Faulty windscreen, leak and major electrical problems

[lmk87]

Hi all,

 

Will try to be brief -

 

I have a 3 year old Mini One which was brought brand new in 2009 and is just out of finance. I brought the car out right at the end of the deal.

 

- In May last year the car was fitted with a new windscreen after a crack appeared. The windscreen company were one which I had to use due to my insurance with Hastings. They are a National windscreen company.

 

- 4 weeks ago, in the heavy rain, there was a huge leak in the car which caused the car to be soaked inside and not to start. many of the electrics went out. Mini garage (who I have used for all car issues for the last 3 years) identified that the leak was from a faulty windscreen fitting.

 

- I contacted the company who fitted the windscreen who agreed to have it replaced and carpets dried and foot all bills. They supplied us with a courtesy car and had had the car for the last 3 weeks now. I asked that the car stay with Mini but they obviously wanted to get the work done more cheaply elsewhere so I agreed to this as long as it was returned in perfect condition.

 

- Since then, the car has continued to fail to start and Mini have identified that the problem is with the fuse box, which needs replacing which is going to cost nigh on £4000.

 

- So far, the windscreen company have communicated with me fairly poorly (said they will call and have not done so, passed the buck etc) and have not yet paid their invoice for work undertaken so far to Mini. I don't feel reassured that they are giving me 100% correct information as I have had conflicting messages from them so far.

 

- I am now concerned that they will refuse to pay for the work that needs to be done, which Mini explain could only be caused by the leak, which was caused by them fitting a faulty screen on my car. The windscreen company seem to be somewhat disputing that this could be caused by a leak.

 

Does anyone know where I stand in terms of what my rights are here? I presume that the windscreen company are liable to pay for any damages that the leak caused - but is it within my power to say where I want the car to be fixed ( I would like it to stay with Mini, who I trust ) rather than it be shipped to another place to get it fixed more cheaply?

 

I know that the windscreen company are going to start being difficult as the cost rises and am very concerned by this - but this is not my fault and we have never had a problem with the car until now - I mean it is just 3 years old! I have called my Solicitor and Citizens Advice and await responses from both - but if anyone one here has any advice for me I would really appreciate it.

 

Thank you.

[Conniff]

Can you confirm the cost of replacing the fusebox is 'four thousand' pounds ?

 

You could have a new engine, gearbox and set of tyres for less.

[lmk87]

Apparently it is in the region of £4000 yes - thousand. I was surprised too!

[sailor sam]

Shouldn't you be talking to your insurers if they arranged the windscreen replacement?

[minicoopers]

Hi all,

 

Will try to be brief -

 

I have a 3 year old Mini One which was brought brand new in 2009 and is just out of finance. I brought the car out right at the end of the deal.

 

- In May last year the car was fitted with a new windscreen after a crack appeared. The windscreen company were one which I had to use due to my insurance with Hastings. They are a National windscreen company.

 

- 4 weeks ago, in the heavy rain, there was a huge leak in the car which caused the car to be soaked inside and not to start. many of the electrics went out. Mini garage (who I have used for all car issues for the last 3 years) identified that the leak was from a faulty windscreen fitting.

 

- I contacted the company who fitted the windscreen who agreed to have it replaced and carpets dried and foot all bills. They supplied us with a courtesy car and had had the car for the last 3 weeks now. I asked that the car stay with Mini but they obviously wanted to get the work done more cheaply elsewhere so I agreed to this as long as it was returned in perfect condition.

 

- Since then, the car has continued to fail to start and Mini have identified that the problem is with the fuse box, which needs replacing which is going to cost nigh on £4000.

 

- So far, the windscreen company have communicated with me fairly poorly (said they will call and have not done so, passed the buck etc) and have not yet paid their invoice for work undertaken so far to Mini. I don't feel reassured that they are giving me 100% correct information as I have had conflicting messages from them so far.

 

- I am now concerned that they will refuse to pay for the work that needs to be done, which Mini explain could only be caused by the leak, which was caused by them fitting a faulty screen on my car. The windscreen company seem to be somewhat disputing that this could be caused by a leak.

 

Does anyone know where I stand in terms of what my rights are here? I presume that the windscreen company are liable to pay for any damages that the leak caused - but is it within my power to say where I want the car to be fixed ( I would like it to stay with Mini, who I trust ) rather than it be shipped to another place to get it fixed more cheaply?

 

I know that the windscreen company are going to start being difficult as the cost rises and am very concerned by this - but this is not my fault and we have never had a problem with the car until now - I mean it is just 3 years old! I have called my Solicitor and Citizens Advice and await responses from both - but if anyone one here has any advice for me I would really appreciate it.

 

Thank you.

 

Hi,

 

I would be interested to hear how you got this issue resolved in the end, as I am in exactly the same boat

[Conniff]

Well I certainly wouldn't pay four thousand for a fusebox, you can get a new car for that. Someone is being ripped off.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Conniff
typo correction

[ploddertom]

Hi,

 

I would be interested to hear how you got this issue resolved in the end, as I am in exactly the same boat

 

You may be better off starting your own thread as this one is quite old.

[heliosuk]

Well I certainly would pay four thousand for a fusebox, you can get a new car for that. Someone is being ripped off.

 

Think you mean wouldn't Conniff.

 

However the charges could be reasonable . The box probably comes attached to the main loom which will require a total strip out of the cars interior, replacement of one use only clipping and then a rebuild. Depending on area the poster lives in, labour charges can be as high as £180.00 per hour.

 

What will be interesting is the response to this post and the £180.00 an hour figure but I can easily see £ 4K here for what's involved.

 

Issue needs to be taken up with Insurance co who instructed the screen replacement in the first place using mickey mouse to fit a replacement screen.

[Conniff]

Yes, thank H, I've changed it now.

 

Is this an electically bonded screen and did they bond it as the manufacturers original or did they use mastic, sounds like the latter to me.

 

I've not know on a modern car an integral fuse box. They usually come pre wired with a plug on the end. If BMW have a loom with integrated components, then it's just another bit of proof to dispel this myth about German engineering.

I wonder if the 4,000 includes fuses

[Kiki1]

Hi,

 

I would be interested to hear how you got this issue resolved in the end, as I am in exactly the same boat

 

A boat would surely have the water on the outside.

 

Is yours a Bini as well ?

 

Jaguars appear to be very picky on damp getting in under the seal, causing warnings to appear on the dashboard and preventing moving out of park on the auto gearboxes.

[Conniff]

The fuse box take 45 mins to change, so where is the other £3,900 ?

[heliosuk]

[quote=Kiki1;4453608

Jaguars appear to be very picky on damp getting in under the seal, causing warnings to appear on the dashboard and preventing moving out of park on the auto gearboxes.

 

Is that the XF Rotary Transmission Shifter or the X type J shift?

[heliosuk]

The fuse box take 45 mins to change, so where is the other £3,900 ?

 

Will probably be in the loom Conniff and the strip out and re-fit. I've come across water ingress in looms some 1 metre away from it's entry point. Where did you get the 45 mins from? The notoriously unreliable ICSME manual or an official BMW SRO manual? From the BMW's I've owned to change a fuse box in 45 mins would be nigh on impossible and don't forget that the official time will include 10 mins for getting the car in and 10 mins for getting the car out.

[The Glassman]

Shouldn't you be talking to your insurers if they arranged the windscreen replacement?

 

This. All day long.

 

And the car should have had a full inspection by BMW, all billable to either the insco (for telling you to use that windscreen co) or by the windscreen company because they SHOULD be owning the problem and not trying to wriggle out of it.