Mini Cooper - Help urgently needed, please =(

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Fri 10 Sep 2010 12:45
Mini Cooper - Help urgently needed, please =( - MissKelly
Hello,

I'm new and hoping you lovely people could offer me some advice on a recent Mini Cooper 54 I've just purchased, costing £6,299:

I bought the car on finance from a small dealer on Saturday. It went for a service on the Monday-was taken by the dealer to Mini, and they discovered a slight leak of gearbox oil coming from passenger side driveshaft. They thought it would just be the seal, so the dealer booked it into the gargage-at no cost to me because the car has 3 months warranty. I was updated then on the fact that the garage would replace both d/shaft seals-this confused me because it was orginally passenger and then drivers..But I left it up to the experts. Anyway they had the car for 3 days and in that time they fitted the seals to it-which they then said would only last around 6 months as they didn't fit correctly, so the dealer asked for them to fit correct seals. They ordered the seals from BMW, and they fitted them, and then again, they said they weren't correct. They called BMW and they sent a BMW specialist(apparently) and he said the gearbox is BMW and not Rover-which is seen in most Mini Coopers. So, once again they fit the 'correct' seals and send it back to me. I get it to work, parked up for 3 hours and there is a big puddle of oil under the car. My dad checks it over once I get it home (around 3 miles from work) and he said it's leaking from the gearbox AGAIN! So the car has been picked up this morning and taken back to garage (My dad said the gearbox could knacker up with anymore driving) but they've driven it to the garage (around another 3 miles down the road) and they are looking at the car.

My concern is that in a years time, or once my warranty has expired, I'm going to have to fork out for new gearbox as it's most probably knackered if it's had a leak for sometime now. What do you all suggest or could you offer reassurance that the car would last after this?

Many thanks, Kelly
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2010 13:07
Mini Cooper - Help urgently needed, please =( - madf

Time to write a letter to the dealer laying out this hsitory. Your righst under law are it must be fixed properly.

Since driving it when leaking oil can damage it, return it to them and insist on a replacement courtesy car free.

They have to fix the fault within a reasonable period or give you your money back.. Sounds to me a new gearbox is required due to a manufacturing error...

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2010 14:50
Mini Cooper - Help urgently needed, please =( - Dutchie

Hello ,Miss Kelly Whats going on here?The garage fitted seals twice and still leaking,then drive the car with a leak to the garage.Wrong seals or fitted wrong i wouldt trust this garage.They should know what seals to fit for the car.I think they are giving you the run a round.Go with your dad to the dealer whom you bought the car from because the car problaby needs a new gearbox.Or get your money back and start again.I would try to get my money back and start again.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 10 Sep 2010 17:03
Mini Cooper - Help urgently needed, please =( - Vitesse6

I agree - you want your money back as you will never have confidence in the car. This is the sort of thing that gives the used car trade a bad name.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link