Not A Happy Teddy !!!!! (repaired MINI bursts into flames)

[geist]

I had the misfortune a few weeks back, to have my engine damaged, by a puddle.
The insurance company got everything sorted out, new engine fitted last Monday, picked the car up from the dealer Friday afternoon.

Took the car out Saturday, to run the engine in. After about 70 miles (Not all at once) I got flashed by another car !!!! I slowed down and so did they then I thought I saw sparks but couldn't feel anything strange with the car. Then saw a shot of flame out of the wheel arch and the vent where the side repeater was.

Pulled over no brakes jumped out grabbed the mobile and stood and watched as my MINI sat on the side of the dual carriageway GOING UP IN FLAMES.

The car is completely gutted and will be a write off !!!

Me unhappy but now thinking how lucky I am to be alive, have informed the insurance company and now got to wait on them again, and wondering what the dealer who put the neew engine will be saying !!!!

Not happy at only having my car for 30 odd hours and worse off than I was 3 weeks ago when I had a car that just needed repair now I need a new one, it may sound selfish but i don't particularly want to wait months again !!!!

[tip]

So, who is responsible. I can only assume that the dealer is the one who will have to replace the car? They must have installed the engine wrong. Hope this situation does not turn into a mud slinging fight between the insurance company and the dealer. Good luck.

Glad you are alive.

Charles

[geist]

As the car was only collected on Friday & the incident happened just over 24 hours later, I think the insurance company will be asking a lot of questions.

The recovery guy reckons an injector came lose, which would explain how it went so quickly. Before I pulled over I was actually leaving a little trail of burning stuff behind me !!!

Flames out of the side vent did impress me though !!!

I am going to have to take advice from the insurance company about speaking to the dealer, but I think that when they find out they might be pooing their pants. I was running through the what if's with my girlfriend who was driving down the same stretch a bit further back and the outcome could have so easily been a fatality, especially as she had just asked me to give someone with special needs a ride, luckily I had refused and he was in her car !!!!

[Electric Sheep]

Presumably someone will do a full inspection on the car to see if they can find out what exactly went wrong. Maybe there will be grounds for you to sue the dealer who replaced the engine for negligence and so on.

Anyway, it's good that you're all right. Minis can be replaced. Human lives cannot.

[alexcroft]

You should make sure BMW sort you out a hefty figure in compensation, or a brand new M3.

Sorry to hear bout the motor, glad to hear you're ok though! Could have been much worse!

ALex.

[Cape Cod MINI]

OMG! Sorry to hear of your misfortunes.
I see a new MINI in your future, courtesy of MINI/BMW.
In retrospect, don't you think it would have been better to catch fire first, then drive into the puddle?

[EBMCS03]

O man YIKES! Glad you are ok!

[IgorTheHunchback]

Igor hopes you are OK and sends you his best wishes.

Igor thinks that you should not be nice or helpful to garage and instead threaten all sorts of legal action.

Igor thinks that a law has just been passed which bosses can be convicted same charge as employees if company is at fault (though Igor only THINKS this).

Igor thinks you at the very least should get a new car out of this with hefty compensation.

Igor would like to be kept in touch with developments.

Igot

[geist]

It's still in the early stages, I have been in touch with the Insurance Company and got the wheels in motion there.

However I did drop by the dealership to pick up a brochure and mentioned the incident to the service depatment and the head of the workshop, who listened when I said about the incident.

I think at first he thought it was just a small fire in the engine til I pointed out that the whole car was gutted. He then spoke to the manager and returned not saying a word (I think he may have been told not to say anything !) However there was some worried looks going round.

When I left I said to my partner I bet there are some frantic phone calls being made !!!

We will see, I will keep you posted as to what arises !!!

[Martin L]

Whoa
So sorry to hear this. I'm so glad that nobody was hurt in this incedent as it could have turned very ugly

I hope your insurance company sort this all out rapidly.
Do make sure that you get a decent courtesy car for the period until your new MINI arrives, not some cr@ppy Micra or similar. It looks like your dealers need to treat you like royalty from now on.

[2nd Mini]

Snort! Tee-hee! I'm so reminded of a time when we rebuilt the engine of one of our original Volksy Beetles at home. When we tried to start it for the first time, we were alerted to the fact that we had failed to reconnect the fuel line securely by the flames in our rear view mirror Since Bugs have their engine in the rear and this Bug was parked nose-down on an incline, the flaming pool began to move forward. By the time we were able to get an extinguisher and put it out, the fire had melted all the insulation on the engine's wiring harness, burned up the heater hoses, and singed the paint a wee bit. Who thinks to bring out the fire extinguisher for events like this? We do, now.

I'm glad you made it out unsinged yourself! You've got a great story to tell your kids and an excuse to re-order a Mini with the stuff you missed last time! I would love to have seen the look on the dealer's face.... <eyebrows raised> I would think they would be fawning all over you... if they are smart, at least. I hope things sort rapidly!

2

[Mini Cruiser]

omg

BOOOOOOOOOOO

Least u was ok, i cant think ov anything worse than have to watch ur pride n joy go up in flames

[Electric Sheep]

Quote:

Originally posted by geist

I think at first he thought it was just a small fire in the engine til I pointed out that the whole car was gutted. He then spoke to the manager and returned not saying a word (I think he may have been told not to say anything !) However there was some worried looks going round.

No doubt they've been told to keep quiet for the time being as they probably don't want to admit liability or anything unless you sue them. They need to be careful and probably don't want to admit negligence or anything just yet. They will want to have a look at the car at some point, I'd imagine.

Hopefully you'll be able to find out what went wrong from an engineer (i.e. what was the root cause of the fire). You should consider contacting a solicitor as well, just in case. If it does turn out to be the dealer's fault, you should have a proper meeting with someone at the very top of the organisation (not just your local manager) and ask them precisely what they will do to reimburse you for your loss. You need to bear in mind not only the value of your car and anything inside it, but costs for phone calls, letters, car hire, lost earnings and so on.

And keep the pressure up! (And keep us informed, naturally.)

[geist]

Decided to speak to the dealer concerned, they phoned the regional office to get some advice, as they not dealt with an incident like this. They told him to give me a courtesy car, as they did not have one, they have sourced a MINI one for me to use, in the meantime.

They have also recovered the car back to the dealership, even though the insurance company were already supposed to have done it, their excuse they couldn't find the recovery yard (So why didn't they phone me and ask then ??)

An engineer from MINI is going to have alook at it next Thursday and one from the insurance company whenever they actually manage to sort their lives out. They have not impressed me.

So today MINI get the thumbs up, the insurance company are in the bad books. I hope MINi carry on and come up with the goods !!!!!

[diverse]

I would get an independant engineers report before you let any dealer or Mini/BMW look at the car.

I fell foul to the manufacturer stating there was no problem with the handbrake on my car when it rolled away.

But an independant engineer said otherwise, AND NOW THE RECALL!

It shouldn't cost more than £100, you will be entitled to claim it from dealer if found at fault, it will also strenghthen your case for a long term loan car whilst you wait for your new car.

You should demand that the dealer speak to Mini to ask for an extra car in their allocation because they are at fault, it may have been a faulty engine which ultimate liablility would be with Mini/BMW.

Independant engineers web site: http://guideto.iaea.org.uk/