Headlight madness? Or have I been unlucky?
Discussion
Hi Chaps,
Advice needed really.
My passenger side headlight isnt working, I took it to my local dealer in Canterbury (Phoned a few other garages they refused to touch it due to not being able to get parts and due to the voltage)
Firstly they charged me an £85 inspection fee. They told me they swapped the bulbs over, both bulbs work okay. But they think the box that controls the voltage might have water ingress. So they quoted me £398.26 to change this box over. The told me the total would be £603 inc labour + VAT and parts. I agreed this. < Stupidly, I thought that would be the end of it.
They then phoned me this morning and said that hasnt worked, and the want to change the footwell module that controls all the lights for the car.
The total they quoted me is £1122.07 inc VAT. But they stated that they cant guarantee this will solve it.
Is this normal practice? I expected for the £85 investigation fee an estimate for the repair and it to be fixed. Not what appears to be a trial and error thing with increasing costs.
The car is a 2006 model, diesel M Sport. Its MOT is due March 8th. What would you do?
Advice needed really.
My passenger side headlight isnt working, I took it to my local dealer in Canterbury (Phoned a few other garages they refused to touch it due to not being able to get parts and due to the voltage)
Firstly they charged me an £85 inspection fee. They told me they swapped the bulbs over, both bulbs work okay. But they think the box that controls the voltage might have water ingress. So they quoted me £398.26 to change this box over. The told me the total would be £603 inc labour + VAT and parts. I agreed this. < Stupidly, I thought that would be the end of it.
They then phoned me this morning and said that hasnt worked, and the want to change the footwell module that controls all the lights for the car.
The total they quoted me is £1122.07 inc VAT. But they stated that they cant guarantee this will solve it.
Is this normal practice? I expected for the £85 investigation fee an estimate for the repair and it to be fixed. Not what appears to be a trial and error thing with increasing costs.
The car is a 2006 model, diesel M Sport. Its MOT is due March 8th. What would you do?
Edited by CinnamonFan on Friday 19th February 14:15
I wouldn't take a 2006 car anywhere near a dealer except for servicing (and only then if you care about the stamps). Use a voltmeter to check that the headlight ballast has power (assuming it has HIDs), if it does then pick up a replacement ballast from a breaker for 100 quid. If it didn't have power then check for continuity with the wiring in the footwell (or wherever the LCM is on this car), either replace the wiring or replace the LCM (again from a breaker). If you are not able to do this yourself, then a competent auto electrician will be able to do it in their sleep. I would not expect to pay more than £100 for parts and 2 hours labour.
Get it back from the dealer asap! I would have a chat with the head of the service department and dispute the hell out of the £400 paid which didn't fix the problem.
Get it back from the dealer asap! I would have a chat with the head of the service department and dispute the hell out of the £400 paid which didn't fix the problem.
I havent paid them a penny currently. I am aware since I agreed to them changing the first part I will owe them £603. (Have edited my original post, I typed it in a rush this morning)
Can any of you recommend an auto electrician in Kent? I phoned a few places and was told they cant get hold of the parts for it, so I resigned myself for a dealer extortion but didnt realise it would be quite so hefty.
Can any of you recommend an auto electrician in Kent? I phoned a few places and was told they cant get hold of the parts for it, so I resigned myself for a dealer extortion but didnt realise it would be quite so hefty.
Pick up a used module on eBay if that is the problem (post your VIN if you don't know the correct part number):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E87-E90-1-3-Series-F...
You agreed to pay for them to fix it, not for them to replace perfectly serviceable parts. Charging you for unnecessary repairs seems like it is a violation of law or another. I would be firm on that and get citizen's advice bureau involved if you need to.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E87-E90-1-3-Series-F...
You agreed to pay for them to fix it, not for them to replace perfectly serviceable parts. Charging you for unnecessary repairs seems like it is a violation of law or another. I would be firm on that and get citizen's advice bureau involved if you need to.
ethomas said:
Pick up a used module on eBay if that is the problem (post your VIN if you don't know the correct part number):
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E87-E90-1-3-Series-F...
You agreed to pay for them to fix it, not for them to replace perfectly serviceable parts. Charging you for unnecessary repairs seems like it is a violation of law or another. I would be firm on that and get citizen's advice bureau involved if you need to.
I have spoken to an independent auto electrician, he seems to think he may be able to recondition he unit or get a second hand one if it doesnt need coding to the vehicle.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E87-E90-1-3-Series-F...
You agreed to pay for them to fix it, not for them to replace perfectly serviceable parts. Charging you for unnecessary repairs seems like it is a violation of law or another. I would be firm on that and get citizen's advice bureau involved if you need to.
I have agreed to collect the car tomorrow, il take to the independent place and see what they come up with. Its going to suck paying £603 and still have the issue though. I have asked to have the old 'water' damaged part which they've agreed.
I did speak to CAB, they suggested I speak to an independent body called Motor something (I forget) and see if they've 'taken reasonable steps to resolve the issue)
Assuming your car does not have adaptive lights, it will be the ballast. There is no separate igniter shown for your model.
Before they charged you for a new ballast, they should have swopped the other unit over to try it. I suspect you are having your pants pulled down here.
Any half decent auto electrician should diagnose this in minutes.
And they have charged you to fix it....which they haven't.
Before they charged you for a new ballast, they should have swopped the other unit over to try it. I suspect you are having your pants pulled down here.
Any half decent auto electrician should diagnose this in minutes.
And they have charged you to fix it....which they haven't.
I'm going to be blunt here, you need to grow a pair and tell them you're not paying.
This is the ballast you need, it is a valeo one which is an oem supplier.....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Valeo-6G-Xenon-Ballast-O...
Regardless if it needs something else or not, there is no way you should be paying £603 to have one of those fitted, they are taking the urine.
Tell the to put the ballast back in that was in the car as they told you that was the issue, it isn't.
Offer to pay them 30 minutes, which is what it takes to fit a new ballast.
Say you don't want to pay the diagnostic fee as they didn't diagnose it, or rather they did but got it wrong.
This is the ballast you need, it is a valeo one which is an oem supplier.....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Valeo-6G-Xenon-Ballast-O...
Regardless if it needs something else or not, there is no way you should be paying £603 to have one of those fitted, they are taking the urine.
Tell the to put the ballast back in that was in the car as they told you that was the issue, it isn't.
Offer to pay them 30 minutes, which is what it takes to fit a new ballast.
Say you don't want to pay the diagnostic fee as they didn't diagnose it, or rather they did but got it wrong.
They told me though that they couldnt guarantee it would fix it, I agreed to them swapping them over at the costs they outlined. (I naively thought it would solve it + they werent just swapping bits till they found the issue)
They also said the ballast unit (Im assuming its electrical) had water inside it, so wouldnt it need changing regardless? I think i've learned an expensive lesson.
ETA: And that it would take an hour to remove the headlight to check the 'box that controls the voltage to the light' they tell me.
I have searched high and low and managed to find a local chap who seems to know what hes talking about, I spoke to him today for twenty minutes about it, so Il get my car tomorrow + take it to him.
They also said the ballast unit (Im assuming its electrical) had water inside it, so wouldnt it need changing regardless? I think i've learned an expensive lesson.
ETA: And that it would take an hour to remove the headlight to check the 'box that controls the voltage to the light' they tell me. I have searched high and low and managed to find a local chap who seems to know what hes talking about, I spoke to him today for twenty minutes about it, so Il get my car tomorrow + take it to him.
Edited by CinnamonFan on Friday 19th February 20:02
Maybe put this one down to experience?
I would still mention you are really disappointed, you presumed you were paying top dollar because they knew their onions and had all the diagnotisc software.
Say you have been quoted under £50 for a genuine xenon Valeo ballast from a local specialist and 1 hours to fit it at £65, so paying £603 smarts somewhat, especially considering it still hasn't fixed the fault. So surely they can understand why id they are simply throwing parts at the problem until a fix is found you may as well go to someone else who is changing 1/5th of the price.
I would still mention you are really disappointed, you presumed you were paying top dollar because they knew their onions and had all the diagnotisc software.
Say you have been quoted under £50 for a genuine xenon Valeo ballast from a local specialist and 1 hours to fit it at £65, so paying £603 smarts somewhat, especially considering it still hasn't fixed the fault. So surely they can understand why id they are simply throwing parts at the problem until a fix is found you may as well go to someone else who is changing 1/5th of the price.
gizlaroc said:
Maybe put this one down to experience?
I would still mention you are really disappointed, you presumed you were paying top dollar because they knew their onions and had all the diagnotisc software.
Say you have been quoted under £50 for a genuine xenon Valeo ballast from a local specialist and 1 hours to fit it at £65, so paying £603 smarts somewhat, especially considering it still hasn't fixed the fault. So surely they can understand why id they are simply throwing parts at the problem until a fix is found you may as well go to someone else who is changing 1/5th of the price.
I have done and I will be writing to BMW customer service and explaining whats happened.I would still mention you are really disappointed, you presumed you were paying top dollar because they knew their onions and had all the diagnotisc software.
Say you have been quoted under £50 for a genuine xenon Valeo ballast from a local specialist and 1 hours to fit it at £65, so paying £603 smarts somewhat, especially considering it still hasn't fixed the fault. So surely they can understand why id they are simply throwing parts at the problem until a fix is found you may as well go to someone else who is changing 1/5th of the price.
I said those things this morning to two of their chaps, one told he he was a technical expert and one sales person. They said 'thats what the book tells us to check sir, in that order' I asked for the old ballast and it is corroded + has signs of electrical damage (if it is my old one) the chap who bought it out to me in said I could have a second hand part (Footwell module or FRM as they call it) reprogrammed to the car at an independent garage.
Exactly!
A local guy would have removed the ballast from the other side and put it in the faulty side to see what happened. And then put the 'faulty' one on the side that was working to see if it was indeed faulty.
Sure it would have taken 15-20 minutes to do, but it would have answered a lot of questions.
If you do need the footwell module it will probably need coding, but again, you could probably buy it and get it coded much cheaper elsewhere.
If I were you I would try the faulty ballast on the other side and see if it is indeed faulty, if it is not I would be asking for a refund.
A local guy would have removed the ballast from the other side and put it in the faulty side to see what happened. And then put the 'faulty' one on the side that was working to see if it was indeed faulty.
Sure it would have taken 15-20 minutes to do, but it would have answered a lot of questions.
If you do need the footwell module it will probably need coding, but again, you could probably buy it and get it coded much cheaper elsewhere.
If I were you I would try the faulty ballast on the other side and see if it is indeed faulty, if it is not I would be asking for a refund.
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