A few months ago when I had a Cooper I would have recommended my dealer without reservation, the service dept had treated me well and my Cooper was a joy despite numerous mechanical problems that it developed. The problems were always sorted out quickly and easily. That's why I placed my order for a Cooper S with them and it was delivered on Spetember 1st. I had a few problems with the order, nothing major. They wouldn't return calls, lost my order on their computer, but when my Cooper S was delivered as specced these niggles were soon forgotten. Then the problems started with the S..
The car developed a few squeaks and rattles, nothing major but irritating nontheless. At low speed there was a cracking noise from the rear passenger side brake, when that started happening I thought it was time to visit the dealer.
My car was collected as usual and returned to me the same day, the dealer had called me before the car was returned to say that they hadn't managed to correct the dashboard squeaks as it took longer than one day so I arranged a date and time to leave it with them for a few days. Upon delivery I inspected the car with the driver and found the following.
A kerbed wheel
A huge stonechip on the bonnet
Deep gouges in the boot compartment
If you knew me, you would know how obsessed I m about my MINI and none of these problems had been caused by me and in fact none of the problems were visible on the car when it had been collected that morning, I had this recorded on a collection sheet.
Before the drive home that night I checked the trip computer, I'd reset everthing before the car had been picked up that morning. To my distress, the constant MPG was 12.6, up until then it had averaged 29. It was only just out of it's breaking in period and I hadn't even driven it hard, the delivery driver must have been redlining it in every gear. As I drove home that evening I was greeted by the same cracking from the rear wheel when braking. Great, not only hadn't they fixed that but they'd also damaged and abused my beautiful new car.
The following day I called the dealer to relay my anger and to know what they were going to do to sort it out. I wasn't getting anywhere fast so visited the dealer in person that afternoon. They examined the car, admitted it was their fault and agreed to fix the problems when they had it for the few booked days.
The booked days were yesterday and the day before, I picked the car up from the dealer last night and they had replaced panels in the boot and fixed the wheel and stonechip. I drove home. Gone is my dashboard squeek to be replaced by dashboard shake, the whole dash now creaks and groans. I stopped at traffic lights on a level road and when at a standstill the dashboard let out an almighty creak, I can move the damn thing around with my hand. I wish that were all, but now I have a buzz in both doors, a squeak in the rear passenger side trim and guess what, the rear brake still makes a cracking noise at low speed.
I called the dealer again today and the receptionist said they were busy in service and they couldn't talk to me, but would call back, they didn't. So I called again and again they couldn't take my call, I said I would wait and I was told that they really couldn't take my call at the moment and they would call me back. I'm still waiting.
So here I am with my S that the factory made pretty well but which is slowly being destroyed by the dealer. I'm sure the saga will continue.
I'm beginning to think that the only reason my original Cooper got so much dealer attention was the mini2.com sticker in the back window. My S hasn't got one, maybe that's why they feel they can abuse my new car.
Jinjoid
The car developed a few squeaks and rattles, nothing major but irritating nontheless. At low speed there was a cracking noise from the rear passenger side brake, when that started happening I thought it was time to visit the dealer.
My car was collected as usual and returned to me the same day, the dealer had called me before the car was returned to say that they hadn't managed to correct the dashboard squeaks as it took longer than one day so I arranged a date and time to leave it with them for a few days. Upon delivery I inspected the car with the driver and found the following.
A kerbed wheel
A huge stonechip on the bonnet
Deep gouges in the boot compartment
If you knew me, you would know how obsessed I m about my MINI and none of these problems had been caused by me and in fact none of the problems were visible on the car when it had been collected that morning, I had this recorded on a collection sheet.
Before the drive home that night I checked the trip computer, I'd reset everthing before the car had been picked up that morning. To my distress, the constant MPG was 12.6, up until then it had averaged 29. It was only just out of it's breaking in period and I hadn't even driven it hard, the delivery driver must have been redlining it in every gear. As I drove home that evening I was greeted by the same cracking from the rear wheel when braking. Great, not only hadn't they fixed that but they'd also damaged and abused my beautiful new car.
The following day I called the dealer to relay my anger and to know what they were going to do to sort it out. I wasn't getting anywhere fast so visited the dealer in person that afternoon. They examined the car, admitted it was their fault and agreed to fix the problems when they had it for the few booked days.
The booked days were yesterday and the day before, I picked the car up from the dealer last night and they had replaced panels in the boot and fixed the wheel and stonechip. I drove home. Gone is my dashboard squeek to be replaced by dashboard shake, the whole dash now creaks and groans. I stopped at traffic lights on a level road and when at a standstill the dashboard let out an almighty creak, I can move the damn thing around with my hand. I wish that were all, but now I have a buzz in both doors, a squeak in the rear passenger side trim and guess what, the rear brake still makes a cracking noise at low speed.
I called the dealer again today and the receptionist said they were busy in service and they couldn't talk to me, but would call back, they didn't. So I called again and again they couldn't take my call, I said I would wait and I was told that they really couldn't take my call at the moment and they would call me back. I'm still waiting.
So here I am with my S that the factory made pretty well but which is slowly being destroyed by the dealer. I'm sure the saga will continue.
I'm beginning to think that the only reason my original Cooper got so much dealer attention was the mini2.com sticker in the back window. My S hasn't got one, maybe that's why they feel they can abuse my new car.
Jinjoid
