Holiday - A Tale of Woe. A Warning to Others!

[*Jason*]

Apart from breaking my foot, dog trashing our house and finding some structural issues with our holiday home I had a cr@p time but just to put the icing on the cake I managed to pick up a puncture, thankfully (you might have thought) in the MCS which had RFTs.

On my way to the airport, the car was suffering from a bit more understeer than usual so I booted it through a fair few corners thinking it was dust from the track up to our house, not realising for a couple of klicks that I'd actually picked up a puncture. The puncture indicator perked up about half an hour/25 klicks later - useful warning that. Not!

Anyway, to cut a couple of very frustrating days out of the story I end up at the BMW stealer (Guarnieri) in Malaga desperate for two RFTS to enable me to get home as every tyre dealer I'd been to either couldn't get RFTs (none is Spain, Portugal or France), couldn't get a similar sized standard tyre or wouldn't even consider fitting normal tyres.

The Stealer (and I use the term advisedly) couldn't locate any either and was quoting a two week lead time. Not good. In desperation I asked if they had the same wheel/tyre combination currently on the car (R105s) which he didn't but could get them in a week - no good as I needed to get home.

I ended up having to buy four new wheels and tyres, get my old wheels hoiked back to the UK and ended up paying £2k for the privilege. Talk about getting raped.

The worst thing was when we got back and I hobbled up to the shed only to find some scrubbed (read track day specials) 18" tyres from my old Scoob which I could have been brought out by a mate for less money plus he'd get a couple of days in the sun. D'oh.

MORAL OF THE STORY?

If its going to go wrong, its going to continue to go wrong.
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it does.
If anyone wants to buy some mint wheels/tyres for a steal (keeping it in context) then look on the classifieds section.

If you're planning a trip to Spain be advised that getting hold of new rubber isn't that easy.

[Damo]

I'd ring BMW/MINI and see what they have to say about what you had to go through under the circumstances you may find they are willing to do something goodwill wise as that is just shocking!

Did you try MINI Emergency at the time?

[supa-dupa-cooper]

Blimey

I was going to ask about MINI Emergency to, isnt that what they are there for? Though, not sure how different the service is out of the UK.

[*Jason*]

Rang BMW Customer Services in the UK and Spain - neither are interested, so no surprise there. I wasn't aware of MINI Emergency but will remember next time!

[crofty136]

Sounds like you had an awful time! just out of interest, why did you buy one of the most expensive wheel/tyre packages? easier to sell?

[B1ANK]

You could of called you local UK dealer and got them to FED EX or UPS a new RFT to you ?

If they got one in stock you could of had it the next day!

[*Jason*]

Quote: Originally Posted by crofty136 (original)

Sounds like you had an awful time! just out of interest, why did you buy one of the most expensive wheel/tyre packages? easier to sell?

Because I wanted the same sized tyres that were on my car as one option is to fit the RFTs to my other wheels and I also had a small window of opportunity to drive home as I ended up removing the cast from my broken foot in order to drive home.

I thought they would be easier to sell but so far no luck, although having ordered a new JCW I may try and sell the lightweight wheels/tyres of that instead.