Considering a Mini, but service concerns

[Jcabaleiro]

I am considering a Mini; I live in Cary, so as you all know the nearest dealer is in WS. I have also seen the positive recommendations for the independent mechanic in Thomasville.

The Mini would be a day to day working car, and I am wondering how Raleigh /Durham Mini owners deal with service needs, and if its a major problem?

Thanks,


Joe

[BlimeyCabrio]

Had mine for 14 months / 26K miles. Has been to the dealer once for scheduled service at about 11K. It's due to go again in a couple of months. I may need a seat repair (warranty) next time it goes in. Has been to Grassroots Garage twice for mod installation (completely voluntary). I've done three oil changes myself at home. I rotate the tires myself every 5K miles (not absolutely necessary, but I recommend it). I check the fluids and tire pressure regularly. That's it. It's my daily driver. And I drive it HARD.

The service intervals on these cars are so long, they don't go in for service very often. And, with few exceptions, they're quite reliable.

The lack of local service was the only thing that gave me pause before ordering. But it hasn't been an issue so far. I travel for work - so can typically find a reason to go to Winston-Salem or Charlotte for a day if I need to...

Welcome to the club!

[wildcrazy442000]

The only problem with mine was a bad Digital Power Sound Module install. I drive "Jack" everyday. I just don't recommend the DSPM.

[N2MINI]

I believe Flow offers a pickup/delivery service for a small fee. They will drive to you and leave you a loaner car, while they drive yours back to W-S and service it and then bring it back.

[Dale Williams]

I have an 03 Cooper with 79k miles and live in Garner. I got it used at 40k miles & have had it for 2 years & haven't had it to back to the dealer or a shop for repairs yet. I have done oil & filter changes and changed a couple light bulbs myself. Had front tires replaced - I ordered them from Tire Rack and had them put on & balanced at a local tire shop.
I guess I've been lucky.
If you buy new ,it would probably be worthwhile to make the trek to Flow for service to keep the warranty in place.I understand they do service work on Saturday.

[Jcabaleiro]

Thanks for the positive responses, I'll have to see how I stand after tax time and go from there. My daughter just got a Mini and I really like it.

BTW, I see so many minis in Raleigh, one would think its a good market, why is'nt there a dealer?

Joe

[BlimeyCabrio]

That's the neverending question. :)

MINI USA has a very controlled sales/distribution strategy for the MINI based on production limits, allocations, etc. to attempt to maintain some "exclusivity" (and thus to maintain retail price points and margin) on what is a relatively inexpensive line of cars. They started out with a very small number of dealerships nationwide (50?) and have very slowly added more.

I suspect the original decisions on dealership location was driven by a combination of demographics from MINI USA and where BMW had established top-tier dealers. On paper, the Triad and Charlotte are bigger markets than the Triangle (or at least they were 5-6 years ago), but somebody missed that fact that the Triangle tends to be a more "progressive" market with the universities, the huge high-tech job base, and the huge percentage of urban northern and west coast imported residents. Which make this a hot market - evidenced by the fact that so many people WOULD buy a car that has the closest dealership ~2hrs away.

I don't know what goes on "behind the curtain" - with Leith being the "Flow" of the Triangle... I don't know why they haven't scored a dealership here. I have no idea what their BMW numbers are like. There has been talk for a couple of years of either Flow or Hendrick opening a remote service facility in Raleigh in the next year - but so far it's only talk.

[1QukMINI]

There are times when I am really amazed with all that Blimey knows about....The guy really does know his MINI stuff.....

[BlimeyCabrio]

Aw, shucks.

I just slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night. :rolleyes:

[1QukMINI]

:D:)

[Karthi]

I noticed the other day while driving behind the dealership that Performance of Chapel Hill (owned by Hendrick) is building a pretty large expansion on the right side of their dealership, adjacent to their BMW dealership. Appears to be 5-6 new service bays as well. The front area of the new building reminds me of a MINI front (lots of glass and metal). Not sure what's going down there, but curious to see what happens ...

[HotRodPilot]

DETROIT ? Mini announced on Monday at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show that it will expand its successful John Cooper Works performance brand into a separate business unit with the launch of those models slated for next year in the U.S. It will also expand its U.S. dealer network and confirmed that it is developing a Mini crossover.

Stefan Krause, member of the board of management of BMW AG sales and marketing, said the number of dealerships will expand to about 95 by 2010; currently there are 82 Mini dealerships in the U.S. He said that Mini will funnel all performance-related products and activities under the "sub-brand" of John Cooper Works, which the company acquired last year. "Over the next year we will also be launching those models here in the U.S.," he said.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=124316

Hmmmm.....

[MINI Rog]

I noticed the other day while driving behind the dealership that Performance of Chapel Hill (owned by Hendrick) is building a pretty large expansion on the right side of their dealership, adjacent to their BMW dealership. Appears to be 5-6 new service bays as well. The front area of the new building reminds me of a MINI front (lots of glass and metal). Not sure what's going down there, but curious to see what happens ...

I gave them (Performance) a call to inquire about the construction, they are redoing the building for the BMW dealership, no MINI plans.

[BlimeyCabrio]

Thanks for bursting my bubble, Rog. :p:)

[Karthi]

Thanks for inquiring, MiniRog ... the curiosity had been killing me every time I drove by ...

[onefastmini]

Wow, in six years, they have only added 10 dealers (originally had 72).

I hope you decide to get the MINI. For the fun factor alone, it is worth the occasional inconvenience of bringing it for service (or repairs, this will happen eventually), besides, it is an excuse to drive your MINI that much more. I tend to see more MINI's coming to me from the Charlotte area, and it's really only 30 min. closer than Raliegh.

--Dan

[BlimeyCabrio]

It really is a quick scoot over to Grassroots from the Triangle - it's programmed in my GPS, though my car knows the way by heart already... :cool:

And there's some nice back roads between here and there. :)

[Max Headroom]

NC really could use a MINI dealership in the eastern part of the state. Greenville, Rocky Mount or even New Bern would do just fine. It would certainly boost sales in the state.

Gary