Dealer/servicing problems - help please?!?

[Mini_McLaugh]

Morning all,

Ive been messed about good and proper by the dealership round the corner from where I work and I just wanted to know where I stand? My One is due it's 4th service (50K) and I arranged to have it serviced at Knights in Newcastle-under-Lyme - I was told the cost would be £280 and they gave me the option to extend my TLC pack a further 2 years by paying £300. They couldn't get it booked in till later on this week so I rang the dealer (Rydale, Newport) around the corner from where I'm currently working. I was told by Rydale that if I got the car to them with less than 50k on the clock that i'd not be charged for the service (as it'd be covered by the TLC package) and knowing this, I booked it in. I explained the situation to them and i'd had the previous done there.

I turned up with the car this morning only to be told that the service would in fact cost me £320, I didn't have the option to extend my TLC package and the bloke that'd previously told me the service would be free had "gone off on holiday yesterday". In all honesty I'm a little miffed by the situation and don't really know what to do?

Any help/clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Iain

[humph]

Probably not what you want to hear Iain but TLC covers a set number of services, 4 i think. These include two Oil Services, a brake fluid change and an inspection 1 service. It is not 5yrs, or 50k, as MINI tell you. Your car decides when it needs servicing based on your driving style, there are no set intervals. Found this out when my last TLC ran out at 32K and 3.5 yrs. So get the dealer to check what services it has had, whether you have any TLC left. It is likely that the car has had all it's TLC services, and that the guy who told you otherwise wasn't doing his job properly. It won't be the first time a MINI owner has been given duff info by a BMW service person. Not sure if you'll get any compensation or sympathy from your dealer. Sorry if this is bad news.

[Mini_McLaugh]

Quote: Originally Posted by Humph (original)

Probably not what you want to hear Iain but TLC covers a set number of services, 4 i think. These include two Oil Services, a brake fluid change and an inspection 1 service. It is not 5yrs, or 50k, as MINI tell you. Your car decides when it needs servicing based on your driving style, there are no set intervals. Found this out when my last TLC ran out at 32K and 3.5 yrs. So get the dealer to check what services it has had, whether you have any TLC left. It is likely that the car has had all it's TLC services, and that the guy who told you otherwise wasn't doing his job properly. It won't be the first time a MINI owner has been given duff info by a BMW service person. Not sure if you'll get any compensation or sympathy from your dealer. Sorry if this is bad news.

Cheers for that Humph, you pretty much hit the nail on the head!

The duff service person unfortunately wasn't about for me to talk to, but I managed to get hold of another equally as 'helpful' member of the service team. Initially he told me that I wouldn't be able to take out the 'Excel TLC' package as it wouldn't cover my inspection 2 service I rang Mini UK beforehand who assured me that it would so i've settled for paying £300 for the inspection 2 service, plus the next oil service that includes a brake fluid change.

£300 that I didn't want to spend, but all in i'm (relatively) happy with the outcome