R53 - advice required on getting compensation from garage

R53 - advice required on getting compensation from garage

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IH1

Original Poster:

2 posts

116 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
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Hi All

I'm new to here and heard it's a great place to get advice from knowledgeable folk smile

A bit of background....I've owned my R53 for 8 years, up until 2 years ago I used to take my car to an independent garage to be serviced, since last year I now take it to a dealer as their prices are very close to the independent and the service is excellent.

I just had the oil service done on it. I had a huge shock when he said the garage who serviced it last has broken the pressure relief and this needs to be replaced as they aren't happy to fix the oil filter onto this which was broken and could get worse. This was on Saturday so he gave me a loan car (the new Cooper which is lovely to drive! smile ), fixed my car and I got it back today.

On Saturday I asked if there was any chance it could've been caused by wear and tear or anything else and he said 'no, you're fortunate it didn't break any further as it could've affected the engine', very true!

So I have the broken part and they have put on the invoice 'replace full flow filter due to finding pressure relief broken from last oil filter change'. I want to go to my last garage and get them to pay for this as I am shocked how they can break a part, however do I have a leg to stand on? Will they just say 'how do you know the dealer didn't break it?' 'We replaced that 2 years ago, we aren't paying for it as you have no proof'. Any advice at all on the best way to deal with this and try and get them to pay for the part that they broke as I'm nearly £270 out of pocket because of them frown

Thanks for your help

Inga

mike9009

6,917 posts

242 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
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It is a right pain. I think your chances of getting any joy from the independent agent will be very remote indeed.

As you stated they will claim the main dealer did it, especially as no damage has been caused in the two years since it had the service. If I owned the garage I would simply refuse.

Sorry, probably not what you wanted to hear, but there is nothing to lose speaking to the garage I suppose........

Mike

eatcustard

1,003 posts

126 months

Wednesday 9th July 2014
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OP can you prove the independent garage did the damage, as the main dealer could have done it.

Pip1968

1,346 posts

203 months

Monday 21st July 2014
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It might still be worth sending the garage's comments and the old part (?) to the previous garage and ask them for a contribution towards the replacement. As said previously nothing lost in trying. Failing that you could ask for a discounted service when the next one is due. If you still trust them that is.

Pip

IH1

Original Poster:

2 posts

116 months

Monday 21st July 2014
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Thanks for your comments.

I went back to the independent garage. They looked at the part and showed me the spring had broken under where the oil filter goes. So basically its impossible to know if it was broken when the last filter was put in or when MINI had taken the old filter out to put a new one in. However the MINI garage should never have said it was definitely the other garage who broke it. When I called him back to tell him what the independent garage said and I asked how did he know it was definitely the other garage and you could've done it by mistake, he said 'well I suppose there is no way of knowing'. My point exactly so don't blame someone else, just say the truth that you don't know how it broke.

So I'm £300 out of pocket, its unfortunately one of those things but I don't trust the MINI garage anymore.

CarsOrBikes

1,135 posts

183 months

Monday 25th August 2014
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It's funny how the perception of main dealers being more honest than independent still exists. An independent (a good one) is actually far more likely to deal with a potential workshop issue like that if for no other reason than the main dealers (widely nicknamed 'stealers') have to account for every penny and every part differently to the smaller garage. They in short, do not pay for anything, either you do, a lease company, or warranty. The other garage values your business more most likely, and you would have possibly had a positive experience had you stuck with them or used a different one even. It's only my 2p though.

It is a part that has perhaps just 'failed', and actually doesn't have to be anybody's fault. So many people open with the sentence of doom when garages are concerned "ever since you serviced my car......"

All garage staff need to just slow down and think more, they're all trying to get bonus earned or targets met especially at the stealers, and all of them think they are or have, the best mechanics out there.

Put it behind you this time, and feel fortunate you were told, as it is just possible if they really did think it was them, and they saw the last stamp in the book and checked on their system, finding it wasn't them, used a way out, you just won't know. They may not have said, and left it to do its thing.


shalon

47 posts

149 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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It's always been a method of garages to new customers claiming the previous ones were bad to retain new customers and confidence

ftypical

457 posts

117 months

Friday 2nd January 2015
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Not a Mini, but being serviced in the same workshop: I took a 10 year old E46 to a BMW dealer for a service. It hadn't been to one for 7 years (and had a patchy history for the previous 3), so the Service Advisor's face was a picture when I dropped it off. On picking it up, the only comment I got was "It's quite good really." E92 courtesy car, price the same as my local independent...