Expensive Repair Cost

Nononolan

Hi All,

Engine light came on on my 08 Mini Cooper S R56 last week and the usual indie that I bring it to was closed for a weeks holidays so brought it to the main dealer as I work close by and was reluctant to drive too far with the light on.

In the end it was a faulty thermostat and waterpump. They also replaced the fan belt and timing chain tensioner. I mentioned when leaving it in that I would put it through a service as it was nearly due. The rep said he would hold off on the service until they diagnosed the problem....in case it was very expensive. Typical garage rang me to say all work had been completed and the car was ready for collection....had to ask for the damage as I could sense he was a little embarrassed at the cost. €2.1k!!! Thats everything mentioned above plus a full service, filters, fluids, spark plugs, rear pads and discs....fronts were ok.

I expected a bit of a premium but not this much. Just trying to gauge how far over the odds the charge is. Breakdown ex vat is Parts €750 and Labour €1100. Feel a bit cheeky ringing around for a second opinion but might have to do that.

Thanks in advance

Negative_G

I assume you queried him as to why the work was carried out without your prior approval?

mittimitti

Did you give them the ok to fix it or did they just go ahead and land you with a bill ?

Nononolan

Gave the green light to do the essential engine light stuff (thermostat and waterpump). Because of coolant leak they thought it could be a head gasket and thats why he said he would diagnose the problem and come back with a price before looking at the service. I agreed but the next I heard was when the car was completed and service carried out.

BrokenArrows

Id never get any work done without first getting a ballpark idea on the cost. If you give the go ahead without asking them your basically giving them the ability to charge you whatever they want.

Labour @ 1100!! What is the hourly rate?

mittimitti

you should have been given a figure before the work was done

id argue this with them and you should be able to get yourself a discount

BrokenArrows

Nononolan wrote: »

Gave the green light to do the essential engine light stuff (thermostat and waterpump). Because of coolant leak they thought it could be a head gasket and thats why he said he would diagnose the problem and come back with a price before looking at the service. I agreed but the next I heard was when the car was completed and service carried out.

Say you never gave the go ahead for the work to be completed and think the price is too high.

Call around all the other dealers and ask to estimate the cost of the work that was completed. Also call around to some non dealers and ask the same.

Try and negotiate somewhere in the middle.

R.O.R

BrokenArrows wrote: »

Id never get any work done without first getting a ballpark idea on the cost. If you give the go ahead without asking them your basically giving them the ability to charge you whatever they want.

Labour @ 1100!! What is the hourly rate?

If it's Dublin the Labour rate in BMW main dealers is quite a bit over 100 an hour so that's 8 or 9 hours, so sounds about right for the work involved.

Still a ludicrous amount of money , but right for a main dealer.

Henry Ford III

€2100! What's the car worth?

Seweryn

Henry Ford III wrote: »

€2100! What's the car worth?

That is quite irrelevant in fairness .

The labour rates are crazy high though...

unkel

Go to the service manager. Be calm and polite and explain that you normally have all you work done with a BMW independent, but that he wasn't around and you were anxious to get the engine light related stuff done quickly, so went with main BMW dealer.

But that you only gave the go ahead for the thermostat and waterpump. And that they should have got your approval first for the other work. Which they didn't. And that in the light of this, you feel you should not have to pay the full amount of the invoice. Then ask him what he is going to do about it. And wait.

What is a reasonable outcome is something like this: the labour costs €110 per hour in main dealer and €60 in indy. Let's say out of the 10 hours labour (@€;110 per hour) the time needed for thermostat and waterpump was 4 hours (if you can get a more specific breakdown, even better!) and that parts in the indy cost the same. This means your bill would have been (10-4) * (€110-€60) cheaper if the indy had done all the other work, or €300 in total

If the dealer offers you something of this value or higher, I would accept. If he'd offer something lower, I'd negotiate harder

Keep us posted!

Nononolan

There is 2 x €70 charges for the diagnosis of the engine light issue and a seperate mechanical issue with a fan that stayed on after I parked up. As mentioned I think I need to ring around and get a few prices and aim for somewhere in the middle......also looked up the value of the parts in Micks garage.....anything to avoid paying €2k!!

Thanks for your help lads.

landmarkjohn

I know a twenty something that brought his 2010 Audi A4 to a main dealer for front brake pads and ended up with an unexpected bill for over €2K. Pads and discs all round and not much else that I am aware.... he argued it and got it down to €1500 with next service thrown in.

Moral is it does happen, I think you have to be absolutely explicit when dealing with this type of thing and tell the garage no work or parts to be fitted without prior agreement. The bigger the smile you get when handing over your keys the more alert you need to be.;)

AranLamb

Thats bad form, Such a big bill.

To the best of my knowledge the timing chain tensionser is a tricky one, With the n47 engine its between the engine and gearbox, its a big cost in labour to get this done, I know when it goes Joe Duffy BMW Finglas look for just over 4 grand for the job.

At least you know this wont be a issue down the road, I know it does not justify the price of the work, But at least it may just have saved a future expense, plus the lights off etc.

Sometimes its the only way to look at these things.

laoisfan

€2.1k :eek: well suck me sideways!!! Nearly chocked on my sandwich reading that.

BTW I see one poster has said check for Indy prices. Irrelevant. Main dealers will just say what's that got to do with anything!!

SarahS2013

landmarkjohn wrote: »

I know a twenty something that brought his 2010 Audi A4 to a main dealer for front brake pads and ended up with an unexpected bill for over €2K. Pads and discs all round and not much else that I am aware.... he argued it and got it down to €1500 with next service thrown in.

Moral is it does happen, I think you have to be absolutely explicit when dealing with this type of thing and tell the garage no work or parts to be fitted without prior agreement. The bigger the smile you get when handing over your keys the more alert you need to be.;)

Must have been somthing else included surely... I paid €325 for Front pads and discs on my A5 when it was in Dublin main dealer for a service a few months ago. In fact got a full service, timing belt replacement and the front brakes done for circa €1200.

MackMack

Nononolan wrote: »

There is 2 x €70 charges for the diagnosis of the engine light issue and a seperate mechanical issue with a fan that stayed on after I parked up.

Assuming there's a turbo in the Cooper S, the fan staying on might be for the turbo. Some turbo cars will keep the fan on to cool the oil to the turbo for a couple of minutes after the engine is turned off if the oil temp is high.


On the original problem, I'd be telling him to put the old brake pads and disks back on as you didn't ask for them to be done and insist on a very large discount on the service as well.

landmarkjohn

SarahS2013 wrote: »

Must have been somthing else included surely... I paid €325 for Front pads and discs on my A5 when it was in Dublin main dealer for a service a few months ago. In fact got a full service, timing belt replacement and the front brakes done for circa €1200.

You're right, I enquired, they replaced 2 front callipers as well. 40K mile car. I guess it adds up but a bit of a shock if you're not expecting it.

Toyotafanboi

And you honestly had no communication between dropping the car off and being asked to pay €2100?

Either you gave them free reign and you weren't expecting them to ride you so hard and now you are feeling burned or it's wrecklessness from the service dept's point of view. Whoever you're dealing with will probably get themselves in hot water over this if you kick up.

On the bright side, the car is mint