I'm in france, coming to sheffield the following week. I need a steering rack gaitor. This is how it goes.
Google "bmw sheffield"
Find sytner.
Logon to their website.
No tab for mini.
Back to google and look for "bmw mini sheffield"
Logon to this website, same company, sytner, but different address.
I can book a brouchure, a test drive, breakfast, new socks, a service but not parts.
I complete a service booking for a valet and type in the comments box that I want a steering rack gaitor and not a service. I specify the year, model, vin and reg number
I get a text a few minutes later confirming my booking.
Next day I get a text confirming they cannot do valet but I'm booked in friday for new steering rack gaitors to be fitted.
Whilst we're driving from portsmouth to sheffield lynne rings the mini dealership and asks for parts. The chap knows nothing about my order. We order the parts. He says they will be in wednesday (yesterday).
Yesterday, I was in my office and ask my son to ring the mini dealership to see if the parts are in. They are. So we leave the offices on the west side of the city, drive past the bmw dealership to get to the mini dealership on the east side.
They know nothing about my parts. I ask if I'm booked in for work on friday. No I'm not. They then decide as it's parts they will be at the bmw dealership, the one we drove past 20 minutes ago.
Back through the traffic to the bmw dealership. Parts man has it all ready. Pay.
Go to service reception. Take a seat in front of one of the three desks. A lady is being served at one, I'm at the second and the third is unmanned.
Two receptionists walk behind, past me and give me cursory glance. Then another comes diwn the steps. I've had enough and, in aloud voice ask "is this reception". He confirms and sits diwn. I ask am I booked in for friday. He asks me my registration number. " SR55XXU"
He looks up and has a sort of sneer on his face. He asks what model. "Mini cooper s 2005". Do you know how your face goes when you realise you've stepped in dog poo and it's all over your shoe and smells. Well that's that's the look that came over his face when I said "mini". He then asks me the reg number again and presses some keys and announces, "no, you're not booked in here, it'll be at our mini dealership.
I explain the whole saga.
Now, I do not tell lies. But at this point I feel I have to make a point.
Wait for it.......
Well, I announce in a loud voice, "if this is bmw service I'm not impressed. I don't have all this hassle when I order parts for my ferraris or my race cars."
I get up and leave. He is just sitting there with his mouth open.
So, are they all like this?