Cars.com has posted an interview with MINIUSA general manager Jack Pitney where he tackles the recent J.D. Power poll which the MINI didn't fare so well in:
Question: Why did Mini score 166 problems per 100 vehicles in the J.D. Power and Associates' initial quality study (IQS)? The industry average was 133.
Answer: Yes, we have had some quality issues with the first cars coming into the country, but the majority of the issues are actually what we consider concept and design issues, which means it has nothing to do with the way in which the factory built the cars.
I'll give you an example: Our No. 1 complaint in the survey was cupholders. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with the cupholders, it's just actually the placement of the cupholders is such that you can't get a tall cup, a latte from Starbucks, in the cupholder. We sent every Mini customer, a month after they buy the car, a letter from me and they get this mug and it says, 'We screwed up.' We know you guys don't like our cupholders and this mug was custom-made for our cupholders and hopefully you can enjoy that latte.
The quality issue in the IQS report said we had a harsh ride. You know, we do. Beginning this month we changed the oil in the shock absorbers which has a dramatic effect on the compliance of the suspension system. We're real serious about quality and we're keeping an eye on it.
Mr. Ptiney goes on to talk about the servicing concerns that is the result of dealers being spread out sparsely across the nation:
Q: With only about 70 dealers, how do you handle sales and servicing?
A: It's not an easy thing right now. We're flatbedding cars to the nearest dealers, that's really expensive. Thankfully we don't have a lot of cars that we're flatbedding. This is something we're cognizant of and we need to address.
<p>No mug came my way. Was that for '02s? I've had JoeGreen MC '03 since Jan '03.</p>
<p>BTW I filled a JDP survey yesterday. It was about the buying experience and financing not about the auto.</p>
<p>Mine took over 6 months (from April 02 until Oct. 02) until I got my mug. I got my other welcome kit within 45 days though.</p>
<p>you have got to be kidding me. I cannot believe that the size and location of the cupholders is considered to be a valid complaint on the survey!</p>
<p>does anyone know if the results of the survey are published? I would like to find out how many <em>REAL</em> complaints were registered about the MINI.</p>
<p>Regarding the survey itself that I completed regarding the buying/financing experience, the questions about 'negotiating' with the sales rep and did I get what I wanted and did I have to wait for the car, were not framed for the MINI experience. My answers on that part were either all or none or N/A. I wrote a comment in the margin about that problem for whatever that's worth … I'd like to see the cupholder version of the survey too.</p>
<p>What about the engine stalling problems??? BMW/MINI can't seem to get the engine management controlling software right after several builds of the code!!!!!!.</p>
<p>BMW/MINI needs to get on the ball and fix their complex adaptive software like yesterday!!!</p>
<p>Don't soften the suspension PLEASE!</p>
<p>Time for all of us to get together and begin to flood MINIUSA will calls of protest for this silly move that will ruin the handling dynamics of the car!!!!!</p>
<p>MINIUSA and Jack Pitney are barking at the wrong tree!!!!</p>
<p>Ok so they changed the oil in the shocks… just as I'm picking up my Mini next month.. it better not be a squidgy ride now :(</p>
<p>My hope (long dramatic pause)… is that this change will be a very subtle one that will not create any dynamic differences in handling. Living in Chicago I can say that the ride in my Cooper can get fairly tiresome at times. I find myself cringing quite a lot going down Lake Shore Dr. for one. I've even started to go out of my way on my commute to take smoother roads. But that being said I've never complained and wouldn't ever want the handling changed due to this inconvenience.
Further more I can't imagine that MINIUSA would mess with something as paramount as the way a MINI handles. It's one of the biggest reasons the car has been so successful. Lets at least hope that's the case.</p>