£120 to look at your car, Sir

[Louis Balfour]

We've used our local Mini main dealer for twenty years and our Mini runabout is going in tomorrow because the fog light has fallen out.

They have just texted us inviting us to agree the £120 fee to look at the car. Not fix it, look at it.

Is this a thing now? It's new to me.

[Vintagejock]

Maybe a standard charge that includes an hours labour ? After all how else are they supposed to determine the extent of any damage or parts required ?

[Beethree]

Completely standard and has been for years, up to 1 hours diagnostic fee.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Inc or plus VAT? And for a foglight, your using a main dealer?

[rallycross]

push the fog light back in place
use some silicone to hold it back in place or some tank tape till you can take it to a non BMW main dealer just visit a small local garage for help.

[Louis Balfour]

Hugo Stiglitz said:

Inc or plus VAT? And for a foglight, your using a main dealer?

We've used them exclusively for twenty years and never been charged a diagnostic fee.

It's £120 inc

[anonymous-user]

Would it not just be cheaper to buy a new fog light and fit it yourself?

[Super Sonic]

I'll look at it gratis. You don't even have to bring it round, just post up a picture.

[Cloudy147]

Louis Balfour said:

We've used our local Mini main dealer for twenty years and our Mini runabout is going in tomorrow because the fog light has fallen out.

They have just texted us inviting us to agree the £120 fee to look at the car. Not fix it, look at it.

Is this a thing now? It's new to me.

Main dealers have done it for years.

I’ve found the best way is to ask them to look at something whilst in for a service, typically don’t get charged then.

But if you book to look at a main dealer, it’ll cost you.

Local/independent garages tend to not do this in my experience.

[NicheMonkey]

£120 to tell you yes customer your fog light has indeed fallen out and you need another one that'll be £200 for that but we'll wash and hoover your car as part of the deal, Thankyou.

[Louis Balfour]

Super Sonic said:

I'll look at it gratis. You don't even have to bring it round, just post up a picture.

It’s a 2018 countryman.

[Caddyshack]

I told BMW that the fuse had blown on our mini cig lighter. It was in for service and I asked if they could pop a new fuse in whilst it was there. £110 on the bill to
Diagnose and fix cig lighter. For a 50p fuse that I told them had blown.

[Jamescrs]

It's.common across all main dealers now including Mini dealers. I dont use them for anything except routine servicing. My wife's Mini goes into an independent specialist now.

[Evolved]

Disagree, pick the car up and move on.

Not sure what else to say.

[MuscleSedan]

Louis Balfour said:

Super Sonic said:

I'll look at it gratis. You don't even have to bring it round, just post up a picture.

It’s a 2018 countryman.

Main dealers love this stuff. £120 to diagnose that it is indeed shagged. Wonder how much they can get the whole job up to ?

Popped an eBay £8.95 front fog light in a Fiesta this morning, took all of 5 minutes, job done.

[dudleybloke]

Here's a free engineers report.

It's fked.

HTH.

[Ham_and_Jam]

Louis Balfour said:

It’s a 2018 countryman.

You can see where the grey plastic surround has broken.

Buy a new light / surround. At least 5-10 mins work.

[M4cruiser]

Louis Balfour said:

Super Sonic said:

I'll look at it gratis. You don't even have to bring it round, just post up a picture.

It’s a 2018 countryman.

Get ready for this from the Mini garage tomorrow:-
Oh my, you've crashed this haven't you, I'll need to take the bumper off and check for further damage. That'll be another £240 in addition to the £120 you already owe me.

[T6 vanman]

M4cruiser said:

Louis Balfour said:

Super Sonic said:

I'll look at it gratis. You don't even have to bring it round, just post up a picture.

It’s a 2018 countryman.

Get ready for this from the Mini garage tomorrow:-
Oh my, you've crashed this haven't you, I'll need to take the bumper off and check for further damage. That'll be another £240 in addition to the £120 you already owe me.

And once he's out of earshot ....... "Oh Jack .... get the apprentice to wang a light into that countryman ... and tell him not to fk it up this time"

[oldaudi]

Why wouldn’t you attempt that yourself? Parts are most probably available on eBay, reach in and pull it out , a few screws, an electric connector to un clip . Saturday morning job.

Something like this ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325718232082?mkcid=16&a...

Edited by oldaudi on Monday 7th August 21:50