need some guidance please

[dtr]

Left my M6 into local BMW Dealership in Belfast (shall remain nameless) for full 50,000 mile service yesterday. Recieved a phonecall form service and advised that they had sheared off a brake bleed nipple whilst trying to bleed after change of fluid. They advised me that it would have to be kept longer than expected and they would like me to approve either of 2 potions for rectifying this, AT A COST TO ME!, of either £150 if able to refurb the caliper, or £1000 if needed replaced. Am in conversation with them since and BMW customer Service UK as I am not paying for the damage /broken part . all advice greatly recieved
Thanks David

 

[Nicky Glanza]

Left my M6 into local BMW Dealership in Belfast (shall remain nameless) for full 50,000 mile service yesterday. Recieved a phonecall form service and advised that they had sheared off a brake bleed nipple whilst trying to bleed after change of fluid. They advised me that it would have to be kept longer than expected and they would like me to approve either of 2 potions for rectifying this, AT A COST TO ME!, of either £150 if able to refurb the caliper, or £1000 if needed replaced. Am in conversation with them since and BMW customer Service UK as I am not paying for the damage /broken part . all advice greatly recieved
Thanks David

Collateral damage I’d say , it’s the same as if the glow plug broke upon removal , not really the fault of the person working on it as I’d say they are well enough trained to be careful removing them. Happened to me when I was fitting a mates turbo, bolt sheered one of those things. Cant really charge people an extra 100 quid incase of something happening

 

[gpaevo]

Collateral damage I’d say , it’s the same as if the glow plug broke upon removal , not really the fault of the person working on it as I’d say they are well enough trained to be careful removing them. Happened to me when I was fitting a mates turbo, bolt sheered one of those things. Cant really charge people an extra 100 quid incase of something happening

Really depends on the age of the car though. You wouldn't be happy if they bust a bleed nipple at its first service but if it's eg 6 year old then, yeah I agree with you

 

[KevM]

A part on your car had seized and subsequently broken. I dont really know why you wouldn't expect to pay a technician for his time to fix that for you.

 

[Cooper]

This may be of no comfort but it seems that both the nipple issue, and the dealer response are not uncommon.

Caliper bleed nipple sheared at BMW

Taken my 67 reg M140i for a brake fluid change at local BMW dealer today. Car has full BMW SH but no extended warranty. I was told that when they were changing the fluid, one of the bleed nipples sheared so they want £200 to extract it. I talked to them and asked if anything was wrong with it...

www.babybmw.net

Broken bleed nipple

Hi all, As title says, the bleed nipple has sheared off whilst trying to loosen it. I saw a cheap set of 135i rear calipers on eBay and took a punt on them. They weren't too bad condition, but I plan on getting them refurbed anyway to match the m135i fronts so wasn't too bothered. Both of the...

www.babybmw.net

 

[Nicky Glanza]

Really depends on the age of the car though. You wouldn't be happy if they bust a bleed nipple at its first service but if it's eg 6 year old then, yeah I agree with you

True but still 50,000 miles, not 5000 miles , grim all the same but one of those things

 

[gpaevo]

True but still 50,000 miles, not 5000 miles , grim all the same but one of those things

Fair

 

[ace275]

Agree with the above. If it's the one in your profile picture it's not a new model and they've been out of production for quite a while. Sh*t happens. Unlucky, but they're under no obligation to fix it outside of warranty, but if they do, they're doing you a favour by doing so.

If they meet you halfway that would be a good compromise for everyone I'd think, but they probably outsource the caliper repair work themselves so it's not really up to them to foot the bill.

 

[dtr]

Thanks for replies, it is under a full extended BMW warranty (and has been since standard one ended if that makes a difference). Have spoken to tradising standards and they say defo should be fixed under 2015 consumers rights legis.. Also liasing with BMW Customer Servies UK who think they should be repairing FOC or goodwill, but ill take that with a pinch of salt

 

[ace275]

Thanks for replies, it is under a full extended BMW warranty (and has been since standard one ended if that makes a difference). Have spoken to tradising standards and they say defo should be fixed under 2015 consumers rights legis.. Also liasing with BMW Customer Servies UK who think they should be repairing FOC or goodwill, but ill take that with a pinch of salt

If it's under extended warranty then that might help, I presumed it was out of warranty by now

 

[Nicky Glanza]

Thanks for replies, it is under a full extended BMW warranty (and has been since standard one ended if that makes a difference). Have spoken to tradising standards and they say defo should be fixed under 2015 consumers rights legis.. Also liasing with BMW Customer Servies UK who think they should be repairing FOC or goodwill, but ill take that with a pinch of salt

Ah right different story then if it’s under warranty then I’d be surprised if you’ve to pay for it? My warranty I think is with rac on the van and the stuff they replaced for me was unbelievable , even when I smashed the door lock they replaced it but downside to dealerships is this sort of thing. Had it have been an independent garage , set of easi out’s from screwfix at a 10 and 30 seconds with a bit of heat has the old nipple out. They seem to be making a wild job of it!

If they are being real difficult and adamant to charge, tell them to buzz the caliper off, drive it up to Waterloo road in Lisburn to peter Taylor who will remove it for usually 10 quid he’s done I’d say easily 20 calipers for me in the past.

Used to own many Citroens and Renaults so it was expected often

 

[Coog]

Given those options and a chance the 'technician' could make even more of a balls of it, I'd ask them to remove the calipers and I'd take them somewhere. Seems ridiculous yo'd have to pay either way.

 

[ace275]

Ah right different story then if it’s under warranty then I’d be surprised if you’ve to pay for it? My warranty I think is with rac on the van and the stuff they replaced for me was unbelievable , even when I smashed the door lock they replaced it but downside to dealerships is this sort of thing. Had it have been an independent garage , set of easi out’s from screwfix at a 10 and 30 seconds with a bit of heat has the old nipple out. They seem to be making a wild job of it!

If they are being real difficult and adamant to charge, tell them to buzz the caliper off, drive it up to Waterloo road in Lisburn to peter Taylor who will remove it for usually 10 quid he’s done I’d say easily 20 calipers for me in the past.

Used to own many Citroens and Renaults so it was expected often

Given those options and a chance the 'technician' could make even more of a balls of it, I'd ask them to remove the calipers and I'd take them somewhere. Seems ridiculous yo'd have to pay either way.

Both excellent points, completely agree

 

[KevM]

Thanks for replies, it is under a full extended BMW warranty (and has been since standard one ended if that makes a difference). Have spoken to tradising standards and they say defo should be fixed under 2015 consumers rights legis.. Also liasing with BMW Customer Servies UK who think they should be repairing FOC or goodwill, but ill take that with a pinch of salt

Well there you go.

Close the thread

 

[Rigger]

Personally, I'd be livid if a dealer tried to scam money out of me because one of their techs can't undo a bleed nipple, or sheared it off tightening it up (think the latter is more likely).

We've stuff that's been offshore literally years, sitting outside, corroded, yet we can still take them.to bits and refit without making a hash of it.

Glad that BMW UK have seen sense by DTR, and not asking them for money.

 

[mikey]

Unfortunately with age these things happen. The aluminium wishbone bushes on older Golfs/Passats and the likes are now seizing the bolts into the subframe and no amount of heat or working back and forward frees them up then it’s a drilling session to rectify after they snap.
Customer is told of this before we get into it obviously.

 

[dtr]

Unfortunately for me , this is the response from BMW UK,

"The shearing of the brake valve on one of the calipers was coincidental and as such the Centre wouldn't be covering the repair.

Due to this BMW UK have also looked into goodwill to cover these costs and unfortunately we are unable to help with the repairs of your vehicle.

I know this isn’t the answer you were hoping for and I’m sorry to disappoint you."

I have to accept that I guess and pay for the repair/caliper if it comes to that. Cant deny that it has left a bitter taste in the mouth so to speak.

 

[G24NTR]

Known issue with the valves shearing though so not entirely 'coincidental', I pre-emptively had mine replaced with stainless steel HEL valves because of this. Could be argued that BMW themselves overtorqued them at the last service

 

[swansty]

Bleed valves seizing in callipers isn’t a new thing and I’m sure happens across all makes. I sheared two the other night with minimal force and I’ve sheared plenty before that. I’d like to think that the unnamed dealership in Belfast (you do realise there is only one?) would be fit to extract the nipple for minimal cost but may ask for a contribution towards the time. I presume the warranty wording is clever such as to avoid payment by stating the part has to have mechanically failed and probably excludes corrosion issues.

 

[eamon343]

Personally, I'd be livid if a dealer tried to scam money out of me because one of their techs can't undo a bleed nipple, or sheared it off tightening it up (think the latter is more likely).

We've stuff that's been offshore literally years, sitting outside, corroded, yet we can still take them.to bits and refit without making a hash of it.

Glad that BMW UK have seen sense by DTR, and not asking them for money.

would there be many things on an oil rig that would use a 7mm spanner?

 

[Coog]

If you get a 8mm socket out and hang on the thing, it’ll break. If there’s no incentive there to be gentle with it because the customer will foot the bill or even generate a bit of a profit in the form of a new calliper, then there’s even more of a chance you’ll just crank on it without a care in the world.

They shear all the time on old rusty cars but if you use the right technique 9/10 times you can get them out OK.

Just seems like the usual mechanic experience in NI. Just do it as quickly and rashly as possible and pass the buck to the customer if it goes belly up. Even worse that it’s under warranty.

Or maybe they did spend the time trying to release it and I’m making assumptions

 

[big_pete]

Happened to me, I argued that if it had the potential to be an extra cost and that it was a common risk, I should have been informed of that ahead of the work commencing.

I didn’t pay to have it rectified in the end.

 

[KevM]

I broke one 2 weeks ago on a BMW. Id have happily paid someone £150 to sort it after.

 

[pablo]

£150 isn’t too bad if that’s all it needs. My m3 was in for a fluid change a while back and honestly I’m not sure how I’d feel if I’m the same position. I’d likely take it back and sort it myself out of stubbornness. Unfortunately they can’t really tell it will snap until it snaps. Even if they feel it going it still needs replaced anyway.

 

[dtr]

£150 just a questimate as they outsource it to someone . I'll find out Tuesday when it is done. I wasn't able to take it out somewhere as they wouldn't release car back to me with a leaking caliper which is understandable. I should of asked for the caliper though but they would of charged me anyhow for removal and then i would of had the hassle of finding somewhere to do it etc. If it works out at £150 i'll be releived enough. However if that was all it was going too cost a split half and half would of been good customer service.. hey ho you live and learn i guess.

@big_pete I'll be in touch for a detailing soonish