Mini Cooper Rip off

rhonddafeeney

I bought a second hand mini cooper diesel 2.5 years ago. I bought it on straight finance over 4 years as my yearly mileage is 15-18000.
The car has been serviced at a local mechanics twice, but unfortunatley they were unable to reset the computer. After a year of having this car it broke down and I took it to the Mini dealers, after being told that it needed a new turbo (at this point the car was about 3 months out of warranty) and that it would cost around £5000. I managed to buy a mini turbo from a mini spares company and had a local mechanic fit it, only to find that the problem was actually with the engine. This was then replaced also. At a cost of around £5000 to do the two jobs. Only a couple of months passed and the car broke down again. It has been looked at by the RAC and towed by them and looked at by two mechanics and still it is not working, with the currentgarage unsure what the problem is. I actually can't afford to spend anymore money on fixing this car and I am convinced it is a dud!!! Can anybody help with how I can get help or get mini / bmw to resolve this problem at no extra cost to myself. I am sure most people would agree these problems should not occur on what is now a 4 year old car...

somethingcorporate

Who did you buy it from? Your issue is with the retailer not with the manufacturer.

shaun_from_Africa

You stated that:

only to find that the problem was actually with the engine. This was then replaced also. At a cost of around £5000

If a replacement engine has been fitted by a non BMW franchised dealership, and the car has been serviced by a local garage then I would think that your chances of getting anything from BMW are zero as a current engine problem will be nothing to do with either them or the dealer that sold you the car.

rhonddafeeney

Car was purchased at Parks Mini in Hamilton.

I am just dumbfounded that a car of that age even needed a new engine &turbo in the first place

forgotmyname

Sounds like the garage that said the turbo was faulty then decided the engine was the fault after all
are incompetent. I would hold then fully liable. But the issue is who supplied the parts?

If they did then tell them to fix it. And you dont want it back until its fixed or the money for a replacement.
If you supplied the parts then it wont be clear cut, They can blame the parts you blame them. Proving
it could be costly.

Not sure on the mini, But a lot of engine swaps these days are hampered by the cars ECU. Some parts
may need programming into the ECU, Immobilisers, Injectors, Pumps etc.

What tests have they done? Compression, Boost, Immobiliser, Fault codes?

custardy

rhonddafeeney wrote: »

I bought a second hand mini cooper diesel 2.5 years ago. I bought it on straight finance over 4 years as my yearly mileage is 15-18000.
The car has been serviced at a local mechanics twice, but unfortunatley they were unable to reset the computer. After a year of having this car it broke down and I took it to the Mini dealers, after being told that it needed a new turbo (at this point the car was about 3 months out of warranty) and that it would cost around £5000. I managed to buy a mini turbo from a mini spares company and had a local mechanic fit it, only to find that the problem was actually with the engine. This was then replaced also. At a cost of around £5000 to do the two jobs. Only a couple of months passed and the car broke down again. It has been looked at by the RAC and towed by them and looked at by two mechanics and still it is not working, with the currentgarage unsure what the problem is. I actually can't afford to spend anymore money on fixing this car and I am convinced it is a dud!!! Can anybody help with how I can get help or get mini / bmw to resolve this problem at no extra cost to myself. I am sure most people would agree these problems should not occur on what is now a 4 year old car...

so you were driving round with the engine warning light on?
what was the actual fault on the car?
BMW won't be interested in a car that doesnt have the engine it left the factory with.

scheming_gypsy

i think it might be the service light that they couldn't reset.



Although like others have said; you bought a second hand car. Then you bought a replacement turbo from somewhere else and got somebody else to fit it, then you got them to fit a new engine and now you want somebody else to repair it all for free?
If the new fault is engine related then you take it back to the person who fitted it / who you got the engine off.

visidigi

the biggest issue is the service light - whats to say the two services you had had been done if they couldn't even reset the computer?

that could be why your engine let go.

BMW/Mini won't touch you with a bargepole, heck they are difficult enough with a kosher car in warranty!

scheming_gypsy

Must have some thick mechanics at the OP's garage though if they can't do ..... http://www.minicooperspeed.com/miniservicereset/