Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services

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Fri 2 Jul 2021 16:18
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - Miniman777

While the condition based usage adopted by Mini & BMW can be useful if you are a low mileage driver, there is a massive flaw in the system.

Last year we bought a 'new', unregistered F55 Cooper S, reg in June. Today, the oil change warning appeared on the Mini app. Mini recommend 18000 miles/2 years as their limit.

Somewhat shocked, after speaking to the dealer, I was told the 'clock' on fluids starts ticking the day the car rolls off the production line, not the day it's driven out of the showroom. No matter it's been in store.

Transpires this car was off the line in July 2019, but languished at a dealers for nearly 12 months as a cancelled order from July 2019 to June 2020. Bought with 8 miles on the clock, after 12 months we've added just 2,100, so to find out an oil and microfilter change at my local dealer costs £311 (not a typo), the whole scenario has left a really bad taste in the mouth. Yes, there is s build date sticker in the engine compartment, but FFS, no one explained the time begins from production day. Had I know, I'd have asked supplying dealer for an oil change in acceptance.

So for the privilege of retaining the manufacturers warranty (LOL), which is oddly 3years from date of registration, not production, I am forced to pay through the nose. Rubs it in further to change the oil costs £192 and I'm being charged £90 for a microfilter. It's total robbery. The extra to the £311 quoted is the 'standard scope' charge.

What I have discovered is different Mini dealers charge different prices, so if you've a Mini, shop around. Despite loyalty (which counts for nothing) my local dealer will not get the job as I've found a franchise £50 cheaper which will fit in with a work trip.

But what shoddy treatment, and a stark warning to buy a car fresh off the production line, not having sat around. Yes, we did buy at a substantial discount, but what a sting in the tail. The car has been perfect and faultless, but having a two-tier system (fluids on production and warranty from reg date) is a practice which STINKS.

What is even crazier is the oil and filter change on my X3 3.0D (2018) is £50 cheaper than the Mini. How does that work?

Edited by Miniman777 on 02/07/2021 at 16:21

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Fri 2 Jul 2021 17:29
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - FiestaOwner
Somewhat shocked, after speaking to the dealer, I was told the 'clock' on fluids starts ticking the day the car rolls off the production line, not the day it's driven out of the showroom. No matter it's been in store.

I'm sorry , I don't believe your dealer.

I'm sure the clock should be reset at the PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection), when the car is 1st registered.

I would try contacting other Mini dealers and Mini themselves for clarification.

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Fri 2 Jul 2021 17:55
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - badbusdriver

We got a new Suzuki Ignis just under a year ago. Not sure how many miles the car has on it now, I'd guess more than 2100, but not a huge amount more. Can't remember the actual date, but the 'spanner' symbol appeared on the dashboard sometime around the start of June. Our first year is up on the 16th of this month, so about 10.5 months from the time we got the car till the time the car told us it needed a service. It is a Motability car though, so as they need to be inspected at a yearly interval, I'm just going to wait till around the due date, of course, being a Motability car means I (well, wife actually, her car) don't actually pay.

For the OP though, how big was the 'substantial discount'?, as I'm guessing £311 wouldn't make a huge dent in the discount off RRP?.

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Fri 2 Jul 2021 18:19
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - sammy1

Does it require oil NO oil filter NO microfilter NO. Being taken for a ride because the computer says service. Common sense says NO Complain

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Fri 2 Jul 2021 19:25
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - Rerepo

In the past we've owned BMW, MerCedes and Mini. No more. Got sick of the attitude of dealers. They are alright when the cars are new but as the cars age and drop out of warranty niggling faults occur and the dealer charges become huge. We bought a new C Class that would only fill with about two thirds the volume of petrol it should have done (according to MB specification). Took it to the dealers under warranty and they said 'No Fault Found' and £120 'diagnostic charge'. Still not right so took it back and they 'put their best man on it' who went to the petrol station with me. He wouldn't accept there was a problem.

I spent a morning looking at the tank and pipes and discovered that there was a valve in a vent pipe that was jammed closed. Got a new valve and fixed it myself. You pay top dollar for sub-par service and one layer of BS on top of another, all designed to empty your wallet.. Now I drive an old Toyota and so far its been totally hassle free.

Edited by Rerepo on 02/07/2021 at 19:26

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Fri 2 Jul 2021 19:14
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - Miniman777

Good point ref other dealers. Bought via Carwow, so will contact supplying dealer.

Discount was just over £4k on list, so I shouldn't complain, but there is principle here.

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Fri 2 Jul 2021 23:04
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - Miniman777

I'm sure the clock should be reset at the PDI (Pre Delivery Inspection), when the car is 1st registered.

I would try contacting other Mini dealers and Mini themselves for clarification.

The PDI on the on-board computer is dated 10/7/19, 5 days after the car left the line.

Then the car sat at a dealer in South Yorkshire, unwanted, until June 22, 2020 when it was bought and transferred by truck to my supplying dealer and registered with DVLA. Registration and the PDI are almost 12 months apart, and it is the fact no one mentioned any of this 'clock running', otherwise I'd have insisted on a clock reset from supplying dealer or no sale.

Also means brake fluid will need to be replaced in Year 2 (to me) and not year 3. Here again, the price on the Mini menu system is brake fluid is £109. On a 2018 BMW X3 the cost is £52. On a 2012 R56 Mini it's £41. Not a lot, but it really is taking owners for a ride.

It is clear services prices are higher in the first 3 years of ownership (ie: during the manuf warranty period) but logic would dictate an X3 would need more fluid than a Mini, yet the price is 50 per cent cheaper.

Total lack of transparency.

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Sat 3 Jul 2021 00:11
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - FiestaOwner

The PDI on the on-board computer is dated 10/7/19, 5 days after the car left the line.

Then the car sat at a dealer in South Yorkshire, unwanted, until June 22, 2020 when it was bought and transferred by truck to my supplying dealer and registered with DVLA. Registration and the PDI are almost 12 months apart, and it is the fact no one mentioned any of this 'clock running', otherwise I'd have insisted on a clock reset from supplying dealer or no sale.

Also means brake fluid will need to be replaced in Year 2 (to me) and not year 3. Here again, the price on the Mini menu system is brake fluid is £109. On a 2018 BMW X3 the cost is £52. On a 2012 R56 Mini it's £41. Not a lot, but it really is taking owners for a ride.

It is clear services prices are higher in the first 3 years of ownership (ie: during the manuf warranty period) but logic would dictate an X3 would need more fluid than a Mini, yet the price is 50 per cent cheaper.

Total lack of transparency.

This sounds totally wrong. The PDI is to check the condition of the car just before the customer takes delivery. I would have expected the car to have another PDI a few days before registration.

Regarding the higher servicing prices during the first 3 years. Most car manufactures (fixed price servicing) have cheaper prices for cars over 3 years old.

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Sat 3 Jul 2021 09:27
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - Rerepo

Possibly the car was 'sold' and PDI'd but the sale fell through and the PDI couldn't be 'undone' because it was logged into the Mini system..?

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Sat 3 Jul 2021 09:42
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - Bromptonaut

Possibly the car was 'sold' and PDI'd but the sale fell through and the PDI couldn't be 'undone' because it was logged into the Mini system..?

That would be my conclusion. Whether it's actually possible to re-set again but service staff don't have a job card for it is another question.

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Sat 3 Jul 2021 09:50
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - John F

Mini recommend 18000 miles/2 years as their limit.

Nice to see some sensible advice from the OM. (Although even I have never let an engine run more than 12,000 miles without an oil change in the past 40yrs.)

I wonder when this HJ site will explicitly abandon its wasteful costly and frankly absurd advice to change the oil every year regardless of mileage? At least I no longer get castigated here by the dogmatists for criticising it.

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Sat 3 Jul 2021 10:06
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - barney100

Know a bloke who's had an MX5 for fourteen years...it wasn't new either....has never changed the oil and it still goes. He just puts it through the mot and carries on.

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Sat 3 Jul 2021 12:33
Mini - ALL - Clock ticking on condition based services - bathtub tom

Know a bloke who's had an MX5 for fourteen years...it wasn't new either....has never changed the oil and it still goes. He just puts it through the mot and carries on.

There's some excellent (american) clips on youtube showing what the inside of engines look like after extended periods without oil changes. Search " customer states".

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