20 replies to this topic

[ginny75]

Hi, I'm new on here. Been browsing a while but never actually wrote anything. Well, just had a very lucky escape. I have a mini cooper s 1998 and have just collected it from garage having spent £670 altogether, including a new tyre. Anyway, driving it home fairly briskly, heard a knocking which I thought might be the exhaust, luckily slowed down a bit and suddenly the front left wheel flew past me. I was in shock (I'm pregnant) and upset and phoned the garage who said they would come out to put wheel back on. Obviously I didn't want them to simply put the wheel back and expect me to drive it home again! Anyway, after seeing that I was in quite a state they've said that they wil make it right. My questions are: what rights do I have? What sort of damage could have been done by travelling quite a long way until the car stopped on no wheel? How can I trust that the ?work will have been carried out properly when they give the car back? Any suggestions/ advice would be greatly received. Although I love my mini, I'm no mechanic and very naive where cars are concerned.

[Tom Sanderson]

Is it the wheel that they put the tyre on that fell off? If it is its could be that they simply didnt tighten the nuts up properly. It could have damaged the brake disk, dust cover and possibly the suspension. Any of which i would want the garage to pay for as well as compensating you for anything else.

Glad you are ok though as it could have been a lot worse.

[Bungle]

also check the bottom of the engine/gear box and flexy brake hose for damage

[ukcooper]

If your in the aa rac ect, id give them a call and get them to check for damage and to give you a report to take to said garage. And dont forget get to charge said garage.

Edited by ukcooper, 25 October 2010 - 03:01 PM.

[Carlos W]

If your in the aa rac ect, id give them a call and get them to check for damage and to give you a report to take to said garage. And dont forget get to charge said garage.

This is what I was thinking!

Get it inspected by someone independent, RAC and AA will give you a report.

You've got loads of rights in law as they have endangered your life and done a sub standard job!

Keep it nice if you can, but don't let them take you for a ride!

[lrostoke]

All of the above, but if not getting an independant check, then also check the actual wheelstuds and the holes in the wheel rim are still ok.
The knocking will have been the wheel coming loose, while this was happening it could have enlarged the holes in the rim, especially if softer alloy one. And damaged the threads on the wheel studs.

[MiniLuke]

I would at least expect to be refunded the cost of the work they charged you. If it were mine I wouldn't let them near it again.....

I would imagine you have a legal case against them, if it was their fault, which it seems as they are keen to "make it all alright".

Main thing is that you are ok, obviously it could have been a lot worse!

Maybe worth seeking legal advice from your insurance company? Many policies include this, that way they will get it repaired for you by another garage, claim the cost from your garage and then pursue a legal claim. I think it is gross negligence on their part.

[Cooperman]

What gets damaged is the lower swivel pin. This is potentially dangerous, especially if you are driving at all quickly. When the wheel comes off, the lower swivel pin ois ground away against the road surface. Please get it thoroughy checked.

[ginny75]

Thanks a lot for all your replies and advice. The garage recovered the mini from the side of the road yesterday and, as I said, have said they will make it good again. I have noted your comments so think I will ask an independent mechanic to check it over after the work has been completed. I'm hoping that they will offer me some sort of compensation for the stress and inconvenience. If they don't I will ask them to refund the £670 I have just paid them to repair it - does that seem fair? It's only a small garage and I'm sure as the bloke said he is 'mortified', however that doesn't help me and he needs to make sure he has systems in place that it can't happen again. I was intending (very sadly) to sell the mini as I'm pregnant and it's not very conducive to fitting a baby and all the stuff that goes with it in it! Maybe I could suggest he buys it from me?

[Ethel]

I can't see a garage offering you a decent price, they need a profit margin if they want to sell it on. I don't think you'd be entitled to a refund if the related work was done properly. They should repair any damage from losing the wheel free of charge and pay any expenses you've incurred as a result. Either they forgot to tighten the wheel nuts or they overtightened them and damaged the studs/wheel nuts, especially if you have none standard wheels. You could ask them to replace the bottom ball joint as a precaution, it wouldn't cost them much to do. Is there anyone who could inspect the car for you before they return it? A good look around while it's on the lift seems in order.

If you don't want to part with your Mini, how about getting in touch with Madonna or Angelina?

[mk3 Cooper S]

Yep the bottom ball joint will need replacing. possibly the wheel studs and if the wheel holes are damaged that should be replaced aswell.

Get it looked at by someone who knows and dont accept anything than a proper repair.

[djshongo]

happened me, altho only when i was reversing down the driveway,

as said, ball joints will def need replaced,

glad ur ok

[Cooperman]

I've had it happen twice to me. The first time was when I borrowed a very early Mini traveller in 1964.It had the vry early wheels which were prone to shearing off nover the wheel nuts. That did 'knacker' the lower swivel poin as I changed the wheel, then the bottom joint failed a few miles later! Didn't notice it when fitting the spare as it was dark.
Second time was on an international historic rally in Belgium when a brand new alloy wheel came loose and fell off on a special stage - fortunately on a long straight. What happened was that the inside face of the wheel had been painted, the brakes made the paint so hot it cracked and the wheel came loose. I thought it was a hardy spicer joint, which we could change at the end of that test - it wasn't. It damaged the lower swivel pin.

[TopCatCustom]

If it is a small garage with a nice owner who was mortified, he is probably more stressed than you about it and may be worrying about a potential case/dispute with you (I come from a family of self employed people/employers and it is a constant worry if anything ever goes wrong), so personally I dont think it is fair to seek compensation apart from the costs you may have incurred from hiring another car or similar. Also there is a very slim chance he will offer you a good price for the car itself, and if he did the previous work ok then it is not really right that he shouldn't charge for that at all.

I'm sure he will offer you some kind of help/discount, but personally I believe that **** happens, nobody wants it to but it's life. Imagine how you would feel if you made a minor but silly mistake and were then persued for compensation, it's stressful especially in these times.

Unfortunately accidents happen and people learn by them, that should be the compensation itself.

Please don't be offended if you don't agree- thats just my honest opinion!

Edited by C4NN0N, 26 October 2010 - 02:20 PM.

[ginny75]

If it is a small garage with a nice owner who was mortified, he is probably more stressed than you about it and may be worrying about a potential case/dispute with you (I come from a family of self employed people/employers and it is a constant worry if anything ever goes wrong), so personally I dont think it is fair to seek compensation apart from the costs you may have incurred from hiring another car or similar. Also there is a very slim chance he will offer you a good price for the car itself, and if he did the previous work ok then it is not really right that he shouldn't charge for that at all.

I'm sure he will offer you some kind of help/discount, but personally I believe that **** happens, nobody wants it to but it's life. Imagine how you would feel if you made a minor but silly mistake and were then persued for compensation, it's stressful especially in these times.

Unfortunately accidents happen and people learn by them, that should be the compensation itself.

Please don't be offended if you don't agree- thats just my honest opinion!

Hi
I understand totally what you are saying and I am very conscious of that. I work for my brother who runs his own small business and as you say **** happens. The fact is though that the garage had the tyres changed by another company and when I asked for that company's details he said no because he is responsible - fair enough. He has told me today that the tyre company are in fact paying for the damage to be rectified - does this mean that the garage are actually making money on this, ie. the labour costs? That seems unfair - surely I'm due something other than simply a lot of stress and inconvenience. **** happens but a tyre company surely has to have measures in place to stop potentially extremely dangerous things happening. We have such a thing as public liability - don't garages? I don't want to screw the bloke, I jsut want it taken seriously. When I saw him today he just said 'oh we looked at the mini and there's not much to do' and when I said I had sought a bit of advice he was really quite snotty with me. Just as an aside - he's given me a heap of **** as a loan car and when I drove down the road today in the rain the windscreen wipers got tangles and snapped off - just what I needed, he's trying to give me a coronary!!
Sorry, this post feels a bit ranty! Don't mess with a hormonal pregnant woman!!!!