My MINI dealer (New Country Motor Cars) in Hartford,CT is also a BMW Dealer.As you might know in a different thread I posted how my car was there having the drivers window regulator changed and the tech somehow dimpled my door from the inside out.I paid to have that fixed myself($30).
Bill,my Motoring Advisor,said he would turn on the auto-unlock for free since I took care of the door.I brought it up there yesterday(Bill's first Saturday off in about 3 weeks).I parked outside and walked in the service dept while Sarah brought my 3 yr old,Noah into the "Customer Lounge" because he crashed out on the way up(45 min ride).I was looking for the guy who was covering for Bill when I looked across the middle bay and there was Bill!! The guy is here on his day off!! As soon as he saw me standing there he said "just drive it in".While I was out there with him and Tony (MINI Tech) apparently there was a lady in the lounge who had an appointment to have the oil changed on her BMW at 11:00.Hold on now,I got there at 12:00 and she's still waiting!!My car is almost done and she had an appointment!! Sarah said she was fuming the whole time because they told her that "a whole bunch of people just showed up".I did get to see her reaction to the BMW service writer when I went in to get Sarah and the boy,and it wasn't pretty.That's another one for the MINI owners!!

 

 

I get great service from my dealer.I have had many big ticket warrenty issues with my MINI.I don't yell and jump up and down,they don't question the problem,I know them by their first names,they know mine.
Now it would be nice if I only went to the dealer for the scheduled stuff,but thats not how it has worked out.They give me loaners,they get me in right away,I sometimes have had to just show up,and the tech. always deals with me first.

 

I had a very good experience with that dealer recently too. I bought a set of run flats off someone on this board and I needed to get them installed. Most of the local tire shops turned up their noses at the run flats or just quoted a high price. One place wanted 40 dollars a tire to mount and balance. New country installed all 4 for 79 dollars. Even disposed of the old ones.
Forgot to mention, I brought it in without an appointment and it was done that same day.

 

Hey Kenchan,I posted the story because if you have a MINI owner and a BMW owner, the BMW owner always seems to get the "special" treatment.Especially at a dealer where the BMW side is bigger.It was just nice to see that the MINI owner(me) got the "special" treatment over the BMW owner.That's all.