Garage quote - heating box

user7645

Hi,

I have taken my car to my garage 3 times. For info my car is BMW 1 series 2011. Bought in 2016 with 30,000 miles on the clock and the previous owner had done yearly services with BMW.

My issue has been the heating in my car has not been working.

Took to garage first time and they repaired a leak.

Issue continued.

Took to the garage again and they repaired something to do with water pump.

Issue continued.

I have now been back a third time and told my heat box is not working properly. They told me to fix it they will have to remove the dashboard which will take 12 hours labour and then replace the heatbox for £250. Total cost £990.

Does this all sound right to you? 12 hours of labour to remove the dashboard to replace the heat box? if I don't get this fixed for a couple of years will it cause serious problems later down the line?

alan_d

Do you mean heater matrix? Or the whole climate-control unit?
Removing the dash on most cars is a very slow job, as usually the steering wheel and sometimes seats also have to come out.
You could try another garage (or BMW) to diagnose it and quote also.
A quick google suggests that heater failure on the 1-series isn't that unusual.

AdrianC

Doesn't sound at all unrealistic. The heater itself is often basically the bit they hang off the factory ceiling and build the rest of the car around.

It's a plastic box with a pair of radiators (the heater matrix and the aircon evaporator) inside it, and a bunch of airflow-control flaps which will be electronically controlled.

Will it cause problems in the future? Sounds like it's been causing them for a while already...

user7645

Do you mean heater matrix? Or the whole climate-control unit?

Heater matrix I think, although as he hasn't accessed it, can't be certain.

Will it cause problems in the future? Sounds like it's been causing them for a while already...

By that I mean serious problems for example to the engine which would make the car no longer possible to drive. I am able to drive my car and it has just passed it's MOT. This issue is purely about my comfort and want to check it won't cause any actual damage to make the car not safe.

AdrianC

user7645 wrote: »

By that I mean serious problems for example to the engine which would make the car no longer possible to drive. I am able to drive my car and it has just passed it's MOT. This issue is purely about my comfort and want to check it won't cause any actual damage to make the car not safe.

If the matrix fails, coolant will leak. The pipes in and out could be bypassed, though.

The rest, though? No, you'll just have no heater or an unpredictable one.

However, we're talking about a non-trivial value car. Are you really going to just chuck it into "disposable shed" territory? Why not sell it with the fault declared?

user7645

I will repair it but I just can't afford to do so at the moment due to recent other massive costs so do not have a spare £1000. I am hoping to have this car for years to come and would like to repair it in around 18 months - 2 years.

shinytop

As well as you getting a bit chilly wouldn't the windows become, and stay, steamed up without a heater? OK in summer but maybe a bit tricky this time of year?

ianto11

shinytop wrote: »

As well as you getting a bit chilly wouldn't the windows become, and stay, steamed up without a heater? OK in summer but maybe a bit tricky this time of year?

Never mind steamed up..it's -3 here today so you'd have little chance of keeping your screen clear ...unless you get something like this

benbay001

If you truly cant afford to do a £1k repair on the car then i simply feel the car would have to go.

Driving a car with no heating is not an option as mentioned above it would be unsafe.

The car has got to be worth £5k with the fault declared? Sell it and put £2.5k towards something else that you can afford to run.

angrycrow

Have a look on you tube to see if there is an alternative way to get the job done.

I suspect with the glove box removed it may be possible to slide the matrix out sideways.

Just done this on my Audi A4, audi say dash out £1000. Managed the job myself for £40 including new coolant. Took longer to bleed the coolant than to replace the part. I bet Audi dont remove the dash but charge as if they had so BMW may be the same.

molerat

I had to have the heater blower replaced. Luckily it was a warranty job - they had the car for 3 days. Seats out, half the dash, pedals out, steering column out. :eek: