Sytner Group - Sytner Stevenage MINI Reviews 

Great service even though the team were navigating a new IT system !

My car is just amazing and arrived a lot sooner than expected

Highly recommend the Mini and the sales team at Stevenage

I have long been a supporter of the service centre at Sytner Stevenage, (the fortunes of which had been largely turned around by their historically fantastic manager “Nick Mitchell”)…..alas things appear to have gone downhill again.

Having recently taken delivery of a brand new Mini Cooper JCW, I was stunned to be suddenly presented with a warning message with the car still at its delivery mileage of just 5miles which demanded that the 12v battery be immediately replaced! Believe it or not, Sytner’s view (which had to be embarrassingly communicated by their manager Nick) was that this battery “fault” was not covered under my warranty, and he intended to charge me £480 to fit a new battery to my brand new car. Despite this interpretation of my warranty being confirmed as wholly inaccurate by no less than 4 other service centres, Sytner refused to change their stance or seek clarity from MINI UK, and as such, they have completed tarnished what was once a great relationship. To add insult to injury, when my car was subsequently returned to me with its new £480 battery, the sills had been scratched to pieces by Sytner staff clumsily climbing in and out of it!!!

What should have been a simple battery replacement under warranty therefore had to be escalated into a formal complaint and the drafting of proceedings with a far more significant claims value. What a shame!!

Update: Despite repeated protests to Sytner and Nick Mitchell, they remained belligerent with respect to their belief that I must have in some way damaged my own battery during the 9 days that I had owned my car. Nick attempted to justify his position by claiming that his diagnostics report suggested that my battery had been “permanently damaged” due to being “completely depleted”? As this simply wasn’t the case I took the original battery for independant testing in order to counter Nick’s incorrect claims,……and surprise, surprise, this independant report confirmed the battery to be at no less than 100% health and with no damage whatsoever. Only after being presented with this evidence, and only after the renewed threat of proceedings did Sytner finally back down and agree to refund me. (Albeit the promised refund has yet to land?) Interestingly, MINI UK have also now subsequently agreed that the matter should have been a warranty claim. Well played Sytner!!!

I have offered to remove this review in exchange for a simple apology from Sytner, but alas they have maintained their stance that they were just following process. Regardless, I feel that this review should remain in place so that people know what to expect with respect to Sytner’s customer service. Let this also be a reference point for any customer who finds themselves in a similar position with their own car.

Efficient and knowledgeable meeting with Tia Mushrove. Nothing too much trouble.

Faye,Oli and the team at Sytner Stevenage were brilliant in getting the work done to my MINI - comms were great, work completed and the team also updated my satnav maps for me. I’ll definitely be using them again.

Popped into the Service Centre at the Stevenage Group to pick up some much needed screen wash. I have a soft top so have to be careful which product I use. I was warmly welcomed and my purchase dealt with promptly and efficiently. It might have only been a small purchase but the welcome was huge! Always grateful for that!

Good experience today from the helpful lady on first phone call - Charlotte I think at the Call Centre for Stevenage Branch, Milana? on Reception was very helpful also and all other staff involved today. Thank you.

Excellent service, Derek was very helpful and great to deal with. Would gladly do business with him again.

George did an excellent job over a number of months
Damian was also very helpful on the couple of occasions I dealt with him

Excellent customer services provided by jay

George was excellent over a number of months. Top class service all round.

The whole team at Stevenage were very helpful.
Louis went above and beyond - he was new in post and I believe that we were his first customers.
He was supported well by the other members of the team, including Tia. His knowledge of the Countryman's logistics was impressive. The discussions with the finance lead went very smoothly and were handled confidently. We are more than happy
with our new vehicle mainly due to the welcoming and friendly team at Stevenage

Sytner Stevenage Mini - Purchase experience of 2024 NEW Mini SE sport (JCW)
After our experience - I'm surprised you invited me to review!

Firstly - Please Note - We have been offered £200 "meal out" compensation for the inconvenience listed below.

Test Drive - great - Salesman convinced us to try the new Mini SE, it was great - so we ordered one.

Ordering - issues started - No confirmation of any vehicle order after paying deposit. Vague on finding a build slot. Then they told me they had found the correct spec "already new in stock" which meant I could collect much sooner (last weekend in June).

After chasing due to still no proof of vehicle ordered or deposit payment, they sent wrong vehicle order to me, S instead of SE. I started to doubt they had the correct vehicle in stock, but was assured it was correct. After correcting and re-sending to me, our payment choices were then questioned, and we were told we couldn't pay in the way we wanted. Accounts was unable to process different payment details to registration details. I had to send (easy to find) gov.uk info to explain how it can be done.

Collection Day (last Saturday in June) - I'm called 2 hours before collection to say I can't collect it due to "National vehicle recall because a sticker in the engine wasn't present and is required by UK law". I was offered the Demo vehicle for the weekend instead (did this have the sticker?).

1 hour later I'm called again to say I can collect my new car as they have suddenly found and fitted the sticker (on a Saturday?). I arrive to collect my brand new car and its missing its bonnet stripes.

I am now doubting everything I have been told. Was the recall not really a recall, but them suddenly realising that my car was not as specified, and had no bonnet stripes? Or did they give me a vehicle with no bonnet stripes because the recall would mean they wouldn't make their June target? Was the wrong vehicle "found in stock", and have they had to botch something together? The vehicle had 20 miles on it - is this delivery mileage or a demo car? I'm finding it difficut to be excited about my brand new car, as all this, and more is going through my head.

The dealership was very apologetic, and the salesman admitted this had not been a smooth purchase experience. My husband asked him if he'd ever sold a car before! We have bought and sold many many vehicles through the BMW/Mini Stevenage dealership over the last 26 years (the first one being in1998) so we were more than a little disappointed.

So I take delivery (on the Saturday) despite no stripes, as its all already registered to me, with a promise they will fit them when the workshop is open on Monday. (First world problem perhaps)
I am then contacted on Monday and told that there are no 2024 bonnet stripes available in UK dealerships yet to fit, as the vehicle is still so new to the market, they are currently only available on new factory order. The electric Mini is NOT made in the UK.

The most frustrating thing is, I get a daily reminder when I use the My Mini app, charge it or get in the car, and an image of my vehicle pops up on the screen, with no bonnet stripes on it.

My concern is that when I come to sell the vehicle the stripes will be questioned as "aftermarket" and not new from factory spec, as the app and vehicle don't show them on any of their images.

I was given a tour of the vehicle, but sadly the settings the salesman put in for me haven't been remembered by the vehicle and I get a new setup every time I drive it. Two days ago I had My Mini noise on driving, today I haven't. My seat memory and heads up positioning hasn't been remembered by the key. I get a different radio station on every use! Then the car decided out of nowhere to engage the parking assistant, and physically stopped me from reversing into a car parking space yesterday, but it was fine the day before?! Its almost like the car is being controlled by someone else!!
The 100% charge only goes up to 204 miles, yet the full range is supposed to be around 250 miles. So many new things to learn. However, the salesman has promised to help me get this sorted.

The dealership has offered a £200 "meal out" compensation by way of trying rectify the catalogue of errors, but I'm still living with a car with no stripes for the forseeable future, and a daily in app and internal visual reminder of the whole experience which will remain even after they eventually get me some stripes.

Finally I had to use Mini Assistance (the SOS button) in the car on Saturday, due to an issue with the brakes. The SOS system did not work. I tried several times, was continuously cut off after 5 minute hold. I googled Mini Assistance number - called numerous times - same thing happened. I eventually managed to log an assistance callout online. After 45 minutes I was called back and they provided over the phone emergency help to resolve.

Tia the sales lady was very helpful nothing too much trouble.

Great customer service from Matt Squires- helpful, professional but friendly.
Couldn’t have been an easier process to trade in my old vehicle and leave with a lovely new car 😊

From the start of the process Nikki made the experience so simple and easy that it was the easiest purchase I have ever made.

I can not thank Nikki enough for all her help and support in this matter

Lovely lovely people at sytner mini. I went to buy a new mini. The staff were so friendly, they went out of their way to find me what I wanted. Jay was helpful, kind and chatty. I never felt pushed or that he was trying the hard sell infact quite the opposite. Noah was great on the finance side,giving me what I wanted. They had employed a lovely young girl Billie who took me on the test drive which made me feel really comfortable. She knew everything about minis. She answered everything I asked and was very passionate about minis. I live my new car and have even phoned tem to ask the odd question and nothing is too much trouble

Got the car we wanted in April 2024 friendly helpful service

Excellent customer service from start to finish. Everything was dealt with quickly and efficiently. Highly recommend this dealership

Easy to arrange test drive. Matt was very helpful and convinced me to buy the new car not the 3 year old I had in mind! Everyone was friendly and knowledgeable.