M/A Team submitted a new Article: MINI Ranks Highest Among Mass Market Brands in J.D. Power’s U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study Read more about this article here...
Completely BS marketing. They don’t sell enough cars to be considered mass market. Also sales satisfaction does not equal quality cars as I think Yugo wan the same award years ago.
Major Auto Industry Awards: J.D. Power & Associates: A marketing firm that gives out several awards to the auto industry each year. Their “Power Circle Ratings”—for quality, performance, design and dependability—are awarded based on surveys of new-car owners. Consumers Digest: A magazine with no subscribers and no ads that is only available in select bookstores and shops. Though commonly associated with Consumer Reports or Consumer Digest Weekly, it has no affiliation with either. Consumers Digest bases their “Best Buys” awards on surveys and the impressions of reviewers who test-drive automakers’ loaner vehicles. Motor Trend: A magazine with long-standing auto industry clout. Their “Car of the Year Award” is one of the oldest and most recognized auto industry awards, and is given to the best new or significantly updated car each year. Kelley Blue Book: A trusted automotive research and valuation company. Their “Best Buy Awards” name the highest-value vehicles each model year. KBB evaluates every vehicle themselves using multiple data points like fuel efficiency, insurance costs, and depreciation. Consumer Reports: A non-profit, completely independent magazine that purchases and tests each vehicle it rates. Consumer Reports names yearly “Top Picks” for both new and used cars, and gives yearly “Car Brand Report Cards.”
I have read that Motor Trend gives their "car of the year award" to the advertiser who spends the most money for ads in the magazine.
When I read Mass I thought the folks in Massachusetts somehow gave MINI an award. They are talking about moving MINI sales back into BMW dealers, that doesn't sound like sales success to me. What's keeping the dealers doors open now is the cash from MINI repairs not from sales. Don't get me wrong I like MINI's just fine, but I feel these awards are so much bull carp. Motor Trend car of the year. LOL! JD Power. LOL! Consumer Reports LOL!!!!!!!!!
Updated the title - this is really around the sales experience no more, no less. Not the cars or build quality or design aesthetics. I think it's a general consensus that the 3rd Gen has the highest build quality/feel. The question of design etc is a matter of taste. Regarding the combination of BMW and MINI in the same dealer location, for some reason I thought they had already done that in parts of Europe. That said, its "split" in that its two seperate "areas".. but I could be wrong there. What I can say is in Italy, UK, Spain and Portugal (where I've been hiding last two weeks for work)... there were a ton of MINI's. I'm hoping during one of my trips over there I can carve out some time to go to one of their meets or see some of the tuners. After having spent some time in Europe, I do wonder why they don't still have a short chassis one. I.e. the cooper now is built on the 1 series platform. Seems to me they could keep that but there would also be a market (Especially in Europe) for the shorter one.
I would imagine there is truth to this. I know in my business, the "awards" and "market leaders" is driven both by customer experiences their analyst learn about plus our product leaders meeting with their analyst. Typically the more time you spend with them (and money)... the more favorable results... or stated differently they are less harsh on some of the gaps. That said, throwing $$ their way doesn't guarantee anything, just helps. My gut says for JD, Motortrend etc are similar. I think Consumer reports isn't. But they don't really measure things that I care about. Fun to drive etc. If all I cared about was reliability, practicality and getting from point A to point B... I wouldn't have owned 99% of the cars I do.
Remember when Mini was low on the JD Power initial satisfaction rating but on the one after ownership for 6 months was high. It was because of the quirkiness of the MINI: window switch placement, Speedo, etc.As BMW has gone after the mass-market sales have gone down.
Not trying to rain on the fun but.....This is a good discussion, let's not let it turn in to a war of Gens please. I have been wanting to comment but was a little worried where this could head.
Agreed - no Gen bashing. But I do think, one of the really fun things about MINI's was the ability to customize. That said, I like the toggle switches etc. I can understand why a marketeer would say make them more normal (Like other vehicles). But on the flip side, that wasn't the culture of Mini (In my opinion). With all the cars looking the same I think people are looking for something different. A great example is my 13 year old son. He said when he turns 16 he wants an "older" car... because they look unique and have style. He then went to point out 50, 60, 70's cars he liked. All unique looking. Of course my response was, you better get a job and used to turning a wrench.. and I'll be glad to help.
Don’t want a generation war either, but BMW has ruined what was the best parts of the MINI comeback to the market. Small and quirky is what the original mini was all about. The first modern MINI paid homage to the originals with its size, center speedo, interior design, driving fun and the cars had a soul. That’s what the original designers intended and they created a little car even if it was not the same size as the original mini. Remember the MINI’s were a spin off brand that were only sold at BMW dealerships and most had to be ordered because they had a hit they did not expect. Dealerships could not keep them on stock and many offered to buy one of the two Demo cars they had including me. Dealerships only had the basic Cooper a.k.a. the JUSTA and the Cooper S, heck JCW did not come out until later. As the years have went on the build quality got better (except the N14 Motor) but so did the BMW influence on the brand including styling design, tech and PRICING. All the initial awards are a joke unless they are 5 star NHTSA safety awards. They are all based on a dealership or brand rolling out the red carpet for you to buy a car and of course you are going to great things about the car you chose to buy. Who ever says “ I was and idiot and bought this crap car with a bad motor” ?