[Suj999]

My car (55 MCS) is under warrenty, its started to get the ticking noice at ideling problem. And from reading in here it looks like a 2 or 3 day job.

Just tried to book the car in, and been told by BMW that for me to get a curtacy car, I either need to pay £12 a day for insurance myself or have insurance from my car company for the car they are going to provide??

Is this right?? On my Audi A3 I never had to pay for a insurance of the curtacy car? Why would I want to pay for insurance again as its not my fault the MINi has gone faulty under warrenty and that I need a car to use.

Is this normal for all BMW dealers or just mine (Stephen James)?

[Nath316]

Is the same at renault if I want one for my wifes car

Normally showing your insurance certificate is ok they just want cover if there is a problem.

I think it can depend form dealer to dealer

[Suj999]

I was told my insurance for my mini will Not be ok as it only covers other cars I drive for only 3 parties. With Audi they use to provide the insurance.

Im really finding it dificult to understand why that I got to pay for insurance again (as I am onlready paing insurance for the faulty mini). When I questioned this was just got told "its their new policy since 5 months ago!"

[mikbmini]

I have a courtesy car at the moment, and BMW have done all the insurance for me, definately no cost. How old are you, they wouldn't give me one a month ago besause I was only 20, and their insurance inly covers drivers 21 or over, and in that instance they said I had to provide my own insurance if I wanted a car. But now I'm over 21 they have not charged me at all. By the way what is the company running the dealership? Mine was coopers BMW

[Scrogg]

Being charged for the use of a courtesy car will eventually become the norm, as it is the most effective way of reducing the number of people each day that demand a replacement vehicle, and thus reducing the number of cars that each dealership has to register (and pay for).

More and more dealerships are now offering Collection & Delivery, lifts home/to work or even taxis for customers as alternatives to the huge costs involved in running a courtesy car fleet.

It's amazing how many people "need" a replacement car until they are told it's not free, then they suddenly remember they don't!

[Wurzel]

I use Stephen james, they do charge £12 for a courtesy car but you should be able to negotiate this if you have had many visits to the dealer for warranty problems.

I complained and now I never have to pay for a courtesy car.

Good luck bud.

[andrewcregan]

I had a FREE courtesy car from Woodmans for 3 days - whilst my Dooper was in for warranty work. My other car is a Citroen (Oh the shame!) and they always charge for a courtesy car - again quoting insurance costs.

[Mister]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scrogg (original)

More and more dealerships are now offering Collection & Delivery, lifts home/to work or even taxis for customers as alternatives to the huge costs involved in running a courtesy car fleet.

This sounds good to me! Unfortunately, the nearest MINI dealership is almost 50 miles from my home and about an hour drive each way. I sure wouldn't say no to being escorted if they offered...especially if the driver is cute

[Suj999]

Im 28, and I drive to work.. Its a 2 1/2 hour journey by train each way to work if I don't drive (or half an hour by car!)! So unfortunately I do need a replacement car.

I think charging for a courtacy car for a warranty repair is really bad customer service! As the whole point of owning a car is to be able to drive. I won't mind if it was a 1.0L corsa!

Now a days even mobile phone shops (carphone) will give you a loan phone, car companies not keeping you mobile is a bad idea! My other option is to borrow someone's car but how would I get back from the dealer if I drive my car there? I wouln't mind if they will drop me off home and pick me back up from home when the car is ready, if its just a one day job!

Im going to call the sales person who sold the car to me tomorrow and speak to him!

[CC07ERS]

Kick up a stink ,it cant do any harm

[craig5320]

I was offered a courtesy car, and told there's no charge but I have to provide my own insurance as others say here, but you should be able to transfer your current insurance temporary ringing your insurance and explain what you want to do and they should do it with no charge, a bit of hassle but shouldn't cost you.

[Suj999]

ya I might give a call to the insurance company tomorrow and check, but am sure they have a £25 admin charge for any small work.

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mister (original)

Unfortunately, the nearest MINI dealership is almost 50 miles from my home and about an hour drive each way.

That's a major difference between the UK and US though, we're never that far from our nearest dealer, which is why we can easily be offered alternatives to courtesy cars.

Quote: Originally Posted by Suj999 (original)

ya I might give a call to the insurance company tomorrow and check, but am sure they have a £25 admin charge for any small work.

Most insurance companies don't charge for covering courtesy cars, as long as it is a similar model to the car already insured, as they know it is a common thing to have to do.

[Streeters]

You'll find that the LOAN of the car is free, the daily charge is for the insurance cover. They should usually let you cover on your own insurance FOC by prior arrangement so they can allocate you a vehicle in advance to give your insurance company time to send the dealer a cover note. With Warranty work the charge still applies, BMW would say that the dealer is making the charge not them. I work for a main dealer (NOT BMW/MINI) and that is a discussion that takes place on a regular basis particularly with warranty work. , Although at our place we charge £15 irrespective of length of use of the courtesy vehicle i.e. same cost for 1 day or 3 weeks. Like Scrogg says, most insurance companies dont charge for the switch as their liability isnt realy changing.

[Suj999]

I been told by my insurance company I an looking at arounf £52 pounds for 3 days for another MCS. My insurer is Highways.

But I think there is some admin fees too..

But I know enterprise rental use to rent corsas to our company at something like £13 a day!

Im booking the car without a courtacy car, im borrowing my sisters's car for a couple of days as they got 2 cars.

But I am really not happy withy Mini / BMW / Stephen James as I thing its soddy customer service and when I tried to talk in a calm way to the service team was even told you can "shop around to see if one of the other dealers will offer a free car"! Not happy, but need this fixed now so something to note for the future!

[mab01uk]

curtacy , courtacy , courtesy

I had to do a spell check to be sure, another one of those English word spellings which is not at all like it sounds...............

[Rakey]

Never paid myself, and never will, mind I can at least spell what I am being charged for which might mean maybe I am a different class of customer than those that can't

[io1901]

I never paid at VW garages but had to add the Mini loan car on to my insurance. The reason given was that the "free" loan cars aren't really that free as the excess on them is very high (>£1000) so if you have an accident you are liable for the full excess. I queried myself and this is the answer i got. It took 5min on the phone to add the car to my insurance - it appeared to me that my insurance company does it all the time (directline).

[simeds]

i'm being charged £15 when i get my new clutch , or i can get a cover note from my own insurer- who normally charge 25 quid for any admin type things, so i think its a good deal. It would cost me more than that in taxi/buses for the 4 of us.

Now what can i get in the boot of that 3 series tourer on wednesday. Garden rubbish ? Ikea furniture ? its an oppotunity not to be missed by a single vehicle mini owning family

[minicabrio]

Barons will give you a car for free, but it comes with a £1000 excess should you prang it, or you can pay the £15 to waive the excess, or they will collect and deliver your car for free.

Only time I opted for the courtesy car was when the car was in for a 2/3 day job.

Don't forget, dealers are NOT obliged to give you a courtesy car