Nice one Tim. It seems that wherever you go you need to on the ball but you did well. Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Glad to read they did the right thing Tim

happens - it's how they deal with it that counts  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

I had an email from the sales team at my local Mini dealers -“ we are pleased to tell you that you new car will go into build next week according to our ordering system. Perhaps you could contact us to discuss any dealer fit items, financing, 3rd party work ( sending the car to an outside detailer is offered by the dealership or I can have it done in-house using their own prepping team) you would like to have done to the car before delivery. We will be checking our systems for progress of the vehicle on 2nd April when we re-open for Business after the Easter break and will be back in contact with you before close of business on the 2nd with the latest news”. That is a nice email to get and they also know I am out of the UK and they are happy that should the car arrive at the dealership before I get back that it will be stored in their compound until I have had the chance to check it over before it goes into the prepping bay and off to my chosen detailer for application of GTechniq Coating. There is a tie between the dealers and the detailers - the head polisher and buffer at the detailers used to be in charge of the dealership prepping bay but left because he felt that the time pressure on them to prep cars was not as long as he felt the car’s deserved.......... and his wife is the head of sales at the Mini dealership. The same detailer did my Sport with GTEchnic last summer so I know they are great and have quoted a good price to give the new car inside and outside protection. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

It just goes to show that it isn't too difficult to keep your customer happy. Communication is the key, and putting yourself in the customer's shoes.

I used to be in marketing and the oft quoted mantra (amoungst many) was that it is much easier to get and sell to an existing customer, than it is to try and get a new one. That seems to be the lesson that LR are learning the hard way. They will be spending a fortune trying to get that new customer, when he/she was there, in the showroom, all the time. Just needed some customer care! And of course if one person gets bad service, they tell 10 of their friends - or even more these days with social media like this forum.

Busy year for you Tim. New car in April and then there's June!!! Is it just one more trip after the one you're on? Best of luck - and I look forward to your reports on the Mini when its finally in your hands.  Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Robin, like Muddy I won’t be very away from this forum. The Mini2 forums used to be UK based but now it owned by an American and now is full of ads and not much banter like here. There is life there but mostly in the older models of Mini2 not recent ones but it is quite interesting how many common “gripes” there are between Mini owners and this forum and other LR products. Just as many unhappy owner, “they don’t build them like they used to”, gremlins with electronic systems, poor service from dealers posts over there as there are here.
My HSE Dynamic has been a great car and up to now rates as highly in my eyes as the TDV8 RRS I had and the 2010 TDv8 FFRR I had. I would keep it longer than the 3 years I have had it but i’m Not prepared to gamble the crank snapping and full service history against the agro it seems owners have to go through to get a “good will” replacement engine when it should be replaced regardless as it is a design fault. It sure as hell isn’t “goodwill” for the owner when you have to fight tooth and nail for redress on what is a relatively young car. I just hope that NowayTK’s situation costs him nothing but something niggles that he will not get the full cost refunded. I’m afraid if I were him I would be in the dealership right now to talk about cancelling the Velar he has on order unless LR replaces his engine for free, they stand to gain far more out of him approaching the issue that way than saying no and refusing to pay up.
If the Mini doen’t hack it and I am disappointed with it then I will be out there looking to go to the opposite extreme and looking for an early used L494 5.0S/C or a well used SVR after 3 years with the Mini. Based on my test drive though I shouldn’t be disappointed as they seem to be better put together than current Land Rover products and have way less problems, well it seems that older BMW Minis have as many issues as older RRS’s and cost as much to fix going on what gets posted on their forum. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Is it true that BMW is stopping production of the Mini PHEV and the M3 among other models? Gone - 2008 Stornoway Grey RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2009 Buckingham Blue RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2010 Alaska White RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Gone - 2017 Chawton White RRS 5.0 V8 Supercharged
Current - 2010 Java Black RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Current- 2024 RRS P400 SE Dynamic

I don’t know about the Mini PHEV but that could be so as in 2019 they will launch a pure electric version of the standard 3 door Mini and if that is a success then I suppose full electrification of the range might follow.
I had heard that due to so many people converting their 316 3 series to look like M3’s BMW was going to offer the M3 with only a 3 cylinder 1.5 ltr engine out of the 2 series.............

Here is the spec of my expensive (£39,750 worth) Mini.......

F60 Mini Copper Countryman S E All4 PHEV Auto - optional Melting Silver metallic Paint with standard Cloth/Leather Cord Carbon Black interior. (I was distinctly unimpressed with BMW’s leather that looks like plastic...... even LR’s cheapest look better and I have been advised that it gets saggy very quickly by several owners of newish Minis)

Option Packs (these are as ordered, I don’t have the 2018 Pack Names or numbers)
Media Pack - Nav System XL, mini Connected , enhanced Bluetooth

Chilli Pack - 18” Black Pin Spoke wheels, Comfort Access, Fronts Sports Seats,Storage Compartment Pack,Seat Heating Front, Automatic Aircon, LED Foglights Front, Adaptive LED Headlights with cornering lamps (these are standard on the PHEV anyway)

Mini Tech Pack - Reversing assist Camera, Harman Kardon Upgraded Surround Sopund HiFi, Head Up display

Non Pack options:
Electric folding mirrors
Automatic operation of tailgate (with gesture control -aka wave your foot under the back like an idiot opening)
Chrome line interior
Heated front screen
Roof and mirror caps in black
Panoramic Glass Roof
First Aid Kit and Triangle
Exterior mirrors with anti-dazzle
Auto-dipping rear view mirror
Anthracite Roof lining
Interior surfaces Piano Black
Black roof rails
Privacy glass to rear windows

Also listed are another page and half of what Mini calls standard “options” or what I would call standard fittings for the model but it makes the spec sheet look nice and fat! OTR Price is £39750 of which £7100 is options and option packs and after that I get a £2500 hand back from the Govt for buying a low emissions (49gr/km) car and low low low Taxes because BMW are paying them for the first 3 years ( see my earlier post about this) 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

The enhancement of 316s etc to look like an M3 isn’t big here, it seems more of a Brit / Euro thing. Gone - 2008 Stornoway Grey RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2009 Buckingham Blue RRS 2.7 TDV6
Gone - 2010 Alaska White RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Gone - 2017 Chawton White RRS 5.0 V8 Supercharged
Current - 2010 Java Black RRS 5.0 V8 Aspirated
Current- 2024 RRS P400 SE Dynamic

car build is put back a month, now they are having a 2nd attempt to get my spec right! Before the car went into build the dealership guys checked my spec against the build order for the last time before build started............. black wheels, black roof rails and the privacy glass were missing from the spec sheet....... dealers were onto BMW as they had taken a printout of what they had keyed into the ordering system and the right options are shown as being ordered.......... new car is to be built with what I ordered but the earliest queue jump that they could get me was 7th May build and 7th June delivery - the order was already expedited. Seems BMW/ Mini’s computers are as bad as JLR’s when it comes to f g up orders. Just as well i’m Not in a hurry to take delivery, but disappointing. Any further delays and I will stay with my out of warranty RRS and cancel the Mini because I will be back at sea again before it gets delivered if it goes passed the end on June. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Sorry to read this Tim - I really hoped things would go smoothly for you

Went through similar with my DS purchase in 2015 - thankfully for me Mitsubishi and Lexus were faultless afterwards - I expected better of Mini  Wanted a Series 2 LR since childhood but previously owned MY16 Disco Sport HSE TD4 Auto, MY13 RR Sport Black Edition TDV6 Auto, MY10 RR Sport HSE TDV6 Auto, 2007 Freelander 1 Freestyle TD4 Soft Top, 2009 Freelander 2 GS TD4 Auto, 2007 Freelander 2 GS TD4, 2004 Disco 2 Metropolis Auto, 2002 Disco 2 GS, 2000 Freelander 1 SE TD4 SW

Still hoping for a S2 one day!

Was in the dealership yesterday to find out if the car had been built on the 7th as forecast........... it wasn’t and the ordering system shows that on the 7th it was “approved for production on 20th May” which gives delivery to the dealer around 20th/23rd June. One thing I was a bit annoyed about is that three new colours have been addded to the choices for 2018 and if I had had any knowledge in time I would have changed my Melting Silver (metallic grey/green) to the new Stellar Blue which is very similar to Land Rover’s Estoril Blue...... but too late now. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

So it's not just JLR that mess up orders? Wow, there's a surprise.

The really important thing is what they do to rectify it all. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

A new developement........... and not a good one
I was at the local garden centre on Saturday in my defender and when I came back to the car there was a Countryman Diesel parked next to all liveried up in a Lex Auto Leasing white and chequered wrap. The lady was looking into my 90 and I started a conversation with her.............. turns out she has always wanted a Defender etc etc and I mentioned that I was waiting for a PHEV version of her Countryman........ Oh says she, I’m taking delivery of one next week to replace this diesel as a company car. I said she must be relieved that her long wait was over. She gave me an odd look and asked “what long wait, we only ordered it 6 weeks ago and were surprised it could be delivered so quickly......” I explained that I have been waiting since November for mine and was becoming disgruntled at continual delaying of the build date. She then told me that Lex Auto Leasing can get them with 4-6 weeks delivery and that she has not only got their demo coming but has 6 Mini PHEVs for delivery in the next month. Yesterday I visited the dealership to see why my order is taking so long to be built and keeps being pushed later despite supposedly being an expedited order when Lex Auto Leasing can get hold of them at very short notice. Have advised the sales team that if the car is delayed any further they can cancel the order and I will hold onto the RRS until I can see what my other options are - I don’t want to spend so much money but I will have to see what the local JLR dealership can do on either an RRS PHEV or a Jaguar I-Pace for autumn or spring delivery. Mini dealers were quite helpful and promised to find out why Lex are getting cars so quickly when they (the dealership) have not only my order but 3 others that are being continually delayed............ seems to me that the big leasing companies are calling the tune by placing big orders and us private buyers have to suffer delays to accommodate them. I wonder if this is another reason for private buyers of the RRS PHEV are having difficulty getting hold of them.......... 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

That sounds a bit pants, Tim. Looks like Mini are trying their hardest to keep you in your RRS and out of a Countryman. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Just home from my friendly local Land Rover dealer, no problem to get either an RRS PHEV or FFRR PHEV, they got their first Sport PHEV in last week and 2 FFRR’s yesterday so they are coming through the system now. They even have available build slots BUT they say if you want certain factory options them there is a long lead in date but HSE Dynamic with heated steering wheel, privacy and Corris Grey would go through the system pretty quickly, then I asked about torque vectoring and e-diff and suddenly 3-4 months lead in time! They also have a used 2016 Estoril Blue SVR on the forecourt at £82000.......... but bonnet is badly stone chipped and it looks like it might have been keyed at some time and cheaply repaired...... not £82000 worth in my book if you then have to pay extra to get those two fixed. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW