On the way out for christmas shopping i stopped at a local dealer to get a car wash. Thirty minutes later i get my car back and I immediately notice a thud, thud, thud from the rear passenger side. I stop and find a HUGE bolt in my tread. I go back and park (i never left the lot). After an hour they get me a loaner (60 minutes later) and I head home. I just get a call that the repairs is done and i just owe them $115! They patched and rebalanced the wheel.

This was at 5pm (they close at 6), so I told them i expected that it would be comped since it happened on their lot. He needs to check with his manager. So I am heading back there on Monday morning at 7am when they open to give back their loaner and talk about the charges. He claimed "they can't control nails on the road", except it never went on the road...

So

1. Patch job should cost $15-20. Not $115!
2. It happened on their property while they had the car.

I can't see how I should pay for this, right?

Resolution
I emailed the manager this morning (monday) and he called me back apologizing and saying the repairs will be covered on their end.

 

Shouldn't pay and $115 for a patch? I pay $20 here in Silicon Valley where everything is overpriced.

 

Technically they shouldn't be held responsible for this but....since they sell and repair tires they should apologize for the inconvenience and gladly repair the puncture at no charge AND they should so it while you wait - it should take just a few minutes - 10 at the most.

And $115 is crazy expensive, you could buy a NEW tire for that!

 

Yeah a new blizzak is only $118!

 

in some states there's laws against charging you for things unless you sign off on them. I doubt you signed off on $115 worth of work. could be something to look into i guess. Otherwise that sucks, they totally 'slammed' you then.

 

Hate to say it, but there's really no way to say whether it was your fault or theirs.

In any case, 115 is stupid expensive.

 

When a MINI is taken in for service, it undergoes a visual inspection for damages and check engine lights ( including TPMS ). Anyone knows a large bolt of substantial size cant be driven on very long, and since you never left the lot....well....


When your MINI is in for service driven on company property in their care they assume responsibility including but not limited to; contents, car wash damages, door dings or a collision while on service inspection drive. Anyone thinking their dealer wouldn't cover this needs to find another MINI dealer.....


A huge bolt would be difficult to patch, hope it works. If it were me, and tires were not that old and run flats, I'd be pressing for new a tire.


GL.

 

Sure there is, I was able to drive there, they didn't see it when they took the car and I never left the lot after i heard the noise from the bolt. I bet that the bolt has a BMW part number on it.

 

Have you guys ever heard of flat rate labor? There is a book used by EVERYBODY! Look up the job, it tells you how long the job should take the average tech. Including getting in the shop, on the lift, work done, and taking it out.

Most techs can do the job much faster then the book rate, so they can do more jobs per day than there are hours to work. I mean he may earn 15 hrs of pay while working 8.

So, you take the car to the dealer, find a nail, (and no, they are not responsible, read the signs and small print on the repair order), look it up, book says 1 hr, shop labor rate is $115. Bingo, cost is $115. Simple...Lol

 

Yeah, it was obviously X hours @ 130 + parts. BUt they don't really check in the car for a car wash. I will talk to them monday morning and get it sorted out.

 

if you are forced to pay, call the local tv stations' investigative reporters, one might bite and fight for you. for free.

 

If your car is in their possession, I suspect it makes them responsible for it. I am sure they have insurance for events like this. However, it is a dealer that is involved here, and I am sure they will try to stick you with a bill, if they can get away with it.

 

Yeah, i am confident that they will just wave the charge, it is just annoying that I will have to argue about it for what should be a $20 repair at most tire shops.

 

Never ever have a dealer do tire work for you. They are not in that business & charge crazy prices. The local tire store will quite possibly fix flats for free. You've learned a lesson.

I don't think the dealer is at fault for your flat, but they sure are for trying to screw you over.

 

The tire repair was free...the loaner car cost ya $115.....
Why you needed a loaner for a tire repair... I'll never understand.

 

Since when do they charge people for loaners?

 

The only reason i needed loaner is cause they couldn't tell me when it would be done. I was about to have my dad come pick me up when they finally found a loaner. Good thing they did cause they didn't finish the job until 5pm (6 hours later).

@ashchuckton - The only reason i had them do it was A. I assumed they would pay for it and the tire was not drivable in its current condition so i was kinda stuck there.

 

Reality is....tire repair, $15, loaner $100...total $115...the usually say MINIMUM one hour...ensures they cover their costs for even a lightbulb swap....lucky they did not hit you for $160.
Maybe they did not itemize it...but you still "pay" for the service...
Dealer charge about TWICE the hourly rate on repairs to charge for things like the fancy building and rentals....
If dealers were routinely giving out more than they took in, they would not be in business.
While I agree the tire repair is (at most) a one hour job, and $20-40 total...some things are not dealer items....
I bet you assume all risk in using a dealers "free" carwash....to do otherwise would not be uneconomical for them to offer it....
Simple fact...folks that get stuff done at dealers tend to be insensitive to prices when it comes to repairs...they just want it done...
Imo it would have been nice if the dealer "stepped up" and comped the repair...goodwill towards future purchases....but we can see that did not happen....but it should have been fix in under an hour too...heck 20-30 minutes total.....then the other time to get the car, paperwork....

 

So, why did you start this post?

 

The legal words are....

Control
Custody
Custody

 

I hope they waive the fee, that's absurd. Like others have said, a patch is like $20-30 anywhere else. I understand the labor rate, but since it happened on their property, the least they can do is not fu** you by using the book time.

 

Amen to what Danny said ^

 

Went to the dealer at 7am to return their loaner car and the same guy was holding his line that they can't be responsible since they don't know when it happened.

No managers were available to talk (they are in "meetings" until 10am) so now i need to go back and talk to someone that has some authority. I have emailed the general manager as well. The bill was for $98 in labor and $15 in parts.

 

Car dealers deserve their poor reputation.

 

What is annoying is that i have had great service there for 5 years and now it all falls apart over $100? After i get back this afternoon from speaking to the service manager i will name the dealership and the outcome.