[sheps]

Booked the car in at Bury's for some warranty bits and an MOT (yes, nearly three years old already).

I used Bury's because we have an account there (as the two BMW/Mini driving guys based in our London office use them) and because I could arrange it around a visit to our London office.

I gave them two weeks notice and very detailed fault descriptions, so that they could order the necessary bits to address the warranty issues; I wanted to avoid them saying "Yeah, the problem is xyz, we need to order abc parts, come back in two weeks" - I'm only down there sporadically, so it's a pain returning just for that.

So, 8.30 am, they collect the car (and my brothers Cooper S).

The Mini comes back at 11.30, sort of washed, but with a fresh MOT, all good to go.

Mine will be a few more hours, I'm told, and I'm thinking, well, it will be; they're doing all the warranty bits, right?

Wrong.

Not only did they fail to rectify the faults (worst case scenario I was expecting was them not having all the parts and it needing to go back in anyway) but they didn't even look at any of the issues.

Cue a steaming phone call to service manager, who aologised profusely, but could not offer a valid reason beyond "the lad that booked your car in missed the additional bits you wanted looking at" (despite one very clear email and two telephone conversations).

So, on the way home I phoned my local dealers, Elms of Bedford.

I explain the situation to the very helpful lady who answered the phone.
She had the car booked in for the next morning. Yes, all the parts woudn't be there, but at ten minutes from home, I can deal with a return journey.

On the way home I had an 'entanglement' with a civic type R on some twisties and we had a bit of a play. By the time I got onto my driveway I had brake warning lights flashing up, and ramp symbols. I had toasted the brakes (albeit, I did manage to humiliate the Type driver).

So, when I took the car in the follwoing morning, I explained the brake issue as well.
"Not a problem, Sir" was the reponse, "We'll get that done for you".

At ten past 4 the phone rings "All done and valeted Sir, ready for collection when you are".

I arrived at the delaership, and the car was right outside the front door. It had received, without doubt, the best dealer-cleaning I have ever seen, and looked brand new.

I chatted with the service advisor and he ran over the parts that had been ordered (and he advised me I had non-runflats on, which, when I explained I thought they were pants he replied "I'm with you there, but I get bollocked if I don't point it out!").

New pads installed, washer fluid topped up etc.

Car goes back in on Monday to have the faults rectified.
Totally painless.
I like Elms. They're professional and treat you with respect whether you drive a 2 week old 7 series or a 10 year old 316 compact.
They are professional, courteous and efficient. Most of all, they obviously appreciate that taking your car in to a dealer can often be a ball-ache, so when you do take it to them, they make it as painless as possible.

Just wanted to say well done Elms. And to Bury's of Chsiwick, you have some basic lessons to learn.

[dxb335d]

Glad you had a good experiance with them mate. Sure makes life easier.

[zltm089]

"On the way home I had an 'entanglement' with a civic type R on some twisties and we had a bit of a play. By the time I got onto my driveway I had brake warning lights flashing up, and ramp symbols. I had toasted the brakes (albeit, I did manage to humiliate the Type driver)."

LOL...well done!...