I wasn't going to bother posting about my recent experience, but events of today have 'amused' me so much I've changed my mind.
The car in question is a 528 with under 70,000 miles and FMDSH, which I've owned from 2 years old. I bought it from First Front Wimbledon, who later morphed into William Jacks, and now Cooper, and with the exception of one service carried out when on holiday, has been serviced there.
This past year, it hasn't done many miles as I have another car, and spent all summer working on the house. My work has also been mainly local, so it's only done 4000 miles in the last year or so, and since the last Inspection 2.
Although it was still showing 2 lights on the service indicator, and was now on fully synthetic oil rather than the previous spec part synth, the clock symbol was on (meaning the brake fluid is due for a routine change) so I intended treating it to an annual oil change as it says in the handbook for all cars, regardless of mileage. This was hastened by the appearance of a puddle of oil underneath the car, and a wet under tray. Couldn't be bothered checking where it was coming from in the recent bad weather - I've not got a garage.
So it went in last Monday. On the way there, all the instruments packed up.;-)
Got a phone call later that day, saying they'd found the instruments working when they took the car into the workshop, and diagnostics showed nothing amiss. The oil leak was from a steering hose which simply needed tightening.
Picked the car up next day - 487.54 squids, thank you sir.
After leaving the garage, I stopped just up the road in a DIY store car park to check the bill and things. Opened the bonnet. Under tray still covered in oil, and the steering hose and reservoir also. This was a leak from a low pressure hose - the one which goes from the reservoir.
I also check the engine oil. It's exactly on minimum. There are only two large marks on the dipstick - full and minimum.
So back I go. First, I'm told I hadn't asked for the engine to be cleaned. Then that the oil level can't be wrong as they use a dispensing machine that can only give out the correct amount.
I point out that the invoice says 55 quid odd for removal and cleaning of the hose, which is still covered in oil, and would he care to explain just how the engine oil level is low if there machine can't dispense the wrong amount? They've forgotten to change the oil despite charging some 150 quid for this part of the service?
I'm given a coffee, while they clean the engine bay and top up the oil. Don't know how they manage this if the machine can only dispense 6.5 litres. ;-)
Go home. Check the invoice at leisure to discover they've changed the microfilters at a cost of 50 quid, when they were changed only 4000 miles ago. And aren't part of an oil service. Nor have they ticked the book to say this has been done - although the other bits (oil service, brake fluid and coolant change) are correct.
So I phone them up. Very sorry, they say, a mistake, we'll do a credit card refund.
This morning, a tell tale puddle of oil under the car again. And the same hose is soaking in oil. Phone them up - all receptionists busy, so they'll phone me back. 4 hours later, I phone again. Am told to bring the car in for examination, as they might have to order up new parts. No apology - or offer to fix it for free regardless. I'm then told they haven't credited my card over the microfilters, as they wish to remove them and put back in the old ones - which they say are filthy. He said after my call last Tuesday the mechanic in question had retrieved my old filters from the waste bin...
I've faxed the MD of Cooper Wimbledon and will CC a letter to the MD at head office and maybe even BMW UK. For all the good it will do.