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+--- Thread: You'll never believe this....... (/showthread.php?tid=6602)
You'll never believe this....... - parthiban - 24-12-2018
Our Mini went off for a service and MOT a couple of weeks ago (to a main dealer), all went fine, but then when the car was dropped back I went out to put it in the garage and headlights didn't work. Rang them straight away and they said they were working fine (it passed MOT after all) and the driver wouldn't have brought the car back without working headlights.
Anyway, I had a look over it and couldn't spot anything obvious and the actual bulbs looked fine, so called them back a few days later and told them they'd have to pick it up again and sort it.
That day was today, and just had a call from them saying they've found the problem, both bulbs had blown (which I'm still not 100% sure of) due to excessive resistance in the connectors. They've now cleaned up the connectors, replaced the bulbs, and all is working fine.
Best part is there's a bill to pay of £110!
hock:I am obviously reluctant to pay any bill let alone one that large for this, so am now awaiting a call from the manager to discuss this further. My argument is that the car was absolutely fine, then it spends a day with them and then the lights don't work.
Worst part is there's a feeling of scam about the whole thing - the car has very low mileage so is only serviced once every two years and even then no parts need replacing, plus it's on a prepaid service plan so they don't get any money out of us anyway..........or am I just reading too far into...........
You'll never believe this....... - Bandit - 24-12-2018
If it passed its MOT mate with them working, i'd say it was a bit odd that they had BOTH packed up in the time it took to get it back to you?? does sound a bit fishy??
You'll never believe this....... - parthiban - 24-12-2018
Bandit If it passed its MOT mate with them working, i'd say it was a bit odd that they had BOTH packed up in the time it took to get it back to you?? does sound a bit fishy??
Exactly, they claim it was working all day, and when the driver dropped it off. So between the 5 minutes of him giving me the keys back, and then me putting my shoes on to put the car in the garage, there was an overload of resistance and both headlight bulbs blew............(and let's ignore the fact that I took both bulbs out, both looked fine with filaments intact)
Glad I'm not the only one thinking it's a little suspicious, looking forward to the call back from the manager :whistling:
You'll never believe this....... - Bandit - 24-12-2018
parthiban Exactly, they claim it was working all day, and when the driver dropped it off. So between the 5 minutes of him giving me the keys back, and then me putting my shoes on to put the car in the garage, there was an overload of resistance and both headlight bulbs blew............(and let's ignore the fact that I took both bulbs out, both looked fine with filaments intact)
Glad I'm not the only one thinking it's a little suspicious, looking forward to the call back from the manager :whistling:
So they had them on all day then? tell them they have worn them out :blink: Has it got the factory hid kit fitted?
I used to build the mini hid and standard light units so know them very very well, i was the quality inspector and build leader :thumbup1:
You'll never believe this....... - Cous3 - 24-12-2018
Bl**dy liberty if you ask me!!.........Hope you get it sorted in your favour.
Keith
You'll never believe this....... - FirebirdPhil - 24-12-2018
Sounds suspicious.
Trusting lot us outlaws!!
You'll never believe this....... - parthiban - 24-12-2018
Bandit So they had them on all day then? tell them they have worn them out :blink: Has it got the factory hid kit fitted?Lol no, well I hope not! It's not HID, standard halogens - is this phenomenon something you've come across before?
I used to build the mini hid and standard light units so know them very very well, i was the quality inspector and build leader :thumbup1:
Ok just been on the phone with the service manager, and then the actual centre manager and they're not budging unfortunately, I've told them that if this is their level of customer service I won't be coming back and they seem happy with that so looks like there isn't much of an option.
Been on the phone with Mini UK just now and they're saying predictably that there isn't much they can do about labour charges, that's at the dealerships discretion............
If anyone's interested, I wouldn't recommend using Scotthall Stirling Corner BMW/Mini :whistling:
You'll never believe this....... - Bandit - 24-12-2018
Did they ask you if you wanted the work carried out? and the bulbs replaced?
If it was me mate i'd tell them to put it back to how it was, and buy your own bulbs?
You'll never believe this....... - Sparkystav - 24-12-2018
Bandit Did they ask you if you wanted the work carried out? and the bulbs replaced?
If it was me mate i'd tell them to put it back to how it was, and buy your own bulbs?
This!
You'll never believe this....... - parthiban - 24-12-2018
Bandit Did they ask you if you wanted the work carried out? and the bulbs replaced?
If it was me mate i'd tell them to put it back to how it was, and buy your own bulbs?
Nah they didn't, nor did they tell me that there was a £79.99 inspection fee when I booked the car in.
Technically I could have stood my ground, but I've already spent too many hours on the phone for the sake of £100 so just paid it and asked for the car back.
Planning to write in an official complaint to the dealer and Mini UK just so there's a record of it, but otherwise just won't be using Scotthall again - to me a goodwill gesture of knocking the bill down to £50 or so would have been enough that I'd have been satisfied, they decided they weren't going to back down so they'll lose my custom instead.