Imagine taking your car to a reputable garage to replace an alternator and getting it back with a badly damaged engine.
Imagine taking your car to a reputable garage to replace an alternator and getting it back with a badly damaged engine.
This is what Ajax Baholo, 37, of Weltevreden Park in Johannesburg is experiencing. He is hopping mad because the dealer accused him of not servicing his car regularly, despite Baholo showing him an invoice to confirm the last service was carried out last June.
Baholo is in the process of suing BMW Hyde Park in Johannesburg for damages.
His attorney, Luyanda Ncube, has confirmed that Baholo is claiming damages for R30884.
In June Baholo took his car to Hyde Park Auto BMW to repair the alternator. It was fixed. When the problem recurred, he asked BMW to put in a new alternator.
Baholo's car was delivered to his Midrand office by a driver.
Baholo said: "The oil light was flicking red and there was a crackling sound when I started the car."
He immediately took it back.
"BMW undertook to do a thorough check."
He was chauffeured back to his office by a driver.
"As we were discussing my displeasure, the driver said that he and his colleague were ordered to drive the car, though the oil light was flicking red and the engine made a cracking noise."
Sowetan is in possession of an affidavit by an employee who attests that his boss, Mervyn Govender, had ordered that the car be taken to Baholo because there was nothing that could be done about it.
Baholo said Hyde Park Auto had established that the oil pump was not supplying enough pressure to the engine, which resulted in the oil light warning. Driving the car in that condition damaged the engine, he said.
He said BMW took the engine to their engineers after first claiming there was nothing seemingly wrong with it.
Baholo said: "They later turned around and said the high mileage might have contributed to the engine damage and I have to carry the costs to have it rebuilt."
He lodged a formal complaint with BMW head office and is still waiting to hear from them.
Baholo said BMW should have known that driving the car in that condition could cause serious and possibly irreparable engine damage.
Ian Dangers of BMW Hyde Park Auto said his attorney would respond to the allegations.
BMW went in bad and came out worse
Imagine taking your car to a reputable garage to replace an alternator and getting it back with a badly damaged engine.
Imagine taking your car to a reputable garage to replace an alternator and getting it back with a badly damaged engine.
This is what Ajax Baholo, 37, of Weltevreden Park in Johannesburg is experiencing. He is hopping mad because the dealer accused him of not servicing his car regularly, despite Baholo showing him an invoice to confirm the last service was carried out last June.
Baholo is in the process of suing BMW Hyde Park in Johannesburg for damages.
His attorney, Luyanda Ncube, has confirmed that Baholo is claiming damages for R30884.
In June Baholo took his car to Hyde Park Auto BMW to repair the alternator. It was fixed. When the problem recurred, he asked BMW to put in a new alternator.
Baholo's car was delivered to his Midrand office by a driver.
Baholo said: "The oil light was flicking red and there was a crackling sound when I started the car."
He immediately took it back.
"BMW undertook to do a thorough check."
He was chauffeured back to his office by a driver.
"As we were discussing my displeasure, the driver said that he and his colleague were ordered to drive the car, though the oil light was flicking red and the engine made a cracking noise."
Sowetan is in possession of an affidavit by an employee who attests that his boss, Mervyn Govender, had ordered that the car be taken to Baholo because there was nothing that could be done about it.
Baholo said Hyde Park Auto had established that the oil pump was not supplying enough pressure to the engine, which resulted in the oil light warning. Driving the car in that condition damaged the engine, he said.
He said BMW took the engine to their engineers after first claiming there was nothing seemingly wrong with it.
Baholo said: "They later turned around and said the high mileage might have contributed to the engine damage and I have to carry the costs to have it rebuilt."
He lodged a formal complaint with BMW head office and is still waiting to hear from them.
Baholo said BMW should have known that driving the car in that condition could cause serious and possibly irreparable engine damage.
Ian Dangers of BMW Hyde Park Auto said his attorney would respond to the allegations.
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