I have been a loyal Mini owner since 2011. Since that time, my wife and I have leased or owned five different Minis. I loved Long Beach Mini service on Cherry Ave. It was just the right size and the people were very friendly and personable. I did not have that experience at Long Beach BMW/Mini on Spring St.
This was my first truly bad experience with Mini. My 2017 Countryman battery wouldn't start after I went to get lunch the other day. I was gone fifteen minutes and when I returned it was run down. I called Mini roadside assistance and they were great. Came out and jumped it right away. While waiting I called Long Beach BMW/Mini service and set up an immediate service to check it out.
When I got there, I drove into an indoor/outdoor space with kiosks. I waited fifteen minutes before anyone spoke to me. Then a man came and started doing the paperwork. Fifteen minutes later another man came and told him he was doing wrong and we started all over again. He then told me they didn't have a loaner car even though Roadside Assistance told me they would get me one. So he said he'd rush it right in. About 40 minutes later he came to me and said the battery was not run down, it was dead and it was my fault because they think (think) I left the radio on or the turn signal on. I said first, that I don't think I did that but second "how does leaving a radio on for fifteen minutes not just run down the battery but kill it where it can't be charged?" He said "it could happen". I reminded him this car is barely two years old. His response was "it happens" So I had no choice even though in almost 50 years of driving I have never heard of such a thing. I very reluctantly said . "Okay" and he said he'd get right on it. Two and a half hours later, not including the hour plus I had waited already my new battery cost me $472.00. $175 for the battery and almost $300 for the labor.
To keep it simple I Feel I got played by some very uncaring, unhelpful and untrustworthy people and I am, for the first time in almost ten years considering buying a different car when my lease is up. I'm extremely unhappy. I hope they enjoy the almost $500 they got out of me because they lost Mini Cooper $40,000 when I get a car from someone else.