Anyone out there a MINI service technician/manager?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Subscribe get a full year for only $19.95 Sample get a free issue—no strings attached

June 6, 2008 7:05 p.m. Redhornet None

Here's why I ask:

My 2007 Cooper's yellow check engine light came on this past Monday. I took the car into the dealership on Wed., they checked it out said everything was ok and I picked it up Thursday evening. This morning I'm in the car 20 minutes and the check engine light comes back on, so I call the dealership tell them the light is back on and I'm coming back, I also ask for a loner car because they'll have mine all weekend. I drop off my, car take the loaner ( a Cooper S, with run flats) and proceed to drive home. I get home, park the car in the garage, get out and I hear a hissing noise. I look at each tire and the left rear has a puncture, so I call the service guy tell him whats up and he says to bring the car back and they'll give me a different loaner. So I get back to the dealership and the service guy says they're going to have to charge me for a new tire. I repeat, the service guy says they're going to have to charge me for a new tire. I ask how much, and he says the price of the tire plus labor, between $335 and $350. I cursed, not at the service guy, asked if he was serious, then cursed again. He says something like it's the dealerships policy because if I was driving my car etc. etc. The BIG difference is that 1.) I only had the damn loaner because the dealership didn't correct the problem on my car in the first place and 2.)my car doesn't have those BS run-flat tires that cost way too much to replace.

So what I want to know is this: 1.) Am I nuts for thinking I shouldn't have to pay for a tire on THEIR car? (which they use as a loaner/test drive vehicle and they'll sell used in the fall and recover a good majority of their initial cost anyway.)

2.) What is the cost, to the dealership, of a stock run-flat tire?

3.) Does it sound reasonable for me to offer to pay dealership cost (I'll say wholesale, for lack of a better term) for a tire and no labor?

4.) If I could buy this tire from Tirerack, and have them ship it to me free, then give it to the dealership, is that a reasonable offer from me?

Thanks for letting me rant, let the comments and opinions fly...
June 6, 2008 7:46 p.m. bastomatic Dork

It's their fault you have to leave the car there over the weekend, and how do you know you punctured the tire? Just because you noticed it doesn't mean it's your fault.

I just can't see paying when, if they had diagnosed the CEL, you should be driving your own car right now.
June 6, 2008 9:07 p.m. pigeon New Reader

Read the agreement you signed when you took the loaner. My guess is there's a "you break it you fix it" clause in there. I'd offer to pay actual cost on the tire and they can pay the labor. Stinks but I bet you're stuck.

Scott
June 6, 2008 10:00 p.m. HoonerZX3 New Reader

They're run flats. I would have just driven it like that and given it back without saying anything. They would then think they did it (or not want to accuse you of having done it).
June 6, 2008 10:23 p.m. Josh Reader

I wouldn't pay a thing, and I'd contact MINI USA and complain until it goes away. I doubt it will take long either, they have a pretty good reputation with regards to keeping their customers happy.
June 6, 2008 10:52 p.m. Redhornet New Reader

Ok. Thanks so far guys.

I'm pretty sure there's a "you break it you fix it" clause in the agreement, but I am going to get a hold of Mini USA and tell them this is complete BS. I mean if some one test drove that damn car and got a puncture would they expect a potential customer to pay for a new tire? I think not.

The reason this angers me so much is that it's a HUGE dealership that sells in addition to Minis: BMW, Mercedes, Landrover, Maybach and Panoz for petes sake! This is supposed to be a "prestigious" dealership and they're going to nickel and dime me over a f-ing tire! Especially when they could not diagnose what was wrong with my car the first time around. Where's the "service"? So far my experience with the car and the Mini dealer network is not encouraging. If the problems/issues persist on my 07 Cooper throughout the next few months, I'll sell it in and never buy a Mini again.

This really bums me out. I thought getting a Mini meant a new approach to new car ownership, that the dealers were going to actually try and help their customers. Wow was I naive.

I'm really starting to come to the conclusion alot of you guys have already come to: Never buy a new car and have the know-how to do ALL the work yourself.
June 10, 2008 7:40 a.m. youngfg None

Buy a $5.00 tire plug kit and plug the tire.
June 10, 2008 7:49 a.m. Wally SuperDork

The call to MINI USA sounds like your best bet. Also be sure to tell them your going elsewhere to purchase your Maybach
June 10, 2008 3:01 p.m. John Brown UltimaDork

OUR policy is that our loaners are our responsibility, that is not an industry standard by any means.

We only loan vehicles to people that purchase their cars through us. We only loan them during the factory warranty period. We make sure there is a full tank of gas in the loaner when it leaves and are not known for checking it when it comes back (other shops are pretty bad about it) We pick up and deliver VWs Audis and Subarus all over the state.
June 10, 2008 3:31 p.m. Redhornet New Reader

John Brown wrote: OUR policy is that our loaners are our responsibility, that is not an industry standard by any means.

We only loan vehicles to people that purchase their cars through us. We only loan them during the factory warranty period. We make sure there is a full tank of gas in the loaner when it leaves and are not known for checking it when it comes back (other shops are pretty bad about it) We pick up and deliver VWs Audis and Subarus all over the state.

That is what I call proper dealership service.
June 10, 2008 4:28 p.m. John Brown UltimaDork

Tell that to the people that get mad at the 2 week appointment delay ;)
June 10, 2008 4:46 p.m. Jensenman UltimaDork

Our policy (when we had loaners) was that damage was customers' responsibility. My take on this (and the company's as well) was that this prompted people to take care of our cars. It had absolutely nothing to do with the reason the customer was in a loaner; if they had a flat or wrecked it, it was their responsibility. If they were driving their car and it happened, it would be their responsibility, right? Same way the rental companies do it.

Of course, this didn't always work. I remember one time when a Subaru customer DEMANDED a loaner car because 'her dealer in Connecticut always gave her one, even for an oil change'. We finally loaned her a Kia Sephia just to get her to shut up. She was supposed to pick up her car that afternoon, didn't show, no phone call nothing. Her cell kept going to voice mail.

The next morning, I got a call from the Chucktown po po; it appeared they had our loaner Kia. It had been found in the middle of a downtown street, all for doors open and blocking traffic at 3AM. No keys, no driver. A resident said it had been there for at least 90 minutes. The girl shows up the next day to pick up her car, doesn't even mention the loaner until I said something about it. 'Yeah, I wondered what happened to it.'

The next time she came in for service, she demanded a loaner again. Nope, sorry. [Soup Nazi] 'NO LOANER FOR YOU!' [/Soup Nazi] She got on the cell phone, called her mommy in Connecticut and I got my ear blistered for about 15 minutes. Nope, sorry, still no loaner. Mommy Dearest then screamed at the general manager for an additional 15 minutes, hung up on him and called SOA. They told her that was up to the individual dealership yada yada. Never saw the daughter again.

Due to abuse by some customers, including accident damage which some people refused to pay for, one car which was abandoned at the local long term airport parking (the tab was over $600) and an incident at another store which involved a slick lawyer suing corporate, we cut the loaner program out entirely.
June 10, 2008 6:36 p.m. Type Q Reader

John,

Where are you working now?
June 11, 2008 6:13 a.m. John Brown UltimaDork

VW/Audi/Subaru dealer, Williams Auto World, Lansing.