6 replies to this topic

[twign]

Hi all.

My beloved mini conked out on me the other day. It suddenly got stuck in gear. I could select gears, and I could let my clutch out, but I could only get 2ft forward or 2ft reversing and then I'd hit what felt like the gear (it felt like trying to bump a car with it in gear!).

I had it in at my local garage, and they came back saying that the crown wheel and pinion had shredded teeth, amongst a few other things.

So, I've had them have my engine and gearbox out, plus supply and fit of the following:

- Diff crown wheel and pinion - £100
- Head gasket - £10
- Gasket set - £16 off
- Timing back plate and cover? £25.00 (not 100% what this is?)

So the above, plus labour (totalling 14hours), + VAT, total bill equals £700 odd! GULP!!!

I just wanted to ask you guys how this sounded? Does this sound expensive, or does anything sound a miss? I'm basically just after some confirmation that I haven't been ripped off... as I'm hardly mechanically sound myself and so without any second opinions, all I know is what my garage tells me.

Thanks again!

Twign

[Paul Wiginton]

Why did they remove the head and timing chain cover? Did you ask them to?

Paul

[booton]

the price for parts all seem pretty good.
14 seems a long time to work on it but not a quic job.

they prob changed the timing cover because it was rusted. they problely took this of to check nothing had broken or moved in side.
parts not to bad but the labour. seems a lot to me.

but it not something. simple to do really that can be rushed.

[twign]

Paul, I didn't ask them to but they said they spotted it was bent or bodged so they fitted me a new one.

Booton, thanks for the response. Atleast the price isn't miles off then. Maybe a tad expensive but maybe a good job of it? (Hopefully!)

For a little history, it's a Mayfair 1380, lightened flywheel, 286cam, stage 4 head, x-pin diff. Everything was built by the previous owner, and it's only covered just less than 2000miles... hence the shock at the £700 bill! But it turns out the previous owner didn't make too good a job of it, or more to the point he didn't purchase a torque-wrench, as very little had been tightened up properly so I've been informed (including the head - hence maybe why the had it off?).

Fingers crossed, with everything rebuilt properly this time this will be the last of it!! And touch wood it'll be done for fri because I'm booked in at Nobles for my tune up

Cheers

Twign

Edited by twign, 02 November 2009 - 07:07 PM.

[Guess-Works.com]

Replacing the CWP is one thing...

Ask them if they are stripping the gearbox, as ANY shrapnel left in the box from the failure, will cause a second failure not far down the line... ( washing it out will not be enough )

[01smartc]

Agree with guessworks... if we have any customers that may ahve had shrapnal in the box its a full strip and rebuild to get it all out, the last thing you want is a crownwheel tooth stuck in one of your bearings after the whole lot has gone back together.

£700 quid seems a tad expensive aswell I think

Chris @ Smart Performance

[twign]

Yea I believe this is what they've done... as they said they wanted to be sure there wasn't any left over debris anywhere, and explained similarly to yourselves that if there were it'd only cause probs so many miles down the line.

Again, maybe these extra checks account for some of what seems to be a high labour charge. I don't mind paying for a good job well done, but you can never be sure can you.

Thanks again!

Twign

Edited by twign, 03 November 2009 - 01:07 PM.