[Rob.]

When I purchased my Mini Cooper I was told that the TLC package covered my annual services for 5 years. I have had my mini since March 2002 and have covered 4500 miles. I tried to book my car in for its annual service and was told BMW would not honour my TLC as I had not covered enough miles. Surely whatever mileage I do the TLC pack should enable me to get my car serviced once a year. I was even told I could pay for the service myself but it was not normally covered under TLC.
How can I get my annual service covered by the TLC package?

[bobnobski]

May I suggest a solution:

If BMW refused to let u use the TLC until the car has done the approx 10k miles. then I suggest as you are only doing 5k approx a year. Pay for the 1st service, but request that BMW do NOT re-set the service indicator (which should be showing 4500 to next service) - then drive the car normally until the 1st service is due. which would be in a years time. and then pay for the next service and so on. That way atleast you get 3 services free from 5 years!

[moonshine]

AFAIK,
TLC is for 5 years, or 50,000 miles.
this covers you for 3 standard services, 10,000, 25000 and 40000 mile services (or earlier if you gun it.)and a brake fluid change

the service interval is 1st at 10K, followed by 15K intervals, so the fourth service is at approx 55Kmiles.

The 5yrs, 50k mile thingy is all realted to the average milage ...of 10K per year. I would think it fair that if you want to have your car serviced more fequently than the manufactures recommendations, then you should pay for the additional work.

I think the details of what is and is not included are spelt out pretty clearly in the TLC document.

Hope this helps

Gerry

[moonshine]

ps
bobs suggestion about the service indicator is not a bad one!

[Rob.]

All I want is the dealer to count my first service as the 10000 mile one and use the voucher out of my TLC booklet. This is what i was told when I bought the car.
I don't think I am asking for too much?

[Paul Simonds]

My mini had to be serviced at 7500 as it came up with the light so they honoured this service on TLC

[SoggyCornFlakes]

Rob - just keep driving until the service indicator tells you to get it done

[moonshine]

Quote:

Originally posted by soggycornflakes
Rob - just keep driving until the service indicator tells you to get it done

i agree with soggy here - i would wait until the service is needed at around 10K miles - i don't think it necessary to get it serviced annually just because a year has expired - its not as fragile as a ferrarri!

Gerry

[Hat]

i just realised reading this i've never received any TLC vouchers or paperwork.

[Rob.]

Hat, you should have a little booklet with a few service vouchers in. I would ask your dealer or you may have difficulty later on.

All it means is if you do limited mileage TLC is not as good value. The first service costs £95 and if I don't do another 15000 miles before the 5 yers runs out then you will only get one service. I think it seems daft that if you do lower miles you do not get the full value of TLC.

[GTT 280]

Quote:

Originally posted by Silver and Black
Hat, you should have a little booklet with a few service vouchers in. I would ask your dealer or you may have difficulty later on.

All it means is if you do limited mileage TLC is not as good value. The first service costs £95 and if I don't do another 15000 miles before the 5 yers runs out then you will only get one service. I think it seems daft that if you do lower miles you do not get the full value of TLC.

The dealer should have sold the TLC to you making clear its specific limitations or 'features'.

[Tone]

Careful Hat, it's well tucked away in the folder issued when picking up the car (had a panic moment myself before having a good look).

Rob, why not just pay for an oil change if , like me, you're concerned (have had a quiet winter in mine too). This after all is what I think I've only had in previous new cars when the 1500/whatever miles clocks up.

However, this is progress.

[Rob.]

Thanks for all the replies
I think TLC is an excellent option as it will add to resale values etc.
I just felt a little let down as I had discussed this situation with my dealer before buying the car and was told 'what i wanted to hear' so to speak. He has since moved on and it may have been an honest mistake by him, he seemed a very geniune guy.

[ipartridge]

Quote: Originally Posted by Silver and Black

All it means is if you do limited mileage TLC is not as good value. The first service costs £95 and if I don't do another 15000 miles before the 5 yers runs out then you will only get one service.

But the TLC is 'only' £100 so in the absolute worst case when you are not doing 25,000 mile in 5 years (not possible in a MINI i think ) you are paying a whole £5 too much!

Also as an aside if you are really only doing 5000 miles a year, your resale value will more than compensate for any loss

[northandy]

Hiya Rob mate !.

How many miles do you have on it now ?... mine is now showing 4,300 after 2 months !!!!

[Hat]

i never did get any vouchers but i had my first (9.5k) service the other week & the TLC was honoured ok, after they entered the correct chassis number into the system (they were going to charge me until they realised they had put the wrong chassis number in)

[Rob.]

Hello there Andy and Pat,
This is one old thread
I am up above 6000 miles now
I am off to MITP this weekend so another 500 miles
Anyway, the entire point was that i was told TLC covered annual services when i bought the car. It doesn't unless you do the 'required' mileage. If you do limited miles TLC covers services every 2 years

[GazzaK]

lucky you, I have had the car since Jan and already done 15K in it!!!

[racermini]

I'd second Tone's comments about getting an oil change if you are nervous.
It sounds like a couple of you should swap cars for a few weeks to even up the mileage.

[Red & White Cooper 2]

Quote: Originally Posted by Silver and Black

All it means is if you do limited mileage TLC is not as good value. The first service costs £95 and if I don't do another 15000 miles before the 5 yers runs out then you will only get one service. I think it seems daft that if you do lower miles you do not get the full value of TLC.

The TLC package is really nothing to do with 5 years. You get three free services at nominally 10K, 25K and 40K.

If you do a high mileage - 20K a year, you will have used all your free services in 2 years.

If you do a very low mileage then the car needs a service every two years. You get six years free services. Sounds good value to me!