Mini cherished - in an accident??!

[Mcoll]

I posted earlier about my leaky mini one.
I have large puddles of wetness inside both passenger footwells( I think they are connected). My passenger window had stopped going up and down automatically so I believed that this was why.
I have had a professional (friend) check it over and within three minutes he pointed out that the whole passenger front has been repaired, headlight, wing, I side brackets etc.
this was not told to me when I bought the vehicle, not does it appear on hpi checks. However, it is now obvious, and any professional would know this straight away.
This is the second issue I've had, the other being a fuel leak which I was told was caused by a fuel leak rubbing on a coolant pipe - 2 weeks after my service and mot. I had to argue tooth and nail with my dealer to get this fixed. They told me it happens when the engine moves about - not covered under warranty!! I said that is not general wear and tear but either a serious design or build problem - are they telling me that mini build their cars so at four years old a fuel pipe will erode against another part and so I would be practically driving a bomb around!!!

I believe that these two problems (leak and fuel leak) are part if the same issue because of the accident and so does my friend. What do you think? I am so mad at my dealer!!

[The Nun]

Depends as to what was involved in the accident that required repairing, they replaced the front wing and headlight.
It does not take much of a bump to need them the replace parts these days, even a good gouge they seem to replace rather than knock out as its more cost effective.
If the wing and headlamp has been replaced, then was the bonnet too?
I would think only serious accident damage would show up on a HPI check, if its a small unrecorded bump that say never went through the insurance they would never know about it.
Thats not to say a Cherished Dealer should not pick up a repair when preparing the car for sale though and if its a repair done to MINI spec it should not affect its value or indeed be even detectable, the fact you can tell says its not a top job that MINI should have noticed though.

[Mcoll]

I'm not an expert but I was embarrassed standing there - it took them two minutes to notice, there was a sticker on the inside of the wing and masking tape, the paint was pitted, bolts were missing, rusted and not flush on top of each other. Where tools had been used the paint on screws was missing. One headlight had an '08 sticker while the other was '10. I'm guessing the bonnet has been repaired as it lips over the plastic trims on each side and does not sit perfect. The window had also stopped with it's auto function and there is water on the hinge inside (with the indoor leak) so I wonder if that has been removed/repaired/replaced.

I am so angry and upset with LLOYD COLNE dealership, like you say it is so obvious now that it's been in an accident, to have gone through the so called "rigorous" checks any professional would have noticed straight away. Had I known about any kind of bump in the car I would not have bought it, repaired or not. I feel i have been scammed and that the two issues I have had are too coincidental to not be related

[The Nun]

If youve only recently bought it I would say youre in a fairly good position to take it back and demand a refund or exchange it for another??

[Mcoll]

It was September 2011 so I doubt that the dealer will do that. They are ringing me tomorrow and so we shall see. They're in it to make money and the house always wins Im going to try and go to the local papers/magazines and hopefully when they're reputation is at stake they might so something about it!

[ALD0]

It could of been professionally repaired in the past.

MINI obviously either didn't pick it up on the pre vehicle inspection or they did pick it up and they were happy with the condition.

The dealer should sort your woes out though for you. Demand to have a courtesy car until they have finished.