Most liked posts in thread: How's the service at your local MINI dealer?

MAG - Dublin, Ohio

1)4
2)5
3)5
4)5... mine are always waiters... im very patient however, and like hanging out at MAG. they have great coffee.
5)Dont know...default 5?

Average rating = 4.8

 

MINI of St. Louis

1) 3 (several times it seems they treat warranty work as not that important I have to return several times for the same issue, happened a couple of times)
2) 5 (easy, usually 1-2 days, if I have a emergency they are all over it)
3) 4 (only reason it was not a '5' was I had a vacuum pump failure which resulted in a complete new head, took 6 weeks but it was MINIUSA and their "PUMA" process that was the culprit. Soon as my dealer got the go ahead they cranked it out)
4) 4 (It's just not a MINI thing, very few in the auto industry like to return calls in general, I never leave messages)
5) 5 (anything they have not had in stock, they've overnighted)

4.2 avg

 

edited my orig response

 

My experience at Bob Smith MINI in Calabasas, CA is exactly the same as yours. The techs seem OK but everything else sucks.
1) 4
2) 1
3) 1
4) 1
5) 1
Average rating = 1.6

 

MINI of Monrovia aka Assael BMW of Monrovia.

4
3
3
2
3

they missed a real major problem the last time i was there, a freakkin broken axle
:frown2: my car was vibrating violently for like 2 months and all that time they didnt figure it out. very disapointing.

probably the only thing that doesnt disappoint is the warranty. if the service that needs to be done to my car is over like 200 bucks, then all i need to pay is 200 bucks.

 

I've never used the MINI dealership for routine maintenance. I've been to four dealerships since new, the one in Tampa (can't remember the name), the one in Jacksonville, the one that was formerly Hank Aaron MINI in Atlanta, and the dealership in STL.

The first visit was in 2006 to the one in Tampa and was because of my stupidity, I had a water-bottle slip down and push the TPM reset button giving me a flat-tire light with no flat tire. I took it to the dealership to have the system checked out just to be sure.
1)5 (It was really just a quick once over of the TPM system and the tires themselves, easy check technically)
2)5 (I had called them the day before and was able to simply bring the car in the next morning)
3)5 (No timeframe was really given but they gave the car a once-over and had her back out of the bay in about 30 minutes)
4)5 (Again, quick and easy)
5) N/A

The second dealer visit was Hank Aaron and it was actually for a friends MINI, but the story is so amazing it bears telling. Her battery died in Ft. Rucker Alabama, she was to report to Ft. Gordon, GA. The nearest dealer to both locations was in Atlanta so she arranged MINI roadside assistance to tow the car to Atlanta, took a bus to Ft. Gordon, then had me drive her to pick up the car a few days later. To simplify this whole thing I'd say a five for everything but I understand the dealer is under new ownership now so who knows if it's changed.

Third: a second trip to Florida, this time in Feb of 08 (I should stay out of that state). I was about to head back to Ft. Gordon from Jacksonville and was checking my tire pressures before hitting the road, one valve stem core kept sticking open and let all the air out of the tire. I was maybe a half mile from the dealer but MINI roadside assistance wouldn't just send someone with a valve stem to my location so I could swap them.
1)5+ (I have to give this one a plus because once the car was towed to the dealership and I told the problem to the service adviser he walked out to the car and fixed it himself, so no technician ever actually worked on the car)
2)5 (I doubt this was ever scheduled really, the guy saw a way to avoid a lot of paperwork)
3)5
4)5
5)N/A, although props to them for fixing a problem with an aftermarket wheel.

Finally, MINI of St. Louis. This was earlier this year when the common T-stat housing leak caused my car to overheat and me to panic. Again I was towed in by road-side assistance, the problem was diagnosed and fixed the same day.
1)5 (They fixed the problem and relieved my fears that I may have blown the head-gasket when I thought I'd seen a black oily film in my coolant reservoir)
2)4 (The overheating occurred on a Sat. night and they were obviously closed Sunday so that I was without a car half the weekend and had to have it towed in Monday.)
3)5 (It was completed the same day as it was brought in)
4)3 (Although they fixed it the same day, I wasn't told it would be fixed the same day until I'd been waiting for about two hours so I was sweating if I was going to have to haggle for a loaner to make the 115mile trip home that night.)
5) N/A - parts in stock.

 

Wow my MINI dealer totally spoils me, I love going in there. I use Passport MINI of Alexandria,VA they just opened this summer. It doesn't hurt that they're only a few miles from my house. They usually offer same day appointments for things like oil changes and if they need to keep Tigger for a few hours I get the loaner car. I didn't buy my MINI there, I got it at Carmax, but they treat me like I bought it there. Next week they're hosting a free MINI tech night that I'm signed up for.

Passport MINI of Alexandria, VA
1) 5
2) 5
3) 5
4) 5
5) N/A
Average rating = 5 Yes I really have no complaints

Ali

 

Moritz Mini - Arlington,tx

1) Overall quality of work performed by the technicians themselves. (1-5) 5

2) Ability to have service(s) scheduled within an acceptable timeframe. (1-5) 5

3) Service work completed within the estimated time requirement. (1-5) 5

4) Quality and timeliness of your service writers' communication to you regarding the status of the work being performed. (1-5) 5

5) Reasonable waiting time for out-of-stock parts to be received. (1-5) N/A

avg - 5

I have never had any problems with Moritz, even with their 7 year veteran service advisor going over to sales and almost a complete turnover of SA staff. They continue to work hard to service the mini community.

 

Mini of Mountain View

1) 5
2) 5 (you can schedule it online and view your car's work orders)
3) 5
4) 5
5) 5

I've had no problems with their service department or any one at the dealership. I'm pretty patient and always try to have a good attitude when discussing things with them. I think a good attitude goes a long way when dealing with service related issues.

My car has been in 4 or 5 times since new. Mostly minor issues and 1 service. Question 5; I had the phone cradle stop charging. While the car was there for some other issues, I mention that one. They over-nighted a new cradle and had it early the next morning.

 

Motorwerks MINI of Minneapolis, MN

1) 5*
2) 5
3) 5
4) 5
5) N/A

I've had the MINI in for maintenance four times, principally for routine work. I've always experienced service at a level that exceeds my expectations.

In particular, during a recent visit for Maintenance II I mentioned the fact of a subtle but abnormal ticking noise on the passenger side of the engine that seemed to be more discernible at full operating temperature. I was suspecting something in the valve train. The senior technician actually took the time to come out to the arrival bay and investigate himself. I wasn't encouraged by his passing caveat that it might just be a "normal, high-mileage noise" but nonetheless, he agreed to investigate. As it turns out, he was able to deduce that the business side of the accessory drive belt was missing a chunk and that's what was causing the noise. A half-hearted tech probably wouldn't have figured this out. In the end, they could have ripped me off for a lot of investigative labor but it only cost me the new belt and the time to replace it.

*I qualified my first "5" only because of one instance when, after a coolant flush, the system didn't get fully bled and I was left with the telltale gurgle noise under the dash. This was easy to rectify myself and to their credit, the service department went to great lengths to acknowledge their miscue and even tried to make amends (a restaurant gift certificate) as compensation.

The couple of times I've needed a loaner, one has been made available and it has always been an "S" MINI. :yesnod:

 

I have only utilized my purchasing dealership for warranty related issues. While there have not been many such visits, they have all been horrible.

MINI Center of San Antonio, S.A. TX.
1) Overall quality of work performed by the technicians themselves. (2)
2) Ability to have service(s) scheduled within an acceptable timeframe. (1)
3) Service work completed within the estimated time requirement (0)
4) Quality and timeliness of your service writers' communication to you regarding the status of the work being performed (1)
5) Reasonable waiting time for out-of-stock parts to be received. (0)
Average rating = 0.8

Avoid this dealership like the plague!

 

I have dealt with Hendrick in Charlotte NC and Flow in Winston Salem NC. Ihave to give the 5's on everything. I have also had service in Scotssdale AZ which would get a 3. Las Vegas a 5 and Charleston SC a 5 on everything. Greenville SC finally changed some of its policies and have been getting great reviews, but I only had bad ones there. Thats my opinion and I am unanimous on it.

 

Mini of Alexandria
I know this is an older post; but based on my experience this past weekend with this dealer I had to post:
Mini of Alexandria, VA

1) Overall quality of work performed by the technicians themselves. (1)

2) Ability to have service(s) scheduled within an acceptable timeframe. (1)

3) Service work completed within the estimated time requirement. (3)

4) Quality and timeliness of your service writers' communication to you regarding the status of the work being performed. (4)

5) Reasonable waiting time for out-of-stock parts to be received. (? haven't had to do this)

 

It is good to revisit this thread. Be good to hear from people how they feel their dealer is doing.

Please just leave it to reporting on MINI Dealers, not any other shops in this thread.

 

My MINI dealer, NW MINI in Tacoma, is really good. I'll have to give them all fives.
they support the local MINI Club, hosting the Xmas party and letting us use their meeting room for the quarterly meetings, we also get a 10% break on parts. They also support customers who like to mod their cars.

 

MAG MINI Dublin Ohio

It has been a while since I've had my MINI there. Once out of warranty I took my MINI in several times, but the treatment I received drove me away. . Once Sam left things changed & in my opinion not for the better. I really dislike them trying to up sell me things my MINI does not need. My MINI does not need new muffler oil or xenon washer fluid.

1. 4
2. 4
3. 4
4. -1 < This score is for a person who no longer works there, but made every service visit a royal pain in the butt. Some folks love her, not me she was terrible at her job. MAG is much better off without her.
5. 4

 

Well, we have no dealer anywhere close by. Sac, the Bay Area or LA is it. A 3-hour one way trip for the most part anyway ya cut it... So, it's non existent in our immediate neck of the woods! Otherwise, East Bay and Niello MINI have both been known to be ok.

 

4
3
1
1
2

Our nearest Mini Dealership is in Milwaukee about 35 miles from me. They are combined with BMW but do have a separate showroom and dedicated techs

 

My dealership is ok but then again I only buy OEM parts from them.

I never really let them work on my car.

I only take my car to Helix to have work done.