[ozzy]

Can someone tell me the rough cost of a Cooper S front bumper finished!

Also to change a gear box will the front bumper be removed ???

[Randall Raines]

Quote: Originally Posted by ozzy (original)

Can someone tell me the rough cost of a Cooper S front bumper finished!

Not sure what you mean by that, but if you're not in a rush you can get them in pretty good condition off the usual auction sites for around £50 - £70 possibly less can be quite dear £££££ if you mean new (complete) & then painted etc... etc...

Quote: Originally Posted by ozzy (original)

Also to change a gear box will the front bumper be removed ???

Yep!, you have to remove the bumper and loosen off, or remove the full front panel with all the rads & fans on etc... etc... (this will depend on who's doing the job whether they remove it or just loosen it and if the MINI has A/C that can influence the decision ) .

[ozzy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Randall Raines (original)

Not sure what you mean by that, but if you're not in a rush you can get them in pretty good condition off the usual auction sites for around £50 - £70 possibly less can be quite dear £££££ if you mean new (complete) & then painted etc... etc...


Yep!, you have to remove the bumper and loosen off, or remove the full front panel with all the rads & fans on etc... etc... (this will depend on who's doing the job whether they remove it or just loosen it and if the MINI has A/C that can influence the decision ) .

yes i did mean new and compleat and painted. Hmm. so if i found a new one with all the black trims fitted for £400 is that a lot to pay?

If BMW were doing the job on the gear box they would remove all the bits i guess!!!

My point to all these questions is that i have found a touched up area of paint on the top edge of my bumper and we had the gear box changed i was trying to see how it got there? without phoning BMW and saying they did it i am not sure what to do

[Randall Raines]

Quote: Originally Posted by ozzy (original)

yes i did mean new and compleat and painted. Hmm. so if i found a new one with all the black trims fitted for £400 is that a lot to pay?

No, not for a Main Dealer, it could cost more (I don't know for sure as I don't work at a Main Dealer), as they would probably dispose of the bumper and trims & replace it all with new rather than spend time removing the old stuff off the bumper .

Quote: Originally Posted by ozzy (original)

If BMW were doing the job on the gear box they would remove all the bits i guess!!!

I would've said so as they would have the equipment to discharge & recharge the A/C etc... etc... and to prevent any possible damage it can be easier to remove more to make a job easier rather than struggle and damage something (but you never know), however once the bumper was removed it should've been out of the way until refitting after the job had been done (whichever way they actually did it).

Quote: Originally Posted by ozzy (original)

My point to all these questions is that i have found a touched up area of paint on the top edge of my bumper and we had the gear box changed i was trying to see how it got there? without phoning BMW and saying they did it i am not sure what to do

Nothings impossible and accidents happen , Are you 100% sure that it wasn't there before and you've only noticed it while checking closely after the gearbox job , if your 100% sure that it wasn't there before the job I'd phone them and politely point it out to them ASAP.

It's normally common practise for them (Main Dealers whoever they are) to check around the car these days (for damage) before you drop it off, did you not do this?

[ozzy]

Quote: Originally Posted by Randall Raines (original)

Nothings impossible and accidents happen , Are you 100% sure that it wasn't there before and you've only noticed it while checking closely after the gearbox job , if your 100% sure that it wasn't there before the job I'd phone them and politely point it out to them ASAP.

It's normally common practise for them (Main Dealers whoever they are) to check around the car these days (for damage) before you drop it off, did you not do this?

Randall, Thank you for all your input, but the story go's........ Feb '07, mini go's in for new Recaro seat base (Loose stitching) also to look at gear box, (hard to en-gauge reverse).
Go to collect when ready to my horror new seat base all baggy and not like it was, gear box was told was OK.

Then we asked the service guy to come look at seat base as i did not think it was right, he looked, agreed with me and said leave it with us we will fix it, then said to him try the box and you tell me what you think, he trys it , then said "oo i see what you mean", OK we will call you.

Get the call new, box req, we will order it up then fix it in and do the seat again at the same time, so a few days later, called to say its ready, go to pick it up , seat a bit better but still baggy, box changed, i look at it, supercharger fins all squashed, scratches on paint in engine bay ect ect.
Well i was not a happy bunny, (to cut a long story short) got new charger fitted, scratches painted, seat fitted properly, a happy bunny in the end..... till NOW

On Sunday giving it a waxing and notice on the top edge of bumper a line 6" long, is that a shadow rub a bit harder, hmm no, pop the bonnet and there is a bit of flaked paint, i, in a nut shell was gobsmacked, i have been cleaning and waxing it for a year and never noticed it.

However the area painted in was below the area under the bonnet that i saw and then they fixed. so i guess they damaged it (bumper as well) and repaired it with out me knowing, i guess it was a good job till now, as it is now flaking and is noticeable on colour. TODAY i did speak to the dealer who remembers me the the car and the scratches and he said i had better look at it, so meeting on Thursday to discuss.
Hope you get the picture, god knows why i had not seen it till now thanks for reading hope it makes sense.

[Randall Raines]

All fully understood. Unfortunately I've seen this happen at different places (Main Dealers & Independent garages) that I've done jobs for in the past, cars be damaged and a quick repair done and then the car being given back to the customer hoping that they wouldn't notice (I don't agree with it ).

It also looks like you've had your MINI from new so sorry for suggesting you may not have noticed it before (that can usually happen on used cars), it does happen .

If they remember you and they know they've done the damage / repair you'll be in with a very good chance of them sorting it for you (just try & keep your cool when speaking to them ) .

Sounds like they struggled, undoing as little as possible (that's business though) and bashed and scraped everything getting the box out / in .

I know people can read between the lines, but that's some reading between the lines to assume all that from the initial post (only joking , hope you get it sorted out without too much hassle ).

[Randall Raines]

Quote: Originally Posted by ozzy (original)

yes i did mean new and compleat and painted. Hmm. so if i found a new one with all the black trims fitted for £400 is that a lot to pay?

Me myself I would normally pay anything up-to £100 for a used complete front bumper in the right colour (even if a bumper is the right / similar colour & needs painting it's better to have one the right / similar colour so that stone chips etc... aren't noticed when they happen in the future), I may go to £200 if the bumper was absolutely MINT and the colour was a perfect match for the car as it would save an approx £100 spray Bill & any labour involved removing grille's, trims etc...in prep for painting .

However all that said I'm in the trade so it would be different for someone else.

On a new price:

• Bumper would be approx £100 plus.
• All the trims & grille's at approx £10, £20, 30, etc... etc...
• Labour (fitting new grills & trims, paint prep work & painting).
• Paint (which can be quite dear £££££)

So it can mount up £££££ .

[ozzy]

Thanks for the reply, off to see them tomorrow so will get it sorted, yes did have it from new,will let you know what happens tomorrow.