in Iraq (making me feel about as insignificant as a gnat with my MINI issues!) and I see my MINI out front. Parts guy appears and says that "Jeff, the Parts Manager" has arrived and says it's all OK - fine. :?: I double checked to see if this was the same Jeff I'd spoken to but it was not. I thanked this "messenger" and was glad that I hadn't "shot" him because it really was not his fault.
Whose fault is this sort of thing?
Sorry for my rant - but this is the stuff that makes you NEVER want to deal with MINI service again and this was all about three clips that cost pennies!?
Meanwhile never did hear back from Brett. D.
What are customers supposed to do?
I can't help but wonder if it helped having my MINI2.com and newyorkmini.org stickers on the rear window - or was it just incompetence?
