Mini Dealer Refusing to Fit Non-OEM Parts

[mikeycee]

Afternoon All,

Quick pick of the brains if I may.

We have a Mini Cooper on PCP, Part of the agreement is that it is serviced at an authorised dealer which is fair enough.

For all of the service requirements up to now, I have provided the parts and they have just costed the labour. They will warrant the labour, but not the parts as they are Non-OEM, Again - Fair enough.

Car is up for new front pads and sensors, so I book in and state as usual that I will be providing my own parts. They have now informed me that Mini/BMW's policy is now not to fit any non-OEM Parts and that unless I purchased OEM From them, they are refusing to do the work.

This is not right is it?

I work in the HGV and PCV Sector and am aware of a ruling in place known as the Block Exemption ruling, this allows fair aftermarket competition against OEM and sets out that aftermarket parts may be used on any vehicle without compromising vehicle warranties etc as long as the parts meet or exceed OEM Performance specifications.

Parts are all Mintex, So I know that they are 100% Quality.

So, with this in mind - Should I continue to force the issue with Mini or am I on a hiding to nothing?

Opinions welcome, anyone with some experience who can advise greatly appreciated!

[Rockburner]

Regardless of the Block exemption ruling (which deals with manufacturers and their warranties, I think), I would assume that a franchised dealer would arrange, under their own name, the warranties for work carried out (as opposed to the manufacturer warranty for issues to do with parts incompatibilities).

So - it's up to the dealer to warrant the WORK DONE, where the MANUFACTURER will warrant the PARTS.

So far so good. That's effectively what you've said.

It could be that the dealership's warranty underwriters have changed their terms so that non-OE parts are no longer acceptable, regardless of what the manufacturer says.

I'd fully agree that that's not exactly fair, but it's possibly not illegal either as yet it would depend on the fine print in the Block Exemption ruling, and how it's interpreted and whether or not some lawyer for the warranty underwriters has found a loophole.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

It's their business, they can pretty much do what they want, if they don't want to do it they'll find another reason not to do the work - try another Mini dealer

[Horse]

It may be part of their agreement as a franchise.

[Big Red]

More than likely to do with public liability insurance.
Pretty much the same across the board now with garages and insurance.

If they supply the parts they know where they have come from and what it says on the box. If they fail and there is a serious accident then they can be traced through the manufacturing chain, ie what factory /date and batch number. If there are any other noted problems from that batch then the manufacturer will be liable.
If you supply, they have no idea what they are fitting as far as quality goes. Just because the box says mintex they could be cheap fake parts from china.
If they fit, they are taking on responsibility that the parts are fit for purpose, that includes liability.

No insurance company will consider a claim for personal injury or death from a company fitting "whatever" a customer supplied.

[Rockburner]

More than likely to do with public liability insurance.
Pretty much the same across the board now with garages and insurance.

If they supply the parts they know where they have come from and what it says on the box. If they fail and there is a serious accident then they can be traced through the manufacturing chain, ie what factory /date and batch number. If there are any other noted problems from that batch then the manufacturer will be liable.
If you supply, they have no idea what they are fitting as far as quality goes. Just because the box says mintex they could be cheap fake parts from china.
If they fit, they are taking on responsibility that the parts are fit for purpose, that includes liability.

No insurance company will consider a claim for personal injury or death from a company fitting "whatever" a customer supplied.

Far better explanation than i managed!

[Silly Car]

Brake pads are wearing components and therefore shouldn’t fit under the ‘serving must be carried out by an authorised dealer’ condition in your pcp agreement.

Having fallen foul of trying to supply my own materials for work in the past, it really is a faff as you often have to sink to the bottom to find someone who’ll just do the work. Find yourself a good independent mini specialist and let them soak up the small profit on parts whilst you bask in the glory of £45* per hour labour versus £200 at the main dealer…

* this may be way out but on my last service, I got the valet company next to the small independent to give the car a full valet after the service and the total service cost was still £100’s cheaper than the dealer 2 miles away. The only difference was no courtesy car but even if I had got a taxi back and forth, I’d still be quids in.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Find yourself a good independent mini specialist

And since you're in MK, I'd recommend this bunch.

https://www.deutschtech.co.uk

I've taken my BM there almost as long as I've had it. Fuck paying the BMW dealer £450 to do basically nothing! I'd rather pay these guys £200 to do basically nothing

[Mussels]

I think the dodgy contract is the PCP one. Dealers aren't allowed to insist on dealer servicing as a condition of warranty so can a finance company?

[mikeycee]

Thanks for all of the feedback guys, You echoed my thoughts to be fair as I thought I was a bit snookered.

I had some feedback from Mini and they basically said its up to the dealers what they do as they have to honour the warranties on their own work.... So tough.... Which kind of makes sense when taking into account the comments on fake parts, and honouring warranties should these fake/crappy parts fail.

https://www.deutschtech.co.uk

Ill give these guys a call this afternoon Dazzle - Thanks!

[mikeycee]

Just a quick follow up on this one from anyone interested....

I had an Email from BMW UK today saying that the issue was in for investigation and that I would receive a call regarding the matter later on in the day.... Which I received this afternoon.

It was from the Service Manager at the dealer, Who explained that they are more than happy to fit the aftermarket Parts but that they would not be able to provide a warranty on any issues caused by failure of the parts. She want on to say that as long as the boxes for the parts (Specifically on brakes) were secured with the anti-tamper seals etc there would be no issues at all. She did not know why I was refused service on the basis that I was providing my own aftermarket Parts but she would be investigating this internally as that goes against their internal policy as a dealer.

Her words were - "You are the customer, its your car and we are here to do exactly what you want us to do and if you want us to fit your parts, we will do that", Which I thought as fair enough.

However, the conclusion would be that if dealer policy supports the use of aftermarket Parts, That means they really were trying to scam my missus into purchasing OEM - Which is really not good.

Although I appreciated the investigation and call from the service manager, that makes me even less likely to use them TBH.

Bunch of wankers - If your in MK steer clear.

https://www.deutschtech.co.uk

Cars booked in for next Friday, £63 all in which is spot on - Thanks for the recommendation!