[Blusox]

Just got back from being fleeced by my local dealer!

A few months ago my brake light came on for my pads. I figured out it was the rears so I got a quote from the dealer to put new pads on. They wanted to do pads and discs for over £200, so I said no. Got a set of Roland at GTT and fitted them myself. However once I got the brakes taken apart I saw the back right disc really worn and the pads almost down to bare metal, on the other side they were worn fine. My suspicions of a siezed caliper were realised when I pushed the piston back in and it took alot more effort than the other side. Replaced with Rolands discs.

Any way 100 miles later the smell of cooked discs and the constant (even when not braking) squeak from the back right.

So theres the background.

So with 6 months warrenty left I go to the dealer and tell him there is a siezed back right caliper. Fine. Dealer takes the car for a day and checks it out. At 17:00 I get a call saying the caliper was siezed and they would be replaced under warrenty the next day despite the non stock discs. What? I said, why are you worried about the discs? I mean I told them this happened before with the stock discs on and what has the GTT disc to do with it. There answer was simple and pretty poor. The GTT discs are, apparently, 0.8mm thicker than stock!

Anyway, fine I say go ahead. So today at 17:00 I get a call. All done, and the bill is £380. What? It appears after teling me it would be done under warrenty they changed their minds and decided to charge me after fitting them !!!!!

I said if I'd know that was how much it was going to cost I'd of done them myself. No amount of arguing helped. They wanted thier money and that was it!!!

I feel done! Being told it was going to be free was fine but then doing the work and changing their minds!!! F@$&£^g t&$$£"s!!!!!!

If enough of you ask I'll name and shame the dealer, otherwise anyone got any suggestions?

Roland did you know the extra 0.8mm on your discs is ripping the hearth out of our cars!!!!

[Paul]

They had a verbal agreement to do them under warranty, depends what you signed (if anything), but if they've done work (especially that they told you would be warranty) without your say so, I believe the technical term is "they can sing for it", as they've no right to do that.

[rentagas]

Three words........................Small Claims Court
They agreed to do something for free, then charged full whack I don't think they would want to risk the judgement against them.

[Root Ginger]

The posts above are correct. However, you will have battle on your hands if you've already handed over the cash. You had far more power when the cash was still in your pocket but it doesn't mean you wont get it back.

[Nath316]

Yes the important bit is if yu have paid which i suspect yu have

If they have done work without yur say so even verbally, or if they have agreed to do work then changed minds they have to discuss with you, as far as I am aware.

[Blusox]

Yup, had to pay because I need the car for work

2 days to do calipers wasn't what I was expecting never mind the bill!!

[DerekH]

Can they prove that 0.8mm does not leave enough ley way and could cause damage to this nonsence, and i though under new rules you did not need to get work done at dealers, I think Mini dealers need to look again at there dealer network.

[Blusox]

Quote: Originally Posted by DerekH (original)

Can they prove that 0.8mm does not leave enough ley way and could cause damage to this nonsence, and i though under new rules you did not need to get work done at dealers, I think Mini dealers need to look again at there dealer network.

When I originally fitted the pads the pots were able to go a lot further back into the caliper then the 0.8mm. The dealer rekoned the increased rubbing had caused dust to enter the caliper and cause the problem!

Would be interested to know what the many other satisfied customers of GTT think as I've seen no threads on here about it!

But the non bmw parts bit isn't the most annoying, its the fact they went ahead with out talking to me after they decided to charge! Grrrrrrrrrrrr

[Blusox]

ok, now I've calmed down a bit I'm going to write a letter to the dealership manager stating how disappointed I am and how I don't think the practice of charging for work after saying it is covered under warrenty is legal.

Anyone out there got any experience of writing to Mini cowboys?

[Nath316]

Not really but I would mention that you are part of an onlne community with alot of members and that unless yu get a satisfactory response you will name and shame them.

Also mention trading standards etc

The other alternative is to go in loudly when alot of customers are about........

[Paul]

Personally I wouldn't have paid, you're on the back foot now unfortunately.

The only thing I can suggest is calling and THEN writing to both MINI UK Customer services and the dealer.

Oh, and don't threaten them with "naming and shaming", please share the name purely so people can be aware of which dealers people have good and bad experiences with. I don't see it as naming and shaming, I see it as being honest and helping other MINI owners make the right choice.

By all means mention you've shared your experiences on MINI2.com and people are pretty surprised by the shoddy treatment you've had, not the sort of behaviour we'd like to believe typical of a MINI dealership.

[Blusox]

Cheers Paul,

Normally I wouldn't of paid but I needed the car, I didn't expect to be without it for 2 days as it was. The dealer is Stratstones in Maidenhead, although I had some bad service from one of their sales guys in Windsor too when looking to change from a cooper to a cooper s. I'm also going to put them on blagger.com

I've written a letter and a friend of mine who is a solicitor is going to give it a once over. She may even put it on her firms letterheaded paper if I'm lucky!

I'd be real interested on what Roland has to say on their claims that his disc being 0.8mm was the possible cause of the siezed calliper. Sounds like a load of bull to me!

[Paul]

You should drop Roland an email, in case he doesn't see this.

What I see though it's not whether or not the disks caused a problem, it's the fact they said it would be warranty, and then charged you.

I can't blame you for paying, it's one of those "over a barrel" situations where you need your car, and the dealer knows it.

[ALD0]

If you payed by Credit Card I would go down the chargeback route

[Blusox]

Quote: Originally Posted by ALD0 (original)

If you payed by Credit Card I would go down the chargeback route

I have thought of that as it is on my Mastercard, is that legal?

[SiBradbury]

Quote: Originally Posted by Nath316 (original)

Not really but I would mention that you are part of an onlne community with alot of members and that unless yu get a satisfactory response you will name and shame them.

Also mention trading standards etc

The other alternative is to go in loudly when alot of customers are about........

Going in all guns blazing generally gets you nowhere. It only serves to make the staff dislike you and who wants to help someone they don't like? Calmly state your case. The fact is, your caliper seized while still under warranty and should be replaced for free. Paying for the work and then attempting to get your money back isn't the best course of action in a situation like this though.......

[ALD0]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blusox (original)

I have thought of that as it is on my Mastercard, is that legal?

Yes it is, as what was prev mentioned, you were advised the work would be carried under the warranty, as long as you have not signed anything to say different, they would have a pretty hard case to prove otherwise!

[Blusox]

OK, had my first bit of luck. My best mates wife is a top solicitor and has given me a few pointers and agreed to help me with a letter. Having read it I can see why she is on £90K and still classed as junior!!!

So far shes sited money by extortion, breach of contract by misrepresenting a deal, and fraudulent misrepresentation. Even I'm scared of some of those words!!! lol

The letter looks good and she has advised I send a copy with a cover letter to Mini UK and Mastercard.

Speaking to a BMW X5 drive over lunch they have had problems too with Stratstones this week, wish I'd known how bad they were 2 days ago!!

[ALD0]

Quote: Originally Posted by Blusox (original)

OK, had my first bit of luck. My best mates wife is a top solicitor and has given me a few pointers and agreed to help me with a letter. Having read it I can see why she is on £90K and still classed as junior!!!

So far shes sited money by extortion, breach of contract by misrepresenting a deal, and fraudulent misrepresentation. Even I'm scared of some of those words!!! lol

The letter looks good and she has advised I send a copy with a cover letter to Mini UK and Mastercard.

Speaking to a BMW X5 drive over lunch they have had problems too with Stratstones this week, wish I'd known how bad they were 2 days ago!!

Don't send it to Mastercard, send it to your Card issuer, and advise you are disputing this transaction...

[roland2003]

Hi Guys, ok Ive only just seen this thread.Firstly the GTT discs are NOT 0.8mm thicker than stock they are identical thickness and indeed indentical in all dimensions. I have just gone and measured some using a '0 to 25mm MICROMETER 'and are all 10.0mm thick ,we also have some stock ones which are 10.0mm thick aswell. Both have a wear limit of 8.4 mm stamped on them.
My guess is they either have measured incorrectly or they are measuring the edge of the disc using a digital or vernier caliper. You CANNOT use this to measure as the edge of any disc
'grows' as rust builds up outside the sweep of the pads. I doubt theyve even got a micrometer tbh.
Anyway aside from that even if the discs 'were' 0.8mm thicker then this wouldn't effect anything. We only machine the grooves in house (not the faces ) , the disc is Grade 1 made in Germany (ie not Chinese import grade 2 quality) .Quite simply either the calipers complete with new pads ,retracts far enough to go over the disc (great no problem) ,or it doesnt go over ,full stop .
I'm assuming you spun the wheels after pumping up the brake pedal to check wheels spin freely? This is standard correct practice when changing any disc.
The sticking calipers is very common, nothing to do with brand of discs for sure. If you send a disc down I'll measure it & send back same confirming actual width.
Either way any decent BMW dealer would have fixed under warranty ,and Ive never heard of one before now that just fixes it then demands money when he knows your expecting in done under warranty...I think I'd go mad at them too.
Best Regards Roland GTT
ps other possibilitys are :- handbrake not fully releasing,or over adjusted.