Peter Vardy - Service Department.

[KenL]

Hi,

Can anyone comment on how good these guys are for fixing warranty faults?

I have an occasional rattle from the dash in the R56, which I should probably get looked at sometime.

So, if you have experience of using them for things such as this, please advise.

Also, do they charge for the use of a courtesy car?

This dealership is the only one that is convenient for me these days due to work committments.

Although, if anyone says they are rubbish, I could wait to the Xmas period and put it into Eastern.

I may get an oil change done at the same time as the computer is predicting the first oil change at 25k miles :eek: .

Ta :)

[AndyP & Lenore]

Hi,

Can anyone comment on how good these guys are for fixing warranty faults?

I have an occasional rattle from the dash in the R56, which I should probably get looked at sometime.

So, if you have experience of using them for things such as this, please advise.

Also, do they charge for the use of a courtesy car?

This dealership is the only one that is convenient for me these days due to work committments.

Although, if anyone says they are rubbish, I could wait to the Xmas period and put it into Eastern.

I may get an oil change done at the same time as the computer is predicting the first oil change at 25k miles :eek: .

Ta :)

Ken, we've used them a couple of times. Have a good relationship with one of the BMW sales guys and one of the MINI sales guys - golfing buddies.;)

Being completely honest, I preferred the service guys they had down in Selkirk (when it was Dunedin). It was a much more personable experience. If you had a question the service receptionist literally leaned backwards in his chair, pushed the workshop door open and shouted for one of the techies. However..... spilt milk and all that.

Not sure if you have a sun roof in your MINI, but the blinds on ours had a mind of their own. They both kept opening over short journey's. Real PITA. So we booked it in to Eastern for them to fix them. They fixed the front one after 3 visits. Then they forgot to fix the rear one. Useless.:rolleyes:

So we went to Vardy's for the rear one. They replaced the rear cassette and it didn't make any difference. So we went back in and the service manager came out for me to demonstrate what the problem was. He had the cheek to suggest it was rolling forward because I may be breaking too harshly. Wasn't happy with that suggestion and told him so. But to give them their due, they contacted MINI for a fix, and two weeks later it was in to get the JCW kit added, and they fixed the blind then. Hasn't moved an inch since.;)

One thing the service manager did say to me on the run was that "they get lots of MINI owners in complaining because of wee rattles here and there. At the end of the day these are run flat tyres on a stiff suspension, you're bound to get lots of rattles in a car like this."

Wasn't impressed with that approach.:(

But hasn't stopped us using them.:o

A.;)

[Neil and Lorna]

Our's is in today (Tuesday) for various things all warranty.
Will report back later in the evening.

£10 insurance charge for courtesy car.

Neil.

[AndyP & Lenore]

£10 insurance charge for courtesy car.

Neil.

Oh aye. Forgot about that.:o

A.:D

[KenL]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Not really happy about paying for a courtesy car. A faulty car is a faulty car, not something that should lead to extra expense!

[AndyP & Lenore]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Not really happy about paying for a courtesy car. A faulty car is a faulty car, not something that should lead to extra expense!

Doubt you'll find it any different anywhere. You can insure it yourself on your own insurance, but for convenience I just use Vardy's.

FYI, Eastern had the exact same policy. £10 per day.

A,

[Craig]

sorry Ken, if you pay £10k or Over £20k (like me) for your MINI, no dealership seems to provide courtesy cars, they are all Hire Cars as you have to pay for their insurance or pay for your own insurance.:(

I think it is disgusting as my local independant garage provides one free of charge..:eek:

I find the use of the word courtesy a con, as a courtesy is normally free. If you get a courtesy bus at Disney World in Florida, you don't get to the park and then told, can you give us $5 for your fare please...

I especially don't like when you book a courtesy car over the phone, your not told about the cost, then when you pick up the car when you are dropping yours off, your told of the cost. it's too late by then normally to make other arrangements..:mad: :mad:

sorry, just another reason not to like MINI/BMW dealerships.. Rant over

[stoney]

sorry Ken, if you pay £10k or Over £20k (like me) for your MINI, no dealership seems to provide courtesy cars, they are all Hire Cars as you have to pay for their insurance or pay for your own insurance.:(

I think it is disgusting as my local independant garage provides one free of charge..:eek:

I find the use of the word courtesy a con, as a courtesy is normally free. If you get a courtesy bus at Disney World in Florida, you don't get to the park and then told, can you give us $5 for your fare please...

I especially don't like when you book a courtesy car over the phone, your not told about the cost, then when you pick up the car when you are dropping yours off, your told of the cost. it's too late by then normally to make other arrangements..:mad: :mad:

sorry, just another reason not to like MINI/BMW dealerships.. Rant over


well the dealer i use give me one for free not a problem evey time :D

[KenL]

When my ONE was going into Eastern, they allowed you to use your own insurance. This was OK except when did not give me another ONE as I had to pay an extra amount for the insurance.

I complained after a few visits and the bill to me mounted up to about £60, they gave me a £50 voucher to buy parts with.

[KenL]

well the dealer i use give me one for free not a problem evey time :D

Which dealer is that then?

[AndyP & Lenore]

When my ONE was going into Eastern, they allowed you to use your own insurance. This was OK except when did not give me another ONE as I had to pay an extra amount for the insurance.

I complained after a few visits and the bill to me mounted up to about £60, they gave me a £50 voucher to buy parts with.

That's the same at Vardy. You can insure the vehicle yourself. And TBH, if you have a decent policy your insurer will probably allow the change on a temporary basis without any charge (or a small £5 charge for admin purposes). But the way the insurance market is these days - cut throat - policy fee's are so low, they are finding new and inventive ways of charging you. One of those is to no longer give free courtesy car insurance.

A.

[zimbo]

Well the place I take my car to doesnt charge for a courtesy vehicle.:D and I have only ever had the best service from them no matter which department you are dealing with.

Went to another dealer and found out wanted to charge me for courtesy car and I just told them to forget it and walked out, it's disgraceful as far as I'm concerned for them to even contemplate charging anyone for a courtesy car especially after the amount of money you may have spent on the vehicle in the first place etc etc. And as Craig said a courtesy car is meant to be a 'COURTESY' after all... :mad:

[KenL]

Which dealer?

[zimbo]

It's grassicks in Perth

[stoney]

i use loyds in carlisle

[AndyP & Lenore]

i use loyds in carlisle

We were in there a couple of weeks ago. Nice showroom. The sales manager guy was nice too. He took my details and said he'd call me once the JCW kit was available for the Auto R56. He called to let me know it was "now available to order", 10 days after it was fitted by Vardy.:rolleyes:

A.

[Neil and Lorna]

Well car is tucked up in Vardy's garage tonight as its needing some new bits that wern't in stock.

Service seems to be ok other than waiting nearly 30 mins for a technician to come out for me to explain the faults. Not their fault though they were busy dealing with peeps that got there before me.

The faults are:

The boots got a mind of its own. Sometimes opens sometimes not or sometimes opens all by itself.
Overactive cooling fan.
Squeek coming from c pillar.
Squeek coming from drivers seatbelt, only when cold.

They are also checking for:
Cluncking noise when changing gear.
Slight cluncking and a tiny bit of play in the steering. More noticable when reversing.

Any way it needed a few parts that would be delivered next day so they phoned and said keep the Courtesy car till tomorrow.

Courtesy car is a R56 Mini One.
I must admit its quite a capable car. I was quite surprised how it performs.
Pulls well in lower gears.
To do any serious acceleration above 50MPH youve got to change down 2 or 3 cogs but it does get on with the job.

Things I dont like are:
The 2 lights near the mirror reflect in the mirror when the mirror is dipped.
Dont like the way the indicators and wipers work, But would probably get used to the way they opperate.
Sport button didn't seem to make a jot of difference.
Steering is a bit leary at high speeds it just didn't feel connected to the road surface.

Got used to the stop start thingy quickly. Freaked out at first then remembered reading about it.

Overall I was quite impressed but I'll still be keeping our JCW R53

Neil and Lorna.:D

[KenL]

Neil & Lorna,

What was your final verdict on the job PV did for you?

Ta :)

[Neil and Lorna]

Neil & Lorna,

What was your final verdict on the job PV did for you?

Ta :)

They done a good job on all items I listed.
The car is running like new.
No rattles or squeaks anywhere.


The only issue I have is I asked about an item I had read on Motoring file about the JCW kit on the R53 requiring new spark plugs at every service and maintenance visit. The guy went of to find out, after about 15 mins of waiting I gave up and asked if somebody could give me a call later with there findings. Nobody called. The next day I phoned to ask, spoke to somebody I think it was the service manager he said he would send BMW an email and he would give me a call back when he knew something. Still waiting on the call.
To rub salt in this wound I emailed Mini customer service myself and the reply came back saying speak to your local dealer. I now have in my possession ( downloaded from motoring file) the fitting instructions for the JCW kit it clearly says on the first page that the plugs should be changed at every service and maintenance and the customer should be informed of this.
I'm just hoping they phone back and say no they don't need changed.

I don't know how quick and efficient they were on collection as one of my golfing buddy's works there in sales, so he brought the car back for me.

Neil.:D

[KenL]

OK Neil, thanks for the update.

My dash has been pretty much silent since I started this thread!

[KenL]

Oh, forgot to ask.

Did they ask for an extra £10 since THEY had to keep your car an extra day?

[Neil and Lorna]

Oh, forgot to ask.

Did they ask for an extra £10 since THEY had to keep your car an extra day?


Not sure yet as they haven't invoiced yet.

Will let you know.

Neil.

[KenL]

Does anyone have an email address to get in contact with the service department?

The nature of my job makes it difficult to get round to calling them. I want to check a few things out before booking the car in.

Thanks.

Oh, Neil - did they advise how much they wanted to rip you for insurance/car hire?