We bought a used mini at this dealership in December - JMan
We bought a used mini at this dealership in December 2025. The buying process was easy and there was minimal pressure to buy. The salespeople were nice. An online service performed an inspection, but made it clear (in retrospect, shame on me) that they would not put the car up on a lift to inspect it. Delaer told us they had performed a full inspection and found the car in good working condition. The inspector thought the car looked ok but noted that tires didn't have enough tread and would need to be replaced. I contacted the dealership and told them. They responded quickly that they did not agree and stated explicitly that when they measured it was within acceptable range. They offered to knock $400 off the price of the vehicle. I purchased the vehicle for my daughter and took it home. About 3 weeks later (maybe 50 miles later) as I was driving the car, the engine light went on suddenly and the car became very sluggish. I brought it to an independent service center that works on German cars and had been used for years by my father-in-law. I was told that the loss of power/torque was because the car went into "limp mode" - apparently a safety feature in German cars to prevent damaging an engine when there was a mechanical problem. They inspected the car and called me back to discuss with them. The tire treads on all 4 tires were basically bald, but only on the inside of the tread. I was told that the front and rear bushings were broken, leading to uneven wear on the tires. I was told it was not safe to drive and that much of the suspension would need to be fixed. I was also told that the engine was leaking oil and would need to be resealed, along with replacement of a solenoid that moves through that part of the engine. I was shown the undercarriage of the vehicle and the damage was competely obvious to me - and I know nearly nothing about cars. It is clear to me that the dealer had not been honest when they told me the tread was "within acceptable range". Overall, the recommended repairs would cost more than $18,000 - more than twice the purchase price of the car. The absolutely necessary repairs would cost > $10,000, several thousand dollars more than the total purchase price. I felt I had been misled by the dealer. If they had checked the tires, it would have been completely obvious that: 1. they were bald and 2. the pattern of baldness implicated a major problem with the suspension. They either hadn't inspected the vehicle as they said they had or they weren't telling the truth about what they found. I contacted the dealer and, while accpeting that the vehicle was sold "as-is, told them I felt I had been misled and asked for a solution. After providing the invoice of recommended repairs they told me they thought the cost of those repairs were a little higher than they would expect. They did not dispute the findings. They offered to find cheaper parts and to refer me to an "independent" mechanic they recommended to inspect the car again. No mechanic was going to be able to quote a price that would make the repairs worthwhile. I offered to sell it back to the dealership for 1/2 the price I had purchased it for, taking a significant loss. I did not receive a reply. Considering the fact that the dealership claimed that the car had been inspected by them and was in good shape, and that the repairs could be done much cheaper, it confirmed my suspicions that they knew they had sold me a faulty vehicle. Again, I recognize that the vehicle was used and was sold as-is. But the claim that the dealership had inspected the vehicle and deemed it in good shape does not hold water with me. I now own an $8000 paperweight. Would recommend not buying from this dealership.
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