Mechanic hasn't fixed the fault!

vicki488

Hi,

My car has been in the garage because it was making a chugging sound when driving and turning left. They checked the wheel bearings which they said were fine and took the car for a road test. When they came back they told me that it was caused because my gearbox bearings were shot. So I booked the car in, they had it for two weeks. When the car was ready to collect they said that they also had to replace my battery and the total bill was £640. Which I paid. The car seemed ok for the first week but then the noise started again. I'm beginning to think they've replaced the gearbox bearings when that wasn't the problem. I'm not really sure where to go from here as I know they'll more than likely fob me off telling me this is something different. I'm goig to ring the garage tomorrow but I have no idea how to play this one? Sorry if I sound like an idiot but ive never really had any problems with garages before and I can't afford to be paying £640 for nothing.

The Car is a 2005 mini cooper and the mileage is 64500 or thereabouts.

Thanks, any advice really is much appreciated.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

gearbox bearings whirring when turning left!?mmmm i dunno what to make of that other than its a stab in the dark to say the least.

if its only happening when turning left i would suspect a stearing or suspension part at fault not gearbox.

is the chugging a metallic knocking or grinding or is it engine struggle like you sellected wrong gear going up hill kind of chugging.

poppasmurf_bewdley

I would normally say it's not cost effective to repair a gearbox (if that's what the problem was). It's difficult to know what caused the wear or damage and if the cause isn't rectified at the time parts are replaced, then the same will happen again.

It's much better to fit a new or secondhand gearbox.

red_eye

You paid to have the fault fixed, take it back. do you know what bearing they replaced? gearboxes have many bearing, to replace any inside the box it would be cheaper to source a recon box. I have taken a few transverse gearboxes apart it is not fun to remove the shafts or put the lot back together.

only bearings I can think of is fifth gear and the clutch release bearing, i would want a new clutch with the release bearing

red_eye

turning left? left cv joint, does it sound like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66rd30DSoh0&feature=related

kilasuit

i had similar but going right and it was my brakes so might be good to check that.

vicki488

The best way to describe the noise is like a helicopter. It's kind of like a beating that you hear from the propellers. It isnt like the chugging you get when the engine is struggling.

Aparently the gear box bearings going are a common fault on pre 2006 Mini's and BMW subsequently changed the type of gear box from 2006 to try to iliminate the problem. But that's just what i've been told, so don't know whether it's true.

I have just watched the cv joint clip and it could be. Surely they would of checked those when they checked my wheel bearings.

I'd take it to BMW but they say I have got to pay for them to even look at it. Even if they could tell me what the problem is so I can take it to the garage I used and tell them.

Also, the trouble is I can't prove either way whether the bearings were really shot.

Urgh what an expensive mess! :mad:

I will just have to see what they have to say tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply to me.

colino

Hi vicki, as you ignored the responses to your previous post on the same subject, what answer would you like?

maninthestreet

colino wrote: »

Hi vicki, as you ignored the responses to your previous post on the same subject, what answer would you like?

...and on her previous thread vicki states the problem only started AFTER the geabox was replaced, suggesting it was not present at all before this, which contradicts her opening post on this current thread.

arcon5

Does it sound like a torque wrench/clicking?

As said I'd also say this is the outer cv joint. Shouldn't be too expensive to sort out, although some may argue its easier to change the drive shaft as a whole rather than just the joint.

Daz2009

A clicking noise on lock is usually a knackered cv joint as others have said.
BMW Mini gearboxes are prone to whine.

You need to go back to the garage who did the work and tell them the same problem.They might well try and fob you off,then again they might not.