MINI Cooper parts: Good, Bad & Ugly
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 5:28 pm
KEELER MINI (Latham, NY): AVOID!!!!!
I've ordered several OEM parts through them, mostly due to time issues (things that needed fixing along the way) - they charge "msrp", but arrives UPS next day if ordered by 3pm for just $7 - or that's their story:
Broke a shifter cable removing it during trans removal - ordered from a place in the NorthWest (discounted, but FedEx 3 day), but I ordered the wrong one; liked the 'upgrades' and operation of the part so kept it and ordered the 'other' one through Keeler (time) - and they sent me the one I already had in an opened bag w/ the p/n of the one I wanted. Was told when I phoned that (1) I got the right part (not), then (2) doesn't matter, they're the same length (Brian: "I'm looking at the two and they're the same length" Me: "I'm looking at the ones that came out of the car and there's a 3" difference, plus both ends are different - should I email you a picture?" Brian: "No") - ended up getting the right one 3 days after I should have.
Slave cylinder bad: searched p/n, called Keeler and ordered, but was told shipping was $10 - "Um, why did it cost $7 for the cable but $10 for a smaller part?" "He must have given you a break - haha" "A break would be good, after what I went through w/ you guys and the shifter cable" "Oh, that was you? I'll waive the shipping" - at least the right part arrived at the time promised...
Master cylinder bad (still no clutch "action" after repeated power-bleeds): ordered yesterday, called w/out part number; was given p/n ("Would you like to check and call me back?" "Sure") - a little www, confirmed # (and checked msrp) and called back to order - and was given a price w/ a 20% mark-up (!) - when I, um, "inquired" about this, price got "reduced" to msrp, and was told I'd see it tomorrow (today). UPS truck goes by at 3pm, wait/wait/wait, call Keeler (John) at 4:30 to get tracking #, then was told "When did you order it? Because it didn't go out until this morning" <= doesn't come close. (I'll leave out the "emotional" phone dialog because there may be children present) - was told he would get it out FedEx overnight, Saturday Delivery, so I'd have it tomorrow - yeah, at 4:45pm on a Friday? Sure you will ...
Anyway, the next time I need OEM parts I'll be trying MINIPARTSMASS.com (Peabody MINI) - advertise 15% off msrp, and can't take that much longer - at least it may save some aggravation ("MAY")
Yup, 5 weeks today the MINI's been 'disabled', most of it waiting on the freakin' correct parts
[/rant]
I've ordered several OEM parts through them, mostly due to time issues (things that needed fixing along the way) - they charge "msrp", but arrives UPS next day if ordered by 3pm for just $7 - or that's their story:
Broke a shifter cable removing it during trans removal - ordered from a place in the NorthWest (discounted, but FedEx 3 day), but I ordered the wrong one; liked the 'upgrades' and operation of the part so kept it and ordered the 'other' one through Keeler (time) - and they sent me the one I already had in an opened bag w/ the p/n of the one I wanted. Was told when I phoned that (1) I got the right part (not), then (2) doesn't matter, they're the same length (Brian: "I'm looking at the two and they're the same length" Me: "I'm looking at the ones that came out of the car and there's a 3" difference, plus both ends are different - should I email you a picture?" Brian: "No") - ended up getting the right one 3 days after I should have.
Slave cylinder bad: searched p/n, called Keeler and ordered, but was told shipping was $10 - "Um, why did it cost $7 for the cable but $10 for a smaller part?" "He must have given you a break - haha" "A break would be good, after what I went through w/ you guys and the shifter cable" "Oh, that was you? I'll waive the shipping" - at least the right part arrived at the time promised...
Master cylinder bad (still no clutch "action" after repeated power-bleeds): ordered yesterday, called w/out part number; was given p/n ("Would you like to check and call me back?" "Sure") - a little www, confirmed # (and checked msrp) and called back to order - and was given a price w/ a 20% mark-up (!) - when I, um, "inquired" about this, price got "reduced" to msrp, and was told I'd see it tomorrow (today). UPS truck goes by at 3pm, wait/wait/wait, call Keeler (John) at 4:30 to get tracking #, then was told "When did you order it? Because it didn't go out until this morning" <= doesn't come close. (I'll leave out the "emotional" phone dialog because there may be children present) - was told he would get it out FedEx overnight, Saturday Delivery, so I'd have it tomorrow - yeah, at 4:45pm on a Friday? Sure you will ...
Anyway, the next time I need OEM parts I'll be trying MINIPARTSMASS.com (Peabody MINI) - advertise 15% off msrp, and can't take that much longer - at least it may save some aggravation ("MAY")
Yup, 5 weeks today the MINI's been 'disabled', most of it waiting on the freakin' correct parts
[/rant]