I need advice.. about a new car purchase

[mitchtv]

We have fallen in love with the Mini Cooper Clubman ( the little wagon). The nearest dealership is listed at 68 miles away, somewhere like Escondido. For the first couple of company paid servicings, 68 miles is just to tough for us, as we are out in the low desert. There are many other dealerships of almost any kind of car around here. Is it possible to get your free servicing done at some other approved location? I'm at a loss. If not, then this auto is just too exotic for us.

[TexasObserver]

1. I doubt it, and you may void your warranty if you try it.

Call your dealership. Ask them. Also, you can call the district manager for Mini Cooper and get a definitive answser.

[GrizzlyMan]

2. Why aren't you buyin a 'murican car?

WHy aren't you supportin the 'murican worker? Take your foreigner car and shove it!

(I'm kidding by the way this is satire based on some other threads today)

I think your first instinct regarding the distance to the dealer is probably correct.

[mitchtv]

4. right now we have an AMC Jeep '82

and a 97 T bird, both great cars but tough on Gas, It's a pity the US can;t produce something comparable to the mini.

[GrizzlyMan]

6. They probably could produce something akin to the cooper

They could do anything if the the fat cat CEOs really wanted to. As it is, they'd rather pick the low lying SUV fruit.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

8. What about the Saturn Sky?? Not too bad mileage and its

Amurkan too.


http://www.saturn.com/saturn/vehicles/sky/overview.jsp

[kiva]

12. I love my Sky.

But since the OP said they were looking at the Cooper wagon, I assume they would actually like a vehicle that can hold more than a sixpack of beer. :rofl: I enjoy driving it, especially now that it's perfect convertible weather (at least where I live), but practical it isn't...course I didn't buy it for practical.

[RB TexLa]

10. Those people are such disgusting human beings. Workers in Germany deserve jobs too.

Nationalism truly is a mental illness.

[roody]

22. My VW was made in Brazil.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. Maybe BMW can do it since they are same owners- Maybe.

You will have to call them to see.

My boyfriend has a Mini Cooper convert. I think he loves that car more than me, It's the dog, the car and then me. :)

[TahitiNut]

7. Sounds like he rates 'reliability' highly.

:evilgrin:



:rofl:

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. LOL

:)

[Pavulon]

5. That would void your warranty if more than oil (etc)

mini cooper is a cheap (nice price) car but check out the per hour rate you pay for service items. Not cheap.

[JVS]

9. Does the owner of the dealership in Escondido own one of the various dealerships near you?

Maybe some kind of arrangement could be made.

[mitchtv]

11. good question, I'll call

The beemer dealership here has no franchise, they have only Beemers.

[JVS]

14. Some of these dealers have their fingers in lots of pies.

The guy who sold my mom a car has dealerships for GMC, Caddy, Pontiac, Mazda, Acura, Honda, Lincoln, Mercury, Mercedes, and Kia. Especially with the higher end cars, he is eager to make things easy for the customer.

Another thing is, if you have a reasonable good AAA membership, you can get discounted or even free towing, which would come in handy if your car broke down 60 miles from the dealer.

[LeftyMom]

13. There may be somebody else authorized to service it.

My former employer had a similar deal with her Subaru, but was able to take it to a closer Toyota dealer for routine service, and only had to go to the Subaru dealer's shop for her 30/60/90.

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. California Mechanic Certification is extremely highly rated

and tough to get a level 3 certification. My neighbors shop where she works
can do all vehicles. The state has a higher caliber of mechanics than I've seen in
other states because of their testing of mechanics and are certified to work on
most models and manufacturers. Check with the manufacturer would be my advice.

Hell, who knows, the dealer may go under in a year anyway. One town, near me, lost
three separate dealerships in the last year.

[LeftyMom]

16. The only Saturn dealership near me just went under. Luckily, my car's way out of warranty,

or I'd be facing a drive to Vacaville or Fairfield (I forget which- it's about an hour's drive with no traffic) to get it serviced.

[MrsBrady]

17. i love my honda fit -- holds more than you think

you can either have a two seater station wagon

or a 60/40 split in the back seat

or both back seats in normal positions and have lots of room left in the hatch back

seats fold down and up in all kinds of ways for no matter what you have to carry.

don't know what you are looking for, but it might be a good solution if there is a honda dealership near you.

cute and great gas mileage

luv it luv it luv it

i have a 2007, but bought it in 2006 -- one of the first ones for the US, new right off the line.

[countingbluecars]

19. Call the manufacturer

and tell them your situation. They may agree to reimburse an approved independent garage for your free services. As to regular paid services, as long as the car is serviced by ASE certified mechanics using genuine parts, your warranty will not be voided (just keep good records). This is federal law according to my mechanic/independent garage owner husband. He services Volvos and BMWs straight from the dealer.

[Uncle Sinister]

20. If you like the Mini Cooper, have you tried the Mazda 3 Sport?

Same price, same MPG, handles better, looks better, has more room. Hands down the sweetest car I've ever owned. There is not a better mini-hatchback being made today.

[Uncle Sinister]

23. ps. Service for Mazda's are available from any Ford dealership. eom

[flvegan]

24. Agreed. I have the Mazdaspeed3 and love it.

If the OP is looking at the Clubman S, it's even money there, too.

[jpak]

21. I have a friend who who bought a Cooper and had to drive 3 hours to get ot serviced

and pay for premium grade gas too...

He now has a Honda Fit - and loves it.