Home Page › Forums › Discussions › General independent garage chat › Main dealer blames owner’s short journeys for 12-month old MINI’s battery failure
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Mike Ruff, GW editorKeymaster
The owner of a 12-month old Mini Countryman Cooper has questioned her main dealer after it blamed her short journeys for her car’s battery failure. A
[See the full post at: Main dealer blames owner’s short journeys for 12-month old MINI’s battery failure]SteveGuestThis type of problem is becoming more commonplace, especially with modern cars full of infotainment systems and associated electronics, as BMW has stated. Not so much of an issue with older cars and those without start-stop. It sounds to me like the dealer’s initial diagnosis was correct.
Those regular short journeys will not be doing much good long-term for the engine and exhaust system either.
CHRIS DUNCOMBEGuest£304.39 TO REPLACE A BATTERY!!!!!!!!!!
SteveGuestNot surprising really. Presumably an AGM high capacity battery (at BMW / Mini dealer full retail price), then the labour fee to remove and replace the battery, then add on the charge for diagnostics, then VAT on top.
Would have been far cheaper to get a smart maintenance charger, or even better, use the car more often for long journeys.
DougalGuestThe main headline suggests that the dealer was at fault.
In a warranty situation the dealer can only carry out the wishes of the manufacturer.
Good to see that the manufacturer confirmed that the dealer was correct before coughing up.Eddie BamberGuestThe owner may well have used her car for similar journeys for the last 14 years without incident, but they were different cars with probably less tech. Also, batteries ( like everything else ) are not what they once were.
TomGuestAgreed this will happen more and more often. Reminds me of early DPF faults, customer buys the car thinking it will give great MPG around town, only to find, no it won’t.
You could argue that they haven’t had the needs of the technology fitted explained and therefore been miss sold a car of which to suit their needs, you could argue they should have done their own research. Which wins?Auto ButlerGuestNot great press for BMW, price is an out rage
Martin VandermeerGuestPrice is quite reasonable for AGM high capacity battery.
We charge them out at 250 as the minis take about 20mins to fit along with the programming afterwards.
People stating the price is a rip off clearly don’t understand modern
Batteries and modern vehicles.
Gone are the days of a £50 battery that is easily fitted.Steve JGuestwhy would anyone want to buy a Mini ?
mykeGuestDid the BMW salesman tell the purchaser that the vehicle was unsuitable for commuting short journeys ? is that not the purpose for the stop / start feature with AGM batteries ? and that the driver will be tracked and spied on by BMW due to the hidden black box….Oh is that what happened over the emission scandal, maybe its acceptable in Germany.
And why fit a replacement battery when BMW claim it is not defective ? protect there own product and blame the customer usage. -
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