|
Mini Coopers are one of the most recognizable cars on the road, beloved by all who enjoy zipping around with go-cart like precision and hot wheel toy like cuteness. You can see new owners maneuver through Houston traffic with a grin, but could it be they are smiling over their free Mini Cooper maintenance program above anything else? Mini Cooper is the only manufacturer that offers an extensive maintenance program package that is free for the first 3 years, or 36,000 miles. Mini Cooper maintenance includes all factory maintenance, oil service and inspections, as well as, specific items that need replacing due to normal wear and tear. These items include things like brake pads, brake rotors, and wiper blade inserts. Other car owners are not so fortunate and may have to spend several hundred dollars within the first three years in maintenance fees or repairs. Maybe this is why they are smiling.
 Mini Coopers are passing up gas pumps left and right with their excellent fuel economy, darting around the city with pep in their step. But what happens when the doctor visits aren’t free anymore. Your Mini has turned the big 4, and its free Mini Cooper maintenance is a thing of the past? MINI owners still need to keep their MINI’s feeling young with regularly scheduled maintenance. After all, they aren’t the youthful age of 3 anymore. But Mini Cooper maintenance can be expensive, so it is important that you purchase an extended warranty. MINI offers a 4 year/50,000 mile MINI Passenger Car Limited Warranty. Newer models from 2003 to 2010 also have a 12-year/unlimited mileage warranty and older versions are offered a 6 year/unlimited mileage warranty against rust and corrosion. MINI requires that all work covered under warranty must be done at an authorized MINI dealer where technicians have the proper tools and training to work on your MINI.
In the event your warranties have expired, you have the option to either continue using the dealership to service your MINI, or you can chose a local foreign repair shop, whatever is convenient to you. Most vehicle owners, if they find the right one, opt for a reputable foreign auto shop for several reasons, the first being affordability. Dealerships are proud of their technicians. Because of the degree of specialized training dealership technicians undergo, they are paid more than the technicians at your local shop that only have A.S.E. certifications. You, then, are left to pick up the slack with your pocket book. Although A.S.E. training is less “make specific” than those from the dealerships, they can possess expert knowledge as well, and save you a lot of money.
Another plus in using a local repair shop for your Mini Cooper maintenance is personal relationships. Getting to know your mechanic establishes trust, instills confidence, and allows for greater communication between yourself and your mechanic about the upkeep and repair of your vehicle, something you can’t get from a dealership. Location and convenience is also an attractive asset that small repair shops have over huge dealerships. When you find a shop that knows you and your car and is located just minutes up the road, most people would say you would be crazy to trek all the way to the dealership. And always make sure that you bring your MINI to a place that has the tools and training to work on your make of car. Find a repair shop that specializes in foreign auto repair. After all, your MINI is special, and it deserves to be treated as such.
We are conveniently located in South West Houston TX just west of the Galleria, and service mainly the Memorial, West University, Mid Town, Heights, Sugarland and Bellaire areas.
|
