A mini MINI run to Newcastle

[Mark R]

Since I'll be getting my MINI replaced within what I hope will be the next two weeks I'm going to head down to Newcastle if I can to switch them over in person if possible. Just curious as to if anyone would like to join me and my two MINIs on the run down and back? I would be starting off in the Edinburgh area.

Obviously it will likely depend on the date and of course if I can indeed swap them over in person so right now it's just an idea, would like to hear peoples thoughts though.

*Update*

My mini MINI run is still on for this Monday, departing from Edinburgh at around 5 AM, early I know but I need to get the car into the service department as soon as possible so it can be fixed in one day if at all possible.

There is no planned route either there or back, most likely take the A68 or A1 there with back roads back following a combination of GPS and whatever direction I, or the group if there is one, feel/s like taking.:)

There is a small chance I will be staying overnight in the event that my car hasn't been fully repaired in one day. This would be at a Premier Travel Inn where the cost is £63 for the night with breakfast buffet being £7.50. If anyone is interested in going then the overnight stay could become definite if others want to stay overnight before heading back home. If you don't want to stay the night in Newcastle in the event that I have to then of course you can just head home if you like.

If repairs are all done in one day then departure from Newcastle will be at 6.00 PM for definite. Mostly because the service department closes at this time so I would have the car back by this time if they are able to get it done.

Due to the nature of this trip being rather last minute and with no solid overnight plan I know it's unlikely that anyone will be able to make it at such short notice but if you can that would be great.

Perhaps a mod might want to move this to the runs section.

Thanks for reading :)

[Sweeney]

are you just inviting someone for a wee run down with you?
if so and its on a weekend i'd follow you if you wanted

[Mark R]

That's the idea. Still don't know when it will be but will let you know as soon as I do. :)

[Sweeney]

if i ain't working i'd go down no bother, just give us a shout then once you know, so whats the swap over gonna be, like for like? anything different?

[Mark R]

I don't have a lot of details yet. Should know more tomorrow once I speak to the dealer.

[Sweeney]

aye no bother,

surprised no others are taking up your offer for a run; terrible!

[Mark R]

Perhaps it's not all that interesting a run since it's just a trip down to a MINI dealer and back up with the odd stop for food somewhere along the way. Last time I visited the dealer to look at my current MINI I stopped in at Dobbies Garden Centre which is near Newcastle Airport I think, was some nice food in there so maybe that'll be the place to stop.

If you've got any preferences as to ways to get there or places to stop at on the way let me know.

[Sweeney]

i can't find my way home from glasgow never mind down to newcastle, as for food anything will do me :P

well it could be a decent run though, surely theres some scenery to be seen?

[Mark R]

I'm going to take a direct route there so it may not be very pretty to look at. I just want to get there as soon as I can so everything can be sorted out early on. On the way back though we can take the more scenic roads instead of the A1 or the A68. I'll just tell my GPS to head home and avoid highways and toll roads and see where it leads. Of course it may end up taking us up some roads that it shouldn't but that's part of the fun. :)

There are at least two "roads" I've came across that are on the GPS device but don't actually exist in the real world.

[Sweeney]

thats what i meant, down there asap then scenic route up, my gps isnt that bad, just thinks service stations are exits thats all :P

[Mark R]

I've been on the phone today and it's going to be tomorrow, Thursday 4th, that I'm going to be taking a look at the MINIs they have to offer. I know you said weekend only so I'm guessing that's not possible for you to go?

Anyone else interested in going?

[Sweeney]

it would've been possible but too short notice for me to put in for a day off :(

[Mark R]

I'd asked for tomorrow off myself a week ago incase I wasn't able to get a hold of the sales manager on the phone today. Quicker I go there then quicker I get the swap done. Sorry I couldn't give you more notice. Couldn't really say sooner. Will see you on the MI:3 run on Sunday.

[Sweeney]

aye its no bother, hope everything goes alright and you should try and get some freebies out of it for all the bother they've caused :P

[Mark R]

Went and got back Ok. Drive back was good fun. I think I may have went a touch fast over a small hill in the road at one point. Felt awfully like the car went airborne for a half second or so.

I'm most likely to end up down there again. Things didn't go so well this time round and sales manager and dealer principal were away at a meeting for BMW/MINI so I wasn't able to talk to either of them about the problems there. When I got there all they had to offer me was two MINI Ones as a replacement to my Cooper which is hardly like-for-like. They showed me two Coopers but decided they would need me to pay £750 or £1000 extra depending on which I wanted. Neither of them were Ok for me anyhow. Both had red interior. Just the seats wouldn't have been so bad but I thought the entire thing was too much. Other than that they said they had nothing for me in any of their groups dealerships. So I really just wasted time and money going there for information someone could have told me on the phone Wednesday instead of claiming to have a good number to look at when I asked what happens if there isn't one I like.

So I await tomorrow, well later today when I can make a call to both and find out what they will do about my wasted trip to look at nothing and the lack of anything to offer me. If they were just willing to pay for the repairs I need done then it all could have been fixed by now.

I'll keep you updated incase there is a weekend day I go there in the future.

[Sweeney]

aye no bother, any excuse for a run m8 will do me :P

sorry to hear about that tough but half of me expected that, ive not really had good aftersales for parts or service departments yet, sales (the salesman i deal with) has always been fantastic though, hes helped with everything.

[Mark R]

Heading down on June 5th, most likely leaving early morning/late night before, to get there for service workshop opening to have my car repaired. I may also be staying overnight if things aren't all done on the Monday coming back Tuesday once the car is ready.

If your still interested in going let me know.

[Sweeney]

Works too hectic at the mo, can't afford to take another day off either :( gonna be having to take a day or two when my cars getting stuff done as well, thanks anyway

[Mark R]

That's fine. Hope you get your car sorted too.