33 replies to this topic

[beddo]

Hey folks,
I'm trying to figure out what I can do. I sent my mini off to be restored in Sept of last year. So far they've had 6K off me and I thought that we were nearly completed. Well last weekend I had a lovely weekend in the Lakes, but came back late Sunday to a not so good letter.

From my understanding, I had paid my £6000 and all mechanical work was done save bolting it back onto the car. This included a few extras like dipping the body and subframes etc and having the engine fully overhauled. It also covered the bulk of the cost of the panels and any labour up to date.

The letter I got on Sunday was an invoice for 7 grand, 2 of which was already paid. This takes the running cost of the restoration to 11 grand. So I thought that was a bit steep, but if it was a good job and nearly finished it might be bearable. So I ask the place for an estimate of costs to completion.

First up, there's a list of further mechanical work that needs doing despite being told it was already done. Then we're not even talking about the costs of refurbing the interior and we're looking at several more grand just to put the thing back together.

But the main problem is the first line of the email saying that on top of the invoice I had on Sunday there is ANOTHER 6 grand's worth of labour!

So that puts the running total at 17 grand with the shell not even in primer and the mechanical work not finished as I was told and they've got my car and all my spare parts.



I'm currently wondering how to get my car back seen as I was under the impression that we were looking at about 8 grand for a complete job. If he'd told me that I was looking at above 20 grand for the whole thing in September I'd never have given them the job.

So how much would people expect a full restoration to cost from a proper mini specialist company?

So much for giving business to local people :/

[asmith88]

so if i understand you have paid 8k and owe 5k for work that has already been done.... what the other 6k of labour for? and why had he billed you for 7k - did you ask him to do more after the origninal 6k's worthe of work was done?

Edited by asmith88, 24 April 2010 - 03:05 PM.

[MintecMiniSpares]

What age and model Mini is it? And what spec is it being built to standard, modified ect?

Do you have itemised bills?

£17k is certainly a lot but until those questions are answered I couldn't tell you if this expensive or not.

Matt@Mintec

[robtheplod]

This is the problem with restorations... once you (or garage) start, things can crop up very easily to bump the cost. I got a few quotes and was horrified by the costs - obviously mostly labour etc, so did it myself (with help from guys from the local mini club). Had great fun doing it and now have a great car at reasonable cost.

We also decided against going to a garage to restore it in case circumstances changed and we could not afford a stage or to finish it - not a problem if it's in your own garage, but being done professionally you could get stung.

My complete resto cost me just under £5k

[gregh55]

ive got mine totaled up to just over £5000 nd itll need another £2000 for me to be happy

are they building the whole car? with every part new?

[dave21478]

oh man.

I fail to see how you could entertain the idea of spending anything more than a few hundred pounds without either getting an exact, finalised quote or at the very least being in constant touch with the garage to monitor costs as they arise.
Yes, unexpected costs will always crop up, but there is no way on earth that unexpected costs should run into thousands without them letting you know the direction things were taking.

First off. Sack this letter-writing business - get to the garage and talk to them face to face about it. Ideally when spending this much, you should have been doing this regularly but its a bit late now. Its far too easy to fob someone off in a letter or email, but face to face, as long as you keep civil, you will get a better understanding of their intentions and hopefully come to an agreement.

Secondly, if things turn nasty - seek proper legal advice from a real-world solicitor. This will cost you money, but is well worth the investment. The amount of quasi-legal inaccurate *poop poop* spouted on this forum and many others is shocking.

[Charliezminiz]

as everyone else says we need the spec its being built to to say if it is expensive or not. but that seems very steep to me, i assume for that sort of money it was a full nut and bolt restoration using all brand new parts?
if they are trying to con you out of more money i'd get your car back asap.

[mk1leg]

Hey folks,
I'm trying to figure out what I can do. I sent my mini off to be restored in Sept of last year. So far they've had 6K off me and I thought that we were nearly completed. Well last weekend I had a lovely weekend in the Lakes, but came back late Sunday to a not so good letter.

From my understanding, I had paid my £6000 and all mechanical work was done save bolting it back onto the car. This included a few extras like dipping the body and subframes etc and having the engine fully overhauled. It also covered the bulk of the cost of the panels and any labour up to date.

The letter I got on Sunday was an invoice for 7 grand, 2 of which was already paid. This takes the running cost of the restoration to 11 grand. So I thought that was a bit steep, but if it was a good job and nearly finished it might be bearable. So I ask the place for an estimate of costs to completion.

First up, there's a list of further mechanical work that needs doing despite being told it was already done. Then we're not even talking about the costs of refurbing the interior and we're looking at several more grand just to put the thing back together.

But the main problem is the first line of the email saying that on top of the invoice I had on Sunday there is ANOTHER 6 grand's worth of labour!

So that puts the running total at 17 grand with the shell not even in primer and the mechanical work not finished as I was told and they've got my car and all my spare parts.



I'm currently wondering how to get my car back seen as I was under the impression that we were looking at about 8 grand for a complete job. If he'd told me that I was looking at above 20 grand for the whole thing in September I'd never have given them the job.

So how much would people expect a full restoration to cost from a proper mini specialist company?

So much for giving business to local people :/

are you restoring a MK1 cooper S....as this seems to be outragious for a normal mini..................Sommerfords do a full resto on a mk1 s for approx £12,000...............well thats what they Quoted me last year............If I were you I would ask them for a written time sheet of all the work undertaken so far................I did most of the body work and mechanicle on my mini all I paid was for a pro paint job...and my total layout was apporx £8,000..........good luck.....

[Scallywag630]

As had been said, go and see them. I'd take someone with me as witness to what is said. Ask for a detailed breakdown of what they have done already. And full details and costs of what they propose to do.

If things turn nasty, keep your temper, walk away and instruct a solicitor.

[mab01uk]

If he'd told me that I was looking at above 20 grand for the whole thing in September I'd never have given them the job.

So how much would people expect a full restoration to cost from a proper mini specialist company?

So much for giving business to local people :/

Above 20K is getting close to the cost of a brand new Wood and Pickett Margrave 50.........(Price: £25,995)!!
http://www.woodandpi...rs-for-sale/17/

Edited by mab01uk, 24 April 2010 - 05:59 PM.

[Bungle]

you can get a new shell and painted for about 1/2 of that

[Scallywag630]

Way less than half Bungle.

[Cooperman]

If it is a Mk 1 Cooper 'S' to be to conours finish then that would not be an unreasonable price. To do suh a very omplete resto job on a Mk 1 wouold take, say, 300+ hours. At £50 per hour that is £15k labour. Then there are the parts, the body-panels, the engine components, the original Newton Commerial interior, etc.
It depends on what the car actually is and what you've asked for.

[Guess-Works.com]

I agree with cooperman....

It all depends what the original brief was... if it was concourse then it will cost many many thousands....

but conourse is very different from 'restored'.

[Guess-Works.com]

Is it the orange 1975 mini which is being talked about here...

If so, one assumes it isn't concourse as you have fiesta caliper brake conversion, therefore a restoration, in which case, sorry to say, you've been had.

I'd suggest getting your car out of there as quickly as possible, and, personally, I'd be seeking advice from trading standards.