Ferman Mini of Tampa Ferman Mini of Palm Harbour, Ferman Automotive Group Engine/Coolant/Electrical/AC Systemwide failures on vehicle with less than 1.5 years ownership Palm Harbor Florida

WARNING TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT MINI COOPER AND FERMAN AUTO DEALERSHIPS.

I bought my Mini Cooper S Clubman from Ferman on May 29, 2014, excited to have purchased my first Mini Cooper.

In my year and a half of ownership (and 40,000 miles), I have had system wide failure issues on the car, including:

-Thermostat Housing
-Cooling Fan
-Waterpump
-A/C Compressor
-Timing Chain (Class action lawsuit judgement - refusal to help)
-Valve Cover Leaks
-Oil Filter Adapter leaks
-2 Broken Oil Caps
-Cam Cover leaks
-Front Case Leaks
-Alignment Issues
-4 sets of brakes
-2 sets of tires
-Non functioning Radio

The oil changes and services were done through Ferman Mini until my distrust became apparent.

I was notified of the class action lawsuit judgement against Mini for the problematic engine. I reached out to Mini directly 1/26/16, and was told that there were options, but I had to bring the car into the dealer to have it looked at. By now, the car has engine noise at start up, is leaking a considerable amount of oil, and is smoking occasionally. I’m immediately told that I would have to pay an excessive and added $250 diagnostic fee - for a car that I have been sold from this dealer and dissatisfied since day 1 - because I had “too many issues”. I hesitantly agree, hoping that Mini will do right by me in light of the legal action against them.

I’m told that the car needs Timing Chains, has oil leaks coming from the front cover, the remote oil filter adapter, and cam cover, the radio would have to be replaced, the water pump is leaking, and my concerns about the transmission issues were never even addressed. The only assistance I was offered was a discount off the work- on a car that has a class action judgement against to repair and told to pay out of pocket an additional $3000 to fix. I have owned the car less than 2 years, and less than 40,000 miles. These are not normal wear and tear repairs, these are not negligent repairs, they are horrific and system wide failures that have warranted legal actions, and Ferman knew this when it dumped the car on me, the unsuspecting buyer. While looking back at my inspection reports, they had noted on the hand written inspection that oil leaks were present at my first service visit and never advised... while it would have still been under warranty.

So thoroughly discouraged, I looked at trading it in only to find that it has depreciated so much since I bought it that I am stuck with over $10,000 in negative equity, and that's not even including the work I'd have to get done just to trade it in. I was sold the car for $16,900, and it is barely worth $4800 today. I feel that I was completely ripped off by Ferman, knowingly sold a lemon of a car that had pending litigation against, and have zero options of getting out of this car into something reliable.

How can a car that is less than 6 years old and under 100k miles have system-wide failures across the board? More importantly, how can a dealer such as Ferman, in good faith sell me a vehicle with pending litigation and this many issues? A/C compressor failure, Cooling Fan failure, Thermostat Housing leaks, waterpump leaks, 4 separate oil leaks in 4 different locations, a timing chain issue that Mini is aware of but wants me to pay out of pocket to repair, Transmission issues that that endangered my life when the vehicle surged forward on its own at a light, radio failures, 4 sets of brakes in 40k miles, 2 sets of tires, THIS is the kind of quality that Ferman delivers to its customers?

Please stay away from Ferman and Mini - and share this story as a warning to all of their absolutely unethical actions.