Mechanic has not fixed the problem - money back???

Bamboozled29

Hi everyone,

To cut a rather long and frustrating story short, I took my car to the garage with a fault. They told me what the problem was and did the work. I paid them £640 for this and took the car away. Half way home the fault started again so I rang them the next day and they took the car back in, looked at it again and told me that they had done all possible to resolve this problem and the next step would be a new gear box for £1700! I declined and have booked the car in elsewhere to see what they come up with. Having posted the full details of the fault on various forums the general consensus is that what they have done was never the problem and I just wondered if anyone has any idea where I stand with regard to getting my money back from the garage?

Thanks

forgotmyname

What did they replace and what was the original fault?

jaydeeuk1

http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-faults-fixes/196751-wits-end-noise-please-help.html

forgotmyname

When did the noise start? After having some tyres fitted perhaps?

Bamboozled29

The car developed a noise similar to a rythmic train chugging when turning left, bearing left or driving straight ahead. You can't really tell where the noise is coming from. The noise stops when bearing or turning right. It starts when the car reaches about 25 mph and continues regardless of what you do (i.e. braking, knocking it out of gear, accelerating). It didnt develop following anything in particular like tyre changes etc. I took it to this garage assuming it would be a wheel bearing. They checked my wheel bearings and said they were fine, took it for a test drive and said it was my gearbox bearings, which apparently are notorious on pre 2006 minis. I had never had any problems with the gears or clutch so I was rather suprised at them saying this. So they took the car in did the work and charged me £640 for it. They also said they had to replace my battery because they said it just packed in? I also had never had any problems with the battery. I got half way home from the garage and the noise started again. I rang them the following day and they told me to take it back in, which I did. They then said that they had checked again and it was definitely the gear box bearings and if I can't just live with the noise then the only option is to replace the gear box which would cost £1700. This is not an option as firstly I dont have that kind of money and secondly the car is on an 05 plate and only worth about £3k. I have since asked other mechanics who dont seem to undertand how they came to the conclusion that it was my gear box bearings when I had no problems with my gears or clutch. I have booked the car into BMW for tomorrow where i'm more than happy to pay the £45 charge for them to diagnose the fault once and for all. Then at least if they come back with something totally different I can go to the original garage and tell them. We have also checked the tyres and rotated them to no avail.

Bamboozled29

jaydeeuk1 - That's also my post on mini2 forum. I'm posting all over the place lol

steve-L

I have booked the car into BMW for tomorrow where i'm more than happy to pay the £45 charge for them to diagnose the fault once and for all.

No such thing.....(as once and for all). Even the BMW garage can only guess it will ONLY be one thing.... it can always be something else that you don't know until its in bits or you change the cheapest option 1st and find it doesn't solve the problem. This is especially true of 'noises'.

My brother had a brand new Jag (and he works in the trade and got a deal from Jag) and it had a noise. The cause was never found despite Jag getting involved and he rejected the car...they probably had to take it back and completely rebuild the thing.

It sounds like the garage actually went up the wrong track but did they do enough mini specific research is the question?

Probably not .... however its also a bit late for you to do it? (Don't get me wrong, I'd probably have done the same as you.... but then learned from it)

EdGasket

Ok so its the offside wheel bearing; probably front. How do I know? From the point at which the noise starts (>25mph) and because it goes away when turning right (load taken off the offside wheels). I have had the exact same symptoms, different car though but most wheel bearings make the same sort of noise and it can get quite loud. Anyway it would be a lot cheaper to try a new wheel bearing than the £640 for the gearbox job.

How did they diagnose the gearbox when the noise disappears on a bend? If it was the gearbox it would make the noise all the time when driving the wheels and not at all when coasting.

RDG

EdGasket wrote: »

Ok so its the offside wheel bearing; probably front. How do I know? From the point at which the noise starts (>25mph) and because it goes away when turning right (load taken off the offside wheels). I have had the exact same symptoms, different car though but most wheel bearings make the same sort of noise and it can get quite loud. Anyway it would be a lot cheaper to try a new wheel bearing than the £640 for the gearbox job.

How did they diagnose the gearbox when the noise disappears on a bend? If it was the gearbox it would make the noise all the time when driving the wheels and not at all when coasting.

+1

I had the same thought when I read the post. The description of the noise sounds like the wheel bearing to me, having had one go on a previous car it had the same symptoms.

Or if not a bearing it could be something on the drive shaft like a warn CV.

Bamboozled29

Well the prognosis is in from Mini..... They say its definitely one of two things. Rear wheel bearing or my rear brake pads and discs are corroded and likely knocking. They said its nothing to do with the gears and never was. Only trouble is they won't put that in writing. They have put in writing what they recommend I have done and what is causing the noise which is pretty much what i expected them to do. I'm going to speak to the garage on Monday and see what they have to say althought I know it will be that the gear bearings were crumbling when they replaced them.

bob_a_builder

So did they explain why it only happens when you turn right above a certain speed ?