So about 2 days ago I started smelling gas in my garage in the morning where I park my MINI -- yes MINI gets the nice cozy garage, all other cars must sleep outside

I took my car in to the dealership and I'm being advised my gas tank has a crack in it and will need to be replaced. They asked me if I've run over anything in the last while??? Well I'm pretty sure if I had ran over anything large enough to crack my gas tank I would remember it, but I did advise I remember hitting a small piece of tire debrie on the highway about 3 days ago. Tech said that must have been it. Really???? Tire debrie caused my gas tank to crack and leak gas. Furturemore, I'm being advised it's not covered under warranty and I'll have to pay for it. Gas tank is 1100.00 as it needs to be shipped in from California + Service time. So I'm sure I'm looking at over 1500.00 to replace this gas tank. Tech advised me to call my insurance as it should be covered. But my deductible is $500.00. So a piece of rubber is going to cost me $500.00.

I can't believe a gas tank is build so flimsily that a piece of tire would cause it to crack. Kinda scares me a little.

Dealership did give me MINI loaner though, so at least I'm not without a MINI. Because I need to now wait for insurance company to go out to dealership to review the damage for my claim that I have to file.

Anyone else out there have gas tank problems??

 

That is just a bunch of BS. I mean anything is possible but if the tank is that flimsy then they should be replacing it under warranty.

Unfortunately when it comes to dealers you sometimes have to lie about things like this. In hind site you probably should not have said "No I have not hit anything"

I would push the dealer more and also call MINI USA. Maybe a call to another dealer is in order as well to see what their take on it is. It seems some dealers will do anything to not put in a warranty claim.

 

I would be quite doubtful as well... did they offer to show you an impact spot or anything like that? (I am very visual/hands on so I always want to see the problem)

 

Hey a blown tire crashed the Concorde wouldnt doubt it would crack a gas tank.

 

The dealer is smoking something. Print out the page from the URL below, and ask them how they can charge you $1000 for a part that MSRP is under $400.

2009 R57 URL = http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...63&hg=16&fg=05

(1) Also note, based on the above link, the gas tank is plastic, so it's possible that the tire did crack it.

(2) If they continue to charge you $1000, ask them to itemize out each part they plan to purchase, then order all those from (damn, I can't remember the dealership in NJ on the east coast that has unbelievable prices, but someone can reply with it's name), and have your dealer to the install. Even with shipping, I'm sure it's going to be less than $1000 your dealer is trying to rip you off with.

(3) If the dealer tries to give you a song and dance about how the convertible has a special gas tank vs. the hardtop, that is some serious bull now. The link below is for an Aug 2008 build of an R56, and you'll notice that it's the same gas tank, same price, same part number.

R56 URL = http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...63&hg=16&fg=05

One thing I learned is when you have service replace any part and you have to pay for it, always get it itemized out, check with http://www.realoem.com to verify that t hey aren't ripping you off. Dealers can choose to charge above what is noted in their system, but some offer major discounts on parts.

 

#2 in Zanary's post is Morristown MINI.

 

Thanks everyone!! I'm definately going to be asking for itemized list and also more details on the tank reliability. If it's under 1k for full repair, I'll just pay for it, no sense in putting through insurance

I really appreciate all the responses! Very helpful.

 

One more thing. I guess I missed that last night. Normally, the dealerships don't charge you for shipping parts back and forth between their regional warehouses and the actual dealerships. This has been my exerpeince with Mini and BMW. BMW has even covered shipping from the Germany parts warehouse in the past when I've ordered stuff that was not found in the US at all.

Thanks Jeremy for the update.