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Oil leak and unhelpful dealership. PLEASE HELP.

2K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  Guitarmaker 
#1 ·
I have a 2010 Mini Cooper S Camden edition.

The service notification started appearing so i booked it in for a service with my dealership. When i brought the car in on the day it was booked... the service receptionist plugged my key in and stated it did not need a service yet. Another 9000 at least. He stated the service light was the MOT notification. After it's MOT it had not been reset. He reset it for me.

A week later noticed the service light still and smell of fumes in the car. Yesterday i parked up and noticed a river of oil leaking from the driver's side under the front wheel. It was raining so i could see the extent.

Called AA as i have home start and the AA guy was shocked at the extent of the leak but was also puzzled when i told him the story of the service light and the MOT notification. He said he'd never heard of an MOT notification light.

So... AA bloke reckons it could possibly be a leaking sump gasket. It's being taken to the dealer.

Do minis even have an MOT warning light? Just don't wanna get ripped off. Also the dealer said as it is now out of warranty they will charge a £99 diagnosis fee. Will ask em to wave that mofo! As i'd been in thinking there was an issue.

Any advice truly helpful. I know you guys here can't diagnose the car. But surely the dealer was issuing some dodgy advice here.

If it is a leaking sump gasket any ideas how much i should pay?

Thanks in advance!
 
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#4 ·
OK the dealership have got back to me stating the Timing Chain Tensioner has created an oil leak. Becoming loose and possibly knocking something out and draining the oil?

They want £380 to repair, (probably plus the oil) and a £99 'diagnosis fee'.

I have no idea if I am being ripped off or not?

The guy said this would not have been flagged up by the Service light. No oil light ever came on.
 
#9 ·
Sounds expensive to me



I had a rattle on start up, which Mini looked at under the (used car) warranty. They towed it in and said they'd look at it in the morning, and had replaced the tensioner in an hour or so.

The Mini Assistance warranty is pretty good, replacement car without quibbling, and when I was unhappy the first time the car came back, they sent out another recovery mechanic who found an oil something problem logged on the computer. He took the car straight back in and I got another BMW replacement car. While it's disappointing they missed the second fault, overall the warranty is really good.
 
#5 ·
I would ask them to forget the diagnostic fee on my experiences. Long story short, on holiday my mini was making a weird noise. Took it to Teesside mini who quoted a £50 diagnostics. Turned out it was the rear tyres. They fitted two, at £40 each cheaper than I paid my local stealer. As I had spent money with them, they waived the diagnostic charge. Come on, name and shame the stealer.
 
#7 ·
The timing chain tensior is becoming a common fail point for oil leaks, this part can be replaced by the home mechanic. The price quoted for the job is not bad due to the high prices charge in the dealership for mini brand. Message me if you require repair steps for this fault. But make sure if you replace it to only use a bmw/mini part use to aftermarket units leading to timing chain and running problems
 
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