Got a front and rear wheel alignment done the other day. The place where everyone in my family goes (and has done mini's before) couldn't do mine because of 10" tyres (machine only went down to 12's). So they suggested the place next door. I went and saw them and they said everything would be fine and they could get it done etc.

When I picked it up they had already broken a screw off of my car, and then this.... I did a tyre rotation 2day and one wheel nut was harder to get off than the others - cross threaded! So now i have to buy some new wheel nuts and put a new wheel stud in! GRRRRR!

</rant>

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

take them the bill, or get them to fix it

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real men race downhill - keiichi tsuchiya

Unfortunately this happened months ago -> I only did the rotation today cause the fronts were a bit more worn and then I found it. The guy there was a bit of a dickhead as well and he wouldn't pay up anyway - Most people would know those types.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

bloke at where i used to work thried to tell me how he used to own a 1600cc cooper "s, played along with it,

its good for him to believe it was a 1600

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any parts for a 76 clubby pm me or ring 0405 329 326

http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=44717

I think I have met a few old blokes at servo's with a V6 or V8 Mini, those guys are the best. Its better when you jump outta your turbo car, with the timer on their the guy's that tell you you left your car running

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-doing a Degree in Mechanical Engineering,
and a few conversions:
13B Extend in a 1600
4EFTE in a mini ute (all slowly)

I few people would remember me loosing a wheel at 35mph on Anzac Parade after a tyre place did a tyre change and a wheel allingment and stripped the threads off the wheel nuts with their rattle guns. The car began vibrating violently at speed, I started braking and tried to enter the inside lane to park by the curb - next thing you know I see my front pass. side wheel fly 2 metres up in the air, then land on top of my door mirror, crack it off and bounce on to the sidewalk (didnt hit anyone luckily) and I'm comming to a rest with all the grace of a plane crash with a tail of sparks at the curb.

I had a tyre place bugger me around due to simular issues.

1st off, the 2 tyres I got from them, they buggered the bead trying to get them on and then put 13" tubes instead of 12" tubes in them. The first tyre failed 50km and 1hr after I picked the car up. Lukily nothing was hurt, as I was sitting on 100km/h and it was a front tyre. The other tyre went on me a few months later, after they said the other was fine (though it was the same as the other, buggered bead and 13" tube).

On the same day, they also buggered the cotton reel mounts on the rod change. Trying to bang it into reverse, rather than lifting the gear stick. The car wasn't back in the park when I picked it up, it was off to the side as they couldn't get it in reverse.

Anywho, a stern letter directed to the CEO of the governing corporation to the franchise got all the repairs to the gear change fixed.

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I personally think you should approach them and tell the workshop of your problems. I think they should be reasonable and fix them or NAME and SHAME. Mini's are not 2nd class citizen's and souldn't be manhandled by mechanic's. And good workshops should be promoted here.

Mini owners should know where to take their cars and where NOT to. If you approach them politley buy get told to pi$$ off tell us please so we don't waste our mini's (and to make you feel better.

Personally Rattleguns are work of the devil on a mini, and I wouldn't recomend using them on any car. Their handy for undoing stiff bolts that's it!

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-doing a Degree in Mechanical Engineering,
and a few conversions:
13B Extend in a 1600
4EFTE in a mini ute (all slowly)

i'll name and shame... MOD EDIT please do not do this
i purchased a 1998 magna there a few years ago and part of the conditions of purchase were that the transmission oil and filter get changed along with the oil and filter new brake pads front and back it was also on lpg they told me that the fuel pump had been disconnected (straight gas conversion) and they were to do a wheel alignment

all they had done is wipe the filters clean with a cloth and pour some fresh fuild and oil down the dip stick tubes with a little carby cleaner a then rang me at 730pm that it was ready to pickup (i was desperate for a car at the time) i went to pick it up i checked that they had done it it did at 730pm in the dark they even changed the label on the windscreen..... guess what i found out 5000kms the sump plug was put on with a rattle gun + locktite the transmission black with quite a few particles, the oil wasn't much better the wheels were shockingly out of alignment then about 15000 kms after the transmission died after about 250000kms $1800 later the fuel pump shite it's self because it over heated because there was no fuel in the tank (i was told it was disconnected even had to paperwork from the conversion place in the log book thingy)

there's one place never to goto!


btw anyone who doesn't like the idea of naming and shaming Foff there should be a section for this kind of thing

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why does everyone want a Cooper S when you ca have a better Clubby

that brookvale workshop i did workexperience at used them for everything. i thought they were a good invention. saved alot of time and elbow grease.

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Sunday Morning Mini Sprint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtGuzqBQ32Q my "rendezvous"

Are you talking about bog spatulas or rattle guns? seeing its thaaaaat place.

rattle guns that rattle and make you look cool when you change a wheel.

yeah that place really oppened my eyes to what a workshop might be like.

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Sunday Morning Mini Sprint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtGuzqBQ32Q my "rendezvous"

please do not name and shame. It is against the rules of ausmini

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If you guys haven't been 'ripped off' by someone yet, you've obviously not owned a Mini for long. I've been touched by almost everyone in the auto business, some intentional, some unknowingly - be careful is all I say, they are trying to make a living and mistakes happen.

But, be very very careful if this business is not their own....

I have never had tyres changed without me taking the wheels off and re-fitting, I don't care how good/careful they reckon they are. I gave up on Bill-Julie doing wheel alignments after I found it quicker and more accurate using the string method.

Rattle guns in the right hands are ok, they used them for some aircraft component overhauls (calibrated pulse guns actually, same thing sort of) but are never used to do the final torque, only ever to preliminary tighten.

Keep an eye out on your car, make it clear to the mechanic what you want done and how you want it done. If you are unsure, post it here and I'm sure you'll get a decent response.

Cheers

Daniel

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Videos - Turbocharged A-Series on Dyno & at Wakefield
Mafs waz not my strong subgeckt at skkol

Thought I'd wrap up a bit and say that I tried to save the wheel stud (when I say "I" I mean my mechanic - wheel studs are important for the safety of myself and others and I don't trust myself incase something went wrong) but the thread was way too far gone to save (and keep it safe) so a brand new one was put in and the threads cleaned up on the nuts.

It was still an expense that I could have done without. Anyway, that's what I get for trusting people and owning a mini.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina