NHTSA Complaint #10183427 — 2001 MINI COOPER

THERE WAS A "TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN" ISSUED ON MY BMW REGARDING A BROKEN OR LEAKING VALVE WHICH COULD BREAK IN LOW TEMPERATURE WEATHER CONDITIONS. I DID BREAK DOWN, FINDING MYSELF IN A SMOKING CAR, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT IN 6 DEGREE WEATHER. IT HAS BEEN THREE WEEKS AND MY CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID I HAVE A CRACKED VALVE COVER. "ALL" OF THE PARTS ORDERED ARE NOT IN YET AS OF THIS PAST FRIDAY. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE LAST PART, A DIP STICK. A "VOR" ORDER WAS PLACED 3 WEEKS AGO AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY CAR HERE, THAT IN ADDITION TO WHATEVER ELSE, THE DIP STICK BROKE. THEY ARE NOT CHARGING ME FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH THEY SAY IS $2000. I FIND THIS CURIOUS. I ALSO HAD TO BRING MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER IN DEC. BECAUSE IT WAS STALLING IN ADDITION TO A FEW OTHER PROBLEMS, THEY DID NOT CHARGE ME THERE EITHER, AGAIN, CURIOUS. MY CAR, A 2001 3 SERIES, HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT AND JUST HAD IT CHECKED OUT IN NOVEMBER WHEN I HAD AN OIL CHANGE. ALSO LAST YEAR, I HAD OVER $1000 OF REPAIRS DONE ON IT. I HAVE BEEN RENTING A CAR FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS FOR $60 A DAY. I WONDER WHY THEY DID NOT GIVE ME A LOANER AND I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A RENTAL. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BEEN WARNED, OR AT LEAST BEEN GIVEN A CHOICE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED BEFORE IT HAPPENED. I WAS LUCKY THAT I BROKE DOWN IN A SAFE AREA. I WONDER, HOW MANY SERVICE BULLETINS ARE OUT THERE ON CARS THAT WE ARE NOT ADVISED OF AND COULD RESULT IN PUTTING US IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION. AT THE VERY LEAST I THINK THAT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME A LOANER OR SHOULD PAY FOR MY CAR RENTAL. SINCE THEY ARE NOT CHARGING ME FOR THE REPAIR, DOESN'T THAT MEAN THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGE? SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE RENTAL, WHICH IS NOT UP TO $1260? LOSS WHEN IT COMES TO THE CAR I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT. CAN YOU HELP, ME AND OTHER CONSUMERS OUT THERE?*JB